NZ217837A - Pressure regulator: diaphragm position adjustable - Google Patents

Description

217837 © c 1 Priority . .3.. )f?.

N.Z. PATENT OFF ICE -7 0CTJ9C6 :•«=: RECEIVED D-:r, ...3.PMARJ9W N_E_ W Z EALAND The Patents Act, 1953. COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PRESSURE REGULATORS' WE, COMPANION PTY. LTD., a company incorporated in the State of Victoria,Iof 1 Clarice Road, Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in the following statement 2 t 78 3 7 IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO PRESSURE REGULATORS This invention relates to pressure regulators of the diaphragm type.

Pressure regulators are well known, for example, Australian patent specification no. 4B3564 relates to a pressure normalizing valve for a fluid line which embodies a valve element spring biased to control ports in the fluid line to control fluid flow therein.

Patent specification no. 520459 embodies a movable valve element which is biased either by fluid pressure in chamber 60 or by a biasing spring 22 as shown in Figure 1 of the specification to control pressure fluid into the outlet 5.

Patent specification no. 520292 relates to a pressure control valve embodying a biased valve element.

None of the known prior art specifications relating to such simplified regulator devices provide for simple adjustment of the pressure regulation.

Adjustable pressure regulators are well known to the applicant, however, they tend to be complicated and expensive to manufacture.

A principal objective of the present invention is to provide a regulator which is effective in use, adjustable, yet is small and simple to construct.

There is provided, according to the present invention a gas pressure regulator including a chamber for connection to a high pressure gas source, a housing, a biased diaphragm in the housing communicating with said chamber, said diaphragm being movable in response to said high pressure gas source, a valve controlling high pressure gas flow, said valve being controlled by diaphragm movement to allow release of gas at a pressure lower than said gas source from the chamber, wherein the level of said lower pressure is adjustable by movement of the diaphragm housing and diaphragm relative to said valve.

Conveniently, in one form of the invention the 2 178 diaphragm housing includes a cup shaped member housing a spring and diaphragm across its open end, the housing including a threaded member supporting the housing on a threaded pipe.

The invention will now be described having reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a cutaway perspective view of a diaphragm controlled valve constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the various regulator components in detail and assembly steps.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of a modified diaphragm controlled valve.

The apparatus includes a threaded pipe chamber 10 housing a valve device 11 known per se. The pipe chamber 10 is adapted at one end to be secured to a high pressure gas cylinder (not shown) by threaded cap 12. Thus the valve 11 is exposed directly to the gas in the cylinder. The other end of the pipe accommodates a regulator 13 which includes a diaphragm 14 and spring 15 biasing the diaphragm outwardly of the cup shaped diaphragm housing 16. A washer 17 is preferably positioned between the diaphragm and spring to protect the diaphragm material which is preferably of neoprene rubber. A cup washer 18 separates the valve element and the diaphragm 1. The cup washer has space to move between the diaphragm 14 and the end of the pipe 10 and is adapted to engage the end of the valve element 19.

The pipe 10 has flat portions 20 and a circular groove 21 to allow gas to travel in direction of arrows A when gas is allowed past the valve 11. A yoke member 22 encircles the groove 21 to carry gas away from the regulator say to a gas cooking appliance or other device requiring a regulated gas supply. Seals in the form of "0" rings 25 prevent gas leakage. In operation the diaphragm housing 16 is and therefore the diaphragm 14 is adjusted relative to the valve element 19 such that when the valve is connected to high gas pressure, gas is released into chamber 23 and flows into yoke member 22. The rating of the spring 15 and the relative positioning of the diaphragm 14 relative to the 5 valve element is such that the pressure of gas emitted into the yoke past the valve can be selectively predetermined.

Thus, as the diaphragm housing is screwed down on threaded member 24, the pressure of gas in the chamber 23 must be correspondingly greater before the diaphragm cap 10 washer 18 is lifted off the valve element 19 to stop gas release. If the diaphragm housing is screwed up, a point will be reached where the valve element 19 is not engaged and gas cannot be released at all.

With reference to Figure 3, the yoke member 2£a is 15 secured in fixed relationship to the housing 13 by forming a flange 30 on the cap member 16 and a matching flange 31 on the yoke member 22A. Thus in assembly of the apparatus, the flange 31 is carefully peened over the cap flange to fix the cap and diaphragm 14 into position. The cap becomes 20 integral with the yoke 25A which is threaded onto a modified form of pipe chamber 10A. The mounting of valve 11 and cap washer 18 in the chamber 10A is identical to that previously described. The adjustment of regulator pressure is achieved by loosening lock nut 32 and allowing rotation on the 25 threaded portion 13 of the chamber 10A. This causes actual movement of the diaphragm relative to the valve element 19 of the valve 11 and allows simple adjustment of the regulator.

The invention enables a relatively small and simple 30 regulator construction which nevertheless allows a wide range of adjustment of gas pressure.

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Claims (4)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: THE CLAIMS PBFINIHG THB INVENTION AI1B AC FOLLOWG«

1. A gas pressure regulator including a chamber for connection to a high pressure gas source, a housing, a biased diaphragm in the housing communicating with said chamber, said diaphragm being movable in response to said high pressure gas source, a valve controlling high pressure gas flow, said valve being controlled by diaphragm movement to allow release of gas at a pressure lower than said gas source from the chamber, wherein the level of said lower pressure is adjustable by movement of the diaphragm housing and diaphragm relative to said valve.

2. A regulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diaphragm housing includes a cup shaped member housing a spring and diaphragm across an open end of the cup shaped member, the housing including a threaded member supporting the housing on the chamber for adjustment relative to said chamber.

3. A regulator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the diaphragm housing and Vahamber secured in fixed relation relative to one another and threadably mounted on said chamber to allow relative movement between the chamber and said diaphragm.

4. A gas pressure regulator as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. COMPANION PTY LIMITED By their Attorney ff1 Registered Patent Attorney