US2520386A - Refrigeration expansion valve - Google Patents

Description

All@ 29, 1950 E. J. DILLMAN 2,520,336

REFRIGERATION EXPANSION VALVE Filed July 17, 1944 vIN V EN TOR.

H1 A@ A'TToRNE Patented Aug. 29, 1950 REFRIGERATION EXPANSION VALVE Earnest J. Dillman. Detroit, Mich., signor to Detroit Lubrloator Company, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application July 17. 1944, Serial No. 545.372

9 Claims. (Ol. 137-158) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in refrigeratlng apparatus and more particularly to expansion valves for controlling the flow oi' refrigerant medium to an evaporator.

An object of the invention is to provide a valve of simple and compact form which can be readily produced in large quantities.

Another object is to provide a novel operating connection for transmitting the movement of the pressure responsive member to the valve member.

Another object is to provide novel supporting and securing means for the motion transmitting member.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing to be taken as a part of this speciilcation, there are fully and clearly illustrated several preferred embodiments of the invention. in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical central section of a cast body type valve shown operatively connected in a diagrammatic refrigerating system:

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view showing the interconnection of the valve operating member and pressure responsive diaphragm;

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical central section of another iorm of valve, constructed in large part of sheet metal;

Fig. 4 is a. plan view looking at the top oi' Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical central section of a valve similar to that of Fig. l, but provided with an external equalizer connection.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference in Figs. l and 2, I designates generally a hollow body member or casing of cup-like form having a substantially cylindrical pressure chamber 2. The side wall of the casing at its open side or end has an annular internal recess providing an outward facing shoulder 3. Seating on the shoulder l and substantially fitting the shoulder recess is the marginal portion of a pressure responsive resilient metal diaphragm l. preferably a substantially flat plate or member of beryllium copper which seals the open casing end. Also supported on the shoulder l and substantially fitting the shoulder recess there is a reinforcing and supporting means including a reinforcing spider I on the pressure chamber side of the diaphragm and an abutment and supporting plate I. The diaphragm has a marginal flange l which projects upward or outward from the diaphragm edge and nts the side wall of the annular recess. The diaphragm l and spider i are tightly held and clamped to the shoulder I by a cover or closure member l which is bent or formed to have a marginal bead 8 which overlies the shoulder I and which provides a central circular recess 9 cooperable with the diaphragm 4 to provide a fluid pressure chamber. The cover member l has a marginal surrounding ange ill which seats laterally against the inner i'ace oi' the diaphragm flange 8 which terminates short of the top edges of the casing side wall and the ilange Ill to provide an annular sealing material receiving channel. Sealing material Il, such as solder. fills this channel and hermetically seals the cover member flange Hl to the casing side wall and also hermetically seals the diaphragm flange I to the cover member iiange I0 and to the casing side wall. Opening into the recess or chamber 9 through a central opening in the cover member l and hermeti-cally sealed therein, there is one end of a capillary tube I2 having its other end communicating and hermetically sealed to a feeler bulb or member Il. The chamber I. tube i2, and bulb Il are evacuated of air and illled with a temperature responsive liquid so that the diaphragm l will be moved or respond to the temperature of the bulb I3.

The bottom or end wall I4 of the casing l opposite the diaphragm l has a centrally positioned conduit member with projecting end portions Il. i6 extending from the opposite wall faces and providing an inlet passage or conduit Il leading through the wall il into the chamber 2 concentric with the diaphragm l. The passage il is oi enlarged diameter intermediate its ends to provide an outward facing annular seat or shoulder Il. Press fitted into this enlarged passage portion and limited against inward movement by seating against the shoulder il. there is a tubular valve seat member I9, preferably ci' stainless steel tubing. Outward of the seat member receiving bore or passage portion, the passageway or bore is enlarged to provide with the side wall of the member I9 a strainer receiving annular channel or recess 29 which flares within the end portion I into a still further enlarged diameter passage or bore portion 2| which provides a valve and strainer chamber.

