Automatic shut-off valve
First Claim
1. An automatic shut-off valve comprising a soft gasket, a ball, and a ball spring disposed between a grate and a housing, said grate comprising a plurality of grate apertures, said soft gasket comprising a soft gasket bore, said housing comprising a housing ball chamber communicating with a housing spring chamber through a valve seat, said ball being sized to sealably seat in said valve seat when said automatic shut-off valve is in a closed position, said ball being disposed substantially within said ball chamber, said ball spring being disposed substantially within said spring chamber, said ball spring urging said ball out of contact with said valve seat, said housing further comprising at least one housing spring chamber aperture through which said spring chamber communicates with an exterior of said housing spring chamber.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic shut-off valve for installation on a sing pool or spa main drain. The automatic shut-off valve has a soft gasket, ball, and ball spring between a grate and a housing. The grate is free to reciprocate up and down relative to the housing. Downward reciprocation of the grate urges the ball into sealable engagement with a valve seat in the housing. During operation, a swimmer covers sufficient grate apertures so that the grate is moved downwards as urged by the main drain suction, towards a swimming pool or spa main drain over which the automatic shut-off valve is mounted. The downward motion of the grate urges the ball into sealable engagement with a valve seat in the housing, where it is securely held by the main drain suction. In this fashion, the ball is entrapped instead of the swimmer, thus avoiding possible disembowelment and/or drowning on the part of the swimmer.
52 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. An automatic shut-off valve comprising a soft gasket, a ball, and a ball spring disposed between a grate and a housing, said grate comprising a plurality of grate apertures, said soft gasket comprising a soft gasket bore, said housing comprising a housing ball chamber communicating with a housing spring chamber through a valve seat, said ball being sized to sealably seat in said valve seat when said automatic shut-off valve is in a closed position, said ball being disposed substantially within said ball chamber, said ball spring being disposed substantially within said spring chamber, said ball spring urging said ball out of contact with said valve seat, said housing further comprising at least one housing spring chamber aperture through which said spring chamber communicates with an exterior of said housing spring chamber.
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16. A method of preventing entrapment and/or disembowelment by pool or spa main drain suction by means of an automatic shut-off valve installed over a main drain, said automatic shut-off valve comprising a ball constrained within a housing and a grate covering said housing, said housing comprising a valve seat sized to sealably seat said ball, said grate comprising grate apertures, said method comprising the steps of:
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A. A swimmer in danger of imminent entrapment or disembowelment pressing down on said grate toward said main drain and/or said swimmer covering a sufficient number of said grate apertures for a main drain vacuum to pull said grate downwards toward said main drain;
B. A downward motion of said grate moving said ball into close proximity to said valve seat; and
C. Said main drain vacuum entrapping and holding said ball instead of said endangered swimmer, thus avoiding entrapment and/or disembowelment of said swimmer. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification