Patent ID: 9057181
Filing Date: 2015-06-16
Classification: E03B,F16K,G01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A water flow valve disposed within a water distribution system for reducing the amount of air volume in water prior to the water being read by a water meter disposed within the water distribution system, said water flow valve comprising: a valve body member having a first end and a second end and an internal passageway extending from the first end to the second end, said internal passageway having a first passageway portion having a first diameter and a second passageway portion having a second diameter, wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter to create a ledge at a point within said internal passageway where the first passageway portion and the second passageway portion meet; a ring member having a base portion and a housing portion extending outward from said base portion, said base portion having a perimeter surface and one or more cutouts, said ring member secured in a fixed position within said second passageway portion of said valve body, said housing portion defining an opening having a uniformed diameter from a first end to a second end; a plug member having a first end and a second end and disposed within the housing portion of said ring member and consuming a substantial portion of the opening defined by said housing portion, said plug member having an outer diameter smaller in size than the uniformed diameter of the opening defined by the housing portion; an impeller member having a shaft portion and a impeller head disposed at a first end of said shaft portion, a second end of said shaft portion snugly received by said plug member within said housing portion of said ring member, said impeller head having a central portion and a plurality of protrusions extending outward from a perimeter of said central portion to define a plurality of flow passages between said plurality of protrusions; wherein the snug relationship between said shaft portion and said plug member establishes a threshold water pressure level which must be met in order to move the shaft member towards the second end of said valve body and permit communication between the first passageway portion and the second passageway portion; wherein in a valve “closed” position, said impeller head is maintained in contact with said ledge to seal of communication between said first passageway portion and said second passageway portion by the snug relationship between the shaft portion and the plug member and without any compression spring; wherein in a valve “opened” position water traveling within the water distribution system meets or exceeds the threshold water pressure level and upon contact of said water with the impeller head said shaft member is moved towards the second end of said valve body to permit the water to travel through said first passageway portion and through the water flow passages and the cutouts disposed within said second passageway portion and out of said valve body; wherein the contact of the water with the impeller head creates back pressure in the water distribution system which collapses or compresses a substantial number of air bubbles in the water such that an amount of air volume read by a meter is reduced.