Patent ID: 6805332
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: F16K

Abstract:
A valve for restricting a flow of a fluid through a channel, the valve comprising:an inflatable elastomeric valve seat; a gas control for selectively applying a flow of pressurized gas to the inflatable elastomeric valve seat and venting pressurized gas from the gas-inflatable elastomeric valve seat; a primary closing member for restricting the flow of the fluid in the channel by engaging with the inflatable elastomeric valve seat; and a valve control for selectively engaging the inflatable elastomeric valve seat and the primary closing member to control the flow of fluid through the channel, said valve control comprising a valve drive shaft for moving the primary closing member between an open position and a closed position, a gas control switch for controlling the gas control such that pressurized gas is supplied to the inflatable elastomeric valve seat when the gas control switch is engaged and gas is vented from the inflatable elastomeric valve seat when the gas control switch is disengaged, and a cam operably connected to a drive shaft such that the position of the cam rotates about an axis when the drive shaft is rotated wherein the cam is positioned to engage the gas control switch when the primary closing member is in a closed position and disengage the gas control switch when the primary closing member is not in the closed position wherein the valve control is further configured to control the gas control such that pressurized gas is automatically applied to the inflatable elastomeric valve seat when the valve control is operated to restrict the flow of fluid through the channel by engaging the inflatable elastomeric valve seat with the primary closing member.