Anti-icing device for a gas pressure regulators

• US 5,810,029 A
• Filed: 06/16/1995
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bennett Regulator Guards Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Bennett Regulator Guards Incorporated
• Inventors: Fullerton, Brian, Speros, Philip C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US08/491,273
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 137/377, 137/382, 137/505
• US Class Current: 137/377
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/003 reacting to pressure and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/12 Covers for housings
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/0655 using one spring-loaded membrane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7043 Guards and shields
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7793 With opening bias [e.g., pressure regulator]

Abstract

An ice preventing device for use with an outside gas pressure regulator that has a pressure vent and a downwardly opening vent tube. The device includes a skirt connected to and surrounding the vent tube. The upper end of the skirt has an opening that communicates with the passage in the vent tube. The skirt also has an enlarged, flared-out lower end with an opening substantially greater than the area of the opening at the upper end. Located within the skirt is a baffle positioned in a generally horizontal plane. The baffle is positioned below the vent tube opening of the pressure regulator to prevent rain or freezing rain from splashing back upwardly into the passage. The sides of the baffle are spaced from the interior walls of the skirt to accommodate gas flow around the baffle,

Claims

1. A skirt assembly for reducing ice formation at an outlet vent tube from the atmospheric pressure chamber of a diaphragm-type gas pressure regulator, comprising:

a skirt receiver adapted to be operatively connected to said vent tube;

a skirt member defining an interior space and having an upper end opening connecting said vent tube to said interior space and an outwardly flared lower end with an area substantially greater than the area of said upper end opening, said skirt member being operatively connected to said skirt receiver means; and

baffle means located in said interior space to underlie said upper end opening and being spaced from the interior walls of said skirt to permit gas flow therearound;

whereby ice formation tending to block said vent tube is inhibited.

2. A skirt assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said skirt member is formed of a molded plastic material.

3. A skirt assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said molded material is an electrically conductive plastic.

4. A skirt assembly as defined in claim 1, further including a screen element covering said lower end opening.

5. In combination, an outside gas pressure regulator connected between a high pressure gas source and a low pressure gas line, and a skirt assembly for reducing ice formation;

said regulator comprising;

valve means for controlling gas flow between said high pressure source and said low pressure line, a diaphragm housing, a diaphragm located in said housing operatively associated with said valve means and defining with said housing an atmospheric pressure chamber on one side thereof and a low pressure gas chamber on the other side thereof, said low pressure chamber communicating with said low pressure gas line and said atmospheric chamber having an outlet vent means defining a vent passage;

said skirt assembly comprising;

skirt receiver means adapted to be operatively connected to said vent means;

a skirt member defining an interior space, an upper end with an opening adapted to communicate with said vent passage, and an outwardly flared lower end with an opening having an area substantially greater than the area of said upper end opening, said skirt member being operatively connected to said skirt receiver means; and

baffle means located in said interior space to underlie said vent passage and being spaced from the interior walls of said skirt to permit gas flow therearound;

whereby ice formation tending to block said vent passage is inhibited.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 wherein said skirt member is formed of a molded plastic material.

7. A combination as defined in claim 6 wherein said molded material is an electrically conductive plastic.

8. A combination as defined in claim 5 further including a screen element covering said lower end opening.