US1014729A - Vacuum-controller for pneumatic cleaning apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

J. S. THURMAN & J. A. DUNLAP. vmuum CONTROLLER FOB. PNEUMATIC CLEANING APPARATUS. APPLIOAT-IOH FILED MAR. 2, 190B.

' 1,014,729. Patented Jan 16,1912.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. S. THURMAN & J. A. DUNLAP. vacuum CONTROLLER FOB PNEUMATIC 'OLEANING APPARATUS.

- LPPLIOATIOK IILED HA3. 2, 1908. 1,014,729.

Patented J an. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1711-551: JIDVVL'NTOR/S.

5% 171/ S 7/70RM/IM 1%)?! iq wunp.

UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STROTHER THUBMAN AND JOHN ALEXANDER DUNLAP, OF ST. LOUIS. MISSOURI; SAID DUN'LAP ASSIGNOR T0 SAID THURMAN.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 16, 1912.

Application filed March 2, 1908. Serial No. 418,819.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN S. THURMAN and JOHN A. DUNLAB, citizens of the United States, and residents of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum- Controllers for Pneumatic Cleaning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Our invention relates to a vacuum con troller for pneumatic cleaning apparatus.

The object of our invention is to provide simple valves for automatically regulating the flow of air or steam to the apparatus, thereby correspondingly regulating the vacuum in the vacuum tank, and which automatic regulation prevents a waste of the energy necessary to create the vacuum, as the action of the automatic valves is dependent upon the amount of air admitted to the apparatus.

To the above purposes, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, which will -be hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accoinpanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cleaning apparatus equipped with our invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through the center of the automatic control valve; Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the vacuum control valves, with the top plate removed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings :-1 designates a suitable frame mounted on wheels 2, in order that it may be readily moved from one position to another as desired; and arranged in said frame is a box or container 4, which is intended to receive the sweeper or cleaning tools and hose utilized in connection with the cleaning apparatus.

Fixed on the frame 1 in front of the box 4 is a platform 5; and supported thereon is a vertically disposed vacuum tank 6, which is" cylindrical in form, and provided at its lower end with a discharge spout 7, at the lower end of which is arranged a detachable door 8, which is perfectly air tight plate 11, in which there is formed a valve seat for a gravity ball valve not shown.

Formed integral with' the rear portion of the ring 10 is a housing 16, and communicating with the chamber therein and leading downward from the late 9 is an open ended tube not shown, lea ing to a dust filter 18, composed of a sack of coarse fabric, which is connected at its upper end to the lower end of the ring 10.

Connected by a nipple to the top of the housing 16 is a Y-connection 21, on the ends of which are carried valves 22, which are adapt-ed to receive the ends of flexible tubes, which lead to the sweepers or cleaning toois.

Connected to the upper end of the valve housing 14: is one end of a horizontally disposed tube 25, the opposite end of which curves downward and is connected to the upper end of a short tube 26; and connected to the lower end of this tube 26 is the upper end of a tube 27, the o ening into the upper end of which is funne -shaped, as designated by 28. The lower end of the tube 27 is connected to a muflier 29.

Formed integral with the top of the tube 26 is a horizontally disposed plate 32, and formed integral with and depending from this plate is an air valve housing 33, the lower end of which is normally closed by a screw plug 34, in which is formed an air inlet aperture 35. Tapped into the side of this housing 33 is a compressed air or steam pipe 36, and leading from the op osite side of said housing 33 and form integral therewith, and with the tube 26, is a tube 37, which is extended to the interior of said tube 26, as designated b 38; and screw seated in the lower end 0 the extension 38 is a nozzle 39, which is positioned in the center of the funnel-shaped opening 28 in the upper end of the tube 27.

. Fixed on top of the plate 32 is a cylindrical housing 40, and arranged for operation in the lower portion of the chamber therein is a valve 41, to the center of which is connected the upper end of a stem 42 which operatesthrou h an aperture formed in the plate 32, imme iately above the center of the valve housing 33; and carried by the lower end of said stem 42 and operating in the housing 33, is a cylindrical valve 43, provided in one side with a port 44, adapted to coincide with the opening through the tube 37; and formed in the opposite side of this valve 43 is an elongated port 45, which communicates with the opening in the air or steam pipe 36.

Formed through the plate 32 are apertures 46, which permit atmospheric pressure to pass to the interior of the housing 40 beneath the valve 41. 1 Operating through the top of the housing 40 is a set screw 47, and carried by the lower end thereof is a disk 48, and there being an expansive coil spring 49 arranged between said disk and the' valve 41.

