Water pressure regulator

A pressure regulator for a drinking system for poultry or other animals;

• the drinking system including a water supply line, said regulator, and a watering pipe with drinking stations positioned therealong;
• said pressure regulator including:
• a housing having a chamber therewithin;
• a flexible diaphragm sealed with respect to said housing and dividing said chamber into a water chamber and an ambient chamber;
• a spring carried by said housing in operable engagement with said diaphragm such that the force of said spring acts upon said diaphragm to force said diaphragm toward said water chamber;
• said housing having a water inlet adapted to be connected to a supply line and an outlet adapted to be connected to said watering pipe, said inlet and said outlet being in communication with said water chamber, said inlet having a single inlet port through which water enters said water chamber,
• a valve carried by said housing and being operatively associated with said diaphragm for movement between a closed position in which said valve blocks the flow of water from said inlet port into said water chamber and an open position in which water is permitted to flow from said inlet port into said water chamber such that the force of said spring acting on the atmosphere side of said diaphragm balances the force exerted on the water side of said diaphragm thereby to regulate the pressure of the water in said water chamber and within said watering pipe to a predetermined water pressure substantially less than the pressure of said water supply,
• the positions of said inlet port and said valve member relative to each other being selectively alterable to selectively switch said regulator between an operating mode in which said regulator operates to reduce pressure of water entering said watering pipe and a flushing mode in which water at line pressure enters said watering pipe.

A pressure regulator for a drinking system for poultry or other animals;

• the drinking system including a water supply line, said regulator, and a watering pipe with drinking stations positioned therealong;
• said pressure regulator including:
• a housing having a chamber therewithin;
• a flexible diaphragm sealed with respect to said housing and dividing said chamber into a water chamber and an ambient chamber in communication with the atmosphere;
• a spring carried by said housing in operable engagement with said diaphragm such that the atmosphere and the force of said spring acts upon said diaphragm to force said diaphragm toward said water chamber;
• said housing having a water inlet adapted to be connected to a supply line and an outlet adapted to be connected to said watering pipe, said inlet and said outlet being in communication with said water chamber, said inlet having a single inlet port through which water enters said water chamber;
• a valve carried by said housing and being movable with said diaphragm between a closed position in which said valve blocks the flow of water from said inlet port into said water chamber and an open position in which water is permitted to flow from said inlet port into said water chamber such that with said spring adjusted to a predetermined level the force of said spring and of the atmosphere acting on the atmosphere side of said diaphragm balances the force exerted on the water side of said diaphragm thereby to regulate the pressure of the water in said water chamber and within said watering pipe to a predetermined water pressure substantially less than the pressure of said water supply;
• and
• means for altering the position of said water inlet port relative to said valve member to selectively switch said regulator between an operating mode in which said valve member and water inlet port are positioned relative to each other such that said valve member can open and close said port to reduce pressure of water entering said watering pipe to said predetermined water pressure and a flushing mode in which said valve member and water inlet port are positioned relative to each other such that said valve member is inoperable to close said inlet channel port thus permitting water at line pressure to enter said water chamber and said watering pipe.

In a drinking system installed in building for poultry or other farm animals;

• said drinking system including a water inlet line;
• a water pipe;
• a plurality of drinking stations along said water pipe;
• and a pressure regulator positioned between said water inlet line and said water pipe;
• said pressure regulator including a housing having an inlet in communication with said water inlet line and an outlet in communication with said water pipe;
• a support member coupled to said water pipe so as to stabilize or stiffen said water pipe said regulator housing being connected to support member and said water pipe, the improvement comprising a mounting bracket for suspending said regulator and for securely coupling said support member to said housing;
• said mounting bracket including;
• a base securable to said housing;
• a first arm and a second arm extending from said base, said first and second arms being sized and shaped to define a passage for receiving said support member;
• a finger extending from each said arm, said fingers being adjacent each other and connectable together to draw said first and second arms into gripping engagement with said support members, said fingers being connectable to a respective cable depending from a support structure in said building so as to suspend said water pipe and said regulator from said support structure whereby said regulator can be removed from said mounting bracket without disconnecting said mounting bracket from said support pipe to maintain connection of said support pipe to said cable.