The conduit member inner end portion I5 extends substantially to the diaphragm 4 to provide a stop to limit inward diaphragm movement and is externally screw-threaded to receive an adjustable spring supporting plate member 22. Supported on the member 22 by a friction washer 23, there is a helical coil spring 24 which surrounds the end portion I5 and which has its upper end seating against the reinforcing plate member 5 which abuts and is held to the central portion of the spider 5 so that the spring opposes inward movement of the diaphragm 4. The reinforcing plate or member 5 and the spider 5, are rigidly secured and permanently joined together by spot welding at a plurality 0f points, as indicated at 2B, Fig. 2. The plate 5 has a central conical recess or socket 21 facing the diaphragm 4 and has an aperture 2B therethrough opening into the recess 21 substantially concentric with the bore of the valve seat member I9. Positioned in the recess 21 and seating against the wall thereof, there is the head 29 of a force transmitting pull wire 39 which extends through the aperture 28. The head 29 also abuts the diaphragm spider 5 so that there is no lostmotlon between the wire 3|) and the diaphragm. The wire 39 is a laterally reflexible resilient member, preferably a beryllium copper, and for domestic valve sizes may have a diameter of say .030". The wire 3D extends loosely through the conduit member bore and the bore of the valve seat member I9 to provide an annular flow passage and also through the bore of an elongated tubular valve member 3| which is sleeved on the valve chamber end of the wire 30 and which is preferably of stainless steel tubing. The wire 39 fits the bore of the valve member 3| and is sealed and secured in the bore by a solder connection 32 at the opposite or outer end of the valve member from the valve seat member. The valve member 3| has a conical or tapered valve end portion concentric with its bore and cooperable with a valve seat formed by the inlet end of the valve seat member.

Surrounding the valve member 3| and the valve seat member I9 and seating on the bottom of the channel 2|! there is an end portion of a cylindrical strainer 33 having a closed outer end and carried by a U-shaped spring member 34 having its ends frictionally engaging the internal side walls of a tube receiving fitting 35. The tapered end of the fitting 35 receives the ared end portion of the refrigerant liquid line or tube 3B, the flared tube end being clamped and sealed to the fitting 35 by the usual clamping nut 31 which is screw-threaded on the conduit end portion I6.

The valve is adjustable by regulation of the force of the spring 24 and this is accomplished by a pinion 38 in mesh with teeth on the periphery of the spring supporting plate 22. The pinion 38 is carried by a shaft 39 journaled in the walls of the casing I and having an end portion 4I! projecting-externally thereof. Clearance for the shaft 39 is sealed against leakage by packing material 4| and the shaft end 49 is enclosed by a cover member or cap 42.

The liquid line 3l leads from and is connected to a refrigerant receiver 43 which is fed with refrigerant from a condenser 44 connected by a conduit 45 to the outlet of a motor driven compressor 46. The diaphragm pressure chamber 2 has an outlet 41 through the side wall of the casing I and connected by a conduit 49 to the inlet of an evaporator 49. The thermostatic bulb I3 is clamped adjacent the outlet of the evaporator 49 to the refrigerant suction line 50 which leads from the evaporator to the inlet of the compressor 43.

