Patent ID: 7219689

Claim:
A pressure regulator for an animal drinking system, said drinking system comprising an elongate watering pipe having a plurality of drinking stations spaced therealong, said regulator comprising: a housing defining a chamber; a flexible diaphragm sealed with respect to said housing and dividing said chamber into a water chamber and an ambient chamber; said watering line being in fluid communication with said water chamber; a spring carried by said housing in operable engagement with said diaphragm such that the force of said spring and of the atmosphere acts upon said diaphragm to force said diaphragm toward said water chamber; a water inlet member adapted to be connected to a supply line; said inlet member defining a watering flow path and a flush flow path; said watering and flush flow paths both communicating with said housing water chamber; said watering flow path having a watering port and said flush flow path having a flush port; said flush port being spaced axially from said watering port; a regulator valve carried by said housing and being operatively associated with said diaphragm for movement between a closed position in which said valve blocks the flow of water from said inlet member watering port into said water chamber and an open position in which water is permitted to flow from said inlet member watering port into said water chamber such that with said spring adjusted to a predetermined level the force of said spring acting on the lower side of said diaphragm balances the force exerted on the water side of said diaphragm thereby to regulate the pressure of the water in said water chamber and within said watering pipe to a predetermined water pressure substantially less than the pressure of said water supply; and a flush valve in said water inlet member; said flush valve being selectively movable between a closed position in which water cannot flow through said flush flow path and a open position in which water can flow through said flush flow path into said water chamber to flush said water chamber and said watering pipe.