Fixed to the front side of the housing 40 is a casing 50, in the center of which 18 formed a pair of vacuum chambers 51 and 52, the latter being immediately to the rear of the chamber 51, and communicating with the chamber in the housing 40 by means of a port 53. Leading from the chamber 51 to the chamber within the ring 10 1s a tube 54.

Formed integral with the ends of the easing 51 are vertically disposed cylindrical valve housings 55 and 56, the lower portions of which are interiorly screw threaded; and adjustably located within the screw threaded portions of said housings are tubular nuts 57, and the lower ends of said cylinders are closed by screw plugs 58.

Formed integral with the top of the casing 50 and with the u per ends of the housings 55 and 56 is a horizontally disposed plate 59, in the top side of which are formed shallow compartments 60 and 61, corresponding to the housings 55 and 56; and arranged over said shallow compartments is a pair of diaphragms 62, held in place by a plate 63 in which are formed apertures 64 immediately above the center of each diaphragm.

Formed through the plate 59, above the chamber within the housing 55, is an opening 65, the upper edge of which is beveled to form a seat for a disk valve 66, which normally bears against the under side of the diaphragm in the compartment 60, and the stem of said valve passes downward through a nut 67; and said stem terminating in the tubular nut 57. Arranged between the tubular nut 57 and the nut 67 is an expansive coil spring 68.

Formed through the plate 59, above the chamber within the housing 56, is an opening 69, the lower edge of which is formed into a seat for a valve 70, throu h which passes a stem 71 carried by a disk 2, which latter occupies the compartment 61 beneath the diaphragm therein. Interposed be tween the valve and the tubular nut 57 in the lower portion of the housing 56 is an expansive coil spring 73, which is of greater tension than is the spring 68, (previously described.)

Formed through the plate 59 is a port 74, which establishes communication between the chambers 51 and 60, and a second port 75 formed through said plate 59 establishes communication between the chambers 51 and 61. A port 76 is formed through one of the side walls of the casing 50 and establishes communication between the chamber 52 and the interior of the housing 55; and a similar port 77 is formed through the opposite side wall of the casing 50, and establishes communication from the chamber 52 to the interior of the housing 56.

To secure the best results in the use of a cleaning apparatus constructed as herein described, it is necessary to maintain approximately twelve inches of vacuum in the tank 6, and this is accomplished by closing the valves 22 and turning on the air or steam through the pipe 36; and said air or steam passes through the ports 45 and 44 in the cylindrical valve 43, from thence through the tube 37 and extension 38, to and through the discharge nozzle 39, from thence through the tube 27, and from thence into the muf fler 29; and, after passing therethrough, it discharges through the openings in the outer shell. The jet of compressed air or steam issuing from the nozzle 39 into the funnelshaped upper end 28 of the tube 27 creates a suction and consequent vacuum within the tank 6 by exhausting the air which is drawn through the ring 10, housing 14, (the gravity valve being opened by the suction,) tube 27, tube 26, and tube 25; and the air thus withdrawn from the interior of the tank 6 is carried along with the air or steam discharging from the nozzle 39. As soon as the proper vacuum has been established within the tank 6, the tools carried on the ends of the flexible tubes are put into service; and when the inlet valves of said tools are opened, the vacuum in the tank 6 creates suction through the Y-connection 21, through the valve or valves 22 which have been opened, through the corresponding flexible tubes, and through the tools which are in use; and, as a result, the dust and like foreign matter is by suction drawn through the inlet openings or slots in the tools, and passes through the flexible tubes, Y-connection 21, and to the interior of the vacuum tank 6; and said dust and like foreign matter is caught by a dust filter of common construction; and the air drawn into the tank 6 during the cleaning action is delivered, (as hereinbefore described,) to the muffler, from whence it is discharged.

