US1282763A - Means for controlling humidifying systems. - Google Patents

Description

M. CURRY. MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HUMIDIFYING SYSTEMS Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. 19!?.

trol 'justable,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

meow cmv, or HOLYOK'E, uass'ncn USETTS, ASSIGNOB '10 AMERICAN THREAD COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MEANS FOR CONTROLL IN G HUMIDIFYING SYSTEMS.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

Application filed December 5, 1817. Serial 110. 205,705.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM citizen of the United States, residin at city of H01 oke, county of Hampden, State of Massac usetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Controllin Huniidifyin Systems, of which the to owing is a ful clear, and exact description.

My invention relates tov means for con- CURRY, a

trolling humidifying systems and has for its object to produce a new and improved circuit controller which is simple construction, effective in action an easlly adwhich is inexpensive'to construct and maintain.

The followingisa description of an em, bodiment of my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

a system having a circuit controller ma in accordance with my invention; 7

Fig. 2 is an end view of the valve in the water supply pipe and the actuating mecha nism therefor;

Fi 3 is a detail, partially in section, showing one of thecontrolling' contacts of my circuit controller; and

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of contact.

' Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 are humidifiers of ordinary form. They are supplied with water from a pipe 2, controlled by a balanced valve 3, water. being supplied to said pipe through said valve from any convenient source of water pressure. The balanced valve 3 has an operating lever 4, which is connected at 5 to a chain 6, one leg of which contains a spring 7, so that the valve can be seated without damage to any parts, and is connected to a crank-arm 8 while the other end is connected to a crank-arm 9 of an actuating mechanism 10. Thechain passes over a guide pulley 11, situated abovethe pipe 2, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The actuating mechanism 10 is of any suitable type. The form shown is intended to represent diagrammaticall any one of several electrically-conl ed spring driven step by step actuating devices now on the market for furnace regulators, and contains a motor for driving the arms 8 and 9, these arms being connected upon a common shaft rotating with the also to produce a circuit controller disk 12, which is driven from the wheel 13 through an ordinary train of gearing. The disk 12 has in it two ratchet teeth 14-44, adapted to be engaged by a pivoted pawl 15 of magnetic material. The ratchet teeth 14-44 are diametrically opposite and when the pawl 15 is in engagement with either of them, the disk 12 is held from rotation. When, however, the pawl 15 is temporarily lifted by the electromagnet 15', the disk 12 revolves a half revolution until the other ratchet tooth is engaged and the vdisk is thereupon stopped. The disk 12 carries contacts 16-16 which alternately engage with two of three brushes forming terminals of controlling electric circuits during successive ,rests of the disk; thus both the contacts 1616 engage the brush connected with the circuit 17 While the contact 16, when the disk 12 is stationary in one position, engages in addition the brush connected with the circuit 18. The contact 16, when the disk is stationary in the other position, with the pawl 15 in en agement with the ratchet tooth 14:, ma es engagement with the brushes and the circuits 17 and 19.

' The circuit 17 hasits other terminal connected to the metallic frame 20 of a recording hygrometer forming part of my circuit controller and has within it a source of current, such as a dry battery 21. A small lamp 22 may be cut inand out of circuit by the switch 22, and being near the pointer of the hygrometer aids adjustment by its indication. The hygrometer is provided with the ordinary recording disk 23 and-the marking pen pointer 24 pivotally mounted at 25 and also with suitable adjusting means 26. Slightly above the pivot 25 I rigidly connect a metallic cross-arm 27 to the member 24 and thus electrically connect it to the frame 20. This cross-arm is rovided with loosely hanging contact-making devices 28 which are electrically connected to the memher-24 and ground through the cross arm 27. These contactmiaking devices 28 pass through .insulating caps 29 on conducting screws 30, having cavities ,in their up er ends containing mercury 31 and constituting circuit terminals whose contact surfaces yield to pressure. These screws are carried by an insulating support 32 and are adjustable relatively thereto, being locked in position by lock, nuts 33. This support 32 is pivoted at 34 to a suitable support, being is stopped in such moved in one direction by a s ring 35 and adjustable against such spring y an adjusting screw 36, so that the elevation of the screws 30 can be changed, one being raised while the other is lowered. The member 32 carries an indicating pointer ,32', which moves in front of a scale upon the 'frame 20. The hygrometer is operated in a well known manner by horse hairs 37 connected fixedly at their upper ends 38'to the upper portion of the instrument and at their lower ends to a sector 39, connected to the (pointer 24. 40 is a counterbalance for hol ing the horse hairs 37 under tension.

