Pneumatic pressure regulator

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body having formed therein an inlet port, an outlet port and an intersecting chamber between the inlet and outlet ports, the intersecting chamber having a longitudinal axis,
• a valve seat insert disposed in the intersecting chamber and having a insert body separating an upstream portion of the intersecting chamber from a downstream portion respectively in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the insert body having a valve seat surrounding a valve seat opening,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow from the inlet port to the outlet port,
• the insert body having a peripheral edge in supportive engagement with a sealing surface on the main body, the peripheral edge and sealing surface being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the intersecting chamber and having a seal therebetween to provide fluid tight engagement of the insert body with the housing, and
• further comprising a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the intersecting chamber, a piston having one side thereof forming a movable wall of the control chamber, a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston, a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element, the piston including a vent passage therein and a vent seal surrounding the vent passage, the vent seal having a seat portion engageable by an adjacent end of the stem to close the vent passage against escape of fluid from the control chamber, and an axially extending damper portion which resiliently laterally constrains the end of the stem over a limited range of axial movement of the stem.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body having formed therein an inlet port, an outlet port and an intersecting chamber between the inlet and outlet ports, the intersecting chamber having a longitudinal axis,
• a valve seat insert disposed in the intersecting chamber and having a insert body separating an upstream portion of the intersecting chamber from a downstream portion respectively in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the insert body having a valve seat surrounding a valve seat opening,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow from the inlet port to the outlet port,
• the insert body having a peripheral edge in supportive engagement with a sealing surface on the main body, the peripheral edge and sealing surface being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the intersecting chamber and having a seal therebetween to provide fluid tight engagement of the insert body with the housing, and
• further comprising a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the intersecting chamber, a diaphragm piston assembly having a central piston forming a movable wall of the control chamber and a diaphragm having a peripheral mounting flange portion secured between a bonnet body and main body, a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston, a set point adjustment mechanism including a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element and an adjustment device for adjusting the compression on the spring to enable adjustment of the regulator's set point, the mounting flange portion of the diaphragm including a bead and the bonnet having an annular end face including an annular groove for the bead, the bead having an axial length greater than its radial width, and the width of the bead in its uncompressed state being sufficient, when inserted into the annular groove, to retain the diaphragm piston assembly and set point adjustment mechanism assembled to the bonnet body when the bonnet body is separate from the main body.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body having formed therein an inlet port, an outlet port and an intersecting chamber between the inlet and outlet ports, the intersecting chamber having an open end and a closed end, the open and closed end of the intersecting chamber being aligned along an axis of the intersecting chamber, and the inlet and outlet ports intersecting the intersecting chamber at respective openings that are aligned with one another along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the intersecting chamber,
• a valve seat insert disposed in the intersecting chamber and including an insert body separating an upstream portion of the intersecting chamber from a downstream portion respectively in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the insert body having a valve seat surrounding a valve seat opening,
• a valve element including a valve head on the upstream side of the insert body and movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow from the inlet port to the outlet port,
• a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the intersecting chamber,
• a piston having one side thereof forming a movable wall of the control chamber,
• a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element,
• a stem connecting the valve element and the piston,
• the valve seat insert including a generally L-shape passage for directing the flow of fluid from the valve seat opening to the outlet port, one leg thereof extending from the valve seat opening and the other leg forming an axial continuation of the outlet port.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body having formed therein an inlet port, an outlet port and an intersecting chamber between the inlet and outlet ports, the intersecting chamber having a longitudinal axis,
• a valve seat insert disposed in the intersecting chamber and including an insert body separating an upstream portion of the intersecting chamber from a downstream portion respectively in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the insert body having a valve seat surrounding a valve seat opening,
• a valve element including a valve head on the upstream side of the insert body and movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow from the inlet port to the outlet port, and
• wherein the valve seat insert and main body have opposed sealing surfaces inclined to the axis of the intersecting chamber, and further comprising an annular seal between the opposed sealing surfaces, the opposed sealing surfaces being arranged such that the upstream and downstream portions of the intersecting chamber are sealed from one another by the annular seal.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing having a main passage therethrough that has portions thereof upstream and downstream of a valve seat,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow through the main passage,
• a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the main passage,
• a piston having one side thereof forming a movable wall of the control chamber,
• a chamber wall separating the control chamber from the downstream portion of the main passage,
• a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston, the stem passing through an opening in the chamber Wall,
• a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element,
• the piston including a vent passage therein and a vent seal surrounding the vent passage, the vent seal having a seat portion engageable by an adjacent end of the stem to close the vent passage against escape of fluid from the control chamber, and an axially extending damper portion which resiliently laterally constrains the end of the stem over a limited range of axial movement of the stem.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing having a main passage therethrough that has portions thereof upstream and downstream of a valve seat,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow through the main passage,
• a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the main passage,
• a piston having one side thereof forming a movable wall of the control chamber,
• a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston,
• a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element,
• the piston including a vent passage therein and a vent seal surrounding the vent passage, the vent seal having a seat portion engageable by an adjacent end of the stem to close the vent passage against escape of fluid from the control chamber, and an axially extending damper portion which resiliently laterally constrains the end of the stem over a limited range of axial movement of the stem, and
• wherein the damper portion has a tubular wall extending axially from the seat portion and at least one gripping rib protruding radially from the tubular wall for engaging a side of the stem.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body and a bonnet body removably attached to the main body, the main body having a main passage therethrough that has portions thereof upstream and downstream of a valve seat,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow through the main passage,
• a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the main passage,
• a diaphragm piston assembly having a central piston forming a movable wall of the control chamber and a diaphragm having a peripheral mounting flange portion secured between a bonnet body and main body,
• a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston,
• a set point adjustment mechanism including a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element and an adjustment device for adjusting the tension on the spring to enable adjustment of the regulator's set point,
• the mounting flange portion of the diaphragm including a bead and the bonnet having an annular end face including an annular groove for the bead, the bead having an axial length greater than its radial width, and the width of the bead in its uncompressed state being sufficient, when inserted into the annular groove, to retain the diaphragm piston assembly and set point adjustment mechanism assembled to the bonnet body when the bonnet body is separate from the main body.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body having formed therein an inlet port, an outlet port and an intersecting chamber between the inlet and outlet ports, the intersecting chamber having an open end and a closed end, the open and closed ends of the intersecting chamber being aligned along an axis of the intersecting chamber,
• a valve seat insert disposed in the intersecting chamber and including an insert body separating an upstream portion of the intersecting chamber from a downstream portion respectively in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports, the insert body having a valve seat surrounding a valve seat opening,
• a valve element including a valve head on the upstream side of the insert body and movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow from the inlet port to the outlet port,
• a control chamber in the housing separated by a wall of the valve seat insert from the intersecting chamber, the valve seat insert including an aspirating passage connecting the control chamber to the downstream portion of the intersecting chamber,
• a piston having one side thereof forming a movable wall of the control chamber,
• a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element, and
• a stem connecting the valve element and the piston, the stem passing through an opening in the wall of the valve seat.

