The Protectoseal Company

Thomas C Piotrowski

Martin Clift

Baohai Liu

William J Zehr

Christian A Mutzbauer

Scott R Diaz

A vacuum breaker arrangement for use with a container includes body parts holding a resilient valve member captive. The valve member includes an intermediate body part, intermediate and enlarged head and a valve part. The valve part is made of resilient material which defines an internal passageway communicating with an opening in the body parts. The valve part includes an end portion defining a slit which is closed at a first pressure and which is automatically opened at a second, reduced pressure.

Vacuum breaker arrangement with externally protruding collapsible valve part

A gauge hatch is provided that has a cover structure that incorporates a pallet/diaphragm combination and that is cooperatively associated with a pressure responsive liquid seal subassembly. The gauge hatch also incorporates a vent neck and a radially adjacent wall that defines with the vent neck a circumferentially extending reservoir. An exterior preferably radially extending arm permits the cover structure to be opened and inclined at an angle relative to the vent neck. Optionally, the cover may be kept in a closed position. The diaphragm normally seats upon the vent neck. A sealing liquid in the reservoir has a closed chamber over the reservoir liquid. When the arm is not held in a cover closed position, and up until a set vent neck pressure is reached, the liquid seal subassembly eliminates low level fugitive vapor emissions escaping from the diaphragm/seat region. The liquid seal subassembly opens when (a) a pressure in the vent neck occurs which exceeds the predetermined set point opening pressure of the cover structure; (b) a pressure in the closed chamber exceeds the predeterminable maximum liquid seal pressure, or (c) the cover structure is manually opened.

Gauge hatch with liquid seal

A gauge hatch has a cover structure that incorporates a pallet/diaphragm combination and that is cooperatively associated with a pressure responsive liquid seal subassembly. The gauge hatch also incorporates a vent neck and a radially adjacent wall that defines with the vent neck a circumferentially extending reservoir. An exterior preferably radially extending arm permits the cover structure to be opened and inclined at an angle relative to the vent neck. Optionally, the cover may be kept in a closed position. The diaphragm normally seats upon the vent neck. A sealing liquid in the reservoir has a closed chamber over the reservoir liquid. When the arm is not held in a cover closed position, and up until a set vent neck pressure is reached, the liquid seal subassembly eliminates low level fugitive vapor emissions escaping from the diaphragm/seat region. The liquid seal subassembly opens when (a) a pressure in the vent neck occurs which exceeds the predetermined set point opening pressure of the cover structure; (b) a pressure in the closed chamber exceeds the predeterminable maximum liquid seal pressure, or (c) the cover structure is manually opened.

Gauge hatch with diaphragm and liquid seal

A vent valve is provided wherein a pallet/diaphragm type valve is cooperatively and coactively associated with a pressure responsive liquid seal. The assembly eliminates low level fugitive vapor emissions escaping from the diaphragm/seat region up to a predeterminable liquid seal set pressure which preferably is less than or equal to the set pressure for diaphragm opening. A liquid reservoir with a sealed chamber is provided for the liquid seal subassembly. Fugitive emissions from a tank or the like that is associated with the vent valve enter the sealed chamber and are there contained until the pressure therein is sufficient to displace the sealing liquid to an extent sufficient to open the sealed chamber. The valve assembly can be used as a pressure vent, as a vacuum vent, and as a combination pressure and vacuum vent. Optional features, such as a constant liquid level controller, a sight glass, a signaling device, or the like can be provided.

Vent valve with liquid seal

An improved valve is provided for blanketing and maintaining the vapor space of a tank with inert gas at a set pressure. The valve is of the type that incorporates a pilot valve that operates in response to sensed tank vapor space gas pressure. The opening and closing of the pilot valve controls the opening and closing of an associated main valve which admits pressurized inert gas into the tank from an inert gas supply to maintain the tank set pressure. The valve permits one to externally adjust internal components of the pilot valve after valve assembly. Also, the valve provides for pressure balanced operation that achieves a consistent opening pressure over the allowable range of inlet gas supply pressures.

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West Chicago, IL, United States of America

Thomas C Piotrowski