The operation of this valve of Fig. l is as follows: The force of the spring 24 is adjusted by the pinion 39 to determine the suction pressure `and therefore the temperature of the refrigerant medium in the evaporator 49 and in the diaphragm chamber 2 at which the valve member 3| will be moved to open position. When the compressor 49 is now started by the usual automatic means, not shown, responsive to desired high suction line pressure or high evaporator temperature, the back pressure of the refrigerant medium in the chamber 2 will be reduced, and when this back pressure, plus the force exerted by the spring 24, becomes less than the force exerted by the thermostatic power element, the diaphragm member 4 will be moved downward by the pressure of the temperature responsive liquid in the chamber 9 and move the valve member 3| to open position. The forces acting against opposite faces of the diaphragm member 4 will now throttle the valve member 3| to regulate the flow or refrigerant medium through the valve seat member I9 into the chamber 2 and thence through the conduit 49 to the evaporator 49. When the evaporator 49 becomes refrigerated throughout its length, which depends upon the superheat setting of the valve, as is well understood in the art, then the temperature of the bulb element I3 will decrease, thereby permitting the valve member 3| to be pulled to closed position by the valve operating wire 30. However. in normal operation, while the compressor 4E is in operation the valve member 3| will not be seated but will be throttled to bleed sufficient refrigerant medium to the evaporator 49 to maintain the evaporator refrigerated throughout its length. When the suction pressure is reduced to the desired low point or the temperature of the evaporator or of the space cooled thereby reaches the desired low temperature, then the automatic control means, not shown, will function in the usual manner to stop operation of the compressor. The back pressure of the refrigerant medium will therefore increase and, together with the force of the spring 24, will overcome the force of the power element and move the valve member 3| to closed position. 'The force transmitting wire 30 by its flexibility, its head end being centered and fixed by the spider 5, permits the valve member 3| to have lsome lateral movement for manufacturing tolerance so that it will be accurately seated against the valve seat member I9 and will not cause uneven wear of the valve seat, resulting in leakage of refrigerant medium. Excessive back pressure in the chamber 2 will not jam the valve member against its seat, since the diaphragm is free to move outward away from the spider 5.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the valve body or casing |0I is a stamped sheet metal cup-like member, preferably of brass, having its bottom or end wall |02 provided with radially extending reinforcing ribs |93. The open side or end of abbasso 5 the casing is closed by a resilient sheet metal diaphragm comprising a diaphragm member |04, preferably of beryllium copper, and a reinforcing spider which are clamped together at their marginal edges which seat on the open end of the casing side wall. The diaphragm member |04 has a marginal flange |05 which sleeves over and laterally fits the casing side wall and which also fits and centers the spider |05. Cooperable with and overlying the diaphragm A there is a cover member |01 having a central circular recess |08 which cooperates with the dia phragm member |04 to provide a thermostatic power element pressure chamber. The marginal portion of the cover member |01 clamps the dla phragm to the casing side wall and has a peripheral flange |09 which nts and is sleeved over the diaphragm flange |00. The flange |05 extends beyond the flange |05 to provide an anular channel to receive a sealing material ||0, such as solder, which hermetically seals and joins the cover member flange |09 to the casing side wall and simultaneously hermetically seals and joins the diaphragm to the flange |00 and to the casing side wall, thereby sealing the chamber |00 and also the pressure chamber ||I within the casing I0 I. Opening centrally through the cover member |01 into the chamber |00 there is a capillary tube I I2 hermetically sealed in the cover member. A bulb element IIS is hermetically sealed and secured to the free end of the tube II2 and, together with the chamber |08, provides a thermostatic power element which is evacuated of air and f|lled with a temperature responsive liquid.

The casing bottom or end wall |02 has a central aperture therethrough in which there is sealed a conduit member I|4 having an inner end portion ||5 which extends substantially to the diaphragm member |04 to provide a stop to limit inward movement of the diaphragm. The end portion ||5 has a centrally apertured end Wall and a lateral outlet IIB opening from the conduit member inlet passage or bore I|1 into the chamber I|| to assure free flow from the conduit member. The side wall of the casing |0| is provided with an outlet fitting I IB for connection to the evaporator inlet pipe or conduit, such as 48 of Fig. l. Adjustably screw-threaded on the portion ||5 there is a spring supporting and adjusting member IIS having a toothed or serrated rim I 20 accessible for spring adjustment through the outlet IIB. Seating against the member I I9 is one end of a helical coil compression spring I2I which surrounds the end portion I|5 and which has its other end seating against a reinforcing plate member |22 which is similar to the plate member 5'* and which is secured to the spider, preferably by welding as indicated in Fig. 2.

The bore or inlet passage |I1 is enlarged, as at |23, to receive a tubular valve seat member |24, preferably made from a piece of stainless steel tubing. The seat member |24 is press fitted into the enlarged portion |23 and seats against the annular step or shoulder formed at the inner end of the enlarged bore portion. The valve seat member |24 is received within the outer end portion |25 of the conduit member |I4. This end portion |25 has an enlarged internal diameter to provide a valve chamber |25 into which the valve seat member |24 projects. Within the chamber |25 there is a tubular valve member |21, preferably made from a piece of stainless steel tubing, and having concentric with its bore, a conical or tapered valve portion cooperable with the valve seat formed by the outer end of the valve seat member |24. The valve member |21 is connected to the diaphragm member |04 by a laterally flexible resilient and force transmitting wire |20 which extends loosely through the bore of the valve seat member |24, and which is preferably of beryllium copper. The wire |28 fits and extends through the bore of the valve member |21 and is hermetically sealed to the valve member by solder, for example, as at |29. The other end of the wire |20 extends loosely through the end wall aperture of conduit portion I5 and through a central opening in the reinforcing member |22 which has a conical recess facing the diaphragm member |04 similar to the reinforcing member 5. The end of the Wire |20 within the reinforcing recess is provided with a conical head which seats and is held against the recess wall by the diaphragm spider |05, in the same manner as the head 29 of Fig. 4. The conduit member valve chamber portion |25 is provided with an inlet fitting |30 for connection to a refrigerant medium liquid line such as the conduit 35 of Fig. l. The fitting |50 provides a strainer chamber for an inlet strainer |3I, preferably of cone form having its base edge seated on the end of the conduit portion |25. The operation of the valve of Figs. 3 and 4 will be apparent from the above description of the valve of Fig. l.

