Gas discriminating valve for shutting off excessive flow of liquids

摘要

The present invention is a valve that shuts off only upon excess flow of liquid. A ball is seated within a ball holder. The ball holder has a circumferential side wall. An inlet orifice and one or more circumferential apertures are defined in the circumferential side wall. An outlet orifice is defined in a surface disposed above the ball holder. The ball holder may be disposed within a main body which directs all material flowing in the valve to enter the ball holder. Excess flow of liquid effects a shut-off position of the valve when the excess flow of liquid encounters resistance caused by the circumferential apertures. The resistance causes the liquid to flow through the inlet orifice at a flow high enough to push the ball upwards to a height at which the flow of liquid through the circumferential apertures carries the ball further upward to effectively seal the outlet aperture, at which point the sealed position is maintained by hydrostatic pressure. The invention is also a method of shutting off a valve only upon the occurrence of excess flow of liquid. The method involves the interaction of air and liquid with a ball causing the ball to be disposed in either a first open configuration or a second closed configuration.