GB2025581A

GB2025581A - A multiway distributor

Info

Publication number: GB2025581A
Application number: GB7921982A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Polysius AG
Current assignee: ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions AG
Priority date: 1978-07-13
Filing date: 1979-06-25
Publication date: 1980-01-23
Also published as: ZA792795B; DE7821106U1; ES482489A1; FR2430903A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a multiway distributor of which the valve body (8) carries a protective ring (15) facing the outlet opening (6) and covering the sealing surface thereof and in which the sealing surfaces are formed by elastically mounted sealing rings (19, 20). The wear of the sealing surfaces due to the passage of abrasive material is thus reduced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A multiway distributor This invention relates to a multiway distributor of which the housing comprises one inlet opening and at least two outlet openings and contains a displace able, plate-like valve body which, in the closed position, co-operates with a stationary sealing surface.

Multiway distributors of the type mentioned above are used in the transport, particularly the pneumatic transport, of bulk materials for diverting the material arriving through a delivery pipe for example into one of several (at least two) branch pipes, the other branch pipe or pipes being closed by a displaceable valve body. In order to ensure that each branch pipe which is not in use is also closed sufficiently tightly, the valve body of the known constructions co operates in the region of each outlet opening of the multiway distributor to be closed with a stationary sealing surface which is free in relation to the bulk material to be transported when the outlet opening is open.The main disadvantages of these known multiway distributors lie above all in the fact that, in the transport of abrasive material, relatively rapid wear occurs so that the wearing plates provided have to be replaced fairly frequently, and in the fact that numerous types of bulk material show a tenden cy to cake on the sealing surfaces, resulting in leaky sealing surfaces after reversal of the valve body.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a multiway distributor of the type mentioned above which, despite its relatively simple construction, eliminates the above-mentioned deficiencies of known constructions.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the valve body carries a protective ring arranged opposite the open outlet opening and covering the sealing surface thereof and in that the sealing surfaces are formed by elastically mounted sealing rings.

In the construction according to the invention, a sealing ring acting as a sealing surface is associated with each outlet opening, being covered off from the transported bulk material by a protective ring, even when the outlet opening is in the open position. In this way, the sealing surfaces thus formed can not be prematurely worn either by highly abrasive material or by otherwise aggressive material, neither does the material being transported have the opportunity to cake on the sealing surfaces and, hence, to prevent tight sealing after displacement of the valve body.

In addition, the elastic mounting of the individual sealing rings ensures that the sealing surfaces of these sealing rings are always in safe contact with the corresponding countersurfaces of the valve body, so that manufacturing tolerances may readily be compensated and manufacturing itself may be carried out at lower cost.

In this connection, it is pointed out that the main components of the multiway distributor (i.e. in particular the protective ring, the sealing ring and the valve body) may be made of any suitable, resistant material. The sealing rings are preferably made of steel or cast steel whilst the rest of the above-mentioned components and also the main components of the distributor housing are made of steel or steel plate.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the valve body is in the form of an adjustable valve disc which is mounted for rotation about the central longitudinal axis of the multiway distributor and which contains a number of valve openings corresponding to the number and distribution of the outlet openings, at least one of these valve openings carrying a protective ring of which the internal diameter substantially corresponds to that of the opposite outlet opening, whilst the other valve opening or openings is/are closed by a sealing disc.

This multiway distributor may be produced at relatively low cost without any adverse effect upon its efficient operation.

This particular advantage may be further improved if all the valve openings of the valve disc have the same internal diameter and if both the protective ring and also each sealing disc are inserted like covers into the associated valve opening. In this way, both the valve body and also the protective ring and the sealing disc may be produced particularly simply, in addition to which the protective ring and the sealing discs may optionally be interchanged. In addition, it is possible simply by replacing the sealing ring to use the same valve body (with the same sealing discs) for different branch pipe diameters.

In another embodiment of the invention, several helical springs are arranged between each sealing ring and the housing, pressing the sealing surface of the sealing ring against the associated counter surfaceofthe protective ring or of the sealing disc, so that the elastic mounting of the sealing rings is always safely guaranteed.