Referring to the expansion valve of Fig. 5, it is substantially like that of Fig. 1 except that it is constructed for operation with an external equalizer. The diaphragm refrigerant back pressure chamber |50, corresponding to the chamber 2 of Fig. l, is separated and closed off from the 110W of refrigerant medium passing through the valve. This is accomplished by closing the inner end of the conduit member by packing, as at |5|, so that leakage around the pull wire 00 will be prevented. The packing |5| is held under compression by a helical coil spring |52 which surrounds the wire 30 and seats against the annular shoulder formed by the outlet end of the valve seat member I9. The chamber |50 has an equalizer connection or outlet |53 -through its side wall for connection by a pipe or conduit (not shown) to the refrigerant suction line adjacent the evaporator outlet, as is well understood in the art. The refrigerant outlet from the valve casing and the conduit |1 is through a port |54 intermediate the valve seat member and the packing material |5I. The port |54 is connected at the outlet fitting |55 to the refrigerant liquid line which leads to the evaporator inlet. The operation of this valve will be apparent from the description of the valve of Fig. l, the only difference being that the diaphragm 4 will respond to refrigerant pressure at the evaporator outlet, as distinguished from the pressure at the evaporator inlet as in the valve of Fig. l.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a refrigeration expansion valve, a casing having an annular seat and having a passageway therethrough concentric with said seat, a tubular valve seat member in said passageway, a diaphragm supported at its periphery on said seat and forming an internal wall of said casing, a flexible reinforcing spider resting at its periphery on said seat and supporting said diaphragm member against inward valve opening movement, an abutment plate having a recess facing said spider and having an aperture therethrough opening into said recess, said aperture and recess being concentric with said seat member. a tubular valve member in said passageway on the opposite side of said seat member from said diaphragm, said valve member having an end portion engageable with said seat member, a laterally flexible resilient member extending loosely through the bore of said valve seat member from said diaphragm and fitting the bore of said valve member, said flexible member extending through said aperture and having a head laterally located by the wall of said recess, means permanently joining said spider and said plate together to provide a unitary structure holding said head in said recess and concentric with said valve seat member, said diaphragm i being free to move away from said spider, a spring acting against said plate and tending to hold said valve member against said seat member, and means sealing said flexible member in said valve member bore.

Y 2. A refrigeration expansion valve comprising a hollow casing having a wall opening and a Wall opposite said opening, the side wall of said casing having an outlet, conduit means extending transverse to said wall and having end portions pro- `iecting from the opposite faces of said wall, a pressure'responsive member sealing said opening, one of said end portions extending substantially to said responsive member to limit inward movement of said responsive member, the other of said conduit means end portions having a valve seat therein, a valve member in said other end portion and cooperable with said seat, reinforcing means in said casing and supporting said responsive member, a spring surrounding said one end portion and seating against said reinforcing means to oppose inward movement of said responsive member, and a force transmitting member longitudinally reciprocal in said conduit member and connecting said valve member to said reinforcing means.

3. In a refrigeration expansion valve, a hollow casing having a wall opening and a wall opposite said opening, conduit means extending transverse to said wall and having alined end portions projecting from the opposite faces of said wall, a pressure responsive member sealing said opening, one of said end portions being radially spaced throughout its length from the side wall of said casing and having its end serving as a stop for said responsive member, the other of said end portions having a valve seat therein external of said casing, a valve member in said other end portion and having a tapered valve portion cooperable with said seat, said valve member having a longitudinal aperture therethrough concentric with said valve portion, reinforcing means engaging the side wall of said casing and engaging said responsive member, a spring supporting member adjustably screw-threaded on said one portion, a spring surrounding said one end portion and seating on said supporting member and against said reinforcing means to oppose inward movement of said responsive member, said reinforcing means including a plate having a recess facing said responsive member and having an aperture therethrough opening into said recess, a laterally flexible resilient wire longitudinally reciprocal in the bore of said conduit means and extending through said apertures, means sealing said wire in said valve member aperture, and a head portion on said wire within said recess for pulling said valve member against said seat.

