| CPC B64D 1/16 (2013.01) [A62C 3/0235 (2013.01)] | 23 Claims |
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1. An aerial valve for a liquid container carried by an aircraft,
the aerial valve being selectively configurable to an open position and a closed position,
the aerial valve comprising:
a roof;
a flow stopper being movable relative to the roof selectively to a raised position and a lowered position, the flow stopper being in the raised position when the aerial valve is in the open position, the flow stopper being in the lowered position when the aerial valve is in the closed position, the flow stopper being closer to the roof when the flow stopper is in the raised position than when the flow stopper is in the lowered position;
a plurality of guide members being connected to the roof, being elongate in an axial direction, and being connectable to the liquid container;
a plurality of traveling members on the flow stopper and being in traveling contact with the plurality of guide members to guide the flow stopper in the axial direction when the flow stopper moves between the lowered position and the raised position; and
a tubular diaphragm having an upper edge and a lower edge, the upper edge being affixed to the roof, the lower edge being affixed to the flow stopper, the tubular diaphragm being axially collapsible such that the lower edge of the tubular diaphragm is closer to the upper edge when the flow stopper is in the raised position than when the flow stopper is in the lowered position, wherein the tubular diaphragm and the roof define an air chamber that is underneath the roof and at least partially surrounded by the tubular diaphragm when the flow stopper is in the lowered position.
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