US1582825A - Control system - Google Patents

Description

- April 27 1926,

l.. D. KELLOGG CONTROL SYSTEM Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES LEROY D. KELLOGG, 0F DEERFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T0 KELLOGG SWITCHBOARD 1,582,825 PATENT OFFICE.

AND SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CIIICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

` CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application led November 10, 1921.- Serial; No. 514,154.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEROY D. .KELLoGG, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Deerfield, county of Lake, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Control Systems, of which the following is aspeciication. f

My invention relates to control Systems in general and may be used with a combined water supply and storage battery charging control system for automatically maintaining the pressure of the water supply within certain limits, and for also maintaining the voltage of the storage batteries within certain predetermined limits; andan object of my invention is to provide a control system which is simple in construction and'positive and most efficient in its operation.

Hydraulic or pneumatic' water systems are used for supplying water inl homes where there is no municipal water plant, and systems of this type usually comprise a pump which is motor-driven, a pressure tank and an automatic control which starts and stops the motor when the water pressure rises or falls beyond predetermined points. A lighting system may comprise a' gas engine,

directly connected t o a dynamo, which, when the gas engine is running, generates current to charge sto-rage batteries .associated with,-

the lighting system. An automatic control is provided which starts and stops the gas engine when the voltage of the Storage bat. terieSI is below or above predetermined limits. My invention is applicable to, sys-l tems of this type, and a feature of my invention is the provision of means whereby I combine the controls in a unitary system so that when the water pressure falls below its minimum'predeterminedI limit, automatic means are'provided for Starting the pump into 'operation to again raiseithe pressure to its maximum. I provide means so that after the water pressure is-raised, the b atteries of the lighting system will automatically be charged if their voltage is at point where a charge is required.

Other features of my invention not specifically referred to above will appear in the detailed. description and appended claims,

and other' advantages `attained will be described in reference to the accompanying drawing of which Fig l is a diagrammatic Showing of my system, whereas F ig. 2 is a diagram of ,the circuit connections employed. .p

Referring now in general to my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and referring particularly to Fig. 1, I' illustratemy system in a more or less diagrammatic way. I illustrate'- a combined starting motor .and dynamo SD, directly condynamo SD, when the starting circuit is closed, the engine is turned over, and as soon as it picks up the starter motorwinding, is automatically Opened, and as the dynamo is connected to the shaft of the gas engine, the dynamo will deliver current to v operate a motor or will deliver current to the storage batteries, should they be below their minimum predetermined charge, and when they are charged to a maximum, the engine.

is automatically shut oil".

To the left of the lighting plant LP, I

illustratean air pump AP of any approvedl type, driven by`a suitable motor M, which is operatively connected to the air pump through the medium of a suitable pinion 2 upon the shaft of the motor M and a gear wheel 3 secured to the shaft of the air pump AP. vA supply vtankST for storing compressed air or use in the water system is provided, and a pipe line 4 connects the supply tank with the air pump AP. A suitable pressure gauge 5 is connected to the tank ST, as is' also a,safety valve 6. A check valve 7 is connected in the pipe line 4, lwhich connects the sup-ply tank ST withan air chamber cylinder 9 with a plunger 10 and a coil sprin 11. When the pressure in the supply tank ST is at its maximum predetermined point, the piston or plunger 10 is forced upward against the tension of the spring, and when the pressure falls to its minimum predetermined point, the spring forces the plungerl down in the air chamber cylinder 9. The plunger has secured there` to a connecting link or rod 12, which is in turn connected to an automatic switch S oi" any approved type, one of which is more or less diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawing. l The water pressure system as herein illustrated is known as a pneumatic system,vand a supply pipe 62 leads from the supply or pressure tank ST into a well or other source of water supply and is connected to an air motor actuated pump device operated by means of the compressed'air that is supplied from the supply tank ST through the agency of the pipe line 62. The system may also be of the hydro-pneumatic type, in which the pump operated by the motor M would be a hydraulic pump which will pump the water into the tank, air also being supplied, and' as will be evident, such a control as that indicated at AC would be suitable to such a system. 'y

Referring to Fig. 2, I illustrate a Acircult diagram to be associated with the control system for controlling the starting and stopping of the motor yfor driving the pump of the water system and for starting and stop#v ping the gas engine whenever the voltage of the storage batteries is above a predetermined point. p 1 v Having described in general the apparatus embodying my invention, I will now describein detail the operation of the combined water system and lighting system. L