4. A refrigeration expansion valve comprising a cup-shaped casing forming a chamber having a side wall outlet and having an end wall, means forming an open-ended conduit extending transverse to and centrally of said wall and having end portions projecting from opposite faces of said wall. a diaphragm sealing the open side of said chamber, reinforcing means carried by said casing and supporting said diaphragm and including a spider and an abutment plate welded together, the inner end portion of said conduit forming means being threaded and extending adjacent to said diaphragm to limit diaphragm inward movement, a tubular valve seat member in said conduit-forming means, a tubular valve member having its bore alined with the bore of said seat member and controlling flow to said chamber, said plate having a recess alined with said seat member bore and having an aperture therethrough opening into said recess, an abutment member adjustably screw-threaded on said inner end portion, a helical coil spring surrounding said inner end portion and held under compression between said abutment member and said plate, a flexible resilient wire fitting and sealed in the bore of said valve member and extending loosely through said seat member bore and said conduit-forming means and extending through said plate aperture into said recess, and a head on said wire within said recess for transmitting the force of said spring to said valve member.

5. A refrigeration expansion valve comprising a hollow metal casing having a cylindrical pressure chamber with a side Wall outlet and with an end wall and an open end, said chamber having an enlarged diameter at said open end to provide an outward facing shoulder, resilient metal diaphragm seating on said shoulder and having a peripheral flange fitting said enlarged diameter, a rigid closure member holding said diaphragm against said shoulder, sealing material joining said closure member to said casing and joining said flange to said casing and to said closure member, conduit-forming means integral with said end wall and having alined end portions pro- Jecting from the opposite faces of said end wall, one of said end portions extending into said chamber substantially to the face of said diaphragm and being externally screw-threaded, an adjustment disc screw-threaded on said one end portion, a reinforcing means abutting said diaphragm and having a disc with a central socket facing said diaphragm and alined with the bore of said conduit member, a helical coil spring surrounding said one end portion and held under compression between said discs to resist inward movement of said diaphragm, the other conduit means end portion being internally enlarged to provide a valve chamber, a tubular valve seat means intermediate the ends of and sealed in said conduit member bore and extending into said valve chamber, an elongated tubular valve member in said valve chamber and having a tapered valve portion cooperable with said seat member, a laterally flexible wire laterally movable and reciprocal in said conduit means bore and having one end portion tting in and extending through the bore of said valve member, means sealing and securing said wire to said valve member at its opposite end from said tapered valve portion, said reinforcing disc having an aperture therethrough into said socket, said wire extending through said disc aperture into said socket, a head on the end of said wire within said socket and seating against the wall of said socket and transmitting the force of said spring to said valve member, and means holding said socket alined with the bore i' said valve seat member.

6. A refrigeration expansion valve comprising a cup-shaped sheet metal casing having an aperture through its end wall, a tubular conduit member extending through and sealed in said aperture and projecting centrally from opposite sides of said wall, a metal diaphragm closing the open side oi' said casing and having a peripheral flange tting the external side wall of said casing, a rigid closure member seating on the periphery oi' said diaphragm, a marginal ilange on said closure member fitting said diaphragm flange and extending therebeyond to provide with the casing side wall a sealing channel, sealing material in said channel and sealing said marginal flange to said casing and said diaphragm ange to said marginal flange and to said casing, the side wall of said casing having an outlet, the bore of said conduit member being transversely enlarged outward of said casing end wall to provide a valve chamber, a tubular valve seat member in and intermediate the ends of said bore and having an end portion projecting into said valve chamber, a reinforcing spider seating on and secured against the rim of said casing by said diaphragm, a reinforcing plate member in said casing and carried by and iixed centrally to said spider and having a central recess facing said spider, an ad- J'ustable abutment member screw-threaded on and surrounding said conduit member within said casing, a helical coil spring held under compression between said reinforcing member and said abutment member and resisting inward movement oi' said diaphragm, said reinforcing member having an aperture therethrough alined with said conduit member bore and opening into said recess, a laterally exible pull wire in said Valve chamber and extending through said bore and said plate aperture into said recess, a head on the end of said wire in said recess and heating against said spider and the wall of recess, said spider locating said recess and the head end of said wire substantially concentric with said valve seat member, a tubular valve member sleeved on and tting said wire in said valve chamber and having at its inner end a. conical valve portion cooperable with said seat member, and means sealing said wire in and to the outer end of the valve member bore.

