US1570637A - Valve for tank cars and the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 26 l926.

s. J; NRDSTROM VALVE Fon TANK ons qplgx'ms LIKE Filed August 28, 1922 y Sheets-Shogi 1 l////W//l/l//l//l//l//l//l/ lll/lllllllllllillllllllllllll Jaim. 26 w26.`

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Jan.; 2s, 1926. 1,570,62ff4 S. J. NORDSTROM VALVE FOR TANK CARS ANDTH IKE Filed August 28; 1922 5 Sheets-Shet :s

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'UNITED 'SpA'TESS 3 SVEN TDHAN NORDSTROM,

AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

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tion.

The invention relates to an improvement intvalves for-tank` cars `and the like.

The drainage valves'of tank cars is located in -the bottom of tlfe tank and is provided with a `stem which' extends upwardly through th'e and terminates in a handle within the dome. By reason of the iexibility of the tank and consequent'buckling as the car rounds a curve and because of theimpurities andforeign substances contained in thepil,

carried. by the tank, great diiiiculty has hitherto been experienced in preventing they valves from leaking. In fact, so far as is known, Vno completely satisfactory valve has, yet been designed for tank car service.A There are two types of tank car valves in.- common use. The first is a flat, circular disc which seats in a beveled circular hole in the bottom; 'of the' tank. As the contents ofthe tank drain out, a portion of the dirt and other sediment contained therein lodges on x fthe valve seat and when the valve is closed this prevents the valve from making a tight 'closure- Hence when the cap is removed from the drainpipe projectile;` downwardly from the bottom of the tank, there is always a waste of oil, gasoline or other liquid.

- The second common type of valve for tank` car service is a plug valve specially adapted for the purpose. These plug valves, as heretofore constructed, have been even more unsatisfactory fortank car'service than disc valves, for the reason that it has been imi possible .to lubricate them until thecontents of the car have' been drained olf. This lack of lubrication results Ain the plug valve becoming; stuck orffrczen in its seat. When this occurs, the `efforts to loosen the plug cause the contactingsmetal to' strip and thereafter the valve lea l The arrangement of the valve parts inthe bottom of the tank has hefetoforeproven uni satisfactory, because when 'the downwardly i projecting drain pipe hasencouutered some f valve is inplace and gasoline or other lading/ v{zi-ated in obstacle whereby it has been bent or broken, the stress to which the pipe-is vsubjectedis usually suicient to distort the bearing or seating surfaces of the valve,.and this in s ite ofthe fact that grooves have been provided in` the drain pipe One object of the present invention is to produce a" tankcar valve of the plug tytgm 1 which may be readily lubricated while e 05 while the tank is full of liquid. A. further object of the inven- 'tion is to produce a tank'car valve which,

when it is stuck or frozen to its seat, may be readily Vlifted therefrom b means located in the dome at the top of t e tank.' Another object of the, invention is to 2so arrange theL valve parts inthe bottom of the tank that "any vstresser shock to which the drain pipe is subjected will not b e communi- I cated tothe bearing or seating surfaces ofV the valve.

Still further objects ofthe inventionfwill bepointed out as the description proceeds. With these objects in view, the invention consists in the improved plu 80 valve for tank cars hereinafter 'describe and particularly pointed out in the appended. claims.

The preferred form of the invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,

in which Fig. 1 is a` vertical section of a portion of a tank car showingthe improved valve-applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the means for compressing the lubricant to lift the valve Vfrom its seat; Sto 'inclusive are enlarged detail views of the valve andf associated arts shown inliig. 1'; Fig. 3 is a longitudine sec- Vtion through the valve casing; Fig. 4 is a A section of the upper partei the valve; Fig. g is-a top plan, partly. in' section, Naive; Fig. 6 is a section takenon the line of the 6 6 of Fig. 3; and. Fig.' is a tcp plan of the valve andV djacent parts ofvthe tank.

The improved Fig. 1, comprises avalve casing 12 located in the bottom of the 4tank 13, and a plug or valveproper 14 seated nin a vertical, ta red bore in' the valve casing. The casing is provided with an elbowlos sha ed passageway l'therethrcugh, having an inlet 16 opening into the interior'of the tank, and an outlet opening 17 which registo cause itlto break 60 easlly wlthout transmitting the strain to the tank car '-valve, as illus- 100.

' cap 19.

level with the toaom of the tank.

ters with the usual drain pipe 18. The open lower end of the drain pipe is closed by the As usual, Athe upper end of the drainpipe 18 is provided with a circumferential groove 2O so that the pipe may break oft' without communicating the stress or shock to the valve parts. To prevent any possibilit of the valve parts becoming strained by reason of damage to the drain pipe, the present invention contemplates a novel construction by which the valve parts are locatedv in the bottom of the tank. To this end, a plate 22 is provided, having a smooth upper surface upon which the bottom of the valve casing 12 is adapted to rest. A gasket 23 is interposed between the two contacting surfaces to insure a tight joint. The valve casing is secured to the plate 22 by means of cap screws 24. It will be observed that the plate 22 is dish-shaped and that the bottom of the valve casing is inserted inthe dished portion of the plate so that the bottom 26 of the hole 27 through the valve plug 14 and the bottom of the in: let opening 16 of the passageway through the valve casinor are substantially flush or Thus there vis a complete drainage of the contents of the tank. The upper outwardly projecting Harige 28 of the plate 22 is secured to the shell of vthe tank by means of rivets 29. This construction facilitates the caulking of the joint between the flange 28 and the shell of the tank.- The flanged up er end 30 of the drain pipe 18 is secured y studs 31 to the thickened ortion 32 of p ate 22. It will be observed t at the above described construction is such that even if the drain pipe 18 does not break at the groove 20, the hoek or stress cannot be communicated to the bearing or. seating surface of the valve.

