US1640537A - Valve and operating device therefor - Google Patents

Description

M.DEAN

- VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR Filed Maqph 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Shqet 1 Aug. a

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m g/gag @MWL 7 7% M. DEAN VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

- 3 UNIT D] STATES MARK DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS.

V I 1,640,53? PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL FARRELL.

VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR.

Application filed March 4, 1926. Serial No. 92,189.

This invention relates to valves and valve operating mechanisms. and in its chief inrelations where intermittently supplied fluid pressure used. 7 I

One b ect oftheinvention is to provide a simple, compact 1 and inexpensive appliance of the type above mentioned thatshall be reliable and sensitive andrequire but a small amount of fluid pressure for its operation. Other objects are, to provide a simple, im-

proved valve mechanism wherein a single valve member may be used to simultaneously open the supply port and'close the exhaust port of the motor, and vice .versa, without at any time leaving b oth ports open, thereby avoiding waste of power; to provide an improved valve-actuating mechanism through which the valve shall be elastically pressed to its seat so as to take up wear and insure a tightclosure; to provide an electrically operated valve-shifting mechanism wherein the current is automatically v cut oif as'soon as the valve is shifted, thus avoiding waste of current; to provide in the valveshi-fting mechanism an automatic lock for holding the valve against accidental opening and to provide a structure the parts of which may be very easily assembled and disassembled. e

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled. in the art as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated one practical and approved embodiment of the principle of the invention, and in which- Fig. 1 is a view of the device partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section onthe line 11of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken out, omitting the magnetswltch;

Fig; 3' isa side elevationviewed from the right of land 2, showing also 21- diaexhaust ducts 17 and 18 respectively.

phragm motor communicating with the valve casing; I,

' Fig. i is a horizontal section on the offset line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig.5 is a diagrammatic plan view of the thermostat-controlled magnet switch; and

Fig. 6;is an enlarged transverse section on the line -5 of Fig. 1. Referringjto the c ing, inthe preferred form herein shown,- is a tubular casting comprising a horizontal body 10, a central vertical branch 11, and a short centralhorizontal branch or boss 12. The ends of the body 10 are internally tapped to receive threaded plugs 13 and'lt that are formed on their outer ends with reduced internally tapped extensions 15 and 16 respectively, one of which, as 15, receives a pipe 15 from a boiler or other source of pressure fluid, and the other of which receives an exhaust pipe 16. The plugs '13 and 14 are formed with small central valve controlled passages or ducts 17 and 18 re spectively, both, communicating with the chamber 10 of the hollow valve casing.

The inner ends of the plugs 13 and 14 are hollowed out, as shown, and formed with annular seats 19 and 20in which are tightly fitted centrally apertured spiders2l and 22 that form supports for a sliding valve 23. This valveconsists ofa straight rod or bar formed with pointed ends 23 and 23 thatserve to open and close'the supply and F astened to the valve rod 23 are a pair of collars 24 and 25 on which is slidably sup-. ported a thrust sleeve 26' formed with annular flanges 27 and 28 on its ends. Encircling the valve rod 23 between'collars 24; and 25 are a pair ofcollars 29 and 30 non-rotatable on the valve rod by means of an internal-key 31 (Fig. 6) occupying short slots 32in the rod to limit the inward sliding movements of said collars. Between the collars' 24,.and 29 and encircling the valve rod is a compression spring 33; andsimilarly encirchng the valve. rod between the collars 25 .and 30 is acompression spring Fastened to the interior of the sleevel26 be tween the collars 29 and 30 is a thrust collar 35 which, through thrust engagement with the collars 29 and 30, acts to shift the'valve rod endwise by an elastic thrust transmitted rrawings, the valve casthrough one or the other of the compression shaft 37.

the vertical branch 11 of the valve casing is entered a threaded plug 36 formed with a longitudinal bore to receive a vertical The inner end of the plug 36 is hollowed out and formed with an annular seat 38 for a spider 39 which latter is aper tured to form an additional bearing for the shaft 37. Fast on the lower endof the shaft 37 is a hub 40 integral with which are a pair of oppositely extending rocker arms 11, 42 (Fig. 4), the outer ends of which arms are somewhat widened and formed with cam contact faces 13, 4a and, beyond the latter, with short locking faces 45, L6, that"are at right angles to radii of shaft 37. "V hen the 'shaft'is turned in one direction, the cam face 13 slidin ly engages with the sleeve flange 27 to shift the sleeve to the right, viewing Figs. 1 and 4-, and cause the valve to close the pressure inlet duct 17 and simultaneously open the exhaust duct 18. 1V hen the shaft is rocked in the reverse direction, the cam face 44; similarly engages wita the opposite sleeve flange 28, and causes the valve to close the exhaust duct 18 and simultaneously open the pressure supply duct 17. In the fully turned position of the shaft and rocker arms, corresponding to the limits of the valve movements, the locking faces as and 46 of the rocker arms are engaged with the sleeve flanges at points in the vertical plane of the longitudinal axes of the valve, thrust sleeve and vertical shaft, so that the valve is held locked in closed positionat one end and open position at the other. The outer end of the valve plug 36 is reduced and equipped with a suitable stufiing box 47.

