Float valve assembly for a liquid drain trap
First Claim
1. A float valve assembly in a liquid drain trap forming part of a high pressure liquid and gas separating apparatus, said drain trap including a housing having an upper orifice and a lower liquid outlet orifice axially aligned with said upper orifice, and said float valve assembly including a float, upper stem-forming means extending from said float, lower stem-forming means extending from said float and coaxial with said upper stem-forming means, said stem-forming means being fixed relative to said float, said upper and lower stem-forming means being received, respectively, in said upper and lower orifices which function not only as orifices for the ingress and egress of fluids from the drain trap but also as alignment means for maintaining said stem-forming means in generally vertical alignment, and a valve in said lower orifice formed between an upper valve seat associated with and movable with said lower stem-forming means and a lower valve seat situated within said lower orifice, the vertical alignment of said stem forming means facilitating positive vertical seating and unseating of said upper valve seat on said lower valve seat, wherein said lower valve seat is an elastomeric O ring fixed within said lower orifice and said upper valve seat is formed at the lower end of said lower stem-forming means, wherein said lower outlet orifice is defined by a tubular fitting received within a lower wall of said housing and having means extending from said housing for connection to a drain conduit and having means within said fitting for mounting said elastomeric O ring, and wherein said fitting has a threaded counterbore opening into said housing and said mounting means includes a bushing having an outer threaded portion threadedly received in said threaded counterbore, said bushing having a central passageway therethrough, a portion of which is sized and adapted to receive said lower valve stem-forming means therein and a larger diameter portion below said stem-forming means-receiving portion forming an annular shoulder for receiving said O ring, and an annular plug received in said lower larger diameter portion for clamping said O ring between said plug and said shoulder, said plug being held between said bushing and the bottom of said counterbore.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The float valve assembly is mounted in a liquid drain trap housing having an upper centrally located orifice and a lower centrally located outlet orifice and includes a float, an upper pin fixed to the top of the float and received in the upper orifice, a lower pin fixed to the bottom of the float in axial alignment with the upper pin and received in the lower orifice, a conical or semispherical valve seat at the lower end of the lower pin, and a mating valve seat-forming O ring clamped in the lower orifice. The upper and lower orifices are in axial alignment and form an alignment configuration for the float valve assembly by receiving therein the upper and lower pins and maintain them in generally vertical alignment. This ensures proper vertical seating and unseating of the conical or spherical valve seat on the O ring valve seat which is clamped within the lower orifice.
37 Citations
11 Claims
- 1. A float valve assembly in a liquid drain trap forming part of a high pressure liquid and gas separating apparatus, said drain trap including a housing having an upper orifice and a lower liquid outlet orifice axially aligned with said upper orifice, and said float valve assembly including a float, upper stem-forming means extending from said float, lower stem-forming means extending from said float and coaxial with said upper stem-forming means, said stem-forming means being fixed relative to said float, said upper and lower stem-forming means being received, respectively, in said upper and lower orifices which function not only as orifices for the ingress and egress of fluids from the drain trap but also as alignment means for maintaining said stem-forming means in generally vertical alignment, and a valve in said lower orifice formed between an upper valve seat associated with and movable with said lower stem-forming means and a lower valve seat situated within said lower orifice, the vertical alignment of said stem forming means facilitating positive vertical seating and unseating of said upper valve seat on said lower valve seat, wherein said lower valve seat is an elastomeric O ring fixed within said lower orifice and said upper valve seat is formed at the lower end of said lower stem-forming means, wherein said lower outlet orifice is defined by a tubular fitting received within a lower wall of said housing and having means extending from said housing for connection to a drain conduit and having means within said fitting for mounting said elastomeric O ring, and wherein said fitting has a threaded counterbore opening into said housing and said mounting means includes a bushing having an outer threaded portion threadedly received in said threaded counterbore, said bushing having a central passageway therethrough, a portion of which is sized and adapted to receive said lower valve stem-forming means therein and a larger diameter portion below said stem-forming means-receiving portion forming an annular shoulder for receiving said O ring, and an annular plug received in said lower larger diameter portion for clamping said O ring between said plug and said shoulder, said plug being held between said bushing and the bottom of said counterbore.
Specification