The action of the automatic control valves,

for regulating the position of the valve 43 is as follows :-The Vacuum maintained in the tank 6 is maintained in the compartment 51 by reason of the tubular connection 54, which leads to said compartment from the ring 10, and said vacuum is also maintained in the compartments 60. and 61 through the ports 74 and 75. The valve 66 is normally held open by the spring 68, and, therefore, vacuum is established within the housing 55; and by reason of the port 76, said vacuum is maintained in the chamber 52; and by reason of the ort 53, vacuum is maintained within the casing 40. The vacuum within the housing permits the atmospheric ressure entering ports 46 to elevate the p unger valve 41; and as a result the valve 43 is drawn u ward throiwh the housing 33, thus material y reducing the flow of compressed air or steam through said control valve; and as soon as this action takes place, the de es of vacuum is proportionately decrease and an equilibrium established. The tension of the s ring 68 is so adjusted by means of the tu ular nut 57 that it will be overcome b the closing of the valve 66 at a pre etermined amount of vacuum; and when said valve is closed, vacuum is no longer maintained in the chamber 52 and in the chamber within the housing 40; and, as a result, the spring 49 expands and moves the plun er valve 41 downward, thus increasing the ow of compressed air or steam through said valve, which, (as hereinbefore described produces greater vacuum within the tan 6 and the various parts of the control valves. The vacuum maintained within the chamber 51 is maintained in the compartment 61; and, as a result, this vacuum draws the correspondin diaphragm 62 downward and 40- forces t e valve 70 open. When a predetermined amount of vacuum thus overcomes the resistance offered by the spring 78, which is set at higher tension than is s rin 68, and when said valve is thus orce open, a corresponding degree of vacuum is established in the chamber 62, by reason of communication through the port 77 and by reason of the ort 53, the same degree of vacuum is esta lished in the chamber within the housing 40, thus permitting the atmospheric ressure to act and operate the plunger va vs 41, to ether with the valve 43, which cuts oil t e passage of air or steam through said air valve and consequently reducing the amount 0 vacuum created. These automatic valves accurately control the flow of air or steam through the valve 43, thereby accurately and correspondinglv regulating the degree of vacuum accor ing to the number of sweepers or tools in use; and when there are no sweepers or tools in use, the supply of air or steam is entirely cut oil, thus preventing the waste of energy necessary to establish a partial vacuum. When one or more sweepers or tools are in operation, the action of the valve 60 controls the action of the valve 43; and as the vacuum increases or diminishes, said valve raises or lowers corres ondingly to 0 ion or close the ports throng said valve. 'hcn there are no swee )OIS or tools in operation, the valve 66 will close at a predetermined vacuum, and valve 70 will open at a predetermined vacuum, which is of a higher degree than the vacuum required to close the valve 66, which action maintains the same degree of vacuum within the chamber in the housing 40, thus instantly closing the valve 43.

Our improved cleaning apparatus is es pecially applicable for use in cleaning cars, residences, and the like, as it can be readily tr nsported from one point to another; and, w en in use, the dc ree of vacuum necessary to the successfu operation of the apparatus is accurately maintained by the au- -tomatic valves which control the flow of ompressed air or steam necessary to create 1e vacuum.

By mounting an apparatus of our imroved construction on a suitable truck and arranging an exhaust pump on the truck and connecting the vacuum tank with said pump, the apparatus can be utilized for cleaning paved streets and the like. When the apparatus is so used, special forms of nozzles are arranged on the ends of the flexible tubes.

We claim 1. In an apparatus of the class described, tl e combination with a vacuum pi e and a v cuum-creating fluid-conductor, o a valve fl r controlling the flow of liquid through said conductor, a housing in communication with the vacuum pipe, means located in said housing and influcncedby the vacuum for the operation of said valve, and a air of spring controlled valves influenced y the vacuum for controlling the degree of vacuum in said housing, the s rin s for controlling said valves bem 0 di erent tensions whereby the spring 0% the least tension will control a redetermined normal vacuum and the sprm of reater tension control a predetermine maxlmum vacuum.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a vacuum pipe and a vacuum-producing fluid-conductor arranged to discharge into the vacuum pipe, of a cutofi valve or controlling the passage of fluid through said last mentioned conductor, spring controlled means influenced by the vacuum for operating said valve, a housing for containin said means and a pair of spring contro led valves influenced by the vacuum for controlling the degree of vacuum in said housing, the 5 rings of said last mentioned valves being 0 different tensions, whereby one valve is arranged to control the cut-off valve at a predetermined normnl vacuum and the other valve arranged to control the cut-0E valve at a predetermined maximum vacuum and means for varyin the tensions of sand 5 rings whereby sni names to this specification, in presence 0! two subscribin witnesses.

OHN STROTHER THURMAN. JOHN ALEXANDER DUNLAP.

valves will be operate at (hfierent normal Witnesses: and mnxnnum degrees of vacuums. W. W. Con new, In testimony w ereof, we have signed our Q L. L. Srroncxm...

flopiel of this ntent may be obtained (at Me centl eaeh, by droning the Wuhingtun, D. 0."

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