US1645076A - Fluid pressure system - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11,1927.

H. W. SHONNARD FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM Filed Aug. 2, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR H. H/ 5Ho/vn/A 0 ATTORNEYS I 1 645 07 Oct. 11, 1927. H. O AR I 7 6 FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM I Filed Aug. 2, 1924 5 Sheet-Sheet 2 Z0 ATTORNEYS Oct. 11, 1927.

H. W. SHONNARD FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM Filed Au jzf 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

'UNHTED STATES :.PATE.N'PT caries.

HAROLD W. SHONNARD, F MONTOLAIB, NE'W JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ELEVATOR SUP- PLIES COMPANY, INC, A CORPOEATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUID ranssunn SYSTEM.

Application filed August 2,

This invention relates to, fluid pressure systems and particularly to such systems as are adapted for use in operating elevator doors and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide control means for such a system whereby a comparatively small actuating force will render effective a considerably greater op- -'er'ating force.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide control means which are quick and certain in operation.

Another object is to provide control mechanism which is light in weight, which occupies a minimum amount of space, and which is economical of the operating fluid.

An important feature of the invention consists in the provision in a fluid pressure control device of means whereby the supply pressure is utilized to operate the control valve thereof. to render the fluid pressure alternately effective and ineffective upon the pressure operated mechanism. Another im- 'portant feature consists in the provision of means of this nature which are adapted to conserve the supply of fluid to the greatest possible degree.

Other objects and important features of the invention will appear in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

While the invention is capable of being applied to a large variety of uses it will be described particularly applied to fluid pressure operated devices for opening and closing elevator gates and doors, both electrically and manually. In all electrically actuated fluid pressure systems it is, of course. desirable to reduce the operating cost to a minimum and therefore, other things being equal, the smaller the actuating force which is required the greater will be the commercial success of the device. In devices for operating elevator doors, however, there is another advantage, namely, that by reducing the amount of force required to actuate the device the size of the actuating solenoid and the members assoi'lfltfid therewith may be materially reduced so as to decrease the weight of the device and thus the weight which it necessary 'or the elevator to lift. As will be seen rom the following specification,- moreover, device such as is contemplated by this inventii ii. eaceedinely simple, so tha the Serial No. 729,855.

entire device can be made very lightin weight "and small in size so as to be well adapted for. use in elevators or elsewhere where either a light or a small device is necessary or desirable. It should be noted, moreover, that the advantages of the invention are not only inherent in electrically operated devices, but also in manually opdevice such as contemplated by my inven-- tion will beexceedingly economical of the fluid furnishing the pressure, since only a ve small amount of such fluid can escape during the operation of the device.

A particular embodimentof the invention suchas is adapted for use in connection with elevator door operating mechanism is shown in the accompanying drawings, in.which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the control mechanism on the lines l1 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a section of the control mechanism on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section of the control mechanism on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the fluid pressure operated mechanism together with a circuit arrangement for use in connection with' the control mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to the lower part of Fig. 2, showing an alternate construction for the valve head.

In the preferred form of my invention, as illustrated by the particular embodiment thereof shown in the drawings there is provided a supply connection 10 leading to an inlet passage 12 in the valve casing 11 ,mounted on'the underside of anelevator 37 which opens into a pressure chamber 1 1. The members forming the walls of chamber 1% comprise, in the constructionillustrated .by Figs. 1 and 2. a corrugated flexible cylinder or sylphon 15. a head-piece 18 of a valve member 20, and an annular casing section 21. The sylphon 15 extends between the headpiece 18 and the casing section 21, and is adapted to permit a free movement of valve kage of fluid no t: eeaiag while preventing any m chamber 14. A port nects the chamber 14 with a valve chamber 23 which is formechin the particular embodiment of the invention shown, by making a cylindrical cut through a wall 24 which is secured to the bottom of casing section 21, leaving a portion of wall 24 in the form of an arcuate partition 24, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. There is thus provided an annular spacecompletely surrounding the valve stem connects to thefluid pressure operated mechanism, illustrated as an ordinary pneumatic elevator door opening and closing device 32 comprising a plunger 33 which is shown in Fig. 4 as adapted to reciprocate in the cylinder 32 mounted on the elevator 37 and connected by means of a link 34 and a bell crank lever 35 to a door or gate 36 of the elevator.

