US1623399A - Water-softening apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 5 1927.

c. P'. ElsENl-IAUER WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS 'Filed JulyZG, 1926 -2 sheets-sheet 1 INVETOIL cf/nms P. Huw/muffe.

ATTORNEYS.

'a yielding diaphragm 6.

Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED lsf'rafrl'zgs" PAflfal-Z'lT oFFlcE.

CHARLES P. EISENHAUEB, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE DURO COMPANY, 0F DAYTON, OHIO,- A CORPORATION 0F OHIO. i

. WATER-sorrENING. arrazaa'rus. v

application med' July 2s,j1s2e.l seriai1 No. 124,932.

My invention relates to water softening apparatus andin particular to equipment used with automatic water softening apparatu's.y v A My invention is particularly adaptable to that type of water softeningbapparatus, which Ais more fully set' forth and described in my co-'pending application Serial No. 491,580.'v

The particular invention involved this application relates to the operation of the brine valve and the refill valve and the control thereof. L

'It is my object to provide an interlocking j float vcontrol mechanism by lwhich the refill valve and brine valve may be both locked in a predetermined position.

Referring to the drawings:

Fi re 1 isa section through the unitary 17-from the passageway in the pipe 1. This.`

16. To this valve stem passes-through'the pipe 17 forming a continuation ofthe brine l line and into theinterior thereof.

A `artition 18 is arranged transverselyin l this ine separating it from the pipe 19 which leads into the brine tank. IA valve seat 20.is provided in thel partition about the aperture 21 therein, the lower side of which valve seat is adapted to be engaged by the valve 22 carried on the valvestem 8 to close the opening 2 1.

Returning to the other side of the mechanism, it will be observed that a valve member 23-known as 4the rell valve is'providedy for closing Aan opening 24 in a-partition 25 Whlch separatesthe passagewayxin the pipes valvemember 23 is carried on a refill valve comblnation of a relill valve and brine valve with associated passageways and -mecha- Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figurel 3 is a Section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on the line of Fi re 3.

eferring to the drawings in detail, 1 is 'a brine line, through which either Vpasses brine or water to'reill the brine tank.' 'In this line is connected at 2 av pipe 3, which 4- communicates the pressure on the side of the `softener .to the diaphragm chamberl. This" .diaphragm chamber has its topformed by the housing 5 and bottom gformed by the This diaphragm engages with aplate 7 carried on the upper end of a valve stem yCflllfllillg the valve stem 26`by engagingA i S'of the brine valve.' This valve stem also.

carries a locking plate 9 which is engaged by a spring 10 resting on thel shoulder 11 whichfserves to maintain the valve inclosed position. The `locking' plate 9 is .also en- 38 is also connected to the f gagedby the locking head of the plungerlQ,"v

the@ o erationof which will be more fully vdescri d hereinafter. i

.Returning to the packing 13 held in position brine valve Stem 8', it will be observed that .it passes throuhaac g stem 26.,

The valve stem passes upwardly through spring 29 in a cage 30. '31 is a valve spring with a locking plate 32 which iscarried on the -valve stem..` vOn the upperend of the valve stem is a plate 33 engaging with a' yielding diaphragm 34 forming the bottom of .al refill valve diaphragm chamber 35. Communicating with this chamber is a pipe 36 which leads from the master control valve part of the water not shown, which. is a softening` apparatus.

The refill valve is the locking plate' 32. The plunger 3.7@ pivoted at 39 and having connected thereto a float arm 40, the free end of which carries the usual float inl-thebrine'tank. This arm plunger 12in the following 'manner'. v

The lunger 12 is guided therein shoul ers 42'thereon workin inthe slots 43 V'engaged by an rarm 38.

l adapted to be locked in' position byv theA plungerY 37 engaging with A 4sleeve 41'is carried .on the plunger 38 within which sleeve'4 moves the plun erv12. Y

y the of." the sleevef41. Ihe outsi e of thissleevemv .is threaded at- 44' and carries athimbley45 through the free end of which the plunger 12 zis. adapted .to freely, operate. Between the f l I outside end of this thunble and an abutment a vpacking'27, a gland 28 within a packing loo Operatie/iz.

