US2130333A - Valve - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1938. s. E. ALLEN VALVE Filed Malfch 4, 1935 Fig. 4:

Z 46 If 72 w 75 66 n J n jg I INVENTOR dcorr ALLEN BY ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES VALVE Scott E. Allen,

G-O-Two Fire Glen Ridga'N. J., assignor to Equipment Company, Newark,

N. J., a corporation of Delaware 7 Application March i, 1935, Serial No. 9,146

1'7 Claims.

The present invention relates to discharge mechanism for containers holding fluid under pressure, such, for example, as liquefied carbon dioxide, and the invention has for an object to provide novel means operable either manually or by fluid pressure or by manual means in combination with fluid pressure, from the container.

The discharge ports of containers holding fluid under pressure are usually closed by a sealing disk which must be ruptured or out'open to release the fluid. When the disk is cut by a manual operation it sometimes happens that the operation is arrested before the disk has been fully cut and my invention provides means whereby a partial opening in the disk will be automatically completed by means operated by the fluid released through said partial opening. The present invention is, therefore, a modification of that disclosed in copending application Serial No.

349,150, filed March 22, 1929, and differs therefrom in being applicable to a container having a lateral outlet instead of the usual vertical outlet closed by the sealing disk. 3 As in the discharge head described in said copending application the present discharge head is also operable by fluid pressure from an outside source. For instance, a battery of fluid containers may be connected to a single delivery line and the discharge of fluid into said line from any one of the containers will cause discharge of fluid from the rest of the containers. My invention provides further for preventing escape of fluid through a discharge head when it is uncoupled from a cylinder. Thus, at any time, any cylinder of a battery may be disconnected for test purposes without interfering with eifective operation of the rest of the battery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel formof cutter for cutting a flap out of the sealing disk.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear in the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof and a modification of the same and thereafter the novelty and scope of the invention will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section of my improved discharge head;

Fig. 2 is a simila view of another form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view of a portion of Fig. 2 showing the cutter in actuated position; and

Fig. 4 is a view of the sealing disk and cutter 66. at the end of the cutting stroke and at the instant to release the fluid before the flap is bent into the cutter by the pres-- sure of the discharging fluid, the disk being viewed in the direction of the arrow 4 in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1 a cylinder for liquefied carbon dioxide or other. highly compressed fluid is shown fragmentally at Ill. An outlet fitting H is threaded into the neck of the cylinder and carries a siphon tube i2 extending into the cylinder in the usual manner. The fitting II has a central bore l3 which at its upper end is enlarged to form a seat for a screw plug M which carries a gasket l5 so as to insure a gas tight seal of said bore. The plug I4 is formed with an upwardly extending shank l6 terminating in a squared end l1 which projects from the top of the fitting H. To insure 1 against any possible leakage of fluid a suitable packing I8 is provided about the shank IS. A cap I9 is screwed over the end of the fitting II to cover the projecting squared end ll of the shank and a gasket 20 is provided between thecap 20 and the casing.

As a means of filling the cylinder a suitable fllling port 22 is provided in one side of fltting ll above the seat for the plug it. This port is normally closed by cap 23 and gasket 24.

Extending laterally from the central below the plug is a safety port 25 which is normally closed by a safety disk 26 held in place by a ported screw plug 21. The safety disk is arranged to rupture at a predetermined pressure 30 so as to prevent the building up of excessive pressures in cylinder l0.

Another lateral port 30 below the plug I4 is normally closed by a sealing disk 3| which is clamped against a seat formed by an enlarge- 35 ment 32 of the port 30. The disk 3l has a higher rupture point than that of disk 26. A sleeve or tubular screw plug 33 is threaded into the enlargement 32 and clamps the disk 3i against its seat. The enlargement 32 extends through a 40 lateral projection 34 of the fitting II. A cutter casing 36 is removably secured to this projecting portion 34 by a coupling nut 31 having right arid left hand threaded engagement with said casing and projecting portion.

The casing 36 which extends substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the fltting II, has an axial bore formed with an enlargement to provide a discharge chamber 38. At theouter end of the casing 36 the bore is 5 further enlarged to form a working chamber 40 for a piston 4|. This piston is fixed upon the solid shank 42 of a tubular cutter 3. This cutter at its inner end, that is the end toward the sealing disk 3| is stepped to provide a cutting edge bore i3 44 and a recessed part 45, each extending through an angle of about 180 degrees. This cutting edge coincides with the inner periphery of the tubular cutter 43. A set of ports 46 provides communication between the bore of cutter 43 and the chamber 38.

