GB2206504A

GB2206504A - Pneumatic equipment filter and regulator

Info

Publication number: GB2206504A
Application number: GB08814172A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kurt Stoll
Original assignee: Festo SE and Co KG
Current assignee: Festo SE and Co KG
Priority date: 1987-07-03
Filing date: 1988-06-15
Publication date: 1989-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-15
Also published as: KR890002562A; DE3812806C2; GB8814172D0; DE8709177U1; DE3812806A1; IT1219717B; IT8820963A0; GB2206504B; KR930002493B1

Abstract

A compressed air filter 14 and pressure regulator 18 are located in respective recesses 11 and 12 in a rectangular block of aluminium having inlet and outlet connectors 27, 28 and internal connecting ducts 26. The device shown also includes a three-way valve 23, similarly housed in a recess 13, and a pressure gauge 20. The filter recess 11 has a drain outlet for water. In Fig. 3 the inlet and outlet connectors are on the same face of the block. <IMAGE>

Description

--A PNEUMATIC FILTER-KEGULATOR ARRANGEMENT- The present invention relates to an arrangement for the operation of pneumatic equipment and more particularly for feeding pneumatic equipment with at least one filter and and at least one pressure regulator connected therewith.

In pneumatic plant it is conventional for a pressure supply in the form of a pump to have its output connected with such a filter-regulator arrangement in order on the one hand to protect the supplied equipment against contaminants and on the other hand to maintain a constant pressure level. In this respect it is possible to possible to have a single filter or.a coarse filter and a fine filter together with one or more regulators in a system in which the various individual components are screwed together as series circuit. These individual elements in some cases have a downwardly extending glass vessel so that the overall arrangement takes up a large amount of space, is likely to be damaged and is complex, the many intermediate screw joints often being the cause of leaks and being high in price.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of the initially stated type which in structure is compact and robust.

A A further airn of the invention is to provide such an arrangement which is able to be economically produced.

In order to achieve these or other objects appearing from the present specification and drawings, an arrangement for the operation of pneumatic equipment is characterized by comprising a housing block, at least one filter and at least one pressure regulator joined with said filter, said filter and said regulator being arranged in recesses in said housing block, line terminals being arranged externally on the block, said housing recesses being connected together via ducts in the housing block.

It is then possible to do without screw joints between the individual functional elements and the entire arrangement may be produced with smooth, flat surfaces which are not inclined to tollect dirt if there are high quality seals. The entire arrangement may be replaced or put in place as a unit. It is no longer possible for there to be errors when connecting the individual elements together. The replacement of a filter or of a pressure regulator is possible without undoing screwed joints between lines.

The line connections or terminals may be arranged in series with respect to the housing recesses on opposite sides of the housing so that the entire arrangement may be placed on a line which is straight. The line terminals may however be also placed so as to open in parallelism to each other on one outside face of the housing so that the arrangement may be screw-mounted on a wall or on a machine, which has two parallel line terminals.

In addition to at least one filter and at least one pressure regulator the housing block may contain a valve which is preferably in the form of a three-way valve and which may also inserted into a recess in the housing. This further stage of integration means that an even more compact structure is possible, since it is then not necessary to have an additional, screw-on valve. If the valve is a three-way valve venting of the pneumatic equipment is additionally possible.

In order to read the pressures it is convenient to have a pressure gage which is preferably connected with the housing recess in which the pressure regulator is placed. This pressure gage is preferably let into the housing in order to make the arrangement more compact and it may have a linear viewing window, which owing to its small space requirement is no trouble to integrate in the housing block.

All the housing recesses receiving inserted components may be conveniently arranged to open at one side of the housing block, there being a cover shutting off all the housing recesses. This simplifies assembly and servicing. However it is naturally possible for this cover to be subdivided so that individual housing recesses or combinations of housing recesses may be opened independently of each other.

The housing block is preferably made of metal and in particular of aluminum (more especially drawn aluminum) or of an aluminum alloy or a casting of aluminum or of some other metal, The arrangement may take the form of a rectangular prism as a sirnple and compact configuration for the entire structure.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and will now be described in detail.

Figure 1 shows a first working example of the invention in the form of a filter and regulator arrangement as seen in plan view and with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is a side view of the arrangement illustrated in figure 1 after the cover has been unscrewed.

Figure 3 shows a second working embodiment of the invention in the form of such an arrangement with line terminals arranged parallel to each other.

In the case of the first working example of the invention pictured in figures 1 and 2, a housing block 10 of metal (more especially of drawn aluminum) in the form of a rectangular prism has three cylindrical recesses 11, 12 and 13 which are open in an upward direction. The first housing recess 11 contains a filter 14 with an automatically operating water let-off valve 15. The compressed air flows in a conventional manner through the filter 14, which is made up of a number of layers of filter material, from the inside to the outside, the filtered compressed air flowing to the filter outlet, while water and oil in the form of droplets collect in the form of an oil-water emulsion and may be discharged to the outside through the automatically operating water discharge valve 15.For this purpose there is a a water discharge port 16 opening at the bottom of the housing block 10 and which is provided with a connecting means 17 for the connection with a water removal line, not shown. The connecting means 17 may also be arranged in a recess in the housing block 10 instead of being as shown in the figure.

A pressure regulator 18 is mounted or able to be mounted in the second housing recess 12 and may be of conventional design so that it is only shown diagrammatically. This pressure regulator 18 will normally be a low pressure regulator which reduces the pressure from the pressure supply at f. i. 6 bar to an operating pressure of f. i.

