US1609954A - Automatic controlling valve - Google Patents

Description

ne'c. 7,1926. 1,609,954

J. A. MCGREW ET AL AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING VALVE Filed Jan. 6, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1/0011 I JIM/1M6)? J0me 2 3 C, WM mumm Dec. 7 1926.

J. A. M GREW ET AL AUTOMATIC CONTROLLING VALVE F l 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented as. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. MOGREW Lrinnm STEEL This invention relates to AND JAMES T. LOREE, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO BETH- COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIG CONTROLLING VALVE.

Application filed January 6, 1922. Serial No. 527,302.

automatic controlling valves and more particularly to a control valve for power generating units.

Primarily, our present invention is devised for use in connection with ropulsion units,

nism for vehicle control mechasuch, for

instance, as that isclosed in our Patent No. 1,580,211, issued April 13, 1926. In the application referred to we have described and claimed an improved method and means for controlling the iary or booster whereby the tractive power may effective operation of auxilmotors for locomotives be increased to aid in the propulsion of a train over controlling road gradients or from terminals.

As one of the essential component parts of such controlling mechanism, we

employ a valve w nectcd to parts of for connecting the hich is operatively conthe entrainment gearing booster motor to a (111V- en axle and synchronizing such effective entra-inrnent of the booster motor with the operation of the motor at its maximum power generating capacity.

The subject matter of the present application involves the novel features of this automatic control valve and while we have found admirably adapted. for

that such a valve is use in connection with an auxiliary propulsion unit or booster motor for controlling the latter, it will scription proceeds,

the operation of be manifest, as the dethat our present invention is not necessarily limited in its utility to such specific application and use.

Our present invention broadly comprehends a valve subject to the influence of the steam or other energizing medium of the booster motor for automatically controlling the eifective operation of said motor and which valve is of exceedingly simple construction and therefore positive and'reliable in its functional operation.

With the above and other obj cts in view,

the invention consists in matic controlvalve for the improved autopower generating units and in the form, proportion and relative arrangement of its several parts as be hereinafter more full will described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated claims.

in the subjoined In the drawings wherein we have illustrated one practica ment of our invent l and preferable embodiion and in which similar taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a view showing the improved control valve operatively connected with the shiftable power transmission gear of the motor entrainment gearing and illustrating the valve member in an intermediate position with respect to the supply port leadin to the cylinders of the booster motor.

pon reference to our pending application above referred to, it will be noted that the pressure operated control valve for effecting a synchronous entrainment of the booster motor to the driven axle with the full speed operation of said motor, is interposed in the steam supply line which supp'lies superheated steam from the locomotive power plant to the cylinders of the booster motor. This valve includes a cylindrical casing 5 formed at its-lower end with an inlet neck 6 extending laterally 1 from one side of the cylinder and having a width at its inner end exceeding the diameter of said cylinder, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

he outlet neck or connection 7 is also formed integrally with the lower end of the cylinder 5 and at its point of connection with said cylinder in a plane above the connection of the inlet neck 6 to said cylinder is of awidth greater than the width of said inlet neck, thereby providing pockets or chambers 8 at opposite sides of the cylinder bore and in connection therewith. The vertical height of these pockets at the sides thereof communicating with the extension of the outlet neck 7 is greater than the remaining portions of said pockets. This increase in height is obtained by providing the pockets at their open sides with the downwardly inclined lower walls 9 leading to the outlet neck 7. Spaced webs 10 extend between these inclined sections of the pocket walls and the body wall of the cylinder 5.

' The outlet neck 7 is shown in the drawings as angularly or obliquely extended, though this feature is not esseutial,.as in the various applications of our invention which are possible, it may be found desirable to extend both the outlet and the inlet connections to the valve cylinder in various other an ular directions with respect to the cylinder axis. However, we have found that in order to secure the best results, it is important that the transverse dimension of the outlet neck 7 at its point of connection with the pockets of chambers 8 should exceed the cross sectional area of the cylinder so as to permit of the free movement of the steam into this outlet connection as it passes through said chambers in the movement of the valve member.

The movable valve member is in the form of a piston 11 fixed to the lower end of a rod 12, said rod being guided in its move ment by the cylinder head 13. Between. the cylinder head and the piston 11 a spring 14 is interposed and acts to force said piston downwardl to the normal osition shown in broken ines in Fig. 2 o the drawings wherein communication between the inlet and outlet connections 6 and 7 through the lower end of the valve cylinder and the chambers 8 is closed. v

As shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the driving shaft 15 is operatively connected to the piston of the booster motor and upon said shaft a gear 16 is fixed and in constant mesh with the power transmission gear 17 journalled'in a suitable frame 18 loosely mounted upon the driving shaft 15 for rocking movement. The gear 17 is adapted to be entrained with and disentrained from a gear 19 fixed u on the driven shaft or axle (not shown). t will be understood that this mounting and arrangement of the gear is purely illustrative and in no wise implies any limitation upon the application in use of our improved control valve, since it is obvious that the movable valve piston might be operatively connected to power transmission means assembled and arranged otherwise than as above described. For the purposes of the present explanation it will suflice to state that the upper end of the valve rod 12 is operatively connected to the frame 18 so that in the reciprocating movement of the valve piston 11 in the cylinder 5, the said frame will be rocked or oscillated on the shaft 15 to move the transmission gear 17 either into or out of meshing engagement with the driven gear 19.

