US1978730A - Equalizing nonreflux return elbow - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 30, 1934. E, WEBER 1,978,730

- EQUALIZNG NONREFLUX RETURN ELBOW Filed April l5. 1952 F/gf 2 '4 BY v ,Vf/IA/ ATT RNEY Patented Oct. 30, 1934 `{Ulsxrrlso STATES PATENT `'F'FICIE".

2 Claims.l

The invention is a'combinationfvalve compris-` ing an equalizilng-lvalve,` a shut'f10if'va1ve,fand a check valvey all# "einbodied` in 'onelmechanism; to be used in systems of fluidlidistribution for equal- 5 iai-ng the howl tothe' various furxit'sin` the system,

for shuttingfoft said` unitsfat the return end,4 rand` for4 preventing 'a reverse flow"of1the iiuid` thru the units. v l

'The invention may `'ailsobe -describi-idas av check i and radiators. The connectionsfto the'.v radiators have a` valve `at lone v end; 'usuallythe inlet, and a returnl elbow at 'the-other lend; usually the' outlet. InA suchsyst'erns,` 'to obtain an equal' flow; .or correctlyr proportioned how; fof-:water to Seach'unit of radiation, it is necessary" that'the thermal head produced by the 'difference linweightsof Tthe columns oithe Warme" feed Water 1`andthe cooler return'water` to and from each unitof 'radiation and the boiler shall` equal: ther friction head `produced by" the flow of waterfi'orn the boiler toi'each unit,` in agravi'tyfsystexn. Inf asysteml under forced circula-tion' i the i friction head' A fromm the boiler to each runit "ofradiation and fbackifto the boiler niust be' -equalin order thatfeacli unit shall receive its proper and vadequate supply! Vof water. Y

Obviously, the `design ofisucha distribution system is tedious and ldifficult.`4` Theintroduction or `oinissiorrof elbows and: otherttings Aaiects the frietion `head andthe consequent` equalization of flow, and being limited I to commercial pipe sizes aoorrectly balanced design is quite impossible toA obtain. Forthe'purpose of 'equalizing such' systems; va-

rious types of'equalizing supply valvesfare used on 'the inlet to' the radiator 'and discs with orices and lock "shield valves on the outlet, the latter being adjusted to equalize the flow.'

`In a tall building the Statie head on a radiator onrone ofV the lowefloors is lhigh and if a radiatoivruptures, the supply valve may be .shut off, but water still continues to enter thruthe return connection and` therefore leaks .into `the room. 'Where alockshieldvalve is'used on` the return it may be shut output only afteranattendant has found a suitabletsocket wrench.`

Whenever a radiator :must be Adisconnected for` y repair or Votherreasons, itis necessaryto drain w (Clf.4 2514-139) the` system except when lock `shield valves are usedon 1 the i return.

-HEqua-lizing supply fvalvesfare usually designed to` operate by giving'one complete turnfrom full open toi-full olosed.` A fdiscwith limit stops, which permitsA the -valve handle to pass thru only a'fraction of arevolution from its elosed-toitslfull` open position after equalization, isprovidedffor-equalizing or throttling thevalves onsradiators having anlexcessive flow ofwater;v Most persons operating such a regulatedfvalve feel convinced that they havenotaopened or closed the valve after turning the handle'thru: only a fraction of a revolution, and they will continue to turn the handle often twisting it loose from theastem.

This invention has for itsprincipal object a return mechanism, valve or elbow which can be used-for regulating-the ilow ofv a -fluid thrurradiators-or other units independent-,fof the action of the supply valveonv the viiovv endof such radiators or units.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for rapidly and `automaticallyclosing the return opening to a radiator orotherunit incase same ruptures and after the supply-valve has been closed.

further object of the inventionfis to permit of disconnecting' a. radiator or other unit -by closingI thelsupply valve `and allowing a disc in S5 azmechanism on the return to automatically seat itselfand thuscloseoi the water from the returnifbranch whenthe radiator is disconnected without draining the system or portion thereof.

``With theseends in view` the invention embodies 90 arvalve or elbow adapted toi-be `inserted. inthe return of4 a radiator and in which thevalve memberI isfsimilar to a check valve and mounted so thatithe length of the movement thereof may beV adjusted and also so that it maybe `locked in a closed` position.

Other features and advantages: ofthe4 invention will appear from .the following description taken in connectionwiththe drawingin -which like characters represent like parts. f All elbows 100 arershown with `ground joint unions and nipples, asi'are customarily furnishedv with suchv devices.

Fig. llis a section thruan equalizing'non-refiux return elbow,- showingy it inzits full -valve open position. 105

Fig. 2 is a similar section showing it in its full valve -openiposition with thexcheck` disc closed to prevent atreverse flow 'of the iluid.

l Fig,A 31is a .similar section showing it in a partly `valve closed orfthrottledvposition. Y Y

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing it in a full valve closed position, wherein the elbow is used as a shut off valve.

Fig. is an end View of the elbow with cap removed.

6 is an end View of the check disc showing the curved blades.

Fig. 7 is an end view of an elbow of the side outlet type, which may be right handed or left handed.

Fig. 8 is a conventional forced hot water heating system showing the application of the equalizing non-reflux return elbows.

In the drawing the valve is shown as it would -l be made wherein numeral 1 indicates the body,

Zit

numeral 2 the inlet nipple, and numeral 3 the outlet connection.

