Freezeproof sanitary water supply appliance
OwnerE. R. Arledge, IIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water supply control appliance adapted to be buried in soil beneath local frost level contains a chamber fitted with a piston which is spring-biased in opposition to inlet water pressure. Such pressure forces the piston to fully charged position at one end of the chamber whereupon a piston valve is opened to pass the water to outlet. Closing the supply valve releases pressure on the piston, permitting the piston to move in response to the spring bias. The piston movement pumps water below the piston out to drain and drains water from the outlet lines into the expanded chamber above the piston, safe from frost. Water in the drain line will, at the end of the piston travel, fall back into the chamber above the piston after piston travel is completed, when a piston ring seal spans a port to the drain line.
Claims18
A freeze-proof sanitary valve assembly comprising:
- a housing forming a combined cylinder and liquid reservoir and adapted to be buried in soil beneath a local frost line;
- a piston means slidable in said cylinder and normally sealingly dividing said reservoir into variable first and second chambers;
- bias means urging said piston means to a position minimizing the volume of said first chamber;
- a pressurized water supply line selectively communicating to said first chamber;
- an exposed water outlet device through which water passes to atmosphere and communicating to said second chamber;
- valve means responsive to movement of the piston means for selectively communicating said supply line to said outlet device when said piston means has moved to minimize said volume of said second chamber;
- said bias means being overcome by water pressure from said supply line exerted upon said piston means in opposition to the force of said bias means and permitting said movement of said piston means;
- and
- a pump-out passage selectively communicating said first chamber to atmosphere,
- whereby upon inflow of water from said supply line said piston is moved through the cylinder and reservoir against said bias means to a fully charged position, whereupon said valve means opens to permit flow of said water to said outlet device, and whereby upon termination of said flow and movement of said piston away from said fully charged position under the urging of said bias means said valve means closes, water in said first chamber is pumped therefrom through said pump-out passage by said piston in a pump-out stroke, and said stroke simultaneously draws water from said water outlet device into said second chamber.
A sanitary freeze-proof water supply appliance comprising:
- a fluid outlet to atmosphere;
- a main valve between said inlet and said outlet to control flow of fluid through said appliance to said fluid outlet;
- an elongate fluid reservoir having a peripheral wall and having a first end of said reservoir communicating to said fluid inlet downstream from said main valve and a second end of said reservoir communicating to said fluid outlet;
- a housing containing said main valve and said reservoir and adapted to be buried in soil beneath a local freeze-depth of said soil;
- a piston slidably received in said reservoir and dividing said reservoir into variable first and second chambers;
- biasing means biasing said piston toward said first end of said reservoir;
- a piston valve selectively openable to communicate said first and said second chambers;
- a piston valve actuator stop near said second end of said reservoir and adapted to open said piston valve upon engagement therewith when said piston is near said second end of said reservoir;
- a pump-out passage communicating said first chamber volume at a port near said first end thereof to a drain;
- and
- a pump-out valve in said passage between said first chamber and said drain and cooperating with said main valve to be open when said main valve is fully closed and closed when said main valve is open,
- whereby after flow of pressurized fluid through said housing, closing of said main valve permits said piston to be moved by said bias means to reduce said first chamber and to pump fluid within said first chamber to said drain, and to draw water from said pump-out passage into said second chamber and beneath said local freeze line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.