US1561159A

US1561159A - Liquid-level-maintaining device

Info

Publication number: US1561159A
Application number: US491711A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hurst James
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-08-12
Filing date: 1921-08-12
Publication date: 1925-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1942-11-10

Description

NOV. 10, 1925- 1,561,159

J. HURST LIQUID LEVEL MAINTAINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1921 2 Sheets$heet 1 Nov. '10, 1925 1,561,159

J. HURST LIQUID LEVEL MMNTAINING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f /6/2919. 4 ZcL QfQ Patentecl- Nov. 10,

UNITED STATES 1,561,159 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HURST, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LIQUID-LETEL-MAINTAINING DEVICE.

Application filed August 12, 1921. Serial No. 491,711.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HURs'r, a citi zen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful LiquidLevel-Maintaining Device, of which the following is a specification. 3 f

This invention is a device for controlling the feed of liquid, to a chamber in which it is desired to maintain a constant or normal level. i

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for overcoming the annoyanccs incident to the loss of buoyancy of floats now in common use, by providing valve control means, the operation of which is dependent solely upon the loss of weight of an actuator as it becomes wholly or partia-lly, submerged. A further object is to provide a float-like actuator of approximately the same weight. as that of the liquid which it displaces, and means co-operating therewith for actuating thevalve mechanism.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing.- 7

Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views illustrating a liquid level maintaining device constructed in accordance with the invention. Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating a slight modification.

The invention is illustrated in association with a well-known type of vacuum fuel feed devices for internal combustion engines, which has been selected for illustrative purposes, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular structure illustrated and described, but is equally applicable to all devices where a float is used to regulate and maintain liquid at a desired-level, such as liquid float devices, carbureters, lavatories and the like. This fact will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention belongs.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a casing, the lower part of which serves as a reservoir 11, which feeds direct to a carbureter or the like (not shown), through a discharge pipe 12. A pet cock 13 is provided for drawing off water or sediment, or

it may be used to draw off gasoline for priming Or cleaning purposes, in a manner which is well understood in the art.

Suspended from the cover C of 10, and depending into the latter, is a float chamber 14, which is provided'with an outlet pipe 15 discharging into the reservoir 11, the flow into said reservoir being controlled by a'flapper valve 16.

Liquid is supplied to the float chamber 14, from any desired source, through an opening in cover 0, connected with a pipe 17. Located within the chamber 14 is a semi-buoyant actuator 18, which is provided with a guiding stem 19, leading down into the outlet pipe 15. Said stem extends through the actuator and is provided with an upwardly projecting end 20, which is pivotally connected to a lever 21, which in turn is pivotally supported at 22, from a depending portion 23 of the cover C. The air within the float chamber 14 is exhausted through an opening 24 in the cover 0, which may lead direct to the manifold of the engine. It may also be connected to a suitable pump (not shown), on the dash of the automobile, in a manner well-understood in the art. The float chamber is vented through an opening 25 in cover C, which leads to a vent pipe 26, and the casing 10 is also vented through an. opening 27 leading to the pipe 26.

The suction opening 24 and vent opening 25 are controlled by valves 28 and 29, respectively, carried by a lever 30, pivotally supported by a depending arm 31, of the cover 0. A second lever 32 is pivoted to the extension 31 at the same point of connection as the lever 30, and the free ends of said levers are connected by a spring 33, so as to provide for a quick movement of said levers when their ends have passed the dead center. To the free end of the lever 32 is connected one end of a control spring 34, the other end of which is secured to the cover C.

In practice, the actuator 18 is so construct ed as to be as near as possible, of the same density or specific gravity as that of the liquid it is to operate in. In other words, it practically has no buoyancy with respect to said liquid. The closer the weight of the actuator to that of the liquid it displaces, the greater the amount of power or pressure that is available for operating the valve mechanism. Experiment has demonstrated that an actuator designed tooperate in gasothe casing line or the like, should be made of oak wood, because its density is very close to the specific gravity of the gasoline, and it is the cheapest wood obtainable having this quality. The operation of the device is not impaired by the actuator becoming waterlogged.

In operation, assuming that the float chamber and the levers 3Q and 32 are. in.

positions shown in Figure 2, withactuator in its lowermost position, the valve 28 will be open and the vent valve 29 will beclosed. Thus, the vacuum apparatus will function to draw liquid into the float chamber through th supply. pipe 17. As the liquid level rises within the chamber 14: the actuatorl8 becomes submerged and exerts no pressure upon thelever 21, and offer no resistance to its movement. In other words, said lever is relieved of the weight. of the actuator as the latter becomes wholly or partially submerged, the starting of which allows the spring 34 to start operating. As the liquid level rises, the spring 34 gradually draws upon the lever 32,until the actuator reaches its. highest position and the free ends of said lever pass the dead center, whereupon the spring 33. actuates the lever 30 so as to, shut the suction valve 28- and open "the. vent valve 29, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the float chamber will empty into the reservoir 11. As soon as the liquid levellstartsto lower, the weight of the actuator 18, is exerted upon the lever 21, drawing down the end of lever 32, and tensioning the spring 34. This downward movement continues until the lever 32 passes the dead center, whereupon valves 28 and 29 are operated to close the vent and open the suction, as shown in Figure 2.

