Inline pressure reducing regulator

Abstract

The pressure reducing regulator includes a regulator body with a tubular portion coaxially aligned with the tubular portion of a bonnet threaded to the regulator body. A piston has a bore extending therethrough with the tubular portions extended thereinto in axial spaced relationship, the body tubular portion mounting a valve seat to abut against a piston internal shoulder when the piston has axially moved relative to the tubular portions to a blocking position to block fluid flow through the regulator. The piston enlarged diametric portion bottom surface is in fluid communication with the piston bore in both of the piston positions but not in fluid communication with the body high pressure inlet when the piston is in its blocking position. A spring resiliently retains the piston in its open position when no pressurized fluid is applied to the body inlet.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A pressure reducing regulator, comprising a regulator body having an upper end and an axial bore opening through the body upper end, the body bore including an axially intermediate bore portion that is in part defined by a body cylindrical wall and a bottom wall remote from the upper end, an axially elongated tubular portion having a bore portion extending axially therethrough, extending within the intermediate bore portion and opening to the intermediate bore portion, the body tubular portion having a first end part remote from the body bottom wall, a bonnet removably mounted to the regulator body and having a top portion with an outlet, a bore opening to the body bore and an axially elongated tubular portion extending within the bonnet bore coaxially with the body tubular portion in axially spaced relationship thereto, the bonnet tubular portion having a first end part axially adjacent to the body tubular portion first end part, a piston axially movably extended within the intermediate bore portion and in fluid sealing relationship to the body wall defining the body bore, the piston being axially movable between a fluid flow open position and a closed position to block fluid flow and having a first axial bore portion with the body tubular portion extending therein, and a second bore portion having the bonnet tubular portion extending therein and being in fluid communication with the piston first bore portion, the bonnet tubular portion having a fluid passageway opening to the outlet and to the piston bore second portion, a valve seat mounted to the bonnet tubular portion first end part to block fluid flow from the body tubular portion to the passageway when the piston is in its closed position and to permit fluid flow from the piston first tubular portion to the piston second tubular portion when the piston is in its open position, first spring means for resiliently urging the piston to move to its open position and second spring means for resiliently retaining the piston in its closed position until the fluid pressure at the outlet decreases below a preselected value.  
     
     
         2 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 1 , wherein the regulator body has a threaded portion, the bonnet has a threaded portion forming a mating fit with the regulator threaded portion to removably mount the bonnet to the body, and a key for retaining the bonnet in selected adjusted threaded positions relative to the regulator body to permit adjusting the axial spacing of the tubular portions relative to one another and thereby an adjustment of the fluid pressure at the outlet.  
     
     
         3 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 1  wherein each of the bonnet, including its tubular portion, the regulator body, including its tubular portion, and the piston is made of a single, unitary piece of material.  
     
     
         4 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 1  wherein the regulator body bore has an enlarged diametric bore portion opening to the intermediate bore portion and opening toward the bonnet top portion axially opposite its opening to the intermediate bore portion, the piston has an enlarged diameter first portion in the body enlarged diametric portion and a second piston portion of a smaller diameter than the first piston portion and extending within the body intermediate bore portion to provide a first clearance space therewith, the piston having a bore opening to the passageway and to the clearance space both when the piston is in its open position and in its closed position.  
     
     
         5 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 4  wherein the piston enlarged diametric portion has a top surface, the bonnet tubular portion has a shoulder abuttable against the piston top surface to limit the movement of the piston toward the bonnet top portion and the piston is abuttable against the bottom wall to limit the movement of the piston away from the bonnet top portion.  
     
     
         6 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 4  wherein the piston second bore portion is of a larger diameter than the piston first bore portion and at its juncture with the first bore portion provides an annular piston shoulder, the valve seat in the piston closed position being abuttable against the regulator body adjacent to the juncture of the piston first and second bore portions.  
     
     
         7 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 4  wherein the bonnet tubular portion includes an axially elongated tube part having one end joined to the bonnet top portion and an axially opposite end mounting the bonnet tubular portion first part, the bonnet tubular portion first part including a valve seat mount that, in conjunction with the piston shoulder and the body wall defining the piston second bore portion, forms a second clearance space and has an aperture opening to the second clearance space and the bonnet tubular part, the aperture being part of the passageway.  
     
     
         8 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 4  wherein there is provided fluid seal means in the piston first bore portion that provides a fluid seal between the body tubular portion and the piston, second fluid seal means in the piston second bore portion axially between the bonnet tubular portion first part and the bonnet top portion for forming a fluid seal between the bonnet tubular portion and the piston, the body wall defining the enlarged diametric bore portion, the piston, the bonnet tubular portion and the bonnet top portion forming an annular cavity and the bonnet has a vent port opening to said cavity.  
     