The valve plug`14 is arranged to be turned through an angle of 90 degreesto open and close the valve. The plug is shown in the drawings in closed position. To manipulate the valve plug, a hollow stem or pipe 35 is provided extending frommthe plug vup through the tank and terminating in the dome 34. v The lower end of the stem 35 projects into the recess 36 formed in the upper. end of the plug 14 and is bifurcated to loosely embrace the lugs 37 l projecting radially into the recess 36. The upper end of thestem 35 is embracedv by a head 38 which receives ithe inner end of the handle .39 by which the valve plug is manipulated:

and the bolt 40 secures the handle 39 in the head 38. In order that the plug may be turnedthroughan are of only 90 degrees at each manipulation, al stop. pin 42 is adapted to be engaged by the. ends of the `arcuate slots or grooves 43 formed in the upper surface of the Secured iny a plate 44 plug. Thev in 42 is astened to t e upper aardse? lubricated, or in case it should be struck or frozen thereto, by the means to be presently described. v

So far as 'is known, it has not been proposed heretofore to provide tank car valves v of the plug, type with means for lubricating them from the top of the tank., vTo facilitate the introduction of lubricant into the bearing surface of the valve, means located -at the top of the tank are provided to lift the plug from its seat. rlhe lifting of the plug may. be accomplished by two means: (l) by fluid pressure; (2) by mechanical action. In the preferred form of the invention, the valve plug is lifted from its seat by Huid pressure. This is effected by utilizing the means for lubricating the valve. A chamber is providedbetween the valve plug and the casing and the lubricant is forced into the chamber and put undersuflicient pressure to lift the plug from its seat. The compression chamber may be located either in the bearing surface of the valve or under` the valve plug.'J For mechanical convenience, the latter arrangement is preferred. The conduits by which the lubricant is conveyed to the compression chamber may be variously located, either in the casino` or in the, body of the valve plug, but preferably vin the bearing surface lof the plug. These grooves 52'communicate with the compresl v 55 adapted to rece1ve thescrew 56, by turning whichjthe lubricant in the'pipe 54 is forced down` into the lubricating grooves 52 set screw 57 holds the pi e 55 in place. By

and into 4the compression chamber 55. A I

means of thescrew 56t1e lubricant in the a pipe 54 and the compression chamber 55 may be put under sulicient pressure to lift the valve plug fromits seat.y This mode of `operation 1s set forth inomy Reissue Patent No. 14,516, reissued August 27, 1918. By

turning the screw 56 when the handle 39 is manipulated, the bearin surface of the valve may be kept lubricated and thereby prevent the likelihood ofthe plug becoming stuck or frozen in its seat. Moreover the lubricant forms an effective seal and also revents dirt and foreign substances from odging in the seat and causing the valve to leak. v

-Having thus described the invention what I claim to be new is:

1. A valve for tank cars and the like comprising a casing located in the bottom of the tank, a plug seated in the casing, a lpipe eX- tending from the plug upwardly through the tank for containing lubricant, channels in the bearing surface of the plug connected with the pipe, means for forcing the lubricant from the pipe into the channels, a hollow stem enclosing the pipe and extending from the plug upwardly through the tank, and a loose connection between the lower end of the stem and the upper end of the plug.

2. A valve for tank cars and the like comprising a casing located in the bottom of the tank, a plu seated in the casing, a hollow stem exten ing from the lug upwardly into the dome at the top o the tank, cooperating means on the bottom of the valve stem and the top of the plug making a loose joint between them,a handle connected with the stem for manipulating the plug, a reservoir for lubricant consisting of a pipe located within the valve stem, lubricating channels in the bearing surface of the plug connected with the pipe, a chamber in the casingv underthe plug, and means for forcing the lubricant through the channels and into the chamber tothereby lift the plug from its seat.

3. A valve for tank cars and the like comprising a casing located in the bottom of the tank, a plug seated in the casing, a hollow valve stem connected with the plug and exi seated in the casing and having a tending upwardly into the dome at the top of the tank, a handle for manipulating the plug, a pipe located within the valve stem, lubricating channels in the bearing surface of the lug connected with the pipe and means or forcing the lubricant in the pipe into the lubricating channels.

4. A valve for tank cars. and the like comprising@ casing located in the bottom of the tank, a plug seated in the casing, a flexible diaphragm for yieldingly holding the lug in place, a hollow valve stem extending om the plug into the dome of the tank for turning the plug, a pipe located in the hollow valve stem, adapted to contain lubricant, lubricating channels in the bearing surface of the plug and communicating with the pipe and means for forcing the lubricant into the lubricating channels.

5. A valve for tank cars and the like comprising a casing having a passageway therethrough with an inlet opening into the interior -of the tank and substantially iush with the inside surface of the bottom of the tank and an' Outlet discharging through the bottom of the tank, a plug having a solid bottom seated in the casing and having a hole adapted to register withthe inlet opening, a plate adapted to be secured to the underside of the tank for supporting the valve casing within the tank, and a drain pipe secured to the underside of the'plate.

6. A valve for tank cars and the like comprising a casing having an elbow-shaped passageway therethrough, the inlet of the passageway being substantially Hush with the inside surface of the bottom of the tank, and the outlet of the passageway discharg-4 ing through the bottom of the tank, a pllug ole adapted to registerwwith the inlet opening, and means for supporting the valve casing in place in the bottom of the tank.

SVEN JOHAN NORDSTROM.

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