In-line relief valve

A safety relief valve that is connectable between a source of fluid under pressure and a location to which fluid flows from said source, and whereby pressure at said location is prevented from exceeding a predetermined value, said relief valve being characterized by:

• A. a body that defines
• (1) a vented valve cage having an axis,
• (2) a pressure chamber,
• (3) an annular valve seat opening through one side of said pressure chamber to provide for communication between it and the valve cage, said valve seat being coaxial with the valve cage and having an annular seating surface that faces substantially axially into the valve cage, and
• (4) a pair of substantially tubular nipple portions, the respective bores of which extend inwardly in the body towards said pressure chamber;
• B. a coaxial valve element in said valve cage movable axially to and from a closed position in engagement with said annular seating surface, said valve element
• (1) having a pressure surface which faces into the pressure chamber through the valve seat and
• (2) being yieldingly biased towards said closed position;
• and
• C. said body having therein
• (1) a baffle which projects partway into said pressure chamber from the side thereof opposite said valve seat and which is thus at all times spaced from said pressure surface, and
• (2) a pair of passage portions, one for each of said bores, each communicating its bore with said pressure chamber,
• (a) said passage portions being separated from one another by said baffle but being at all times communicated with one another through said pressure chamber, and
• (b) said passage portions extending substantially parallel to the axis of the valve cage and each opening to the pressure chamber opposite said pressure surface so that pressure fluid entering the body through either of said bores exerts impact pressure upon said pressure surface as it issues from the passage portion communicated with that bore.