US1629159A - Automatically-governed condensing device - Google Patents

Description

Patented iay 17,1927.

UNITED STATES- ICE.

EDGAR R. HAWLEY AND CARL SCOTT, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

' AUTOMATICALLY-GOVERNED CONDENSING DEVICE.

Application filed February 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,334.

This invention relates to an automatically governed condensing device, and its principal objects are to provide:

First. Means for automaticall governing the abstraction of heat from a uid.

Second. To so govern automatically, the abstraction ofheat from a fluid that no greater quantity of fluid is drawn from the supply than is actually required to fulfillthe purpose for which the heat from said lluid is used.

Third. Be especially applicable to steam heating systems, where the condensing unit may consist of a radiator.

l ourth. Accomplish its purpose efficiently and'economically.

Fifth. Be simple and durable in operation.

It has come to our attention that in modern steam heating systems there exists a need for an eilicient device which shall automatically control the amount of steam supplied to a heating unit, so that the predetermined heating demand shall always be met, and yet, that no more steam shall i be drawn from the source of supply than is actually needed to satisfy that demand.

Further, such a device must be thoroughly reliable under all circumstances, ,and must not have its operation interfered with, nor 80 be impaired by impurities which may be car? ried by the steam, nor by dirt or grit which may exist in the raidators or other-condensing unit in which the steam is used.

While the present invention is designed to -be particularly desirable in connection with steam heating ytems, its usefulness is by no means restricted thereto.

In accomplishing the objects. previously outlined, the steam is admitted to the radiator through a specially designed valve controlled by a thermostatic element which is actuated by any steam that may have passed through the radiators and escaped therefrom as an excess amount over and above the quantity which the radiator can utilize in its normal functions; in other words, only steam that is actually condensed in the radiator produces its maximum heating effect, and any steam that escapes from the radiator at its discharge, carries heat which represents a loss, therefore, the function of the present invention is to cause such escaping steam to immediately actuate the thermostatic element, thereby cutting off from the radiator any further fresh supply of steam until such a time as the waste steam discharged from the radiator, is substantially reduced to zero.

The features of this invention for which the protection of Letters Patent is desired, are collectively grouped in the claims by which this specification is concluded;

In the drawing, which illustrates merely a limited application of the device, the figure represents a longitudinal vertical center section through the device. I 7

Referring to the drawing, 10, 10 and 10 indicate the successive sections of an ordinary radiator or condensing unit, these being connected to each. other by the nipples 12 in the usual manner. a At l4.is the body of the thermostatic, control valve having the inlet 15 and the discharge connection 16. In the chamber 17 is located the cage 18 within which is operatively disposed the thermostatic element 19. At its lower end the thermostatic element 19 is held sationary by the stem 20, being locked thereto by the nut 20 while above, it carries the stem 21 which is shouldered and secured to the diaphragm 24 by the nut 25. Stem. 21 carries the threaded extension 26, upon which is adjustably secured the valve 27, the latter being locked in place by the nut 28, and arranged to be seated against the lower circumference of the orifice 29.

At is a shut-off valve arranged to contact the seat 31 which is mounted on the threaded enlargement 32 of the stem 34, the latter carrying the rigidly secured wheel 35 for manual or mechanical operation.

The valve body 14. has the terminal neck 36 forming a portion of a union of which the nipple 37, secured by threading in the radiator section 10, forms the other portion, the two being connected by the sleeve nut 38 in the usual manner. Within the terminal neck 36 is the threaded connection or boss 40 arranged to receive one end of the, conductor pipe 41 which is preferably inthe form of 100 a hollow stem having its far terminus in or near the radiator section 10 The nipples 12'and the lower parts of the radiator sections are of suflicient size to provide thev I necessary space around conductor 41;to cause 1 the steam to circulate freely. The lowerpart of the radiator, including the nipples 12, may be regarded as defining a conductor for. fluid, in the present instance, a return con- I doctor, this conductor forming preferably 10 an integral part of the radiator, and leading through the nipple 37, to the outlet passage shown), enters through the pipe indicated by the dotted lines at 45, and follows substantially the course indicated by the. arrows, intoand through the conductor pipe 41, to the far end of the radiator.

