Leak detector valve assembly

Abstract

A valve assembly for detecting leaks in fluid systems which includes an airtight transparent cup means at least partially filled with liquid and a plunger means provided with an orifice and a tube means interconnecting said orifice and liquid. The valve assembly is connected into the fluid line so as to allow the fluid to pass therethrough unimpeded. Depression of the plunger effectively closes the fluid line except for the passageway afforded by the orifice and the tube positioned in the liquid. The existence of a leak in the fluid system is thereby easily observed by a fluid flow through the liquid, i.e., bubbles, etc.

I claim: 
     
       1. A leak detector valve assembly comprising: a body, said body being provided with an internal cavity and inlet and outlet openings .[.interconnecting said cavity:.]. .Iadd.linearly misaligned relative to each other and interconnected by means of a restricted opening within such cavity;   shoulder means and sealing means to provide a fluid tight seal located around the restricted opening; .Iaddend.   a normally open plunger means .[.positioned in said body cavity, said plunger means.]. being .Iadd.slideably .Iaddend.axially displaceable within said cavity so as to substantially close .Iadd.the restricted opening in .Iaddend.said body cavity between the inlet and outlet openings, said plunger means being provided with bleeder means .Iadd.communicating with the inlet, .Iaddend.and an elongated tubular means interconnected therewith for conducting fluid through said plunger means;  .Iadd.   an annular groove on the plunger means and a sealing means contained therein; .Iaddend.   means engaging said plunger means for returning said plunger means to a normally open position;   .Iadd.transparent .Iaddend.container means secured to said body;   a liquid contained in said container means; .Iadd.   the plunger means at least in the closed position having one open end below the surface of the liquid and the space above the liquid in the container communicating with the outlet opening. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.21 .Iaddend.wherein said internal cavity is comprised of a plurality of internal chambers, one of said chambers being interconnected by the inlet opening and another of said chambers being interconnected by said outlet opening. 
     
     
       3. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a restricted opening is situated between the internal chamber interconnected by the inlet opening and the internal chamber interconnected by the outlet opening. 
     
     
       4. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 3, wherein said restricted opening is adapted to be closed by the plunger means when said plunger means is displaced from its normally open position. 
     
     
       5. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 4, wherein said restricted opening is provided with an annular shoulder means thereabout. 
     
     
       6. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 5, wherein an annular nonmetallic sealing ring is seated on said annular shoulder surrounding said restricted opening.  .[.7. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 6, wherein said inlet and outlet openings are 
     
     
        linearly misaligned relative to each other..]. 8. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 3, wherein the bleeder means provided by the plunger means is comprised of an orifice and a bleeder passageway interconnecting said orifice .Iadd.with the end of the tubular means. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. 9. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 8, wherein said plunger means is accommodated in the body cavity chamber interconnecting the inlet opening and the elongated tubular means of said plunger means extends through the body cavity chamber interconnecting the 
     
     
        outlet opening. 10. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 9, wherein the elongated tubular means extends through an aperture in the body and into the container means secured to said body.  .[.11. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 10, wherein the elongated tube means extends below the liquid level of the liquid contained in said 
     
     
        container means..]. 12. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim .[.11.]. .Iadd.10 .Iaddend.wherein the plunger means is provided 
     
     
        with a continuous annular edge axially protruding therefrom. 13. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 12, wherein an annular nonmetallic sealing ring is seated on said annular shoulder surrounding said restricted opening for receiving the annular edge of said plunger 
     
     
        means. 14. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the plunger means is provided with a sealing means to form a tight engagement between the external walls of the plunger means and the internal walls of the body cavity chamber in which the plunger means is situated.  .[.15. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 14, wherein the sealing means is comprised of an O-ring partially accommodated 
     
     
        in an annular groove carried by said plunger means..]. 16. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 13, wherein the plunger means is provided with a means for limiting the axial displacement of the plunger 
     
     
        means relative to the body. 17. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 16, wherein the means for limiting the axial displacement of the plunger means is comprised of an elongated pin passing transversely through an opening in the plunger means and which pin has the 
     
     
        ends thereof located in oppositely positioned openings in the body. 18. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the body chamber cavity which interconnects the outlet opening is provided with an 
     
     
        internal abutment shoulder. 19. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 18, wherein the means for returning the plunger means 
     
     
        to a normally open position is a coil spring. 20. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 19 wherein the coil spring is positioned in intimate contact with the forward end of the plunger means and the internal abutment shoulder provided by the body chamber cavity which is interconnected by the outlet opening. .Iadd. 21. A leak detector valve assembly as described in claim 1 wherein the sealing means is an O-ring partially accommodated in the annular groove on the plunger means.