Assuming now that the apparatus 1s 1n the condition as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and further assuming that the pressure range of the water system is fixed at fifty ounds for a maximum and thirty pounds or a'minimum, and that the pressure in the water system has dropped down to its minimum point of thirty pounds, the spring 11 in the air chamber cylinder 9 of the automatic pressure control overcomes the pressure in the pipe line 8 and forces the piston l0 down, and due to the connecting link 12 connected to the arm 13 of the automatic switch S, causes the contact arms 14, 15 and 16 of the switch S to be rotated about their pivot, a suitable weight 17 fastened to the angular arm 13 aiding the spring 11 as soon as said weight passes vertical, and said arm 13 engages the pin 1339 on the bifurcated switch member 133 and throws said member to the rightun.

til it encounters the stop 133", the arm. 13 itself stopping when it engages stop 13A. The contacts 14, 15, 16 will now be shifted to the left as they are carried on the member 133. The contact arm 15 isoperativ'ely associated with a. contact 19, and during part of its movement the said arm 15 engages the con- A' tact 19 to close an energizing circuit for the slow-acting primary ignition control relay PIC, said circuit traced from ground .through the winding of the relay PIC, conductor 20, through the contactarm 15 of theA switch S, the momentarily engaged contact 19, conductors 21,and 22 to the storage bat-` tery SB'and to ground. Closing of alternate i contact 23 of the relay PIC closes an energiz -construction of the relay PIC, the said relay is held energized fora short time after the contact arm 15 of the switch S has passed beyond and disengaged the contact 19, and the alternate contact 23 of the relay PIC is thus held closed temporarily to maintain the circuit for the starting motor winding 24 of the combined starting motor and dynamo SD -to permit the starting motor to turn over the Yengine GE a suliicient number of times to start it. The closing of .alternate contact 28 ofthe relay PIC upon its en'ergization closes ,the ignition circuit for the gas engine GE of the lighting system, over conductors 29,V 30 and conductors 31, 32. From the above description, it maybe seen that the circuit through the winding 24 of the starting motor and the ignition circuit of the gas engine are l simultaneously closed, and as soon as the starting motorturns-over the gas engine, it immediately picks up and runs on Vits own power. The dynamo SD is directly connect ed to the shaft of the gas engine GE, and the ydynamo is also rotated and current yis generated by said dynamo D, which current will.

flow from the dynamo D, overfconductor 3" through the Winding of the secondary ignition control relay SIG, over conductor 34, the contact arm 16 of the switch S, contact 35, through the motor M associated with the air pump AP to ground. As soon as the gas engine picks up and the dynamo is generating the contact 25 is opened by suitable means associated with i the dynamo to cut out the startin windin supply air through the ypipe ine 4 to the supply tank ST to raise the pressure of the sal/d tank to i l maximum predetermined point,

which we have assumed is fifty pounds. The

lOl)

llO l 24. The motor M y starts running, and t e pum is operated to l ed with the automatic pressure vcontrol AC overcomes the tension of the spring 11 and forces the'plunger 10 upward, and due to the connecting link 12 which is secured to the arm 13 of the switch S, the said arm is moved upward, and this movement causes the arms 14, 15 .and 16 to be rotated by the aid of weight 17, but in a reverse direction, abouttheir pivot to disengage` and engage contacts to bring about circuit changes, as will be presently described.I The contact arm 16 in its return movementJ disengages the contact 35, which opens'the winding 36 associated with the current con` trol CC is connected in circuit. with the stor- `age battery, the circuit through the winding 36 being traced from the negative pole of the battery SB, over conductor 38, through the,

winding 36 of the current control CC, over conductor 39 to the positive pole of the storage battery SB.

Assuming now that the storage battery SB has dropped below its minimum voltage point, the pointer 37 of the current control `will have moved to the left, which is the low voltage side LV of the current control CC,

into engagement with the contact 40, closing an energizing circuit for the differential relay DR, which may be traced from the sto'r-` age battery SB, over conductors 42 and 43, through the upper winding 44 of 'the differential relay DR, conductor 45,

through the contact 40 and pointer 37 of the current control CC, to -ground over conductor 39. The relay DR is energized over this circuit, and theclosure of its alternate contact 46 establishes a locking circuit foijitself traced'fro'm battery SB, over conductors 42 and 4 3, through the upper winding 44 to ground at alternate contact 46. The secondary ignition control relay SIC, due t-o its slow release construction, is momentarily held,energized after its circuit is opened by the disengagement of the contact arm 16 from its contact 35,' and until a substitute circuit is established for it, should the voltage of the storage battery be below its mini- Hmum predetermined limit, which may be traced from the dynamo D, over conductor 33, through the winding of the relay SIC, its alternate contact 47, conductor 48, contact arm 14 ofthe switch S, contact 49, conductor 50, alternate contact 51 of the relay DR, conductors 52 and 22 through the storage bat tery to ground an alternate circuit to ground being through the winding 44 and armature 46 of the relay DR.