The movement of the steam in the radiator is indicated largely by arrows 46, 47 and 48. So long as the radiator has the capacity, to condense the full quantity of steam supplied, the valve 27 remains open to acorresponding extent, but the moment there is an e cess of live steam, this excess ator.

takes substantially the path indicated by arrow 49 and flows through the passage 42 into the chamber 17, where it actuates the thermostatic element 19, causing the latter to push the valve 27 towards its seat, thereby throttling the supply of steam to the radi- The moment, however, that there ceases to be an excess of steam to flow into chamber v17, the thermostatic element 19 responds, and when cooled sufliciently, draws the valve 27 away from the seat, again al lowing an increased volume of live steam to enter the radiator. Thus, the valve 27 fluctuates between the open and closed position in accordance with the condensing capacity of the radiator. Y t

The outlet pipe indicated by the dotted lines 50, leads toany suitable point of discharge and 'may beopen to the atmosphere, if desired. Therefore. any condensate which has a tendency to collect in the chamber 17, runs off freely and may be accompanied by any foreign matter inadvertently collected in chamber 17. Furthermore, the chamber 17 may be easily cleaned by removing the cover 43.

It "is evident that there is practically no waste of live steam and that there are no operative parts of the device whatsoever, which can be affected by dirt or grit or other matter which may accidentally find its Way into the system. While uncond thev condensing unit causes the throttling valve to move towards its seat, it is evident that the cooler air or water of condensation in the system, as the case may be, causes the throttling valve to move away from its seat.

While a specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be clearly understood that all the detailed parts thereof, may, or may not, be shown in the l ensed steam escaping from preferred forms, and further, that the preferred forms may be varied, from time to time as the development of this invention and the arts to which it appertains, progress. Therefore, that which forms an essential and characteristic part of this invention will be readily discernible from the claims in which its spirit is generalized.

Having fully what we claim is:

described" our invention,

1, In an automatically governed condensing device, a chambered condensing unit, an inlet for fluid thereto, a closure for said inlet, thermostatic means for operating said closure, a conductor for fluid extending from said inlet to a part of the condensing unit remote from said inlet, said conductor being located within the condensing unit, an

outlet being contiguous to and structurally integral with said admitting means, and a thermostatic control for said admitting means, said thermostatic control being arranged for actuation by condensate passing beyond said outlet.

3. In an automatically governed condens- I ing device, a; chambered condensing unit, a

conductor for fluid extending into, and through the major portion of, the said condensing unit, an inlet valve arranged to control passage of fluid through said conductor, thermostatic means for actuating said valve, and means for causing any fluid passing through and beyond said conductor to influence said thermostatic means.

' 4. In anautomatically governed condensing device, a condensing unit having defined integrall therewith a chambered portion arrange to serve as a conductor for fluid, another conductor for fluid located within said chambered portion, and thermostatically actuated means arranged to be operated by temperature changes in fluid discharged from the condensing unit, for the purpose of maintaining given temperatures within said condensing unit.

5. The combination with a chambered condensing unit, of a body having integrally defined therein, a fluid-supply compartment, a fluid waste compartment, a thermostatically. operated valve positioned to control passage of fluid through the supply compartment, a conductor for fluid extending from said supply compartment into and through the major part of said condensing unit, an.

outlet from said condensing unit into said waste compartment, and a thermostat located within the said waste compartment, the combination being so arranged that the thermostatic operation shall be caused by tempera.

,therein, of a conductor for fluid extending into and through the major portion of said assage, a thermostatically actuated throtting valve located to control passage through the fluid conductor, and a waste conductor.

arranged to relieve the condensing unit of fluid, movement of said throttling valve being governed by temperature changes in the fluid passing through the said waste con ductor.

7. ,The combination with a condensing unit, of a conductor for supplying steam thereto, said supply conductor located wholly -within the condensing unit, a waste conductor in communication with said supply conductor, said Waste conductor located wholly within the condensing unit, a ther- Inostatically operated throttling valve to control passage through the supply conductor, the thermostatic efl'ect being due to temperature changes of fluid discharged from the said waste conductor, said valve bein arranged to supply steam to the eondenslng unit in proportion to the condensate load placed upon the condensing unit, but preventing the escape of any substantial amount of steam into the waste conductor.

8. A throttling valve having a body, a radiator operatively associated therewith, means for defining a passage for conducting fluid from said body to substantially the far end of said radiator, and means for defining a second passage for conducting fluid from the far end of said radiator back to the said body, both said passages lying wholly withinthe radiator, but the defining means of one passage located inside the defining means of the other passage.

9. A Valve body comprising an inlet compartment having a valve therein, a waste compartment having a thermostatic element therein, said thermostatic element being 3,1: ranged to actuate said valve, a terminal integral with said body, a chambered condensing unit connected to said terminal, a hollow stem having one end thereof disposed within said terminal and arranged to conduct fluid from said inletcompartment {to a remote portion of said condensing unit and a passage defined within the said'terminal exterior to said stem. the said passage being arranged to conduct fluid from the condensing unit into the said waste compartment.

In testimony whereof, we sign our names hereto. 7

' EDGAR R. HAEY.

W, SCOTT.

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