Compressed air dehumidifier

In a dehumidifier system including a compressed air dehumidifier including two containers each with an adsorbent therein and valve means for connecting the containers alternatingly one at a time into a compressed air delivery system for dehumidifying air to be delivered from an air compressor, the improvements comprising, choked bleeding means for passing a fraction of the dehumidified air from the container connected into the delivery system into the other container thereby to create a pressure difference between said two containers, and a valve control mechanism comprising,

• (a) shuttle valve means having a housing and a movable shuttle valve body having two spaced recesses therein and which is axially positionable over a short movable stroke alternately between two mating seats defined in the housing so that when the containers are alternately connected into said air delivery system there is established a discharge path through one of the seats for said fraction of the dehumidified air passing through that said other container to the surrounding atmosphere, said shuttle valve body being axially movable in response to said differential of air pressure between said containers,
• (b) a locking valve stem axially movable transversely to the shuttle valve body for respectively engaging one of said recesses for mechanically locking the valve body against a respective one of said seats and releasing it for movement to the other seat,
• (c) means for reciprocating the valve stem axially to lock the shuttle valve into position against either one of said seats and to release the shuttle valve for axial movement of the shuttle valve into an alternate seat in response to the difference of air pressure between said two containers.