7. A refrigeration expansion valve comprising a cup-shaped casing forming a chamber having an equalizer connection and having an end wall, an open-ended conduit member extending transverse to and centrally of said wall and having end portions projecting from opposite faces of said wall, a diaphragm sealing the open side of said chamber, reinforcing means carried by said casing and supporting said diaphragm and including a spider and an abutment plate welded together, the inner end portion of said conduit member being threaded and extending adjacent to said diaphragm to limit diaphragm inward movement, a tubular valve seat member in said conduit member, a tubular valve member having its bore alined with the bore oi' said seat member, said plate having a recess alined with said seat member bore and having an aperture therethrough opening into said recess, an abutment member adjustably screw-threaded on said inner end portion, a helical coil spring surrounding said inner end portion and held under compression between said abutment member and said plate, a exibie resilient wire iitting and sealed in the bore of said valve member and extending loosely through said seat member bore and said conduit member and extending through said plate aperture into said recess, a head on said wire within said recess for transmitting the force of said spring to said valve member, packing material sealing the inner end oi the bore oi' said conduit member around said wire, and a. helical coil spring in said conduit member and compressing said packing material, the outer end portion of said conduit member having an outlet port leading from said conduit member bore on the outlet side oi' said seat member.

B. In a refrigeration expansion valve, a casing having a substantially cylindrical pressure chamber with a bottom wall and an open end opposite said wall, said casing having an annular shoulder at its open end, a flexible resilient spider seating on said shoulder, a diaphragm seating on said spider and having its marginal portion overlying said shoulder, means securing and sealing said diaphragm to said casing, a tubular projection extending from said wall concentric with and terminating adjacent said diaphragm to limit inward movement ot said diaphragm, a spring supporting disc screw-threaded on said projection and having peripheral teeth, a helical spring surrounding said projection and seating on said supporting member and against said diaphragm, a pinion journaled in said casing and meshing with said teeth to adjust said supporting disc, said casing having an aperture alined with said pinion. a shaft extending from said pinion and projecting through said aperture, means sealing said aperture, a tubular extension projecting from said bottom wall externally oi said casing and alined and communicating with said tubular projection, a valve seat member within said tubular extension, a valve member cooperabie with said seat member, and an operating member extending through said projection and said extension and operatively connecting said diaphragm to said valve member.

9. In a refrigeration expansion valve, a casing having a substantially cylindrical pressure chamber with a bottom wall and an open end opposite said wall, said casing having an annular shoulder at its open end, a flexible resilient spider seating on said shoulder, a diaphragm seating on said spider and having its marginal portion overlying said shoulder, means securing and sealing said diaphragm to said casing. a tubular projection extending from said wall concentric with and terminating adjacent said diaphragm to limit inward movement of said diaphragm, a spring supporting disc screw-threaded on said projection and having peripheral teeth, said disc being operable upon rotation to have a range of movement longitudinally of said projection, a helical spring surrounding said projection and seating on said supporting member and against said diaphragm, a pinion journaled in said casing and meshing with said teeth to adjust said supporting disc, said disc being operable upon said longitudinal movement to move longitudinally of said pinion, the combined lengths of gear teeth on said pinion and said disc being at least as great as said range of longitudinal movement, said casing having an aperture alined with said pinion, a shaft extending from said pinion and projecting through said aperture, means sealing said aperture, a tubular extension projecting from said bottom wall externally of said casing and alined and communieating with said tubular projection, a valve seat member within said tubular extension, a valve 11 member cooperable with said seat member. and an operating member extending through said projection and said extension and operatively connecting said diaphragm to said valve member.

EARNES'I' J. DILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: lo

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 466,275 Fasoldt Dec. 29, 1891 512,518 Palmer Jan. 9, 1894 1,473,998 Mixsell Nov. 13, 1923 1| Number Number Name Date Bossi Jan. 25, 1927 Keefe Oct. 13, 1936 Shrode May 4, 1937 Gon' Mar. 26, 1940 Wile Apr. 23, 1940 McCoy Feb. 25, 1941 Dube July 22, 1941 Merz Oct. 22, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 20, 1900 France of 1924 France Oct. 12, 1936

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