Other

Fail-safe, LLC

Richard Ernest Meyer

Joseph D Cohen

A flow blockage suction interrupt of the present invention reduces the dangerous possibility of bodily suction entrapment of a bather in a swimming, wading, or hydrotherapy pool. The safety valve operates to instantaneously introduce atmosphere into a suction piping system of a pool when a dangerous vacuum condition is detected. The incoming atmosphere breaks the vacuum, freeing entrapped bather. The safety valve includes a dynamic plug and dual spring-loaded actuators, one closing and one opening the valve to atmosphere. The closing actuator is dominant until the opening actuator is triggered by the dangerously high vacuum level that accompanies bodily suction entrapment. The preferred embodiment incorporates a spring-loaded telescopic actuator shaft that is spring-loaded to open fully once triggered, and is triggered by a factory-calibrated diaphragm-actuated suction sensor. Once this safety valve has been tripped, it must be manually reset by the pool operator.

Flow blockage suction interrupt valve

Fluid conducting coupling includes a coupler having a first end, a second end for receiving a free end of a connector having a catch disposed on the free end, a flow passageway extending through the first and second ends of the coupler, and a side opening extending transversely through the second end of the coupler. An arm has a first end pivotably connected to the coupler at the opening and a second end extending therefrom. A protuberance is disposed at the first end of the arm for engaging the catch. The arm is pivotable between a coupled position in which the second end of the arm is closer to the coupler and in which the protuberance extends through the side opening in order to engage the catch and obstruct movement of the connector toward and away from the second end of the coupler, and an uncoupled position in which the second end of the arm is further from the coupler and the protuberance does not obstruct movement of the connector. A latch assembly is connected to the arm and pivotable between a latching position and an unlatching position for releasably engaging the exterior of the coupler and thereby releasably latching the arm in the coupled position. The latch assembly is pivotable about a latch axis which is about transverse to the longitudinal axis of the arm.

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Loyal, OK, United States of America

Richard Ernest Meyer