     
         9 . A pressure reducing regulator, comprising a regulator body having an upper end, an inlet for pressurized fluid and an axial bore opening through the upper end, the body bore having an axially intermediate bore portion, a bonnet removably mounted to the regulator body and having a top portion with an outlet, a bore opening to the body bore and an axially elongated tubular portion extending within the bonnet bore, the bonnet tubular portion having a first end part axially opposite the top portion, a piston axially movably extended within the intermediate bore portion and in fluid sealing relationship to the body wall defining the body bore, the piston having a top surface facing the bonnet top portion and an axially opposite bottom surface with the body intermediate bore portion opening thereto, the piston being axially movable the bonnet tubular portion between a fluid flow open position and a fluid flow blocking position and having a first axial bore portion, and a second bore portion having the bonnet tubular portion extending therein in both of the piston positions and being in fluid communication with the piston first bore portion, first spring means for resiliently urging the piston to move to its open position, the spring means being in abutting relationship to the piston top surface and the bonnet top portion, the bonnet tubular portion having a fluid passageway opening to the outlet and to the piston bore second portion, a valve seat mounted to the bonnet tubular portion first end part and being abuttable against the piston to block fluid flow from the body tubular portion to the passageway when the piston is in its blocking position and to permit fluid flow from the piston first bore portion to the piston second bore portion when the piston is in its open position, and cooperating means for applying pressurized fluid from the inlet to the piston bottom surface and to the first tubular portion when the piston is in its open position and pressurized fluid is being applied at the inlet and blocking the application of fluid under pressure to the piston bottom surface and from the first tubular portion to the second tubular portion when the piston is in its blocking position, the cooperating means at least in part being defined by the piston and regulator body.  
     
     
         10 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 9 , wherein the body bore has an enlarged diametric bore opening to the bonnet top portion and to the body intermediate bore portion, the piston has an enlarged diametric portion in fluid sealing relationship with the body wall defining the body enlarged diametric bore portion and a reduced diameter portion joined to the piston enlarged diametric portion and extending within the body intermediate bore portion to provide an annular clearance space therewith which opens to the piston enlarged diametric portion, the piston bottom surface being provided at least in part by the piston enlarged diametric portion.  
     
     
         11 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 10  wherein the cooperating means includes a piston cross bore that opens to said clearance space and to piston second bore portion for applying fluid under pressure to the piston enlarged diametric portion when the piston is in its open position and fluid under pressure is applied to the inlet.  
     
     
         12 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 10  wherein the cooperating means includes second spring means abutting against the piston for constantly urging the piston toward its blocking position.  
     
     
         13 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 9  wherein the cooperating means includes an axially extending regulator body tubular portion that opens to the inlet, is coaxial with the bonnet tubular portion and extends within the piston first bore portion in axially spaced relationship to the bonnet tubular portion and the valve seat, both in the piston open and blocking positions.  
     
     
         14 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 13  wherein the piston first bore portion is of a smaller diameter than the piston second bore portion to form an annular shoulder, the valve seat in the blocking position abutting against the piston adjacent to the annular shoulder.  
     
     
         15 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 14  wherein the bonnet tubular portion includes an axially elongated tubular part having a first end joined to the bonnet top portion and a second end joined to the tubular portion first end part, the tubular portion first end part comprising a valve seat mount having a frustoconical outer surface with a minor base axially remote from the tubular part, the bonnet tubular portion first end part in conjunction with the piston annular shoulder, the valve seat and the piston wall that at least in part defines the piston second bore portion providing an annular clearance space when the piston is in its blocking position, the bonnet tubular part having a bore extending therethrough to open to the outlet and form a part of said passageway and the valve seat mount has an aperture in fluid communication with the bonnet tubular part and said annular clearance space to form a part of said passageway.  
     
     
         16 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 15 , wherein the cooperating means includes a cross bore opening to the above mentioned clearance space and to the body intermediate bore portion and in fluid communication with the piston bottom surface.  
     
     
         17 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 16  wherein the bonnet bore has an enlarged diametric bore portion opening toward the bonnet top portion and to the body intermediate bore portion to provide an upwardly facing annular shoulder, the piston having an enlarged diametric portion in fluid sealing relationship with the wall that in part defines the body enlarged diametric portion and a second portion joined to the piston enlarged diametric portion and extending within the body intermediate bore portion to provide a second annular clearance with the body wall providing the body intermediate bore portion.  
     
     
         18 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 16  wherein the regulator body, including its tubular portion, is made of a single integrally joined piece of material, the bonnet, including its tubular portion, is made of a single integrally joined piece of material, the piston is made of a single integrally joined piece of material.  
     
     
         19 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 16  wherein bonnet and regulator body having cooperating threaded portions to mount the bonnet to the regulator body, an O-ring is provided to form a fluid seal between the bonnet and the regulator body axially between the bonnet top portion and the threaded portions, one of the bonnet and the regulator body having an annular groove axially intermediate the O-ring and the threaded portions, a fluid seal is provided between the piston and the body tubular portion and a fluid seal is provided between the piston enlarged diametric portion and the bonnet tubular portion axially intermediate the bonnet tubular portion first part and the bonnet top portion.  
     
     
         20 . The pressure reducing regulator of  claim 16  wherein it is mountable to a container of fluid under high pressure and the regulator body includes a valve bore, a neck portion threadedly mountable to the container and having an inlet, and a second passageway opening to the valve bore for fluidly connecting the neck portion inlet to the body tubular portion and a valve member mounted to the regulator body and extending within the valve bore to selectively permit fluid flow from the neck portion inlet to the body tubular portion and block fluid flow from the neck portion inlet to the body tubular portion.