US1738052A - Inset valve for radiators - Google Patents

Description

C. D. HICKMAN INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5. 1922 3 .Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESS:

INVENTOR A TT ORNE Y 1929; c. D. HlCKM-AN ,738,052

INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5. 1922 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 3, 1929. I c, K N 1,738,052

INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wl TNESS; I I N VEN TOR %Zf4ib mzm A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSET VALVE FOB. summons Application filed August 5, 1922. Serial No. 579,926.

My invention relates to steam and hot water radiators and more particularly to means for inclusion of the inlet and thermostatic out-let valves or return traps within the body of the radiators.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide an improved radiator at once easy and inexpensive to manufacture and adapted to adequately and efiiciently meet the needs of service.

A further purpose is to provide an improved inlet valve within the radiator operated by short angular throw of the lever and adapted to remain stationary against the pressures of radiator practice.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claim.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention in a few forms only among the many in which 2 it may appear, applying these forms to the diiferent types of radiator in general use, selecting forms that are easy to manufacture, well adapted to meet the needs of service, and that well illustrate the principles involved.

Figures 1 and 2 are end and side elevations respectively illustrating my invention in a column form or radiator.

Figures 3 and 4: are end and side elevations of my invention in a wall type of radiator.

Figure 5 is a broken sectional elevation upon line 5--5 of Figure 2 to somewhat enlarged scale, illustrating a form of thermostatic outlet valve.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary sections 35 upon the lines 66 and 7-7 respectively of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of Figure 2 upon line 8-8 but omitting the piping and to enlarged scale. I

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section of Figure 4 taken upon the line 99 to enlarged scale, and shows the inlet valve.

Figure 10 is a section of Figure 9 upon line 1010.

Figure 11 is a section similar to Figure 9 of another form of inlet valve.

Figure 12 shows my invention in side elevation in branch Ts or manifolds used with pipe coil radiators.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of my invention illustrating an inlet near the middle of the manifold.

Figure 14 is a top plan view illustrating my invention in the manifolds of pipe coil radiators, in this instance intended for ceiling use. 5

Figure 15 is a horizontal section of Figure 12 parallel to the plane of the paper and toenlarged scale.

Figure 1.6 is a section of Figure 15 upon line 1616.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary vertical central section of Figure 13 parallel to the paper to enlarged scale.

Figure 18 is a section of Figure 13 upon line 18-18, omitting the piping and to enlarged scale.

Figure 19 is a section of Figure 1 1 through the middle of the inlet valve in the plane of the paper.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts in all figures.

Effort has been made in the illustrations to indicate that my invention is suited to all steam and hot water types of radiators, however placed, though I have shown the invention in a few standard types only.

Referring to the drawings and describing in illustration and not in limitation 2 Prior to my invention it has been usual to supply individual radiators with an inlet valve for hand adjustment of the maximum flow of heating medium that may enter the given radiator and, where the system admits of it a thermostatic outlet valve or return trap intended to allow of condensation without unduly wasting steam. However, both inlet and thermostatic outlet valves have been made external of the radiator and the result has been that they not only occupy considerable space, making them unnecessarily in the way, but also they have had to be shipped separate ly from the radiator, to be installed after the radiator has been set up, and when installed are subject to accident by reason of being exposed and relatively unprotected. They have added unnecessary parts, as compared with mine and, being exposed toview, have had to be suitably and more or less expensively finished. i

I have discovered that these valves may integral therewith. I thus do away with the need for more or less expensive valve finish, greater number of parts, do away with the necessity for shipping radiators and valves separately-or. for installing the valves on the radiator after the radiator has been received, save expense for installation, do away with the requirement for valve space at the radiator thus permitting given available space to have a larger radiator or a iven radiator to occupy less space, and in a dition to this protect the valves effectually from accidents during service.

In the column form of radiators shown in Figures 1 and 2, the radiator comprises suocessivesections 36 in. conduit connection at the bottom or at top and bottom, the sec-' tion atone end being provided with inlet omineotion 37 and thesection at the other :end with anoutlet connection 38.

The inlet connection 37 is tapped into the inlet compartment 39 which communicates at an angle with the inlet connection through the valveseat 40 into the main portion all of the interior of the radiator.

This is best seen in Figures 6 to 8. The valve. 42has a stem 43 extending through the removable plug 44 with the lever 45 outside the plug for operating. The forward portion soot the plug is provided with steep internal threads. 47 and 48 which mesh with the respective ends of the pin 49 through the stem. 7 Packing 50, made tight by means of gland nut 51, prevents the valve from leaking and is made sufficiently tight to avoid any variation in position of the valve by reason of the pressure upon its disc.

The outer face 52 of the removable plug 44 is preferably provided with a series of holes. 53, a stop pin 54 adapted to fit in any one of these holes, limiting the opening position of the Operating lever 45 and thereby the maximum flow into the radiator. The arrangement is thus one in which the inlet valve may be set. to any one of the maximum flows that correspond to the different positions of the stop pin.

- It; will be noted that the use of the compartment makes it possible to have the valve seat face the side or end of the radiator section S0 as to provide for convenient and efactive finishing of the valve seat through the opening and at close range, improving the character of the seat and reducing the cost and'length of the valve operating parts. The seat can thus be cast into the radiator section integral with the compartment and tinished in position and the plug which closes the opening giving access to the valve seat can be used to carry the valve and operating arts. P Where the inlet opening is in the bottom of the radiator the valve-seat can face either the side or end of the radiator section. Where the inlet is in the side or end the valve seat faces the end or side respectively. This construction places a premium upon having the axis of the valve seat perpendicular to the axis of the inlet to the compartment though variations from this structure are permissible and would obtain a part of the benefitof my complete invention.

