Patent ID: 7334600
Filing Date: 2008-02-26
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A vacuum assisted priming system for a fluid pump, comprising: a) structure defining a hopper communicating with an inlet of said fluid pump; b) said structure defining a first port communicating with a source of vacuum and a second port communicating with atmosphere; c) a valve member for controlling the communication of said first and second ports with an interior region defined by said structure; d) a check valve operative to permit atmospheric air outside said structure to flow through said second port and into said interior region under certain operating conditions and further operative to inhibit air flow from said interior region to the outside of said structure through said second port; e) a float located within said hopper and operatively connected to said valve member such that when a fluid level in said hopper rises to a predetermined level, said valve member terminates communication of said first port with said interior region and when said fluid level falls to a predetermined level, said valve member terminates the communication of said second port with said interior region; and f) wherein said float is operatively connected to said valve member using a lost motion connection.