Patent ID: 6167905
Filing Date: 2001-01-02
Classification: G05D,Y10T

Abstract:
A gas pressure regulator comprising: a body portion having an inlet, an outlet, a valve chamber communicating with said outlet, and a wall between said inlet and said valve chamber, with said wall having a threaded passageway communicating with the inlet and the valve chamber; orifice-containing structure having an externally threaded portion threadedly engaged in the wall passageway so as to prevent gas passage between the orifice-containing structure and the wall, the orifice-containing structure having a valve seat within the valve chamber and a passage therethrough communicating with the body portion inlet and the valve seat; a plunger guide secured to said body portion in said valve chamber and having an interior chamber with a longitudinal axis aligned with the passage of the orifice-containing structures, said plunger guide including an end wall transverse to said longitudinal axis and having an opening communicating with said plunger guide interior chamber and said body portion valve chamber, said orifice-containing structure extending through said plunger guide end wall opening without threadingly engaging said plunger guide so that said valve seat is within said plunger guide interior chamber; a plunger valve member contained within the plunger guide interior chamber for reciprocating movement along the longitudinal axis toward and away from the valve seat, the plunger valve member having a first end facing the valve seat; a seal member secured to the plunger valve member first end and adapted to engage said valve seat to seal the passage of the orifice-containing structure when the plunger valve member is moved against the valve seat; a lever mounted to said plunger guide for pivoting movement about a pivot axis orthogonal to said longitudinal axis, said lever having a first portion remote from said pivot axis and engaging said plunger valve member to move said plunger valve member toward and away from said valve seat as said lever pivots about said pivot axis, and said lever having a second portion remote from said pivot axis; and a pressure responsive control assembly sealing said valve chamber, said control assembly having a movable member coupled to the second portion of said lever to cause said lever to pivot about said pivot axis in response to pressure variations in said valve chamber.