Attached to opposite sides of the vertical branch 11 of the valve casing are a pair of parallel plates 18 rigidly connected and spaced at their upper ends by a cross strip 49 of fiber-board or other insulating material, and adjacent to their lower ends by a spacing sleeve 50 and bolt 50. The side plates near their upper end are apertured to form bearings for the armature 51 of a double-acting solenoid magnet, the spools 52 and 52 of said magnetbeing attached to the'side plate 48 as by long screws 53 and clamp plates 53. l/Vith a view to cushioning the strokes of the armature I preferably 'form in the ends of the latter chambers'or socket-s 54: to receive plungers 55 (Fig. 1), the screw threaded stems 56 of which may be screwed through the clamp plates 53 and secured in adjusted position by lock nuts 57 Each plunger has a sliding fit in the cylinder 54 and is formed with a minute peripheral groove 58 or other air vent. The upper side of the armature 5l is formed with a transverse slot 59 (Fig. 2') one end of which isflared as shown at 59, and within the said slot is located the rounded free end. or knob 60'of a rocker arm 61, thehub 62 of said arm being pinned or otherwise secured on the upper end of the'valveactuating shaft 37. It is manifest that with this construction the slidingmovements of the magnet armature serve to rock the shaft 37 and, through the latter, actuate the valve; the flaring sides of the slot accommodating the swinging movements of. the arm.

' Connected into the horizontal branch or boss 12 of the valve casing is a pipe 63 (Fig. 3) communicating, through an elbow 64, with a vertical pipe 65, on the upper end of which latter is mounted a diaphragm casing 66 containinga' diaphragm 67.. Rest ing on the center of the diaphragm is a vertically SllClZlblQ'I'OCl 68 guided in a vertical bearing 69 on the upper side of the diaphragm casing. On one side of the bearing member-69 is an apertured lug Z0 to which is pivoted the lower end of a link 71; and to the upper end of link 71 is pivoted one end of a lever 72. The upper end ofthe rod 68 is forked'to straddle the lever 7 2 and is pivoted to the latter'at 73. On the lever 72 is an adjustable weight 72, and thefree end of the lever 72 is connected, as usual, by a chain or other connection to a draft door or valve, damper, or otherregulating member or members of the article with which the device is used.

lVhere, as hereinshown, the valve is actuated through the agency of an electromagnet, it is desirable, in order to avoid waste of current, to de-energize the'magnet the instant the armature has been shifted in either direction; and inFigs. 1 and 5 I illustrate a simple thermostat-controlled circuit and magnet switch for doing this. On the insulation board 49 are attached a pair of arcuate contact strips Tat'and 75,.the inner ends of which preferably extend slightly beyond each other as shown to provide current for the magnet until the armature has fully thrown the arm 61 on rock-shaft'37. The rock-shaft 37 extends upwardly above the level of the 'blate 19, and on the upper end thereof is fastened a switch arm 76, the free end portion of which is adapted to have wiping contact with thestrips 74, 7-5. 77 designates a source of current, one. side of which is connected by a line 78 to the swiich 76, and the other sideof whichis connected by a line 79 to a thermostat switch 80 which lies between and alternately engages wit! a pair of contacts 81, 82. Contact 81 is connected by a line 83 with one end of'the winding of magnet spool 52, and the other end of thewinding of said magnet is connected by a line 84 with the Contact strip 75. Contact 82 is connected by a line 85 with one end of the winding of magnet spool 52, and the other end of said winding is connected by a line 86 with the contact strip 7st.

In the full line position of switches '76 and 80 shown in Fig. 5, the switch 76 has just been shifted from the dotted line position to the full line position through. the closing of the thermostat switch at 80, 81, this having energized the magnet spool 52 and shift-ed the valve to the pressure shatofi' position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and at the same time opened the circuit through spool 52 and thus de-energized the magnet, the valve being held in its closed position by the locking face a5 of the rocker arm ll (Fig. 4t). When the thermostat switch 80 swings into engagement with contact 82, magnet spool 52 is energized, which shifts the valve to open the pressure duct and close the exhaust duct, and at the same time switch 7 6 is shifted to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 5 overlying contact strip 75, and thus tie-energizing the magnet. At this time the locking face l6 of rocker arm a), through engagement with the flange 28 of the thrust sleeve, locksthe valve in its shifted position.