When the apparatus ceases its softening operation and 1s converted into regenerating. position, it will be found .that the pressure which has existed in the line 1 of water has been communicated through' the pipe 3 to the diaphragm Vchamber 4 and has been maintaining the brine valve 22 Open. The locking plunger 12-has, as a result, moved into 'locking position and locked this valve Y open. l

` Thus, when the regeneration starts, whichl consists of drawing brine water through the pipe 19, ,pipe 17' and pipe 1 into the system, Adue to the action of the injector in the system, the brine valve will be open to allow `the passage of liquid. At the same time, the liquid pressure which is behind the diaphragm 6 will be decreased due to the 1n- ]ecting 'action and the suction on the Water in the neighborhood of the opening 2 of the i 3. p ressure will be set up in the line 36am the diaphragm'chamber 35 due to admission of such pressurev through 'the needlepcontrol valve of the system. This results in depressing the diaphragm 34 and locking plate 32. This results in thev plunger 37 moving into locking position as lthe float and float arm descend. Itis obvious that it is not desired to withdraw the plunger .12 so that the 1 yielding connection between the two plungers, as, shown in Figure 3, is desirable permittipg both plungers to remain in locking Y positron, while their overall length increases between their respective ends.

The continued descent of the float and iloat arm eventually, when sufficient brine has been extracted from the tank, cause the arm 38` to withdraw the plungerl 12, which permits of the shutting of the valve 22.

The depreion of the diaphragm 34has opened the refillvalve 23 permitting the con- -tinuous flow 'of brine from the'brine tank..

lV-hile the brine is shut off, water is run- I ning through the 'system to flush out the brine and when this ceases the softener is drawn over to softening position with the res ult that the pressure 1s decreased in 'the line 36 and increased or set up .in the chaine,

ber'4 through thel line 3vso that the valve' 22 is held open by this pressure, and the valve `23 .can close `if it is unlockedby' the lock 37. This results inboth valves 22 and .l l 23"being open permittingthe' water to flow `into the brine tank. 1,

This causes the am 'to ns in theank with the result that thelock 37 is pulled out 23 is closed, thus shutting o a further supply of water from the brine tank.

lt will be understood that, when" this reL filling operation starts, the valve 23 is held open by hydrostatic pressure andthe valve 23 is locked open.

lt will be understood that l desire to cornprehend within my invention such modifications as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a water softener, 'a refill valve, a brine valve, means to deliver hydrostatic pressure to open the refill valve, means *to deliver hydrostatic pressure to open the brine valve, locking means for said respective.l

2. In a water softener,aretill valve, a brine valve, means to deliver hydrostatic 'pressure to open the refill valve, means to deliver hydrostatic pressure to open the brine valve, locking means for said respective valves, a

common iioat actuating means for said locking means actuated by the level of brine in a brine tank, and a brine line adapted to convey brine in one direction' and relill water in the other direction controlled by said refill and brine valves, and means to yieldingly vary the distance bet-Ween the ends o f said locking means. v

l3.4 In a water softener, a brine valve and a refill valve, a pipevvay for conveying brine water and refill water controlled byA said valves having a brine supply at Aone end .and a softening apparatus at the vother end, a line for conveying hydrostatic pressure to operate the brine valve extending from' the pipe line on the side of the softener to behind vthe brine valve, a second hydrostatic line adapted lto be connected to the incomingA water of the softener and to the refill valve ffor actuating the reiill'valve, interconnected locking means for said respective valves to lock them open and a common -ioat means adapted to alternately actuate said locking means, and yielding means for returning said valves to their closed position.

4. In a water softener, a pipeline adapted v to convey brine water and-refill lwater con nected on its respective sides to a brine tank and a softening apparatus, transverse partil 'tions in said pipe iine having apertures therethrough and valveseats therein, a relill valve and a brine valve adapted to close said *Y I passageways, yielding means for closing said valves, locking means for locking. said valves open, diep lur'ag'msn connected to said respective valves for receiving hydrostatic p ressure Ato open said valves, means for conveym hyrme drostatic pressure to a point behind the valve from e point between the softening apparatus and the refill valvein the pipe line, means to convey hydrostatic pressure from the incoming hard Water of the softener to behind the rell valve and float means su'pported in a brine supply for alternately actuating Sad locking means. y

5. In combinatiom spaced refill and brine valves controlling a pipe, a, pipe, hydrostatic and yielding means for actuating said valves, one of said hydrostatic means deriving its pressure from the pipe and the le other from pressure exteriorly of the pipe, interconnected locking means for locking said valve members open, e common float member for alternately locking and unlocking Said locking' means, and means for varying yield- 20 ingly the overall length between the-ends of said locking'means.

n testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

CHARLES P. EISENHAUER.'

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