Apparatus for supplying gaseous fuel from a container of pressurized gas

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GASEOUS FUEL FROM A CONTAINER OF PRESSURIZED GAS TO AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OF THE TYPE HAVING AN AIR INTAKE SYSTEM INCLUDING DAMPER MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF AIR THROUGH SAID SYSTEM, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING MEANS DEFINING A PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID PRESSURIZED GAS CONTAINER FOR CONDUCTING GAS FROM SAID CONTAINER TO SAID INTAKE SYSTEM ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF SAID DAMPER MEANS, AND MEANS INCLUDING A NORMALLY OPEN VALVE IN SAID PASSAGE FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF GAS THROUGH SAID PASSAGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIR PRESSURE DROP ACROSS SAID DAMPER MEANS, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING AN AIR-TIGHT HOUSING, A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM EXTENDING ACROSS AND DIVIDING THE SPACE INSIDE SAID HOUSING INTO TWO COMPARTMENTS, ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS COMPRISING A PORTION OF SAID PASAGE, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING SO COUPLED TO SAID VALVE AS TO DECREASE THE OPENING OF SAID VALVE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID DIAPHRAGM AWAY FROM SAID ONE COMPARTMENT, AND MEANS FOR COMMUNICATING THE OTHER OF SAID COMPARTMENTS WITH SAID INTAKE SYSTEM ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID DAMPER MEANS.