Patent ID: 7363938

Claim:
A valve assembly for receiving first and second fluids at variable pressures from first and second fluid sources and for delivering said fluids at substantially constant pressures to fluid applicators or the like, said valve assembly comprising: A. a first valve comprising: a) an outer housing having a cap joined to a cup-shaped base; b) a barrier wall subdividing the interior of said housing into a head section and a base section; c) a modulating assembly subdividing said base section into a fluid chamber and a spring chamber; d) an inlet for connecting said input section to said first fluid source; e) a port in said barrier wall connecting said input section to said fluid chamber, said port being aligned with a central axis of said valve; f) an outlet communicating with said fluid chamber, said outlet being aligned on a axis transverse to said central axis; g) a stem projecting from said modulating assembly along said central axis through said port into said head section; h) a flexible diaphragm supporting said modulating assembly within said housing for movement in opposite directions along said central axis; i) a spring in said spring chamber, said spring being arranged to resiliently urge said modulating assembly into a closed position at which said diaphragm is in sealing contact with said barrier wall to thereby prevent fluid flow from said head section via said port and fluid chamber to said outlet, said spring acting in concert with said modulating assembly and the stem projecting there from to modulate the size of said port as an inverse function of the variable fluid pressure in said head section whereby the pressure of the first fluid delivered to said outlet is maintained at a substantially constant level, said valve being automatically actuated when the pressure of the fluid acting on said modulating assembly exceeds a threshold level, and being automatically closed when said pressure drops below said threshold level; and B. a second valve substantially identical in construction to but smaller in size than said first valve, the inlet of said second valve being adapted for connection to said second fluid source, and the outer housing of said second valve being received telescopically within the spring chamber of said first valve.