Leading outwardly from the chamber 38 is a discharge port 41 which, however, is constricted at its point of communication with the chamber 38 to provide a seat for a ball check valve 48. A ported disk 50 serves to limit outward movement of the ball 48. This ball normally occupies the closed position shown in Fig. 1 due to its weight. Obviously, however, if the port 41 were not upwardly directed from the chamber 38 a spring could be introduced between the member 50 and the ball 48 to hold the latter normally in closed position. The discharge port is usually connected to a delivery line 5|, and cylinder l6 may be but one of a battery of cylinders similarly connected to the same line.

A duct 52 is formed in the casing 36, leading from the port 41 just below the member 50 to the working chamber 40 at the outer side of the piston 4|. This working chamber is closed at its outer end by a head 54 which is formed with a tubular extension 55 through which passes a spindle 56. This spindle is formed with threads 51 which engage with corresponding threads in the head 54 and extension 55. The inner end of the spindle is provided with a socket 58 of squared cross-section which is adapted to receive the squared end 60 of the cutter shank 42. Fixed upon the outer end of spindle 56 is handle 6|. The shank 42 has a shoulder 62 which bears against the end of the spindle 56. A suitable packing 64 separates chamber 38 from chamber 40 and a spring 65 normally holds the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the shoulder 62 bearing against the end of the spindle 56. A vent 66 is provided at the inner end of the working chamber 46.

In operation, when it is desired to release fluid from the cylinder "I the handle 6| is rotated in.

such direction as to feed the spindle 55 inwardly or toward the left, as shown in Fig. 1. This results in advancing the cutter 44 with a helicalmotion. The cutting edge 44 cuts through the sealing disk 3|, cutting out a flap therefrom which is not a complete circle because before or by the time the blunt shoulder 45 engages the disk, the advance of the cutter will be checked by engagement of the piston 4| with the'inner end wall of the working chamber 40. On the uncut portion integrally. connecting the flap to the main body of the disk 3| the flap will hinge as it is forced out by the fluid in the cylinder l and pressed back against the inner periphery of the cutter 43. The fluid then escapes through the tubular cutter and out of the ports 46 into the discharge chamber 38 and thence past the check valve 48 into the delivery line 5|. If, for any reason, the

handle 6| is not operated sufliciently to make a eration or completing the opening where the manual operation is arrested prematurely.

The cutting edge 44 extends through an angle of at least 180 degrees and the cutter being initially turned by the manual operation of handle 6| and then forced bodily forward by the fluid being completely detached from the body of the disk 3|. It is essential to make a cut with a minimum extent of substantially 180 degrees because the metal from which sealing disks is made is usually rolled and has a deflnite grain in the direction of rolling. The metal under pressure tends to split in the direction of this grain and if a.cut of less than 180 degrees were made and this out extended across the grain it would be apt to split off a piece of the disk and carry it forward into the tubular cutter where it would be likely to jam the openings 46. Such splitting might also result in an incomplete opening of the sealing disk.

It will be evident that the cutter can be operated by admission of fluid under pressure through the port 41 without operation of the handle 6|. For instance, any cylinder connected to the delivery line 5| if discharged will build up sufllcient pressure in the delivery line to force the piston 4| inwardly, particularly since the working chamber at the inner side of the piston is ported.

The particular object of the check valve 48 is to permit of uncoupling the cylinder from a battery of cylinders by unscrewing the nut 31 without in any way crippling the operation of the rest of the cylinders. If, for instance, when the cylinder Ill was disconnected, a fire should occur, the other cylinder could be dicharged into the delivery line and the only result of admission of fluid pressure "to the port 41 would be to depress the piston 4|.

There could be no escape of the fluid because of the valve 48 which prevents inflow toward the open end of the cutter 43.

The structures shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 particularly in the form of the cutter and in the location of the check valve, consequently parts which are substantially identical with those in Fig. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and corresponding parts that differ somewhat from those in Fig. 1, are designated by'corresponding reference numerals bearing the sufflx a.

The cutter casing 36a is secured to the fitting by means of the coupling nut 31. This cutter casing 36a difiers from the casing 36 in having a discharge port 41a in constantly open communication with the discharge chamber 38, and in having no duct formed therein to connect the port 41 with the outer end of the working chamber 46.

