US1539991A

US1539991A - Pressure-responsive switch for gas-flow alarms

Info

Publication number: US1539991A
Application number: US692570A
Authority: US
Inventors: Cappellanti Harry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1924-02-13
Filing date: 1924-02-13
Publication date: 1925-06-02
Anticipated expiration: 1942-06-02

Description

June 2, 1925.

H. CAPPELLANTI PRESSURE RESPONSIVE SWITCH FOR GAS FLOW ALARMS I Filed Fe 13, 924

m we mfoz 9%maa Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY CAIPELLANTI, OF MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

PRESSURE-RESPONSIVE SWITCH FOR GAs-FLow ALAiRMs.

Application filed February 13, 1924. Serial No. 692,570.

and State of West Virginia, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure-Responsive Switches for Gas-Flow Alarms, of which the following is. a specification.

This invention relates to a pressure responsive switch for gas flow alarms and it consists in the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus adapted to be used for controlling the flow of gas, water, steam, air, gasoline, oil and other fluids in .a manner to sound an alarmwhen the flow is interrupted or cut oil and to sound the alarm in the event that the pressure of the fluid becomes abnormal and in excess of the degree, which is predetermined, and to which the fluid is subjected to perform its functions when in use. Vith the above object in view, the flow alarm comprises a body adapted to be connected with the pipe through -which the fluid passes and havin a chamber with an inlet and an outlet-opening, and a septum wall located in the chamber and forming a cavity therein, the said septum wall being provided at its side with a series of openlngsjor an opening through which the fiuid'may pass directly from the inlet to the outlet opening of the body when the fluid is subjected to a normal degree of presure. A valve is arranged to close over the inlet opening of the body when the pressure of the fluid falls be low the normal d A plan er is connected with the stem of the va ve and is located in the cavity and is adapted to move over the said opening or openings in the septum wall to increase or decrease the area of the p way through the wall as the pressure of t e fluidvaries;

An indicatoris mounted. upon the body and the stem of the said valve is moved along the indicator and serves as means for showin the degree of pressure to which the fluid w ieh is through .the body is sub within the bod and are electrically connected with a p ug adapted to be connected with an electric circuit and an alarm bell. A contact member is carried by the stem'of the valve and disposed between the terminals-and is adapted to engage one ior the other of the terminals when the pressure of the fluid is increased or' reduced to ab: normal condition thereby completing the same thuh giving an audible alarm that the pressure of the'fluid passing through the body is other than normal. Means are provided upon the body and engageable' with the said contact which may be manually manipulated for moving the vali'e'stem to move the valve away from the inlet opening and to move the plunger from over the inner end of the opening in the septum wall or over the inner ends of some of the openings therein.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the gas flow alarm showing the electric circuits and apparatus in diagram. V

Figure 2 is .a detailed vertical sectional. view of a fragment of a modified form of the flow alarm.

Figure 3 is an edge elevation of a modified form of switch.

The gas 01- liquid flow alarm apparatus comprises a body '1 having an'interiorly located chamber 2 with a gas inlet flow. opening 3 passing through one side of the body and agas outlet flow o ening 4 located in an adjacent side 9f the body 1, both of the said openings communicating with. the chamber 2 attheir inner ends. A septum wall 5 is located within the chamber 2 and is a part of the body 1. The wall 5 partially surrounds the opening 3 and is provided at points below its upper edge with transverselvdisposed openings 6,'or in lieu of a electric circuit of the bell and sounding the series of openings 6 as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, a single opening may be provided if desired or required.v A plug 7 is screwed into the body 1 and forms a portion of the top side of thechamber 2.

he plu 7 is disposed centrally over the axis of t e opening 3.

' A plunger 8 in the form of aninverted cup is slidably mounted in the cavity formed within the chamber 2 and at the side of the septum wall5 and is disposed above the inlet opening 3. A stem rod 9 is attached is extended downinto the same and carries at its lower end a valve member 10 adapted to engage a valve seat 11 provided within the body opening 3.

The plug 7 is disposed transversely of the 1 and at the upper end of the to the center of the of the said piston and 1 Y vided a series of gradu'ations 15 and by observing the'rod in conjunction with the said graduations, it may be determined. to what extent the stem'or rod 9 and the valve 10 and piston 8 have been moved with relation to the fixed parts and featuresof the body 1. A disk 16 is mounted upon the rod 9 and a coil spring 17 is interposed between the cap 13 and the disk and is under tension with a tendency to hold the rod in a lowered position and the valve 10 toward the seat 11.

Spaced electric terminals 18 and 19 pass transversely through the side of thebody 1 and their inner ends are located in the path of movement of the disk 16 which forms an electric contact member.

Wires

20 and 21 are connected with the terminals 18 and 19 respectively, and the wire 21 is connected with the wire 20, as best shown in Figure 1 of the drawing. The wire 21 is connected with a plug 22 which may be inserted in the socket of an open electric circuit (not shown) in a usual manner, and the said plug 22 is connected by a wire 23 with an electrically operated bell 24. A wire 25 connects the bell 24 with the body 1. The disk 16, rod 9 and plug 7 and body 1 are good electrical conductors and the terminals 18 and 19 are insulated from the body 1 by means of insulatin members 26. A bell crank lever 27 is pivoted in the chamber 12 and one of its arms is disposed under the disk 16 and in the path of movement thereof. The other arm of the said bell crank lever. normally hangs vertically. A push rod. 28 passes transversely through the side of the body 1 and is provided at its inner ortion with a disk 29 which bears against t e-side edge of the vertical arm of the bell'crank lever 27 A spring 30 is interposed between the side of the body 1 and the disk 29 and serves to hold the disk 29 in contact with the side edge of the vertical arm of the lever 27.