Valve member comprises a stem 39 which extends downwardly from the headpiece 18 through chamber 23 and which, in

the preferred form of my invention, is provided with a sleeve 40 havingradially ex- 1 tended guide ribs 41 unrestricted passage of the fluid to and from the pipe around'the valve sleeve is thus afforded. There are formed on stem 39 on either side of the easing section 24 an upper valve disc 42, and a lower valve disc 43, which discs are so positioned that they will seat respectively against the upper and lower surfaces of the casing section 24 so as to close opening 22 when the valve member 20 is lowered and to close opening 26 when the valve member 20 is raised. There is provided thus, a valve chamber having oppositely disposed inlet and exhaust'openings and a valve member which is adapted to close these openings alternately. V

The head of valve member 20, comprising head-piece 18 and sylphon 15, is set in a counterpressure chamber 45 which is con nected to the inlet passage 12 by means of passageways 47, an auxiliary valve chamber 48, and a bypass 50. An inspection of Figs. 1 and 2 will make it evident that the extent of surface on'the head of valve memher 20 exposed to a pressure medium in 1 chamber 14 is exactly equal to the extent of surface on this member exposed to pressure from a pressure medium in counterpressure chamber 45, except for a surface equal in extent to the cross'seotional area of stem 39 with its ribs upon which surface the downward pressure of a pressure medium in chamber will be unopposed, so that a greater effective surface will be presented to a pressure medium in counterpressure chamber 45 than is presented to a medium in pressure chamber 14. Thus, when both these chambers are filled with fluid at the supply pressure the valve member 20 will be held in its lower position with valve disc 42 against casing section 24 to close opening 22 and with valve disc 43 away from the casing section 24 to open opening 26.

There is provided in the auxiliary chamber 43 a port or opening 51 into an escape passage 52 which opens into a chamber 53 provided with an exhaust opening 54. An auxiliary valve member 56 is provided to close opening 51, and in the preferred form of my invention is provided with a stem57 which in section in the form of a cross so as to be guided in passages 52 without closing the same. There is also provided means for closing the opening 61 between chamber 43 and bypass which, in the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, consists of a ball 60 adapted to be driven into a recess 59 at opening 61, by the downward movement of valve member 56 so as to prevent any escape of the supply fluid through by-pass 50 when valve 56 is opened. There is thus provided means by which openings 51 and 61 may be alternately closed by the movements of the valve member 56. The ball 60 and the valve 56 with its stem 57 are made light enough so that the pressure of the supply fluid in passage 50 and chamber 48 will normally be sufficient to force the ball 60 against valve 56, which may be provided if desired for this purpose with a recess 63 in its lower surface, and to hold valve 56 upwardly against its seat. The means for moving the valve 56 downwardly to open opening 51 and to thrust ball 60 into its recess 59 comprises, in the particular embodiment of my invention shown, a toggle member 68. The base of the toggle 68 is carried on a horizontal resilient strip or spring member 67 extending above the head 62 of the stem 57 and is maintained in operative alignn'ient therewith by means of a pin 64 which is slidably set in a vertical groove 65 in a casing member 66. The head 69 of toggle 68 is rounded and extends between the bearing surfaces 71 and 72 of a horizontally slidable toggle-actuating plunger 73 and is heir! against the head 74 of an opposing toggle member 75, which is pivoted on a bracket 77, by the tension of spring 67. Toggle members 68 and 75 are set so that they will normally form an angle toward bearing surface 71, or to the right as the toggles appear in Fig. 2, so that upon movement of plunger 73 to the left the toggle members will be straightened out to move toggle 68 downwardly against'the'tension of spring 67 and ill) against the head 62 of stem 57 to move valve member 56 away from its seat. As the movement of plunger 73 to the left is continued, the valve member 56 will press the ball 60 into recess 59 so as to close opening 61. There is thus provided means for opening the port 51 so as to permit escape of the fluid pressure medium from chamber 18, and by the same movement of stem 57 to tightly close opening 61 so as to prevent any flow of the fluid pressure medium from the chamber 12 through by-pass into the exhaust chamber 53 and thus to conserve the supply fluid to the greatest possible extent. A subsequent movement of the plunger 73 to the right will move the toggles so that they will again form an angle with each other so as to relieve the pressure upon spring 67. The tension of this spring will then move the toggle 68 upwardly so as to permit the pressure medium in by-pass 50 to again lift the ball and the valve 56 with its stem 57 to open opening 61 and to close opening 51.

When the movement of the plunger 73 is to be controlled manually, the plunger may be equipped with an arm 7 8 extending out of the casing of the control mechanism, which arm may be actuated by any suitable means. In the particular embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, the arm 78 is equipped with a pair of yoke collars 79 and 80 which are placed in the path of movement of a yoke 81 carried by a bellcrank lever 82, which is pivoted on a bracket 88 carried by the casing of the control mechanism. The lever 82 is connected by means of a link 84 to a bell-crank lever 85, which usually will be carried on a pivot 86 which is inside the elevator, the operation of the doors of which is controlled by the control device. Lever is provided with a handle 87. by the movement of which the operator may control the movements of plunger 73. The horizontal movement of plunger 73 is limited by a stop 89, shown at the right in Fig. 2, and a stop 90 at the left.

