Patent ID: 7051755

Claim:
In a floating seal piston type pressure regulator valve wherein a spring biased piston reciprocates in a valve chamber of a regulator valve body to open and close a valve opening in a valve seat in the valve chamber by means of a floating seal positioned between the piston and the valve seat, the improvement wherein the valve seat comprises a separate member from the regulator valve body and is adjustably movable in the valve chamber toward and away from the piston, such that movement of the valve seat toward the piston serves to lower a regulated outlet pressure and movement of the valve seat away from the piston serves to increase the regulated outlet pressure, and wherein the regulator further comprises an expansion chamber housing surrounding the regulator valve body that provides an enlarged interior expansion chamber, the expansion chamber having an inlet in communication with a source of pressurized fluid and having an outlet in communication with the valve chamber in the regulator valve body, the expansion chamber serving to precharge the pressure regulator and reduce recycle time, and the expansion chamber housing comprising a plurality of spaced annular ribs on an outer surface thereof, the ribs enhancing heat transfer to the expansion chamber through the exterior of the expansion chamber housing.