The Commonwealth Industrial Gases Ltd.

William P Shore

David Schonstein

A pressure regulator for lower pressure distribution of gases from a higher pressure source of gas including a gas inlet and a gas outlet defining a gas path therebetween, a regulating element disposed downstream of the gas inlet remote from the gas path, including a resiliently displaceable device responsive to gas pressure and connected to a valve at the gas inlet to thereby regulate the gas pressure at the gas outlet, and to gas distribution systems employing the same.

Pressure reduction and flow regulation device

A gas operated balloon inflating machine for inflating balloons of the kind having a body and a filling neck terminated in a beaded edge. The apparatus includes a gas operated releasable clamping device to secure the beaded edge of the balloon between a support surface and a sealing surface thereby providing for inflation of the balloon from an aperture in the sealing surface. A gas operated control valve selectively supplies gas to the aperture from a reservior and a gas operated sealing device is used to seal the neck of the balloons after inflation. A logic controller selectively supplies pressurized gas from a high pressure source to the clamping device, control valve and sealing means to sequentially clamp, inflate, seal and release balloons. The exhaust gas from each of these devices is directed to the reservoir for inflation of the balloons. The size to which the balloons are inflated is preferably controlled by the size of the inflating reservoir and regulation of the pressure in the reservoir.

Balloon inflating machine

An apparatus for inflating balloons of the kind having a body and a filling neck terminating in a beaded edge, said apparatus comprising a balloon support plate having a sealing surface and an open ended slot extending from one edge thereof to receive the filling neck of a balloon such that the beaded edge is adjacent said sealing surface and the body of the balloon is disposed on the remote side of the plate; a filling head selectively moveable toward said sealing surface to clamp said beaded edge between the filling head and sealing surface and establish a substantially gas tight seal between the filling head and beaded edge; and a pressurized gas flow passage through said filling head to the neck of a clamped balloon for inflation of the balloon. The apparatus further includes means for stretching, twisting and sealing the neck of the inflated balloons. In a preferred embodiment has the apparatus has a plurality of support plates mounted on a conveyor in the form of an endless loop. A plurality of filling heads are provided around the loop which includes suitable indexing means to respectfully align each slot with one of the filling heads.

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Ashfield, Australia

William P Shore