Expansion and check valve combination

A combination expansion valve and check valve for controlling the flow of refrigerant in a refrigeration system comprising:

• (a) a valve body including an upper portion providing a first chamber and lower portion providing a second chamber said first chamber defining an inlet chamber and said second chamber defining an outlet chamber receiving refrigerant at a lower pressure than the refrigerant pressure in said inlet chamber when refrigerant flow is in a normal direction from said first chamber to said second chamber,
• (b) compound valve means disposed between said first and second chambers including:
• (1.) a seating means defining a check valve port,
• (2.) a movable check valve element receivable by said seating means, said check valve element including a control valve port, and
• (3.) a control valve element;
• movable into and out of said control valve port,
• (4.) said check valve being urged into engagement with said check valve seating means and said control valve regulating flow between said first and second chambers, when refrigerant flow is normal, and
• (5.) said check valve element being urged out of engagement with said check valve seating means when refrigerant flow is reversed so that refrigerant flows relatively freely from said second chamber to said first chamber,
• (c) means for controlling movement of the control valve element when the refrigerant flow is normal.