The same discussion regarding the relative location of the parts, access to the valve seat for finishing and access to the valve as well as the angular relations and positioning of the exterior connection and valve face which have been given above with respect to the inlet valve apply also to the outlet valve and would apply to any outlet valve which might be used. Because of the modern trend toward thermostatic outlet valves the illustration of the outlet valves have been restricted herein to thermostatic valves.

One thermostatic valve is shown in Figure 5, a broken sectional elevation of Figure 2 upon line 5-5 to enlarged scale. The thermostat is here shown as located within the main part of the radiator section, but this is obviously not essential. The thermostatic element 55 may be of any of the various forms. For convenience in illustration 1 have shown it as a metal tube returning upon itself, bent to an ellipse and of elliptical section and containing suitable liquid and saturated vapor, such as alcohol, ether, carbon tetrachloride or other volatile fluid. One end (along its minor axis) carries the valve 56 which is loosely pivoted at 57 and resiliently held vertical by the spring 58. The tube at the other end of its minor axis is rigidly connected to the upright lug 59 which is integral with the radiator. Vertical adjustment is provided. Adjustment longitudinally along the minor axis of the elliptical annuloid tube in practice need be very slight and may be disregarded. It may be made by changing the thickness of the washer 60.

The seat 61 of the thermostatic valve opens into the outlet compartment 62 and is preferably cast integral with the radiator. The removable plug 63 provides access to the thermostatic valve, for inspection or removal.

My invention is shown in a wall type of radiator in Figures 3, 4i, 9, 10 and 11.

The radiator 35 comprises sections 36' in conduit connection at top and bottom, and is provided with inlet connection 37 at one end and outlet connection 88 at the other.

The inlet connection 37' is tapped into the inlet compartment 39 which communicates at an angle to the inlet through the valve seat 40 into the main portion 41 of the interior of the radiator.

The inlet valve 42 shown in Figures 9 and 10 is the same as already described in the column type of radiator. The short operating lever is adapted to easy operation by the foot.

The inlet valve as shown at 42 and 42 depends upon the tightness of the packing to prevent the closed valve from opening of itself by reason of the greater pressure upon its inlet side. While this form is inexpensive and effective, the gripping pressure of the packing upon the stem in time lessens with use with the result that the nut 51 has to be occasionally tightened and at intervals additional packing has to be added to the gland.

In Figure 11 the valve is shown in a form that practically avoids this necessity for occasional tightening of the packing gland. The stem s3 is made in intersliding interlocking portions '4, 65. The inner portion 64 is non-circular, as square, and slidingly fits into the recess 66 in the inner end of the outer portion 65. The steep internal threads 47 48 and the pin 49 are as already described.

The removable plug 44: is counterbored at 67 to provide a gland for the outer portion (35 of the stem, which is externally circular and provided with the flange 68 fitting the counter-bore and engaging and pressing upon the soft metal ring 69 at the bottom of the ccunterbore. *Within the counterbore be tween the flange and the gland nut 51 I place preferably resilient packing The outer portion of the stem is rigidly connected to the operating handle 4:5 the noncircular portion 70 of the member 65 fitting through the corresponding non-circular aperture through the handle and held in place by nut 71 on the threaded end 72 of the member 65.

Evidently there is no longitudinal motion of the member 65 and the result is that the longitudinal pressure of the resilient packing upon the flange 68 remains practically unchanged almost indefinitely.

In shipping a radiator provided with the inlet valve, the valve handle will usually be taken off to avoid risk of breakage in shipment.

The inlet valve shown in Figures 15, 16 is essentially that of Figures 79 though placed somewhat differently, viz, placed in the inlet compartment 39 rather than in the main interior portion 41 of the radiator. An advantage of placing it thus Within the inlet compartment rather than within the radiator proper is that there is no tendency for the valve to open of itself when closed. Description of Figure 7 reads also to Figures 15, 16 when using subscript 3.

The inlet valve shown in Figures 17 and 18 at the middle of the manifold of the figure and in the inlet compartment 39 is essentially the same as that of Figures 15 and 16 and, using subscript 4, the same description applies.

The inlet valve shown in Figure 19 is generally the same as those in Figures 15 and 16 and 17 and 18 and the same description applies using subscript 5.

In view of my invention modifications and variations will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to meet particular needs or individual whims, and I claim all such modifications and variations in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The combination of a radiator, a main inlet valve seat therein near the bottom of the radiator, a valve disc therefor, a valve stem, a plug removably screwed into the radiator and at its inner end supporting the stem, a steep internal thread in the forward end of the plug and surrounding the stem, a lateral projection from the stem meshing with the thread, a sleeve coaxial with the stem and axially intersliding therewith and circumferentially interlocking therewith about the intersliding end thereof and of circular external section, a counterbore in the outer end of the plug about the sleeve, a flange on the sleeve approximately fitting and near the botton of the counterbore, packing between the bottom of the counterbore and the flange, a gland nut adjustably threaded to the plug, coaxial with the sleeve and adapted to approximately close the counterbore about the sleeve, resilient packing between the gland and flange, and means for rotatating the sleeve at will to operate the valve.

CHARLES D. HIGKMAN.

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