GB660450A - Improvements in or relating to fluid flow control devices - Google Patents

Abstract

660,450. Valves. DOLE VALVE CO. April 1, 1946 [April 6, 1945] 10000/46. Class 135. A fluid flow control device comprises a plurality of open-ended cylindrical portions 43 joined together by a common passage with a single outlet therefor, a well member 47 mounted on one end of each portion, a plug member 49 inserted in the opposite end of each portion to engage the well member, a metering device in each of the plug members and a shut-off valve in each of the well members so that a uniform flow of fluid into the common passage is maintained, and by-pass means 63 interconnects two of the well members independently of the common passage. As applied to an automatic washing machine, hot and cold water is supplied through inlets 18, 19 and, after passing check valves to prevent reverse flow, the liquids flow past interconnected valves 27, 28 in predetermined quantities and are mixed in chamber 23. Valves 27, 28 are actuated by a thermal element 29 and the datum position of the valves is determined by a screwed head 38 which varies the spring loading applied to the valves and the thermal element. The outlet 33 from the mixing valve unit leads to a flow control unit 16, and as the fluid inlets 18, 19 communicate with two mixer units 17 in parallel and each mixer unit communictes with its own flow control unit, water at two different temperatures can be obtained. The outlets of the flow control units lead into a common passage 65 with a single outlet 42. Each flow control unit includes a diaphragm valve 52 seating on a ring 51 surrounding a port in a transverse partition 50. When the valve is closed, water flows through apertures 53 in the diaphragm until the pressure on both sides is equalized. A pilot valve 60 constituting the armature of a solenoid 58 normally closes a port through the diaphragm, and when valve 60 is lifted by energizing the solenoid from a timing device, the space above the diaphragm is vented and the pressure acting underneath the diaphragm lifts it to allow water from the mixing valve to flow to the outlet 42. An apertured disc 70 of resilient material seating in a cup-shaped member with a double truncated cone-like port 72 serves as a further flow regulator. A third flow control unit 16 which may be incorporated in the system is also connected to the second unit by a bye-pass passage interconnecting the spaces above the partitions 50. Specifications 610,309, 626,605, 626,606, 626,607, 626,608, and 643,262 are referred to.