One example of embodiment of the invention is described in details in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure lisa longitudinal section (on the line I-I in Figure 2) through one example of embodiment of the multiway distributor according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation (in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1) of the valve body.

Figure 3 is a section through part Ill of Figure 1 on a larger scale.

As can be seen from the global longitudinal section in Figure 1,the illustrated embodiment of the multiway distributor 1 contains a housing 2 with one inlet opening 3 and four outlet openings 4, 5,6 and 7 (cf. also Figure 2). A plate-like valve body, in this case a valve disc 8, is arranged in the housing 2. This preferably circular valve disc 8 is fixedly mounted on an adjusting shaft 9 and, by means of this adjusting shaft, may be rotated about the central longitudinal axis 10 of the multiway distributor 1 and, hence, adjusted to the required position.

The valve disc 8 contains a number of valve openings 11, 12, 13, 14 corresponding to the number and distribution of the outlet openings 4to 7. The valve opening opposite the open outlet opening (in this case the outlet opening 6) carries a protective ring 15 of which the internal diameter substantially corresponds to the internal diameter of the opposite outlet opening (6), as can be seen in particular from Figure 1.This internal diameter of the protective ring 15 may optionally be slightiy smaller than the internal diameter of the outlet opening. By contrast, the other valve openings 11, 12, 14 are each closed by a sealing disc 16. All the valve openings 11 to 14 best have the same internal diameter.As can clearly be seen from Figure 1, both the protective ring 15 and also the sealing discs 16, 17, 18 are formed with a shoulder at their outer periphery in such a way that they can be inserted like a cover into the associated valve opening from the interior of the housing.

To ensure that, in all the various closed positions, the valve disc 8 only releases the selected outlet opening (in this case the opening 6), but safely closes the other outlet openings, sealing surfaces each in the form of an elastically mounted sealing ring are associated with all the outlet openings 4 to 7. The drawing (Figure 1) shows only two of these sealing rings, namely the sealing rings 19,20 for the outlet openings 4 and 6.One important feature of this construction according to the invention lies in the fact that not only the sealing surfaces of the sealing rings (for example 19, 20) of the closed outlet openings, but also the sealing surface of the open outlet opening (in this case the outlet opening 6) are covered, the sealing ring 20 of the opening 6 being closed by the protective ring 15, whilst the sealing rings of the closed outlet openings co-operate with the corresponding sealing discs 16to 18.

The arrangement and elastic mounting of each sealing ring can best be seen from the sectional view in Figure 3. All the other sealing rings of this multiway distributor 1 are mounted and arranged in the same way. In this connection, it is emphasized that the internal diameter of each sealing ring (for example 19, 20) is adapted to the internal diameter of the associated outlet openings 4 to 7 of the housing (2).

As already mentioned, each sealing ring is elastically mounted on the one hand relative to the housing 2 and, on the other hand, relative to the valve disc 8.

To this end, on the one hand relative to the housing 2 by means of a ring seal 21 of an elastic sealing material. On the other hand, at its flange-like end 20a adjacent the protective ring 15 (and the sealing discs 16to 18), the sealing ring 20 is supported and fixed relative to a housing plate 23 containing the outlet openings 4 to 7 by means of another ring seal 22 of an elastic sealing material. In addition, sealing cords or the like may be introduced into corresponding grooves 24 in this housing plate 23, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The elastic mounting of the sealing ring 20 is further assisted by a number of helical springs 25 arranged between the sealing ring 20 and the housing 2 in such a way that the sealing surface of the sealing ring 20 is pressed against the opposite counter surface of the protective ring 15 (or of the corresponding sealing disc).These helical springs 25 are arranged axially in relation to the sealing ring 20, uniformly distributed over its periphery and preferably accommodated -from the outside of the housing - in blind holes 26 of the sealing ring 20. The helical springs could of course also be generally accommodated in the corresponding housing section to perform the same function. However, the selected arrangement of the helical springs 26 is better from the manufacturing point of view.

The sealing rings (for example 19,20) are best held in corresponding openings (for example 27) in the housing plate 23.

