Pressure responsive device for controlling liquid level in tanks

Claim 1

IN A WATER SOFTENING SYSTEM COMPRISING A SOFTENER TANK AND A BRINE TANK, (A) AN INLET CONDUIT, (B) A VALVE CONNECTED TO SAID INLET CONDUIT, (C) SAID VALVE INCLUDING MOVABLE VALVE MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO A FIRST POSITION TO CONNECT SAID INLET CONDUIT WITH SAID SOFTENER TANK, AND (D) A SECOND CONDUIT CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE AND SAID SOFTENER TANK, (E) SAID VALVE MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION TO CONNECT SAID SECOND CONDUIT WITH SAID INLET CONDUIT; (F) A BRINE CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING, (G) A SECOND ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE INCLUDING A MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT AND A VALVE SEAT ENGAGED THEREBY, (H) A THIRD BRINE CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID SECOND ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE TO SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND SAID BRINE TANK, (I) MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID VALVE ELEMENT TO A CLOSED POSITION WITH RESPECT TO SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID VALVE ELEMENT BEING PRESSURE RESPONSIVE DURING A SUCTION ON A PORTION OF SAID BRINE CONDUIT DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SECOND VALVE AND SAID FIRST VALVE TO MOVE FROM SAID VALVE SEAT TO AN OPEN POSITION, AND TO BE INITIALLY HELD THERE BY SUCTION, (J) AN ELECTRICAL PRESSURE RESPONSIVE SWITCH CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND VALVE, (K) A PRESSURE CHAMBER HAVING A GASEOUS FLUID IN DIRECT PRESSURE RESPONSIVE RELATION TO THE FLUID LEVEL IN SAID BRINE TANK, (L) MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID PRESSURE CHAMBER WITH SAID PRESSURE RESPONSIVE SWITCH WHEREBY DURING A RISE TO A PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL WITHIN SAID BRINE TANK, SAID GASEOUS FLUID IS COMPRESSED TO DE-ENERGIZE SAID SWITCH AND SAID SECOND VALVE IS MOVED TO A CLOSED POSITION DURING THE FIRST POSITION OF SAID FIRST VALVE, (M) AND MEANS ON SAID SECOND CONDUIT DURING A SECOND POSITION OF SAID FIRST VALVE PROVIDING A SUCTION ON SAID PORTION OF THIRD BRINE CONDUIT AND SAID SUCTION INITIALLY OPENING SAID SECOND VALVE THEREBY HOLDING SAID SECOND VALVE OPEN BY SUCTION AND DRAWING BRINE FROM SAID BRINE TANK IN ONE DIRECTION, (N) WHEREUPON SAID LIQUID LEVEL OF SAID BRINE TANK IS LOWERED AND SAID COMPRESION OF SAID GASEOUS FLUID IS RELIEVED IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID SWITCH IS THEN ENERGIZED TO ELECTRICALLY HOLD OPEN SAID VALVE TO PERMIT THE CONTINUING FLOW OF BRINE TO SAID SOFTENER TANK, (O) SAID FIRST VALVE IN THE FIRST POSITION PROVIDING FOR THE FLOW OF WATER THROUGH SAID SECOND CONDUIT AND THIRD BRINE CONDUIT IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION UNTIL THE LIQUID LEVEL IN SAID BRINE TANK AGAIN REACHES ITS PREDETERMINED LIQUID LEVEL.