Patent ID: 8047502

Claim:
A combined check and control valve, comprising: (a) a housing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) one or more passages arranged between the inlet and the outlet of the housing, wherein each passage is surrounded by a respective first valve seat; (c) a check plate operable to close each passage; (d) at least one spring element operable to bias the check plate against the one or more first valve seats; (e) an actuator; (f) a limiting element that is at least indirectly fixedly secured to a valve rod operable by the actuator; wherein the valve rod is at least indirectly connected with a stop situated at a constant distance from the limiting element; wherein the limiting element supports the at least one spring element, thereby allowing the at least one spring element to bias the check plate; and wherein the stop is positioned on the valve rod so that the stop presses against the check plate when the limiting element is opened beyond a nominal stroke by force of the actuator.