The nipple 2 is held against the ground joint 4 by unit 5 at the inlet end of the valve and a valve seat 5 is located a short distance from the ground joint as shown. The valve disc 7 is positioned to engage the seat 6 and at the back of the valve is a stem 8 which is slidably mounted in the cylindrical opening 9 in a bushing 10 which is threaded in a nut ll and the nut 11 is also threaded in the end of the body 1. The bushing l0 is provided with a slot l2 so that it may be turned with a screw driver to adjust its position in the nut and the nut is provided with recesses 13 by which it may be rotated with a Spanner wrench. It will therefore be observed that the position of the bushing may be adjusted in the nut and the position of the nut adjusted in the body of the valve thereby providing double adjustment for the valve member, and as the diameter of the nut is greater than that of the valve disc the valve may readily be removed by removing the nut. These parts are covered by an outer cap 14 which is also threaded on the exterior of the valve body. The cap 14 may be provided with a nut 15 as shown in Figure 4, and if desired to facilitate the movement thereof, the valve disc 7 may be provided with spiral louvers 16 on the face thereof which will give the valve a rotary motion as a fluid passes through the valve casing or elbow which will insure continuous free movement of the valve.

In the design shown in Figure 7 the outlet connection 3 is formed at the right hand side as indicated by the numeral 17 instead of at the bottom as shown in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive. It will also be understood that this connection may be made on the left hand side or in any other suitable position.

ln the design shown the axis of the valve disc 7 is in a slightly inclined position so that the valve will have a tendency to open and the pressure of the fluid against it will therefore be assisted by gravity in moving it to the open position. It will also be understood that the valve may be mounted in a horizontal position or any other position desired.

The diagram shown in Figure 8 illustrates the position of the device in a hot water heating system in which the system is provided with a boiler 18 and a circulating pump 19 and a iow main 20 extends from the upper side of the boiler and is connected to a supply riser 21. A return 22 is also provided which extends to the pump 19. Between the supply riser and the return are blocks 23 which indicate radiators or other heating devices and between the supply riser 21 and the radiators 23 are inlet connections in which are valves 24 and the device as described in this application is located in the connection between the radiators and the return 22 and is .indicated by the numeral 25. In one instance in which the radiator is indicated by the numeral 26, a type of inlet valve as is normally used is shown and indicated by the numeral 27 and the common outlet connection, which is indicated by the numeral 28, is also shown to illustrate the method of connecting radiators which is in common use at present.

A relief opening 29 may be provided in the valve member and stern as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 to permit iiuid to pass to the interior of opening 9 to break a vacuum that may form therein.

The use of the equalizing non-reflux return elbow may be understood from the following description of the operation of the heating system as shown in Figure 8. Water heated in the boiler 18 passes thru the flow main 20, up the supply riser 2l and thru the valve 24 to the radiator 23 and from the radiator thru the equalizing nonreiiux return elbow as indicated by the numeral 25, thru the return 22 to the pump 20 and from there into the boiler 18.

As the flow of water to the various units will 13.

not be completely balanced, the nal balancing of the system is accomplished by adjusting valve 24 and the valve in the elbows 25. The latter are adjusted by screwing bushing 10 into or out of the nut 11, thus decreasing or increasing the clearance between valve seat 6 and the disc 7 and thereby regulating the flow of water therethru.

To disconnect radiator 26 it is necessary to drain the entire system as, even though valve 27 is closed, the water will flow back thru elbow 28.

To disconnect radiator 23 it is not necessary to drain the system, as if valve 24 is closed and the radiator is disconnected, then the reverse ilow oi' water thru elbow 25 will automatically seat the disc 7 on seat 8 and close olf the reverse flow of water from the return main.

In case radiator 26 breaks and valve 27 is shut oif, water will still continue to enter thru return elbow 28 and will leak into the room until the system is drained, or if a lock-shield valve is used i on the return connection in place of 28, then water will continue toleak until a socket wrench has been found to close the lock-shield valve. In ease radiator 23 breaks and Valve 24 is shut off,

then the reverse flow of water thru elbow will automatically seat the check disc 7 on seat 6, close off the reverse ilow from the return main and thus terminate the leakage.

Disc 7 is provided with curved projecting blades 16 to give a slight rotation to the disc and stem 8 when water is flowing. This rotation will prevent 8 and 10 from adhering.

Stem 8 is shown set at a slight angle, so that the action of rotation together with the force of gravity will tend to keep the rear face of disc j:

7 snugly against the end of bushing 10 and thus keep the elbow normally open and also avoid ingress of dirt into opening 9. It is of course understood that this invention also contemplates an equalizing non-redux return elbow in which ne of which changes may be in the design or arrangement of the valve body, another may be in the use of a valve of a different type, and still another may be in the arrangement or design of the connections to the valve body inlet and outlet.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a combination valve of the character described, a body having inlet and outlet connections, said inlet connection having a Valve seat formed therein, a valve member cooperating with said seat having spiral louvers on the face thereof and a stem extending from the opposite side, a bushing in which said stem is slidably mounted, a nut threaded in said body and in which said bushing is threaded, and a cap threaded on said body forming a closure for said nut and bushing,

said bushing adapted to be adjusted to regulate the travel of said valve member.

2. In a combination valve of the character described, a body having inlet and outlet connections, one of said connections having a valve seat formed therein, a valve member cooperating with said seat, said valve member having a stem extending from the back thereof, a bushing in which said stem is slidably mounted, said bushing 'positioned to support said valve member in a position slightly inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of said body, a nut threaded in said casing and in which said bushing is threaded, the position of said bushing adapted to be adjusted in said nut to regulate the travel of said valve member, and a cap enclosing said nut and bushing.

ERWIN L. WEBER.

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