Normally, or when steam is not being supplied to the cylinders of the power enerating unit, the valve piston 11 is in t e position indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Upon the entrance of steam to the inlet 6 the steam pressure first acts against the bottom face of the valve piston 11 to force said piston upwardly against the action of the spring 14. It is obvious, therefore, that the frame 18 carrying the transmission gear 17 is rocked on the driving shaft 15. If the teeth of the transmission gear 17 are not in proper registering relation with the spaces between the teeth on the driven gear 19, the continued movement of the valve piston 11 is checked by the peripheral contact of the teeth of the respective gears with each other. This intermediate position of the valve piston we have illustrated in Fig. 7 and it will be observed that the bottom face of the piston is in a plane intersecting the inclined wall portions 9 of the pockets 8 and is spaced slightly above the lower edge of the outlet port. Thus steam in small volume may pass through the outlet 7 and the pipe connection leading to the cylinders of the power generating unit. The steam pressure entering the cylinders, is sufficient to start the o eration of the pistons therein at slow spec thus rotating the driving shaft 15 and imparting rotation through the gear 16 to the transmission gear 17. Instantaneously upon the movement of the teeth of said transmission gear into opposed relation to the spaces between the teeth on the driving gear 19, the steam pressure further acts against the piston 11 to move the same upwardly above the lower walls of the ockets 8 so that steam may freely enter said pockets and pass therefrom into the outlet 7. In this further movement of the transmission gear 17, full entrainment of its teeth with the teeth on the driven gear 19 is effected and simultaneously therewith, the full volume of steam enters the cylinders of the propulsion unit which is then operated at its maximum power generating capacity. In this manner, it will be seen that the entrainment of the power generating unit with the axle to be driven thereby is automatically synchronized with the effective energization of said unit whereby the power generated therefrom may be utilized for the accomplishment of the desired purpose.

In our issued Patents Nos. 1,447,352 and 1,447,353, dated March 6, 1923, we describe and claim an entrainment mechanism for power generating units wherein there is broadly included an automatic control valve actuated by the influence of the energizing medium for the power unit. In the present application we disclose a specific embodiment of this automatic control valve which is herein claimed per se regardless of its particular arrangement in combination with other mechanical elements operated and con trolled thereby.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that by means of our present invention, we insure a proper complete entrainment of the power unit with the driven shaft and entirely obviate liability of stripping the gear teeth or subjecting the parts of the entrainment mechanism to undue strain. It will further be seen that upon cutting 011' the steam supply the spring 14 instantly acts to return the valve piston 11 to its normal position and disentrain the motor from the driven axle so that said axle may continue to freely rotate while the entrainment gearing and the motor or power unit are idle.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of ourimproved automatic control valve will be clearly understood. Owing to the very simple construction of the valve, the passage of the steam to the cylinders is properly controlled for the purposes above referred to in a very positive and reliable manner. The several parts may be produced by simple mechanical operations and are not liable to get out of order even after long continued use so that the necessity of makin repairs will be an infrequent occurrence. e have above described a specific construction of our invention which has been subjected to severe .practical tests and found entirely satisfactory for the purpose in view. Nevertheless, it is recognized that the same end might be attained by alternative mechanica structures wherein the same principle is involved. Accordingly, it will be understood that while we have disclosed herein a preferred form of the device, nu-

(ill

merous modifications may be made in the form, proportion and relative arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:

1. An automatic control valve .including a cylinder having inlet and outlet connections, a piston reciprocating in said cylinder, said cylinder being provided with chambers communicating with the outlet, said outlet between the chambers directly communicating with the bore of the valve cylinder, means co-acting with the valve piston to normally close communication between the inlet and said chambers and yielding to the influence of fluid pressure to initially permit the direct passage of the fluid into the outlet and then subsequently connect said chambers with the inlet to permit the pressure fluid to pass in full volume to the outlet.

2. An automatic control valve including a cylinder having inlet and outlet connections and the cylinder wall provided at opposite sides thereof with chambers directly connecting the outlet with the bore of said cylinder, the capacity of the outlet passage at its connection with the cylinder and the combined capacity of said chambers at their egress sides being substantially equal to permit of the unretarded flow of fluid from said chambers into the outlet passage, and a piston operating in said cylinder and controlling communication between the inlet and said chambers.

3. An automatic control valve including a cylinder having an inlet connection and an outlet connection spaced from the inlet connection longitudinally of the cylinder, said outlet connection at its junction with the cylinder having a transverse dimension exceeding the diameter of the cylinder and providing chambers communicating with opposite sides of the cylinder bore, said chambers having their walls at one side of the outlet obliquely inclined to provide a flaring connection between said chambers and the outlet, and a pressure-influenced piston reciprocating in said cylinder and separating said chambers from each other at the inlet side of the valve, said piston acting in its movement in one direction to progressively establish communication between the inlet and said chambers and thereby control the passage of the pressure fluid in gradually increasing volume to the outlet connection.

4. An automatic control valve including a cylinder having an inlet connection extending laterally from one side thereof, an outlet directly communicatin with the cylinder bore at its opposite si e, said outlet at its connection with the cylinder having a fluid passage of greater width than the diameter of the cylinder and providing fluid receiving chambers each extending partially around the cylinder and directly communicating piston reclprocating in said cylinder operating in its movement in one direction to initially permit of the passage of fluid in small volume directly into the outlet connection, and then subsequently permit the passage of fluid in greater volume through said chambers to the outlet connection.

In testimony that we claim the fore oing as our invention, and we have signe our names hereunder.

JOHN A. MoGREW. JAMES T. LOREE.

with the bore thereof, and a'

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