US 5,853,160 A · Aerator valve assembly

Abstract

An aerator valve assembly adapted to provide selective fluid communication between a supply of pressurized gas and a pressure vessel and adapted to provide selective fluid communication between the pressure vessel and a bulk material handling structure. The valve assembly includes a valve housing including a valve body, an end cap adapted to be connected to the supply of pressurized gas, and a piston seat having an outlet port adapted to provide fluid communication with the bulk material handling structure. The valve body includes a port adapted to provide fluid communication with the pressure vessel. A piston is located within a chamber of the valve body between the end cap and the piston seat. The piston is selectively slidable between an extended position wherein the piston creates a metal-to-metal seal with the piston seat to seal the outlet port closed and a retracted position wherein the seal is broken. The piston includes a diaphragm that is adapted to engage the piston seat and that includes a plurality of fluid passages adapted to provide fluid communication between the supply of gas and the port of the valve body. The piston includes a cylindrical skirt extending from the diaphragm that slidably engages a bearing on the interior wall of the valve body to provide proper piston alignment. A biasing member extends between the piston and the end cap and resiliently biases the piston from the retracted position to the extended position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A valve assembly adapted to provide selective fluid communication between a supply of gas and a pressure vessel and adapted to provide selective fluid communication between the pressure vessel and a bulk material handling structure, said valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing including a valve body and a piston seat, said valve body including a first end, a second end, a port adapted to provide fluid communication with the pressure vessel, and an interior wall forming a chamber, said chamber being in fluid communication with said port, said second end of said valve body including a fluid passage adapted to provide fluid communication between the supply of gas and said chamber of said valve body, said piston seat having a first end removably engaged to said valve body and a second end having an outlet port adapted to provide fluid communication between said chamber of said valve body and the bulk material handling structure;
a piston located within said chamber of said valve body between said second end of said valve body and said piston seat, said piston being selectively slidable within said chamber between an extended position, wherein said piston sealingly engages said piston seat and thereby seals said outlet port closed, and a retracted position wherein said piston is spaced apart from said piston seat thereby opening said outlet port;
and
a biasing member extending between said second end of said valve body and said piston, said biasing member resiliently biasing said piston from said retracted position to said extended position;
whereby said piston seat is selectively removable from said valve body for inspection, repair and replacement.

2 more elements

a valve housing including a valve body, an end cap and a piston seat, said valve body including a first end, a second end, a port adapted to provide fluid communication with the pressure vessel, and an interior wall forming a chamber, said chamber being in fluid communication with said port, said end cap being attached to said second end of said valve body and including a fluid passage extending therethrough adapted to provide fluid communication between the supply of gas and said chamber of said valve body, said piston seat having an outlet port adapted to provide fluid communication with the bulk material handling structure;
a piston located within said chamber of said valve body between said end cap and said piston seat, said piston being selectively slidable within said chamber between an extended position and a retracted position, said piston including a diaphragm and a skirt, said diaphragm having a first side, an opposing second side and an outer peripheral edge, said skirt extending along said outer peripheral edge of said diaphragm and outwardly from said diaphragm, said skirt being located closely adjacent to said interior wall of said valve body, said diaphragm including one or more fluid passages extending through said diaphragm from said first side to said second side;
and
a biasing member extending between said end cap and said piston, said biasing member resiliently biasing said piston from said retracted position to said extended position;
whereby when said piston is in said extended position said one or more fluid passages of said diaphragm provide fluid communication between said fluid passage of said end cap and said port of said valve body and said piston sealingly engages said piston seat and seals said outlet port of said piston seat from fluid communication with said port of said valve body, and when said piston is in said retracted position said piston allows fluid communication between said port of said valve body and said outlet port of said piston seat.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aerator valve assembly

Life of this patent

Aerator valve assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20