Pressure responsive aerator

Abstract

'An aerator has a pressure responsive valve assembly therein for restricting the flow therethrough when the pressure of the water supply is increased. The aerator includes a housing mounting a stream straightener member and a partition member. The partition member seats an annular O-ring which in turn seats a movable valve element. The valve element and partition define an assembly with a variable sized passageway. The valve element is responsive to pressure from the pressure source to compress and move the O-ring to constringe the passageway. A mixing body is movably mounted between the stream straightener and the partition member for mixing water from the passageway with air. The valve element has a depending leg which is manually operable from the outlet of the housing. The leg can be pressed upwardly to lift the valve element which opens up the passageway thereby creating turbulence in the aerator. The turbulence vibrates the mixing body which can be audibly detected to indicate that the aerator is being flushed and cleaned.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.