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US 6,315,212 B1Granted
Float vent
OwnerJohn Francis Steeple Heffernan, Charles Bonelloinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A float vent is described for automatically venting gas from liquid, such as air from water in a domestic radiator system. In addition to a float valve (2), a subsidiary valve (6) is provided that can seal the vent path and displace the float valve from its closed position. The subsidiary valve may be a thermostatic or hygroscopic valve, for example.
Claims10
An automatic venting device for venting gas from a system containing liquid, comprising
- a body defining a connector (1) for connecting to the system, a vent (11), a member (29) defining an orifice (27), and a valve seat (5) on the member (29), the body defining a vent path from the connector (1) through the orifice (27) to the vent (11),
- a float valve (2) movable between a closed position in which it engages the valve seat (5) to close the vent path, and an open position in which it is spaced away from the valve seat (5) to open the path, wherein the float valve sinks towards the open position in the absence of liquid in the system but is floated towards the closed position when liquid in the system reaches a predetermined level, and
- a subsidiary valve (21, 39) movable between a vent position leaving the vent path open and an operation position in which the vent path is closed,
- wherein movement of the subsidiary valve (21, 39) to its operation position from its vent position acts to displace the float valve (2) from its closed position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.