Patent ID: 6196255
Filing Date: 2001-03-06
Classification: F17C,F24C,Y10T

Abstract:
A manifold/distributor assembly for combustible gas supplied from a plurality of liquefied-gas cartridges, comprisinga frame forming a plurality of housings, each having an open end for the insertion of one of a plurality of liquefied gas cartridges and an opposite end closed by a neck,a plurality of valve assemblies each incorporating an actuation element, each valve assembly being mounted on the neck of one of said housings with inlet to said valve assemblies from said actuation element and an outlet,a plurality of means, each for bringing about a relative displacement between a cartridge housed in one of said housings and the actuation element of the related valve assembly mounted on the neck of said housing, in the axial direction of said actuation element, said relative displacement establishing a fluid communication between said cartridge and said related valve assembly and opening said valve assembly, conditional on the presence of said cartridge,a manifold connected to the outlet of said plurality of value assemblies and to a delivery pipe,characterized in that the manifold/distributor assembly further comprisesmanually operated shut-off tap means in said manifold, operable independently on said valve means, for selectively connecting the output of said valve assemblies to said delivery pipe through said manifold, wherein said shut-off tap means comprises a multiple way shut-off tap for selectively controlling the fluid communication among portions of said manifold and said delivery pipe.