GB1142324A - Improvements in or relating to pressure-fluid-operated devices - Google Patents

Abstract

1,142,324. Spring power storing-mechanism. GEORGE ANGUS & CO. Ltd. 6 May, 1966 [10 May, 1965], No. 19606/65. Heading F2S. A pressure fluid-operated device, which may be employed e.g. as a shock absorber or vibration damper, but which is particularly intended to replace conventional springs in high voltage circuit breakers, comprises a housing 3, which is divided by spaced diaphragms 4, 8 into two sealed spaces 6, 7, the lower space 7 being filled with a fluid, e.g. propane, which is gaseous at normal temperatures and pressures but which is readily liquefied by pressure alone, and the space 6 being filled with a liquid, e.g. water, which is relatively incompressible. The propane is not readily soluble in water. The lower diaphragm 8, which is chosen to have a high chemical resistance to the fluid in the space 7, has a greater area than the rolling diaphragm 4 so that a plunger 1, 2, connected to the diaphragm, has a magnified displacement the plunger normally being secured, e.g. by an overload relay locking pin, to resist a pressure e.g. of 20001bs., and keep the propane in a highly compressed liquid state. Removal of the locking pin by an overload allows rapid vaporization of the liquid, the plunger 1, 2 being quickly driven to its extended position, Fig. 3, not shown. The device is assembled while the chamber is kept below the boiling point of - 45‹ C., for the propane, the locking pin being fitted before the device is allowed to acquire room temperature. The device can be reset by means of an hydraulic jack. The use of two diaphragms and the incompressible liquid prevents loss of the propane.