The toggles must, of course, be made of suriicientsize so that a tight closure of opening 61 may be secured when plunger 73 is a 'ainct stop 90, and in order to allow for mechanical inaccuracies in the size of the toggles and their associated parts, and in order to prevent the racking of the mechanism as the toggles are straightened out, the bracket 7'? is not afiixed solidly to the casing on the device but is provided with a cushion seat which as shown consists of a coil spring 91 which is held between the heat of a springholding member 93, which is screwed in a casing section 94, and the spring seat 95 surrounding the stem 96 ot the bracket 7'7, which stem is slidably Set into an opening in the bottom of member 93. The spring 91 is made sufliciently strong so that it will press the toggle members downwardly when they are straightened out with sufiicient force to hold the ball 60 against its seat at opening 61 against the supply pressure tending to force the ball upwardly and yet sufiiciently rcsilient to provide the necessary cushionseat tor the mechanism.

While my invention is well adapted to be embodied in a inanually-actuated control device, it will probably find its most common application in electrically-actuated control devices which are provided with manually-controlled actuating means which may be used in case'the electrical means fail, for any reason, to operate. The control device shown in the drawings is equipped with a larger solenoid 98 positioned at the left of the toggle members, and a smaller solenoid 99 positioned at the right. The solenoids 98 and 99 are provided with cores 101 and 102, respectively, and in the preferred form of my invention the toggles 68 and 75 and the plunger 73 are formed of magnetic material so that a complete magnetic circuit may be formed through these members and the core of either solenoid. The toggles and the plunger thus act as an armature for the solenoids, so that when solenoid 98 is energized the plunger will be drawn to the left and the toggles will be straightened out, and as solenoid 99 is energized the plunger will be drawn to the right and the toggles will tend to form an angle.

A circuit arrangement through which solenoids 98 or 99 may be energized is shown in Fig. 4 A lead 10% extends from a main 105 to a two-way switch 106, which is usual ly placed in the elevator the door of which is to be operated so as to be under the control of the operator thereof. Switch 106 is provided with a contact 107 from which a lead 108 extends through terminals in a terminal box on the side of the control device. and through a. resistance 109 to sole-- noid 98, and thence by lead 111 to a conductor 112, through terminals in terminal box 100, and to a main 115. From the other contact 117 of twoway switch 106. a lead 118 extends through terminals in be 100 to a resistance 119, which is connected to solenoid 99 from which a lead 116 extends to conductor 112. I I

In 5 there is shown an alternate arrangement at the head of valve 20 in which the sylphon 15 is dispensed with. In place of the sylphon there provided a cupped packing120 which is held firmly between a head piece 121 on the valve 20 and a disc 122 by means of screws 123. The cupped sid-es'ot the packing extend along the inner cylindrical walls oil a hollow casing section 12 1 in which pressure chamber 14 is formed and are held there-against by the pressure medium in. chamber 14, the edges of the cup a In being preferably beveled asshown in order to still further assure a tight closure of this chamber. The walls of the counter-pressure chamber 45 are formed by the upper inside walls of ca singsection 124 and by the top of disc 122, and the cupped packing together with its holding members is slidable along the inner walls of the cylinder as the valve member 20 is raised and lowered.

It is believed that the O eration of the control device shown will be readily apparent from the above description. The device is shown in the drawings in a closed door position in which the valve 56 is closed with pressure in the chamber 48 to hold the valve to its seat. The compressed fluidfills passage 12 and bypass 56, and will bear against the ball so as to thrust this ball upwardly into recess 63 and to force valve member 56 against its seat at opening 51 where it will be held by the supply pressure until the toggles 68 and are operated. Chambers 45 and 14 will then both be filled with the fluid pressure medium, and because a larger pressure surface is presented by the head of valve member 20 to the medium in chamber 45 than is presented to the medium in chamber 14, the valve member 20 will be held downwardly to maintain opening 22 closed. The control device will then be in readiness to be actuated by the operator. In order to actuate the particular device illustrated the operator will move handle 87 to the left, or will move switch 106 so as to close the contact 107, and will thus either mechanically or electrically cause plunger 7 3 to be moved to the left and the toggles to be straightened out against the tension of spring 67 so as to thrust stem 57 and valve member 56 downwardly to open opening 51 and to thrust ball 60 into recess 59 to close opening 61. The chamber 45 will then exhaust throu h aassa res 47 chamber 48 and n z: a a passage 52 so as to relieve the pressure upon the larger pressure surface of the head of valve 20, opening 61 being closed so as to prevent any additional pressure medium be coming effective against this surface. The pressure of the medium in chamber 14 will then be sufficient to raise valve 20 so as to open opening 22 and to close opening 26. As the opening 22 is opened the fluid pressure medium from the supply will flow through passage 12 and chamber 14 over the top of wall 24 into valve chamber 23, and thence through. pipe 30 to the operating member 32 to operate plunger 33 to open the elevator door 36 shown of the wicker type. The pressure thus admitted to the plunger will hold it raised until the operator desires to close the door 36, he will move handle 87 to the right, or will move switch 106 to close contact 117, and will thus cause plunger 7 3 and the heads 69 and 74 of the toggles to be 7 moved to the right so as to relieve the pres opening. 7