The cutter 43a differs from the cutter 43 in a number of particulars. In the hollow portion of the cutter there is an annular depression 10 which provides a seat for a ball check valve 1|, the latter being normally pressed against its seat by a light spring 12. A duct 13 is formed in the solid shank 42a and provides communication between the tubular portion of the cutter and the working chamber 46 at the outer end of the piston 4|. The bore 13.1ifls slots 14 milled therein .and the ball check 1| is of smaller diameter than that of the tubular part of the cutter 43a, so that when the ball 1| is forced back by fluid from the cylina 180 degrees but less than 270 degrees.

lines 11 but it will not be der III (as shown in Fig. 3) it cannot completely out ofi communication with the duct 13.

The cutter 43a also differs from the cutter 43 in thefact that it is not rotated when forced into engagement with the disk 3| by operation of the handle 6|. The spindle 560. has a cylindrical socket 58a and receives a cylindrical pin 60a formed at the end of the shank 420, so that the spindle may be turned without rotating the cutter 43a. The spring 65 presses the end of the part 60a against a shoulder 15 formed in the bottom of the socket 58a. This spaces the inner end of the spindle from the outlet end of port 13 so that at no time is said port closed.

The cutting end of the cutter 43a instead 'of being stepped, has an endless arcuate cutting edge which is disposed in a plane inclined from normal to the longitudinal axis of the cutter. This cutting edge is formed by cutting the end of the tubular cutter at a slant and then sharpening the end of the cutter toward the inner periphery of the cutter.

In operation, when the cutter is fed inwardly by operating the handle 6|, said cutter may r0- tate, initiallyfdue to frictional engagement with the spindle 56a, but once it has engaged the sealing disk 3| it' will be held by such engagement against rotation and will then be advanced without rotation. The parts are preferably so arranged that penetration of the disk 3| will be arrested by engagement of the piston 4| with the bottom wall of the working chamber 40 when a out has been made in the disk of more than Fig. 4 shows the position of the cutter and disk at the instant of extreme penetration'of the cutter and just before the flap 16 has been bent outwardly by pressure of fluid from the cylinder ill. As this flap is forced outwardly it tears along the torn off because before this can happen it will be folded back into the cutter in the position shown in Fig. 4 and-further tearing will be arrested.

It will be observed in that depicted in Fig. 1, that there is a selfenergizing action which tends to assist or complete the manual cutting operation since fluid escaping from the punctured disk 3| will force back the check valve 1| and a certain part of it will enter the duct 13 by way of the slots 14 making its way to the outer end of the piston 4| and exerting sufficient pressure to completely depress said piston. Whenever fluid under pressure is admitted from some other cylinder through the port 41a into the chamber 38 it enters the cutter 43a through the ports 46 on the outer side of the bail check valve II and then flows through duct 13 into the -working chamber to efiect operation of the cutter. Should the coupling 31 be unscrewed and the cylinder Ill be removed for test, refilling or any other. purpose, the rest of the battery of cylinders connected to the delivery line 5| maybe discharged into the line without any danger of loss of fluid through the uncoupled parts because the check valve 1| prevents flow from port of the cutter 43a. The only result of such admission of fluid under pressure to the discharge chamber. 38 will be to cause the piston 4| to move toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, until the piston seats against the bottom wall of the working chamber 40.

. While I have described ment of my invention and 'a modification thereof it will be understood that my invention is not this construction, as in outer side of the piston,

punch.

41a to the cutting end a preferred embodilimited to the particular constructions illustrated and that I reserve the right to make various changesin form, construction and arrangement of parts which fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a penetrable closure element, which device comprises a hollow body member detachably secured to the container, a piston reciprocable in the body "member, a discharge port in the body member between said piston and said outlet, a punch member operable by the piston to penetrate the closure element, the punch being' tubular and having a lateral opening therein between the puncturing end thereof and said piston to convey fluid from said outlet to said port, one of said members being also formed with a by-pass providing constantly open communication between said port and the outer side of said piston to admit fluid under pressure to operate the piston, a check valve preventing inflow of fluid through said port to the cutting end of the punch, said check valve being located between the penetrable closure element and the point of communication of the by-pass with the discharge port, and manual means for operating the punch to penetrate the closure element.

2. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a penetrable closure element, which device comprises a hollow body detachably secured to the container and formed with a cylinder chamber and with a discharge port between said chamber and said outlet, a closure for the outer end of the chamber, a piston reciprocable in the chamber, a punch adapted to be operated by the piston to puncture said element, the punch being tubular and having a lateral opening therein to convey fluid from, said outlet to said port, the body being also formed with a passage providing open communication at all times from the port to said chamber at the a check valve in said port preventing inflow from the port to the puncturing end of the punch, said check valve being located between the penetrable closure element and the point of communication of the by-pass with the discharge port, and. manual means for operating the piston to advance the 3. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an-outlet normally closed by a penetrable sealing element, which device comprises a hollow body detachably secured to the container and formed with a cylinder chamber and with a discharge port between said chamber and said outlet, a closure for the outer end of the chamber, a piston reciprocable in the chamber, a punch secured to the piston and adapted to be advanced therebyto puncture said sealing element, the punch being tubular and having a lateral opening therein to convey fluid from said outlet to said port, the punch being also formed with a passage providing communication from said opening to the outer side of the piston, a check valve closing toward the puncturing end of the punch and located in the punch between said puncturing end and said opening, and manual means for operating the punch.

'4. A releasing device for a container holding fluid'under pressure and having an outlet and a sealing disk closing the outlet, which device comprises a body-formed with a bore and constructed and arranged to be detachably secured to the container, a tubular cutter fitted in the bore and movable therein to penetrate the disk, said bore having an enlargement at the outer end thereof to form a working chamber, a closure for the outer end of the working chamber, a

piston fixed to the cutter and having a working fit in said'chamber, the bore having another enlargement through which the cutter extends forming a discharge chamber, a packing around the cutter separating said chambers, a discharge port leading from the discharge chamber, the cutter being formed with lateral ports opening into the discharge chamber, a duct providing communication at all times between the discharge port and the working chamber at the outer side of the piston, a check valve preventing inflow of fluid from the discharge port to the cutting end of the cutter, said check valve being located between the sealingdisk and the point of communication of said duct with the discharge port, and manual means for advancing the cutter to penetrate the closure member.

5. A releasing'dev'ice for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet and a sealing disk closing the outlet, which device comprises a body formed with a bore constructed and arranged to be detachably secured to the container, a tubular cutter fitted in the bore and movable therein to penetrate the disk, said bore having an enlargement at the outer end thereof to form a working chamber, a closure for the outer end of the chamber, a piston fixed to the cutter and having a working fit in said chamber, the bore having another enlargement through which the cutter extends forming a discharge chamber, a packing around the cutter separating said chambers, a discharge port leading from the discharge chamber, the cutter being formed with ports opening into the discharge chamber, the body being provided with a passage providing communication at all times between the discharge port and the outer end of the working chamber, a check valve preventing inflow of fluid from the discharge port to the cutting end of the cutter, said check valve being located between the sealing disk and the point of communication ofthe passage with the discharge port, and manual means for advancing the cutter to penetrate the closure member,

6. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet and a sealing disk closing the outlet, which device com-' prises a body formed with a bore constructed and arranged to be detachably secured to the container, a tubular cutter fitted in the bore and movable therein to penetrate said sealing disk, said bore having an enlargement at the outer end thereof toform aworking chamber, a closure for the outer end of said chamber, a piston fixed to the cutter and having aworking flt in said chamber,'the bore having another enlargement through which the cutter extends forming a discharge chamber, a packing around the cutter separating said chambers, a discharge port leading from the discharge chamber, the cutter being formed with ports opening laterally into the discharge chamber, the cutter being also provided with a passage extending through the piston and providing communication betweenthe outlet and the outer side of the piston, a check valve in the tubular, cutter preventing inflow of fluid from said discharge port to the cut ting end of the cutter, and manual means for ing disk normally closing the outlet, a hollow discharge member detachably secured to the fitting" over said outlet, said member having a discharge port and being formed witha cylinder chamber closed at its outer end, a piston reciprocable in said chamber, a spindle threaded through said closed end and abutting the piston, means for turning the spindle to depress the piston, a punch member secured to the piston and movable thereby to penetrate the disk, the punch being tubular and having lateral openings therein to convey fluid from said outlet to said discharge port, one ofthe members being also formed with a by-pass providing communication between said port and the outer side of said piston, and a check valve preventing inflow of fluid through said port to the cutting end of the punch but permitting such inflow into said by-pass, said check valve being located between tion or the lay-pass with the discharge port.

