Air release vent valve

Abstract

An air release vent valve having a valve body with an inlet port and a venting orifice; a direct float configured with an axial passageway; and a displaceable orifice closure rod deployed in at least a portion of the axial passageway, the displaceable orifice closure rod being longitudinally displaceable therein, wherein at least of portion of the displaceable orifice closure rod extends above the direct float and at least a portion of the displaceable orifice closure rod is configured to close the venting orifice when the water level in the valve body reaches a predetermined level. Also disclosed is a suspended surge prevention element that is suspended within the valve body at an adjustable distance from the venting orifice and configured to seal the initial vent orifice in response to a velocity of the flow of air through the valve body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air release vent valve comprising:
 (a) a valve body having an inlet port and a venting orifice;   (b) a direct float configured with an axial passageway; and   (c) a displaceable orifice closure rod deployed in at least a portion of said axial passageway, said displaceable orifice closure rod being longitudinally displaceable therein, said displaceable orifice closure rod having an upper stop element and a lower stop element;   
       wherein at least of portion of said displaceable orifice closure rod extends above said direct float and at least a portion of said displaceable orifice closure rod is configured to close said venting orifice when a water level in said valve body reaches a predetermined level, and said direct float includes an upper float stop region and a lower float stop region such that when said upper float stop region comes into contact with, and presses against, said upper stop element an upward force of said direct float is added to an upward force of said orifice closure rod pressing said orifice closure rod upward so as to fully seal the venting orifice and said lower float stop region of said direct float comes into contact with said lower stop element of said orifice closure rod, said orifice closure rod is pulled down so as to fully open said venting orifice. 
     
     
         2 . The air release vent valve of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said displaceable orifice closure rod is deployed within an orifice cap in which said venting orifice is configured. 
     
     
         3 . The air release vent valve of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said displaceable orifice closure rod extends above said direct float due to an innate buoyancy. 
     
     
         4 . The air release vent valve of  claim 1 , wherein said venting orifice is configured as an initial vent orifice configured in said valve body and a secondary vent orifice, wherein said initial vent orifice is larger than said secondary vent orifice, the air release vent valve further including a displaceable vent orifice sealing element that is responsive to both a liquid level within said valve body and any pressure differential between an ambient outside pressure and a pressure within said valve body and said secondary vent orifice is configured in said displaceable vent orifice sealing element. 
     
     
         5 . The air release vent valve of  claim 4 , further including a suspended surge prevention element that is suspended within said valve body below said initial orifice, said suspended surge prevention element configured with at least one surge prevention orifice that is larger than said secondary orifice so as to at least partially seal said initial orifice in response to a velocity of a flow of air through said valve body and said surge prevention element is held in such a deployment by a pressure differential between an ambient outside pressure and a pressure within said valve body. 
     
     
         6 . The air release vent valve of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one surge prevention orifice is configured as a as a plurality of surge prevention orifices 
     
     
         7 . The air release vent valve of  claim 6 , wherein an air flow rate through said venting orifice is adjusted by plugging one or more of said plurality of surge prevention orifices. 
     
     
         8 . The air release vent valve of  claim 5 , wherein said suspended surge prevention element is suspended by an adjustment mechanism that includes:
 (a) a height adjustment rod extending from said suspended surge prevention element; and   (b) a support bridge that spans said initial orifice.