0.1 bar.

The second housing recess 12 is connected via a duct 19 in the housing with a pressure gage 20, which is set in the front side of the housing block 10. The pressure gage 20 has a straight or linear, vertically extending viewing window 21 which has a pressure indicating scale 22. The duct 19 in the housing does not in every case have to open in the second housing recess 12 and it may in fact open at any desired point in the pressure system in the housing block 10 at which the pressure as reduced by the pressure regulator 18 is available. It is additionally naturally possible to fit a second pressure gage to give a reading for the input pressure. If there is sufficient space, the pressure gage may have a different form, as for example the form of a round instrument. In a simplified form of the invention this gage may then naturally be screw-mounted externally on the housing.

The third housing recess 13 is adapted to receive a valve 23 which is again only illustrated diagrammatically. This valve 23 may be in the form of a two-way valve in order to make it possible for the outlet of the arrangement to be shut off. However, preferably, it is in the form of a three-way valve so that via a venting duct, not shown, it may serve to vent the pressure system downstream from it. For operation of the valve 23 there is a duct 24 in the housing extending from the third housing recess 13 to the front side of the housing block 10 and a lever-like valve operating member 25 is bearinged therein. The same may naturally be operated from another side of the housing as a matter of principle.

A duct 26 in the housing extends from a duct terminal 27 on the inlet side via the housing recesses 11, 12 and 13 as far as a duct terminal 28 on the outlet side.

This housing duct 26 may extend in a single plane or in more than one plane, steps having to be taken to see that the compressed air coming for instance from the line terminal 27 on the inlet side is supplied to the inner side of the filter 24, while the outside of the filter 24 is connected with the part of the housing duct 26 which continues towards the housing recess 12. Much the same applies for the pressure regulator 18 in the housing recess 13, which also has to be in communication on the inlet and outlet sides by way of the housing duct 26. As seen in figure 2 the two line terminals 27 and 28 are able to be joined up with an inlet line 30 provided with screw connection means 29 and an outlet line 32 provided with connection screw means 31.

The upwardly open housing recesses 11, 12 and 13 are able to be shut off in a sealing mannerby a cover 33, which runs over the entire area of the top of the housing block 10. This cover 33 is able to be attached by four screws 34. The.necessary seals, more particularly 0-rings for sealing the housing recesses 11, 12 and 13 are not illustrated to simplify the drawing. A pressure setting member 35 projecting upwards past the housing block 10 extends through a matching recess in the cover 33 so that the output pressure is able to be adjusted using the pressure adjustment member 35 when the cover is in place. It is naturally possible for the cover 33 to be subdivided so that each of the housing recesses 11, 12 and 13 may be opened up independently of the others.It is furthermore possible for the cover to be provided at any other outer side of the housing block 10 and not on the side shown.

The second working embodiment of the invention shown in figure 3 is generally similar to the first working example, but however the line terminals 27 and 28 are not arranged on two opposite sides but on one single side, i. e. the back side. This makes it possible for the arrangement to be connected on two screw connectors 29 and 31 extending side by side from a wall 36 or a machine. Then it is not necessary to have any lines which would impair the neat appearance of the arrangement.

In place of the arrangement of a filter as shown and described together with a pressure regulator and a valve in the housing block 10 it is possible to have a wide range of other designs and as an example it is possible to have a plurality of filters, pressure regulators or valve in a single housing block. It is possible for the valves to be dispensed with and arranged externally in order to simplify the design.

Claims

Claims:-

1. An arrangement for the operation of pneumatic equipment, said arrangement comprising a housing block, at least one filter and at least one pressure regulator joined with the filter, the filter and the regulator being arranged in respective recesses in the housing block, line terminals being arranged externally on the block, and the housing recesses being connected together via ducts in the housing block.

2. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the filter includes an automatic water discharge valve and the respective recess has a water discharge port leading to externally of the housing block.

3. An arrangement as claimed in. Claim 2, wherein the water discharge port is provided with connecting means for connection with a water discharge line.

4. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the line terminals are arranged in series with the recesses in the housing on opposite sides of the housing block.

5. An arrangement as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the line terminals open parallel to each other on one outer side of the housing.

6. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, comprising a valve arranged in a housing recess so as to feed an outlet line terminal of the arrangement.

7. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the respective recess for the feed valve locates a valve member of the latter and extends as far as an outer side of the housing block.

8. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the feed valve is a three-way valve and said arrangement additionally includes a pressure gauge connected with the housing block recess accommodating the pressure regulator.

9. An arrangement as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, comprising a pressure gauge arranged on an external side of the housing block.

10. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the pressure gauge is let into the housing block.

11. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the pressure gauge has a linear viewing window.

12. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the pressure regulator is in the form of an insert and includes a pressure setting member extending outwards through a port in the housing block.

13. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the pressure setting member extends through a cover, shutting off the respective recess in the housing block for the pressure regulator.

14. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein each of the housing recesses has an insert therein open on one side of the housing, and the arrangement includes a single cover shutting off all the housing block recesses.

15. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the housing block is made of a metal.

16. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the housing block is manufactured of drawn aluminium or an alloy thereof.

17. An arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the housing block has the form of a rectangular prism.

18. An arrangement for the operation of pneumatic equipment substantially as described above with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

19. An arrangement for the operation of pneumatic equipment substan Lially as described above with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

20. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed in the foregoing Specification or Claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.