. to be again forced upwardly by, the pressure of the medium in passage 50 upon the ball 60. The opening 51 will thus be closed so that the supply pressure will be re-established in chamber 45 and will bear against the larger pressure surface on the valve member 20 so as to thrust the valve member 20 downwardly to close opening 22 and to cut 0d chamber 23 from the supply. The downward movement of the valve 20 will also open opening 26 to provide an exhaust for chamber 28 and pipe 30, so as to relieve" the pressure in the operating mechanism 32 to permit the door 36 to close, spring means being provided in member 32 above the plunger 33 for this purpose. ,7

- While the invention has been described as embodied in a particular manner, it will be understood that it is by no means limited by such an embodiment, but it is adapted to be employed in control devices of varying constructions and types.

-' What is claimed as new is:

1. In a fluid pressurecontrol device, a pis ton, an expansible chamber, a supply of fluid, a valve chamber, a pair of oppositelydisposed openings therein one of which forms an outlet and the other of which communicates with the supply, a valve member having two discs for alternately closing said openings, a third opening in said valve chamber communicating with said expansible chamber, a pressure surface on one of said discs exposed to the supply pressure whereby said outlet opening may be closed, a larger and opposing pressure surface on said disc. facing into a counter-pressure chamber, an auxiliary valve chamber communicating with said counter-pressure chamher, an upward exhaust opening in said auxiliary valve chamber, an oppositely-disposed downward opening therefrom into a passage connecting with the supply, a recess at said downward opening, a ball adapted to fit into said recess to close the downward opening but to be pushed upwardly therefrom by the supply pressure, an auxiliary valve member adapted to beseated at said upward opening to close the same, and to be held against its seat by the supply pressure against said ball, and means for moving said auxiliary valve member and said ball downwardly to close said downward 2. In a fluid pressurecont'rol device, a piston, an expansible chamber, a supply of fluid, a valve chamber. a pair of oppositelydisposed openings therein one of which forms an outletand the other of which comchamber communicating with said sible chamber, a pressure surface on one of said discs exposed to the supply pressure whereby said outlet opening may be closed, a larger and opposing pressure surface on said disc facing into a counter-pressure chamber, an auxiliary Valve chamber communicating with said counter -pressure chamber, an upward exhaust opening in said auxiliary valve chamber, an oppositely disposed downward opening therefrom into a passage connecting with the supply, a recess at said downward opening, a ball adapted to fit into said recess to close the downward opening but to be pushed upwardly there- 'rom by the supply pressure, an auxiliary valve member adapted to be seated at said upward opening to close the same and to be held against its seat by the supply pressure against said ball, electrically-actuated toggle means for thrusting said auxiliary valve and said ball downwardly to close said downward opening, and a cushion seat for said toggle means opposing the operating seat thereof.

3. In a fluid pressure control device, a valve chamber, a pair of opposite-disposed openings therein, one of which forms an outlet and the otherof which communicates with the supply, a valve member for alternately closing said openings, a third opening in said valve chamber communicating with an operating connection, a pressure surface on' said valve member exposed to the supply pressure, whereby said outlet opening may be closed, a counter-pressure cha1ner, a larger and opposing pressure surface on said valve member against which the fluid in said counter-pressure chamber is free to act, a passage connecting said counterpressure chamber with the supply, another passage from said counter-pressure chainber to the exhaust, a mechanically unattached valve member controlling said firstnamed passage, other means controlling said second-named passage, said unattached valve member being normally held from its seat in its associated passage by the pressure of the fluid in said passage, and means for forcing said unattached member to its seat against the pressure of said fluid whereby communication is cut off between said counter-pressure chamber and supply, said last named means also serving to open said second-- named passage to exhaust.

Signed at Hoboken, New Jersey this 31st day of July, 1924.

HAROLD WV. SHONNARD.

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