From the foregoin ,'it will be readily understood that the floating power or buoy ancy of the actuator 18 is notutiliz'ed in any way to operate the valves 28 and 29, because an actuator constructed as described, would upon the slightest downward pressure sink into the liquid. The spring 34 perfo 'ms its function only upon the loss of the weight of the actuator when it becomes submerged.

In Figures 3 and at a slight modification is illustrated,.inwhich in lieu of the spring 34;, a spring is employed, which'encirc les the stem 19, and is compressed between an abutment member 36 located in the chamber 14, and an abutment surface 37 of the actuator. It is preferred to provide the actuator with a bore 38, to afford clearance for the springx35, so that the actuator will not interfere with the functions of said spring.

readily apparent to those skilled in the art. It will be particularly observed. that by utihzingthe spring 3a or 35, as the casemay ter how carefully manufactured is liable to haveminute leaks, undiscoverable to ordinary and usualinspection, or to develop leaks due tothe corrosive effect of the liquid. If

itisfinade solidwand. dependence is placed upon the buoyancy thereof, it will eventually become waterlogged or so saturated with the liquid in whichit is. operatechthat it becomes inoperative because of the added weight and thelack of buoyancy necessary to furnish-the proper pressure to operate the mechanism, In the. present invention it is not essential for. the actuatorto have buoy-f ancyu" Nor is it necessary to treat it with any substance to prevent 1t.from..becommg water-logged or. saturated. Regardless of. its

condition .itwill always weigh less. when. it becomes submerged in the liquid, and this difference in weight will aways. be sufiicient toallow.thespringto operate: The down ward movement in thrs device. is also more positivethan in others designed for similar purposes, because the weight of the actua: tor is much heavier than'is generally used.

Thus the valve mechanism is. positively .ac-

tuated under allcon-ditions.

Having thus: explainedthe natureof the invention and described an operative manner of constructing andusing the same, although without attempting to set forth all of. the forms inwhich it maybe made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed i. z-

1. A liquid level maintaining device com.- prislnga. float-chamber, an actuator of approximately the same weight asthe liquid:

to be delivered to said chamber, said actuator being, positioned to be partially or whollysubmerged in said liquid, valve mechanism connectedwto. said actuator and.

con-trolling the supply ofli'quid entering the chamber, and counter-balancing.means within the chamber and connected with the. valve mechanism whereby operation. of said valve mechanism is governed by the. effective weight of. the actuator.

2. A liquid, level maintaining device of the character described comprising a liquid receiving chamber, .valve mechanism 'con- 1 a trolling the supply of liquid entering said The advantages of the invention w1ll be chamber, an actuator of. approximately the same weight as the. liquid tobe, supplied to said chamber,'sai'd actuator being positioned 'to be partially or wholly submergedinsaid liquid and connected to the valve mechanism, whereby its weight will actuate'said mechanism in one direction, and counterbalancing means connected to the valve mechanism independently of the actuator, whereby the valve mechanism will be operated in the other direction when the weight of the actuator is neutralized by submergence within said liquid.

8* A liquid level maintaining devi e comprising a float chamber, an actuator of approximately the same weight as that of the liquid in said chamber, said actuator being positioned to be partially or wholly submerged in said liquid, a valve mechanism connected with the actuator, whereby said mechanism will be operated in one direction by the weight of the actuator when said chamber is emptied, and a spring within the chamber connected with said valve mechanism for actuating said valve mechanism in the other direction when the liquid in said chamber reaches the maximum line.

a. A liquid level maintaining device com prising a liquid receiving chamber, an actuator of approximately the same specific gravity as that of the liquid in said chamber, said actuator being positioned to be partially or wholly submerged in said liquid, valve mechanism, a lever within said chamber -lfor actuating said valve mechanism, connections between said actuator and said lever, whereby the valve mechanism will be actuated in one direction by the weight of the actuator when the chamber is empty, and a spring also Within the chamher and connected with said lever independently of said actuator for actuating the valve mechanism in the other direction as the chamber is filled with liquid.

5. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a liquid receiving chamber, an actuator having a degree of buoyancy which will cause it to partially or wholly submerge itself within the liquid in said chamber, valve mechanism controlling the flow of liquid to said chamber, means whereby the weight of the actuator will operate the valve mechanism in one direction when the chamber is emptied, and means connected to the valve mechanism independently of the actuator to operate the valve mechanism in the other direction when the weight of the actuator is neutralized by being submerged in liquid entering said chamber.

6. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing provided with a lower reservoir, a float chamber within said casing connected with a source of liquid supply and having a discharge pipe delivering into said reservoir, an actuator of a gravity which will cause it to partially or wholly submerge within the liquid in said float chamber, valve mechanism controlling the supply of liquid to and delivery from said float chamber, means within the chamber whereby the valve mechanism is operated in one direction by the weight of the actuator when the float chamber is emptied, and means connectedto the valve mechanism independently of the actuator to operate said mechanism in the other direction when the actuator is submerged in liquid within said float chamber.

7. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing capable of containing a liquid, valve mechanism therein, an actuator connected to the valve mechanism, said actuator and said liquid being of substantially the same specific gravity, and means connected to the valve mechanism independently of the actuator to operate said valve mechanism when the actuator is submerged.

8. A liquid level maintaining device comprising a casing capable of containing a liquid valve mechanism therein, an actuator connected to said valve mechanism, said actuator and said liquid being of substantially the same specific gravity, and a spring connected to the valve mechanism indepen dently of the actuator to operate said valve mechanism when the actuator is submerged.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES HURST.