FLUID SHUTOFF VALVE

• US 3,602,250 A
• Filed: 03/10/1969
• Issued: 08/31/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John S. Neenan
• Original Assignee: John S. Neenan
• Inventors: Neenan, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohan, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews, David R.
• Application Number:
  US04/805,604
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 137/386,389,390,393,461,463,624.27 251/65,72,73 141/40,41,198,225
• US Class Current: 137/386
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/125 Devices for generating a current of water in swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 21/185 with electrical or magnetical means, e.g. with magnetic floats, for sensing the liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7287 Liquid level responsive or maintaining systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/773 Fluid released trip

Abstract

A fluid shutoff valve that may be attached to an ordinary lawn hose for controlling the flow of water into a swimming pool. A magnet on a diaphragm holds a movable valve member in the open position and an air chamber at one side of the diaphragm has a fluid connection with a venturi, the chamber also having a fluid connection the open end of which is disposed in the pool at the height whereat it is desired to cut off the supply of water to the pool. The venturi causes air to flow from the second connection and through the chamber when the second fluid connection is above water level in the pool, the flow of air through the chamber being stopped when the water level reaches the open end of the second connection. Air pressure in the chamber is then reduced causing the diaphragm to deactivate the magnet'"'"''"'"'s holding of the movable valve member so that said movable valve member is actuated to the closed position by gravity.

Claims

1. A shutoff valve mechanism for a pool or the like, comprising:

A. a hollow housing having a chamber with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet port;

B. a nonmagnetic partition defining part of said housing;

C. a venturi downstream of said outlet port;

D. a movable valve member at one side of said partition, said movable valve member being movable between an open position and a closed position shutting off outflow of liquid from said chamber, said valve having at least a part of magnetically attractable material;

E. means, including a movable pressure-sensitive element defining a pressure chamber, said pressure-sensitive element being exposed to the pressure in said pressure chamber;

F. a magnet at the other side of said partition, said magnet being adjacent to and aligned with at least the magnetically attractable part of the valve member for direct magnetic attraction of said attractable part of said valve member when the latter is in the open position;

G. a fluid connection between said pressure chamber and said venturi;

H. a sensing conduit connected to said pressure chamber, said magnet being adapted to retain the movable valve member in the open position when the pressure in said pressure chamber is normal but when said sensing conduit is closed the pressure in said pressure chamber is reduced and the pressure-sensitive element is moved to effect reduction in the magnetic force acting on the movable valve member and allow said valve member to move to its closed position.

2. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet and is attached to and movable with the diaphragm, whereby said magnet is moved away from said valve member when the pressure is reduced in said pressure chamber.

3. The invention defined by claim 1, including means for protecting the movable valve member from liquid flow in the housing.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the movable valve member is a flapper valve movable between a horizontal position and a vertical position, said valve being in the open position when horizontal and in the closed position when vertical.

5. The invention defined by claim 4, wherein the means for protecting the movable valve member from fluid flow in the housing comprises a baffle adjacent to but spaced from the free end of the movable valve member.

6. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the movable valve member is a reciprocal valve member and the means for protecting the movable valve member from liquid flow in the housing comprises a cylindrical flange open at the lower end and in which said movable valve member is adapted to reciprocate.

7. The invention defined by claim 6, wherein the housing has a horizontal partition therein separating said housing into an inlet chamber and an outleT chamber, said partition having a port therein for the flow of liquid from said inlet chamber into the outlet chamber, and said movable valve member has a valve head at the lower end for seating in said port to cut off the flow of liquid from said inlet chamber into said outlet chamber.

8. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the sensing conduit is flexible and there is a weight at the lower end thereof.

9. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the movable pressure-sensitive element comprises a flexible diaphragm.

10. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the magnet is an electromagnet secured in position adjacent to said partition, and there is an electric switch connected operably to said electromagnet and adapted to be connected to a source of electric power, said switch being operably connected to said pressure-sensitive element and controlled thereby.

11. The invention defined by claim 10, wherein said switch is normally closed and includes a movable contact connected to said pressure-sensitive element and controlled thereby, said movable contact being moved to a switch-open position when the pressure-sensitive element responds to a reduction in pressure in the pressure chamber upon closing of the sensing conduit.

12. The invention defined by claim 11, including a latch for retaining the movable contact in the open position, said latch being releasable to permit the movable contact to move to the switch-closed position.

13. The invention defined by claim 12, wherein said latch automatically latches the movable contact in the open position.