It will thus be seen that the valve is atall times, except for the instantaneous period of shifting, in a position cutting off either the pressure supply or the pressure exhaust, sothat only a very small amount of pressure fluid is used, and none is wasted.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the supply and exhaust pipes 15 and 16 are equlpped with regulating valves 87 and 88, respectively, preferably of the needle valve type .shown, by which, through the throttling effect of said valves onthe supply and exhaust of the pressure fluid, the period through which the motor operates either to raise or lower the lever 72 may be varied, so as to effect a comparatively quick movement, or a comparatively slow gradual movement, as desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides a simple, compact, sensitive and efficient thermostat-controlled valve mechanism for admitting and exhausting pressure fluid to and from a diaphragm or other motor for actuating a regulating memher, which requires but a small amount of fluid, actuates the supply and exhaust controls simultaneously, and is of a structure permitting facile assembling and disassembling of the parts. The valve member is ac-- tuated in both directions by an elastic thrust which insures full closing of the valve and a stored pressure on the latter to maintain it closed, as well as automatically taking up wear between the valve and valve seat; and the described actuating mechanism also includes means by which the valve is securely locked in both positions against accidental. opening or closing, making it unnecessary to maintain the actuating magnet of the valve energized during the periods between successive movements of the valve.

While I have herein shown and described one simple embodiment of the invention. which satisfactorily eilectuates the stated purposes and objects thereof, it is manifest that the specific details of structure and arrangement may be changed to a considerable extent without involving any departure from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its utilities and advantages. Hence, I reserve all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purview of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a valve casing formed with a chamber and pressure inlet and exhaust ducts at opposite ends of said chamber respectively, a valve in said chamber consisting of a rod formed with pointed ends adapted, under endwise movements of said rod, to close either of said ducts and simultaneously open the other, spiders in said chamber in which said rod is slidably supported, a fluid pressure motor having a pipe connection with said chamber between said ducts, a magnet having its armature located exteriorly of said chamber, and operating connections from the armature of said magnet to said valve.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a valve casing formed with a chamber and pressure inlet and exhaust ducts at opposite ends of said chamber respectively, a valve rod slidably mounted in said chamber the ends of which rod are adapted to close either of said ducts and simultaneously open the other, a fluid pressure motor having a pipe connection withsaid chamber between said ducts, a magnet, and operating connections, including a pair of oppositely acting thrust springs in the train of mechanical action, between said magnet and said valve.

3. An electrically actuated valve mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of pressure fluid to and from a diaphragm or the like, comprising, in combination, a tubular valve casing having pressure inlet and exhaust ducts at its opposite ends respectively, a slidably mounted valve rod in said casing the ends whereof are adapted to open and close said ducts, a sleeve slidably mounted on said valve rod, oppositely acting spring thrust connections in the train of mechanical action between said sleeve and said rod, a double-acting magnet, and means actuated by the armature of said magnet for movingsaid sleeve endwise in either direction.

4. A specific embodiment of the subjectmatter of claim 6, wherein the oppositely acting thrust Connections between said sleeve and said valve rod include coil thrust springs Gii-CliClliEg said rod, fixed collars on said rod against which said springs abut at their outer ends, collars keyed on said rod with capacity or" limited movement endwise of the latter against which the inner ends of said springs abut, and a central internal collar on said sleeve adapted to thrustingly engage with said last-named collars.

5. In a device of the character described, an electrically actuated valve mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of pressure 'lluid to and from a diaphragm or the like, comprising, in combination, a tubular valve casing having pressure inlet and exhaust ducts at its opposite ends respectively, a slidably mounted valve rod in said casing; at its ends adapted to open and close said ducts, a vertically disposed rock shaft journaled in said casing, mechanism intermediate the lower end of said rock shaft and said 'alve rod whereby the latter is moved endwise in opposite directions under opposite turning n'iovemcnts of said rock shaft, a double-acting solenoid magnet, and means actuated by the armature of said magnet for effecting opposite turning movements of said rock shaft.

6. A specific embodiment of claim 5 wherein the mechanism intermediate the lower end of the rock shaft and the valve rod comprises a sleeve on and in thrust engagement with said valve'rod and having radial flanges at its ends, and a pair of op positely extending rocker arms on the lower end of said rocl: shait formed with cams adapted to alt rnately engage with said flanges and shift said sleeve in opposite direct-ions respectively.

7. A specific embodiment of claim 5 wherein the mechanism intermediate the lower end of the rocl: shaft and the valve rod comprises a sleeve on and in thrust engagement with said valve rod and having radial flanges at its ends, and pair of oppositely extending rocker arms on the lower end of said rock shaft formed with cams adapted to alternately engage with said flanges and with squared portions adapted in cooperation with said flanges to lock the sleeve in shifted position.

8. A specific form of claim 5 wherein the means actuated by the armature of the magnet for effecting turning movements of the rock shaft comprises an arm fast on said rock shaft with its free end lying in and crosswise ot a flaring transverse slot in the armature of the magnet.

MARK DEAN.

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