Patent ID: 6119712
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A vent valve (9, 41, 45, 52, 62, 65) for a top (8) of a tank (1) for liquids, said valve comprising a housing (10) having two portions (14, 15) of different diameters and separated from each other by a shoulder-like offset (16), wherein in an area of the offset (16) there is provided a fully circumferentially extending annular flange (17) which serves to fasten the vent valve (9) to a housing (2) of the liquid tank (1) in such manner that the portion (15) below the annular flange (17) is inside the tank (1), while the portion (14) of smaller cross section extends outside the tank (1), wherein the inner portion (15) of the valve housing (10) defines a cavity (11) adapted to accommodate a float (12) having a substantially corresponding external cross section, at least one inlet opening (23, 24) disposed in a bottom (20) of the cavity (11) and wherein a region enclosed by the outer portion (14) of the housing (10) comprises an outlet opening (25) that can be closed by a top portion (29) of the float (12), wherein disposed at a top and a bottom of the float (12), respectively, are upper and lower axial extensions (31, 32) of reduced cross section, extending substantially coaxially with a longitudinal axis (13) of the float and being slidably received, respectively, by the outlet opening (25) and a recess (33) at a top portion (30) and the bottom (20), respectively, of the cavity (11) to stabilize the float (12) against undesired tilting and laterally displacing motions, and wherein the upper axial extension (31) is provided with a cut-out cross section (34) having peripheral termini (35) at substantially an equal distance from the longitudinal axis (13) as an inner surface (36) of the outlet opening (25), such that the extension (31) is guided free from play, and wherein on an outside of a top end face (28) of the float (12) and in a bottom region of the upper extension (31) there is disposed the float top portion (29; 42) whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the outlet opening (25), such that the outlet opening (25) can be closed by rising of the float (12) and pressing of the top portion (29; 42) against the top portion (30) of the cavity (11).