In addition, the housing plate 23 carries for each outlet opening 4to 7 a pipe connection, for example 4a, 6a, to which the associated branch pipe may be flanged. This housing plate 23, which extends at a right angle to the central longitudinal axis 10 of the multiway distributor 1 and also parallel to the valve disc 8, supports the adjusting shaft 9 for the valve disc 8 at its centre. A spring 28 is arranged on the adjusting shaft 9 on the outside of the housing plate 23, biassing the valve plate 8 under light pressure towards the housing plate 23 so that the sealing discs 16 to 18 and the protective ring 15 are held against the opposite sealing surfaces of the corresponding sealing rings (for example 19,20).

Structurally, the housing 2 is essentiaily made up of a front housing section 2a and a rear housing section 2b, the rear housing section 2b essentially containing the already mentioned housing plate 23 with the pipe connections 4a, 6a, whereas the front housing section 2a preceding it in the transport direction (arrow 29) is in the form of a conical pipe which widens towards the housing plate 23 and forms the material guide passage and which, at its front end, has the inlet opening 3 and, at its rear end, an extension in the form of an annular space which surrounds the outer peripheral part of the valve disc 8 at a corresponding interval and which is releasably flanged to the housing plate 23.

Whereas the multiway distributor 1 of the embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings has one inlet opening and four outlet openings, of which one is always open, a multiway distributor according to the invention may comprise any other number (at least two) of outlet openings. Equally, it is possible to design the plate-like valve body in such a way that, for example, two outlet openings are open at the same time, in which case the valve body correspondingly carries two protective rings.

Claims

1. A multiway distributor of which the housing comprises one inlet opening and at least two outlet openings and contains a displaceabie, plate-like valve body which, in the closed position, co-operates with a stationary sealing surface, characterised in that the valve body (8) carries a protective ring (15) which faces the open outlet opening (6) and which covers the sealing surface of this outlet opening and in that the sealing surfaces are formed by elastically mounted sealing rings (19,20).

2. A multiway distributor as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the valve body is in the form of an adjustable valve disc (8) which is mounted for rotation about the longitudinal axis (10) of the multiway distributor (1) and which contains a num berofvalveopenings (11,12,13,14) corresponding to the number and distribution of the outlet open ings (4, 5, 6,7), at least one of these valve openings (for example 13) carrying a protective ring (15) of which the internal diameter substantially corres ponds to that of the opposite outlet opening (6), whilst the other valve opening or valve openings (11, 12, 14) is/are closed by a sealing disc (16, 17, 18).

3. A muitiway distributor as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that all the valve openings (11 to 14) of the valve disc (8) have the same internal diameter and in that both the protective ring (15) and also each sealing disc (16, 17, 18) are inserted like covers in the associated valve opening.

4. A multiway distributor as claimed in at least one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that a sealing ring (19,20) of which the internal diameter corresponds to that of the outlet openings is associ ated with each outlet opening (4 to 7) of the housing (2).

5. A multiway distributor as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that each sealing ring (20) is fixed relative to the housing (2) by means of at least one ring seal (21,22) of an elastic sealing material.

6. A multiway distributor as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that several helical springs (25) are arranged between each sealing ring (20) and the housing (2), pressing the sealing surface of the sealing ring against the associated countersurface of the protective ring (15) or of the sealing disc (16 to 18).

7. A multiway distributor as claimed in Claim 6, characterized in that the helical springs (25) are arranged axially in relation to the sealing ring (20) and are accommodated in blind holes (26) of the sealing ring.

8. A multiway distributor as claimed in Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the sealing rings (19, 20) are held in matching openings (27) of a housing plate (23) containing the outlet openings (4 to 7).

9. A multiway distributor as claimed in the preceding Claims, characterized in that a pipe con nection (4a, 6a) similarly supported by the housing plate (23) is associated with each outlet opening (4 to 7).

10. A multiway distributor as claimed in the preceding Claims, characterized in that the valve disc (8) is fixedly mounted on an adjusting shaft (9) and is biassed under light pressure towards the housing plate (23) by means of a spring (28) arranged on this adjusting shaft.

11. A multiway distributor as claimed in at least one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the housing section (2a) facing the housing plate (23) and containing the inlet opening (3) is in the form of a conical tube which widens towards the housing plate (23) and which forms the material guide passage.