The currentgenerated by the dynamo D is now delivered to the storage'battery SB, and when thelatter ischarged to its maximum predetern'iined point, the circuit through the winding36 of" the current control CC causes its, pointer or arm 37 to'move to the right which is the high voltage side HV of the current control GG, to engage the contact 41, and theengagement of the pointer 37 with the contact vl41, establishes a` circuit through the lower vwinding 53 of the relay DR, this circuit being traced from the storage battery' Sl%, conductors 42 and 43, through the lower winding 53 of the relay DR, its alternate contact pointer 37, to ground v over `conductor 39. Current now flows through both windings-y 44 and .53 of the relay DR, and due toits differential construction the relay de-energizes, and the opening of its alternatecontact 5l opens the circuit from the dynamo D to the storage battery SB, andthe secondary `ignition control relay SIC is dta-energized,

and the opening of its alternate contact 6() opens the ignition circuit of the gas engine GE associated with the lighting system LP, and the gas engine now stops running. The apparatus of the combined control for the water andlighting system is now in its normal condition.

Should the voltage of the storage batterles SB of the lighting system drop below the minimum predetermined limit, and the pressure of the water system be within itsl predetermined.limits, the pointer 37 of the i sensitive current control CC will be engag-4 ing the contact 40, and for an emergencyv of this kind I provide a manually operated key K, which maybe depressed to start the gas engine to turn over the dynamo to generate current orl recharging the storage batteries. Now, when the key K is depressed, the closure of contacts 63 and 64 brings about the energization of the primary ig-y nit-ion control relay PIC, circuit being traced from ground through the winding of the relay PIC, conductors 20 and 65, and

through the closed contacts 63 and 64, conductor 27, conductor 22, to the storage bat- )tery SB. The relay PIC upon energization closes its alternate contact 23 to close a circuit for the starting motor of the lighting system, from battery SB, over conductor 22, conductor 27,alternate contact 23 of the relay PIC, conductor V26, closed contact 25, through the winding 24 of the starting motor to ground. The starting motor now `tur'ns over the gas engine, and as alternate contact 28 is'also closed on the energization of the relay PIC, the ignition circuit for the gas engine is closed, and the gas engine is started. The key K upon being depressed also closes contacts 66 and 67 to establish an energizing circuit for the4 secondary ignition control relayr SIC, the

54,y vconductor `5,5, -contact 4l,y

current' for energizing this relay being traced from the dynamo D of the lighting system, over conductor 33, through the winding of the `relay SIC; conductors 34 and 68, through closed contacts 66 and 67 0f the key K, conductors 69 and 48, contact army Cal 14 of the switch S, its contact 49,y conductor 50, alternate contact 51 of the relay DR, conductors 52 and 22, to ground through 44-46, an alternate circuit to ground being through the storage battery SB. The relay DR was energized 'when the pointer 37 of the current control CC engaged the Contact 4() over circuit from battery through conductors 42 and 43, through the upper winding 44 of relay DR, conductor 45, to the contact 40 of the pointer37 to ground, and DR now has closed its alternate contact 46 and establishedy a locking circuit for itself over a circuit as previously described. RelayY SIC on' energization closes its alternate contact 47, and the generated current from the dymano D now extends over a circuit which may be traced from the dynamo D, over conductor 33, through the winding of the relay SIC, its alternate contact 47, conductor 48, tof' ground over lthe previously described path. The key K was but momentarily depressed, and when released the contacts y63 amd64 are again opened to open the circuit of the relay PIC, and the contacts 66y and 67 yare also opened, but the relay SIC isv held in its energlzed condition over the 'substitute circuit established for it when its alternate contact 47 was closed. When rthe storage'battcries SB are fully charged, the pointer 37 of the current control GC disengaged contact 40 and engages contact 41 to close a circuit through the lower IWinding 53 of the differential relay DR, and due to its diierential construction, the said relay vd-e-ene-rgizes, and the opening of its alternate contact 51 opens the circuit of the relay SIC, and the opening of alternate contact of the relay SIC opens the ignition circuit of the gas engine ofthe lighting system, and the gas engine now stops and no further current is generated.

From the above description it may be seen that I have'providcd an automatic control system for a 'combined Water' and lighting system', and I have also lprovided' manual means for starting the gas engine of` the lighting plant to generate current to recharge the storage batteries," should the voltage drop to its minimum predetermined limit.