In the operation of this device, the screws 30 are adjusted relatively to their support 32 in such position that when the pointer 24 is in a position greeof moisture and the member 32 15 substantially parallel to the bar 27, neither of the contacts 28 will be in engagement with the mercury in the corresponding terminal. The separation, however, should be very slightso that a change of a small percentage in the moisture of the atmosphere will result in a movement of the contacts 28 so that one of the contacts 28 will come in engagement with the mercury in the cup of its terminal and close the proper circuit through the actuating device 10. When it is desired to adjust a eircut. another de ree of humidity, the member 32 is adjuste by the screw 36 until the con tacts 28 are out of electrical connection with both contacts 30 when the pointer 24 is in a position to indicate the desired humidity. The controller therefor has in the adjustable terminals 30 means for adjustment for the amount of variation that can occur in the humidity without actuating the circuit closer, and in the pivoted support 32 carrying the terminals 30 has means for adjusting the degree of humidity at which circuit closing will take place, subject to the variation permitted by the adjustment of the contacts 30. I

With the parts as shown, the valve 3 is supposed to be closed. If the humidity be comes too low, the pointer 24 moves to the left, closing the circuit through the lefthand contact 28 and cup 30 and establishes a connection through the circuit 18, which is completed bythe contact 16 and conductor 17. This energizes the field magnet 15, which lifts the pawl 15, whereupon the clockwork begins to run and the lever arm 4 of the valve is elevated. After the arms 8 and 9 have turned through 180, the disk 12 osition that the contact 16 is in engagement with the brushes connected with the conductors 17 and 19. The valve 3 being thus opened, water is supplied to the humidifiers and the humidity of the air increases until when it has reached a point slightly above that desired, the arm the drawings with the valve 3 I valve 3.

' opened.

controller for.

is a yielding contact permitting a 24- of the indicator moves to the right, resulting in the closing of the circuits through the conductors 19 and 17 and the release of the actuator 10, which acts to restore the parts of the system to the positions shown in closed. When the humidity becomes too low, the first operation is again repeated and so on so long as the clockwork of the actuating device 10 is wound up, thus keeping the humidity of the room substantially at any desired degree.

Where the humidifiers 10 are provided with electric fans 41, an electric circuit 42 is provided, having contacts 43 controlled by contact 44 upon the switch arm 4, the contacts 43 being electrically connected when the valve 3 is open and disconnected so as to open. the eircu't when ,the valve 3 is closed. The circuit 42 can also be controlled by a switch 45 so as to cut the fans 41 out of circuit irrespective of the condition of the When the switch 45 is closed, the

'fan motor is started whenever Fig. 4 shows a modification in which, instead of having the loosely hanging contact 28 engaging mercury provide a metallic chain 46, which is adapted to make and break contact with a rounded surface 47 of an adjustable terminal. The lowest link of this chain is electrically connected by a t arm 27, the connections to the link and the arm being by solder. The sliding of the chain over the convex surface of that terminal tends to keep it clean. In both forms at least one contact of each co-acting pair pointer 24 to move after engagement is made so as not to injure the hygrometer or interfere with its action.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits of various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a circuit controller, a hygrometer having a member moving in accordance with changes in humidity, grounded contacts can ried by said member, a pivoted support, additional contacts insulated from each other and carried by said support and co-acting with said first named contacts respectively so as to form two pairs of contacts, one con- 120 tact of each pair yielding'to pressure, and means for adjusting said pivoted support about its pivot.

the valve 3 is hin coiled wire 48 with the so as to form two pairs of contacts, one contact of each pair ielding to pressure, means for adjusting said pivoted support about its pivot, and means for adjusting said additional contacts relatively to said pivoted support.

3. In a circuit controller, a hygrometer having a member moving in accordance with changes in humidity, grounded contacts car- 10 ried by said member, a ivoted support, ad-

ditional contacts insulated from each other and carried by said support and co-acting, with said first named contacts respectivel so as to form two pairs of contacts, said ad ditional contacts yielding to pressure exerted thereon by said first contacts, and means for adjusting said pivoted support about its pivot, and means for adjusting said additional contacts relatively to their support.

MALCOLM CURRY.

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