A fluid pressure regulator comprising

• a housing including a main body and a bonnet body removably attached to the main body by a collar, the main body having an externally threaded portion and the collar being internally threaded for screwing onto the externally threaded portion of the main body by hand turning the collar without the aid of a tool, the collar being rotatable relative to the bonnet body and cooperative with the bonnet body to hold the bonnet body to the main body;
• the main body further having a main passage therethrough that has portions thereof upstream and downstream of a valve seat,
• a valve element including a valve head movable into and out of engagement with the valve seat for opening and closing the valve seat opening to control flow through the main passage,
• a control chamber in the housing and connected by an aspirating passage to the downstream portion of the main passage,
• a diaphragm piston assembly having a central piston forming a movable wall of the control chamber and a diaphragm having a peripheral mounting flange portion secured between a bonnet body and main body,
• a stem interposed between the valve element and piston and engageable by the piston,
• a set point adjustment mechanism including a control spring on the other side of the piston for urging the piston toward the valve element and an adjustment device for adjusting the tension on the spring to enable adjustment of the regulator's set point,
• the mounting flange portion of the diaphragm including a bead and the bonnet having an annular end face including an annular groove for the bead, the bead having an axial length greater than its radial width and being press fit into the into the annular groove and engageable at its side opposite the groove against an annular surface of the main body to form a fluid tight seal therebetween.