The 0 eration of the apparatus is as follows. was under pressure flows through the inlet opening 3- and lifts the valve 10 off of the seat 11. The gas then flows under the intermediate portion of the piston 8 and the piston is moved in ,an upward direction carryin 'with'it the rod 9 and the valve 10 is move further away from the seat 11. At the same time, the lower edge of the piston 8 uncovers from some or all of the openings 6 and the gas passes through the said openings 6 and enters the chamber 2 and flows from the chamber .2 through the outlet 4. The piston8 is held at an open position with relation to the opening 6 by the pressure of the gas which is passi through the body '1. If the pressure of tbe gas becomes too great, the piston 1 is moved to a greater extent up into the chamber 2 carrying with it the rod 9 and the contact 16 is brought into engagement with the terminal 18. Thus the electric circuit is completed from the plug 22 over the wire 20 to the terminal 18, contact 16, rod 9, plug 7 body 1, wire 25 to the bell 24 whichv is mounted and along wire 23 back to the plug.

Thus anaudible signal is sounded, and

. attention is attracted to the fact that the pressure of the gas or fluid which is passing through the body is increased above normal condition and steps should be taken to reduce the pressure of the fluid.

In the event that the fluid should be cut 011' from the opening 3, the pressure is removed from under the piston 8 and under the tension of the spring 17, the rod 9 is forced downwardly carrying with it the piston 8 and the iston closes-over the inner ends of all of t e openings 6 in the septum wall 5. At the same time the valve member 10 is moved to a closed position upon the H seat 11 at the upper end of the opening 3. Also at the same time, the disk '16 is brought into engagement with the contact 19 and an electric current is permitted to flow from the plug 22 over

wires

20 and 21 through the body 1 along wire 25 to the bell 24 which is sounded, thence over the wire 23 back to the plug. Therefore an audible alarm is givenin the event that the pressure of the When the disk 6 is moved in contact with the terminal 19, the lower side of the disk rests upon the upper arm of the bell crank lever At this time, the valve 10 is seated upon the u er end of the o ening 3 as hereinbefore escribed. In or er to start or prime theapparatus, it is necessary for an opera: torto ush the rod 28 in an inward direction w ereby the bell crank lever is swung and the disk 16 is elevated slightl whereby the rod 9 is moved in'an upwar direction v and the valve 10 is moved for .a short distance above the valve seat 11 and out of contact with the same. Therefore the gas .or fluid may begin to flow through the opening 3 and as the said fluid accumulates under the piston 8 the pressure becomes sufiicient to raise the piston and the rod as hereinbefore explains ascertaining approximatel u In the form of the invention as shown in Figure 3 of'the drawing a cap 13 covers the upper end of the b0 y 1, and the said cap 13 is devoid of the slot 14 and series of graduations 15 as shown and described in connection. with the form of the invention as illustrated in Fi ure 1. Therefore in the form as shown in igure 3, the means for the pressure to which the id is subjecte is eliminated.

In the form of the invention as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing, a switch 21 is pivoted upon the terminal 19 and ma engage the terminal 18 and the said switc 21 may be used as a substitute for the wire 21 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing.

By the use of this form of switch and as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, it is obviousthat the audible alarm 24 will be sounded in the event that the pressure of the fluid which is passing through the body 1 becomes in excess of normal or falls below normal or is cut off altogether.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A pressure responsive switch for a gas flow alarm comprising a body having an inlet and an outlet opening, a plug located within the body and dividing the interior thereof into upper and lower compartments, a septum wall located in the lower compartment and artially surrounding the inlet opening, said septum wall being provided with a transversely disposed opening, a piston mounted for movement over the opening in the septum wall, a stem connected with the piston and passing through the plug, a valve carried at the lower end of the stem and adapted to close over the inlet opening,'a cap connected with the body and forming a side of the u per compartment, said rod passin throug the cap, the, cap having a slot t rough which the rod ma be observed, there being provided at the edge of the slot, a series of graduations, a contact carried by the rod, and spaced terminals carried by and insulated from the body and having their extremities disposed in the path of movement of the disk;

2. 'A pressure responsive switch for a gas flow alarm comprising a body having inlet and outlet openings, a septum wall disposed within the body and partially surrounding the inlet opening and provided with a transversely disposed opemng,-a piston mounted for movement along the septum wall and adapted to close over the. opening therein, a stem carried by the piston, a valve member carried by the stem and adapted to close over the inlet opening, a contact member carried by the stem, and spaced electric terminals passing through the side of the body and disposed at the opposite sides of the contact member and having their end portions disposed in the path of movement of the contact member.

3. A pressure responsive switch for a gas flow alarm comprising a body having inlet and outlet openings, a septum wall located in the body and partially surrounding the inlet opening and provided with a transversely disposed opening, a piston arranged to move over the opening in the said septum wall, a stem connected with the piston, a valve carried by the stem and adapted to close over the inlet opening, a contact member carried by the stem, spaced electric terminals having end portions disposed in the path of movement of the contact member, a bell crank lever pivoted in the body and having an arm disposed in the path of movement of the contact member, and a rod passing through the side of the body and adapted to operate the bell crank lever to move the stem and unseat the valvefromthe inlet opening of the bod In testimony wliereof I have afiixed my signature.

HARRY CAPPELLANTI.