Patent ID: 7331561

Claim:
An apparatus for selectively and cleanly removing air from a mold, said apparatus comprising a generally cylindrical and hollow body having a longitudinal axis of symmetry and opposed orifices which are positioned along said longitudinal axis of symmetry, said body having a threaded portion which circumscribes a first orifice; a ball which movably resides within said generally cylindrical and hollow body and upon said longitudinal axis of symmetry; and a top portion having threads which are adapted to be selectively and removably coupled to said threaded portion of said body, thereby allowing said top portion to be selectively moved from a first position in which said top portion is connected to said body to a second position in which said top portion is removed from said body just by turning said threads of said top portion within said threaded portion of said body, thereby allowing said top portion to be selectively and removably attached to said hollow body, wherein said top portion further having an outwardly protruding spring which is positioned within said generally hollow body along said longitudinal axis of symmetry and in contact with said ball when said top portion is attached to said body, wherein a second orifice is adapted to selectively receive said air from said mold and communicate said received air to said ball which causes said ball to move against said spring and allow said received air to pass through said generally hollow body and to be outputted from said second orifice and wherein said spring, in the absence of said received air, pushes said ball against said second orifice, thereby closing said second orifice; and wherein said apparatus further includes a set screw which is movably disposed within said hollow body and constrained to move only along an axis which is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of symmetry and which is movable from a first portion which is remote from said spring which is contained within said body, to a second position in which said set screw engages said top portion, and wherein said top portion compresses said spring by a selected and desired amount, thereby selectively compressing said spring against said ball when said spring is positioned within said generally hollow body, and wherein said amount of said compression of said spring is directly proportional to the amount of force needed to be exerted by said ball against said spring to allow air to be outputted from said body.