Flow valve

Abstract

A flow valve that may act as either an excess flow valve or a pressure relief valve has a seat and a valve body for sealing against the seat. The valve body has an integral spring arm for biasing the valve body towards or away from the seat to seal or open a flow of fluid, and a magnet cooperating with the spring arm to position the body relative to the seat to maintain the body in a first position during a normal flow condition and maintain the body in a second position in an abnormal flow condition.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A valve regulating a flow of fluid therethrough, said valve comprising:
 a seat,   a body for sealing against said seat, said body having
 a spring arm integral therewith for biasing said body towards or away from 
 said seat to seal or open a flow of fluid, and 
   a magnet for cooperating with said spring arm to position said body relative to said seat to maintain said body in a first position during a normal flow condition and maintain said body in a second position in an abnormal flow condition.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1  further comprising;
 a cartridge for being disposed in a fluid flow said cartridge defining said seat for cooperating with said body. 
 
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a structure for holding said magnet relatively central to said body. 
 
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 3  further comprising;
 a cartridge for being disposed in a fluid flow said cartridge defining said seat for cooperating with said body, said structure impinging upon said cartridge. 
 
     
     
         5 . The valve of  claim 4  wherein said structure has a ring-like base and said cartridge has a cut-out for receiving said ring-like base. 
     
     
         6 . The valve of  claim 3  wherein said body is attached to said structure. 
     
     
         7 . The valve of  claim 6  wherein said spring arm of said body is attached to said structure. 
     
     
         8 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein when in a said first position, said spring arm is biased towards said face to keep said body against said seat. 
     
     
         9 . The valve of  claim 8  wherein when in said second position said spring arm is biased away from said face and said body is away from said seat. 
     
     
         10 . The valve of  claim 9  wherein an abnormal flow of air moves said body into said second position against said spring bias and with a pull of said magnet. 
     
     
         11 . The valve of  claim 10  wherein when said abnormal flow of air ceases said spring arm moves said body into said first position. 
     
     
         12 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein when in said first position, said spring arm is biased away from said face to keep said body away from said seat. 
     
     
         13 . The valve of  claim 12  wherein when in said second position said spring arm is biased towards said face and said body is against from said seat. 
     
     
         14 . The valve of  claim 13  wherein an abnormal flow of air moves said body into said second position. 
     
     
         15 . The valve of  claim 10  wherein when said abnormal flow of air ceases, said spring arm and said magnet moves said body into said first position. 
     
     
         16 . The valve of  claim 1 , wherein the magnet is moveable between at least a first magnet position and a second magnet position.