8. A releasing device for use in connection,

- with a fluid container having an opening and a closure for the opening, said device comprising a body forming a chamber, an operating memher in said chamber, means whereby said operating member may be actuated, a puncturing member associated with said operating member, said puncturing member being operable by said operating member to puncture said closure, a main discharge port in the body located between said closure and said chamber, means for conveying the released fluid to said port and a part of the fluid to said chamber so that the pressure thereof may be utilized to assist in the actuation of said operating member, means for relieving pressure opposing the actuation of said operating member, and a check valve for preventing said fluid from reaching said chamber until the pressure thereof exceeds the pressure in said chamber.

9. A releasing device for use in connection with a fluid container having an opening and a closure for the opening, said device comprising a body forming a chamber, an operating member in the form of a piston in said chamber, means whereby 'said operating member may be actuated, a puncturing member associated with said operating ,member, said puncturing member being operable by said operating inemberto puncture said closure, a main discharge port, there being an opening in said puncturing member for receiving released fluid and passing it to said port and a passage in the body for leading part of the fluid to the chamber to assist in actuating said operating member.

10. A device for opening a fluid container including, an opening member, fluid pressure actuated means for operating the opening member, a connection between the container and said means fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a penetrable closure element, which device comprises a hollow body detachably secured to the container and formed with a piston chamber and a discharge chamber, the latter chamber having a discharge port, a piston reciprocable in the piston chamber, a punch passing through the piston and secured thereto and also passing through the discharge chamber and being operable by the piston to penetrate said closure member, said punch being tubular and being formed with an outlet to the piston chamber at the outer face of said piston and with an outlet to the discharge chamber, packing means surrounding the punch and preventing leakage of fluid from the discharge chamber into the piston chamber at the inner side of the piston, the punch being formed interiorly with opposed valve seats disposed respectively at opposite sides of the latter outlet, a valve within the punch, spring means normally holding the valve against the inner seat to prevent reverse flow of fluid ircm the discharge chamber to the cutting end of the punch but yieldable to fluid pressure from'the container when the closure element is punctured, the outer valve seat being channeled. to permit the fluid from the container to by-pass the valve when the latter is seated on said outer seat, and manual means for depressing the piston to puncture the closure member.

12. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a penetrable closure element, which device comprises a hollow body member detachably secured to the container, a piston reciprocable in the body member, a discharge portin the body member between said piston and said outlet, a punch member operable by the piston to penetrate the closure element, the punch being tubular and having a lateral opening therein between the puncturing end thereof and saidpiston to convey fluid from said outlet to said port, one of said members being also formed with a bypass providing constantly open communication between said port and the outer side of said piston to admit fluid under pressure to operate the piston, and a check valve preventing inflow of fluid through said port to the cutting end'of the punch, said check valve being located between the end closure element and the point of communication of the by-pass with the discharge port. I

13. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a penetrable closure element which device comprises a hollow body detachably secured to the container and formed with a cylinin to convey fluid from said outlet to said port,

the body being also formed with a passage providing open communication at all times from the port to said chamber at the outer side 01 the piston, and a check valve in said port preventing inflow from the port to the puncturing end of the punch, said check valve being located between said element and the point of communication of the passage with the discharge port.

14. A releasing device for a container holding fluid under pressure and having an outlet normally closed by a. penetrable sealing element, which device comprises a hollow body detachably secured to the container and formed with a a check valve closing toward the puncturing end of the punch and located in the punch between said puncturing end and said opening;

15. A releasing head for a fluid container, provided with a pressure chamber at one end, pressure operated means in said chamber,-a releasing element operated by said means and reciprocable through the other end of said head, said head being also provided with a discharge outlet and with a discharge chamber in communication with a bore in the free end of said element, with said discharge outlet and with said pressure chamber, and a valve between said discharge chamber and said bore in the releasing element seating in a direction to prevent flow of fluid from the former through the latter.

16. A releasing head for a fluid container,.

munication with a bore in the free end of said 7 element, with said discharge outlet and with said pressure chamber through a bore in said head between said discharge outlet and said pressure chamber, 'and a valve between said discharge outlet and discharge chamber seating in a direction to prevent flow of fluid the latter.'

17. A releasing head for a fluid container, provided with a pressure chamber at one end, pressure operated means in said chamber, a releasing element operated by said means and reciprocable through the other end of said head, said head being also provided with a discharge outlet and with a dischargechamber in communication with a bore in the free end of said element, with said discharge outlet and with said pressure chamber through a bore in said'element, and a valve between said discharge chamber and first mentioned bore in said element seating in a direction to prevent flow of fluid from the former through the latter.

from the former to

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