By means of the passing contact 15-.19 and the relay PIC, which latter takes a definite time to release, I provide a positive starting time for the gas engine and one entirely adequate if the engine is in condition.

to be started. If, for lack of fuel or other reason, the engine will not start, it will be noted that the storage battery is cut oi While I have A'described my invention operating in connection with one form of water system and lighting system, I do`not wish to be limited to the exact structure as shown, as my invention is applicable to other systems, and changes and modifications will also suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and I, therefore, Wish to cover all such changes and modiiications as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

. What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, is:

1. A control system of the character described comprising a combined water supply and storage battery lighting system, an automatic pressure control for maintaining the pressure of said water systemV within certain limits, an automatic sensitive circuit closer for maintaining the charge of said storage battery within certain limits, a dynamo for charging said battery and a motor for`said water system driven by current directly from said dynamo and means for preventing the charging of the storage battery and increasing the pressure of said water system at the same time; 2. A control system of the character described comprising a combined water supply and storage ybattery lighting system, an automatic pressure control for said water system for maintaining the pressure of said water system within certain limits, a switch controlled by said pressure control, an electric motor driven pump for said water system, actuating means for said switch under the control of said pressure control for automatically starting said pump when the pressure of said water system falls below a certain limit, and means for testing the chargel of said storage battery at the time that the circuit of the electric motor driven pum is opened and if the charge of the storage attery is below a certain point to charge said storage battery until` the charge of the same has reached a predetermined point.

3. A control system of the character described comprising a combined water supply 'and storage battery lighting system, an autoflnatic pressure control for said water supply" system, an automatic sensitive circuit closer for said lighting system for maintaining the potential of said storage battery within cerhul for said water system, circuit connections established for said motor when said switch is actuated to start the operation of said pump, and means for preventing the charging of thestorage battery while said pump is in operation.

4. A controlV system of the character described comprising a combined water supply and storage battery lighting system, a combined starting'motor generator and engine for said lighting system, an electric motordriven pump for said water system, a control switch for said system, a pair of slow-'acting relays, an automatic pressure control operatively associated with said switch and adapted to actuate the same when the pressure of said water system falls below a certain limit to automatically energize said slow-acting relays to close circuit connections for operating said combined starting motor generator and engine, or operating said motor-driven pump, a differential relay, a sensitive circuit closer for said lighting system automatically moved in one direction when the voltage of said battery drops below a certain limit to actuate said differential relay to close a circuit for one of said slow acting relays to cause said gas engine to operate said generator to charge said storage battery of said lighting system;

' 5. A control/system of the character described, comprising a combined water suplply and storage battery lighting system, in-

dividual control means for said water supply and lighting system for maintaining the pressure of said water supply and the voltage of said storage, battery within their maximum and minimum predetermined limits, a switch associated with said combined system actuated when the pressure of. said water supply' falls below its minimum ixed limit, a contact and a contact arm for said switch, an' engine driven generator for said lighting system and an electric motord'iven pump for said water supply system, a slow release relay associated with said control system energized when the said contact arm engages saidcontact to close a circuit for means to start said engine of said light system to operate said generator.

6. A control system of the character described comprising a combined water supply and storage battery lighting system, an

automatic pressure control for said water supply system and a sensitive circuit closer forsaid lighting system for maintaining the pressure of said water supply and the voltage of said storage battery of said light system within their maximum and minimum predetermined limits, a switch operatively associated with said pressure control', a pair of relays associated with said control system, connecting means between said pressure control and said switch for actuating said switch when the pressure of said water system drops belou7 its minimum fixed limit, a contact arm and a contact for said switch passingly closed when said switch is actuated to close a momentary energizing circuit for one of said relays, an electric motor-driven pump :tor said water supply system andan enginedriven generator for said lighting system, starting means for said engine closed upon the energization of one of said relays to start said engine to actuate the generator to 4deliver current to said motor-driven pump,

and a circuit for the `second of said relays for maintaining the circuit of said engine and generator for the delivery of current to said battery should its voltage drop below its minimum fixed limit.

7. A control system including a dynamo, a motor and a storage battery, an engine for driving the dynamo, a pressure controlled device, automatic means controlled by said pressure controlled device for starting said engine while said motor is connected to said dynamo, means for automatically'switching said dynamo from said motor to said battery, a dil'ferential relay, anda switchoperatively associated with said relay and sensitive to the charge in said battery to automatically stop said engine.

8. A pressure system, an automatic pressure controlled switch for connecting a. source of current to said system to increase the pressure, a storage battery char ing system, said switch serving on increase pressure to connect said source with said last system, a differential relay and an automatic device operatively associated with said relay and sensitive to the charged condition of said battery to disconnect said source, said source of current being connected to only one of said systems at a time.

Signed by me at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 7th day of November, 1921.

LEROY D. KELLOGG.

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