The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 06, 1998
Filed:
Feb. 16, 1995
John B McGowan, Jr, Malvern, PA (US);
Joseph M McGinnis, West Chester, PA (US);
UMAC Incorporated, Exton, PA (US);
Abstract
A flow shut-off valve shuts off natural gas if there is a break in a gas line, for example, the line to a water heater toppled by an earthquake. The shut-off valve is fitted into a standard pipe nipple that is installed in a vertical position. The shut-off valve includes a plastic float having a tapered nose with a O-ring in a groove at the base of the nose, a flow-restricting orifice region, and guide fins at the lower end of the float to guide it along the bore of a plastic body having a bore and shoulders at either end to contain the float. The body includes an conical aperture at the upper end into which the float nose and the O-ring are inserted when a break occurs and the downstream pressure drops, forcing the float upward as the gas flow surges. No spring is used; the balance of gravity and gas=flow forces controls the operation of the shut-off valve. The body is spin-welded from two pieces and crimped into position in the nipple.