US1781494A - Superheater-unit-testing device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1930.

G. w. cARRl GAN v SUPERHEATER UNIT TESTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 11, 1930.

Filed Dec. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 11, 1936) rarnnr FFEQE GEORGE W CABRIGAN, OF CLEBURNE, TEXAES SUPERHEATER-UNIT-TESTING DEVICE Application filed. December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,688.

-My invention relates to a device more particularly adapted for testing the superheater units employed in locomotives and has for its object the provision of a device which may be easily and quickly applied to and as readily removed from the ends of superheater units for the purpose of testing same before installation; a devicewhich will be positive in its testing operation.

I am aware that various devices are at present inuse for superheater unit testing, but

said devices are of such construction that much time is lost in their-operation.

"While my invention is especially intended for locomotive superheater unit testing, it is apparent that my improved device may be used in other connections and operations.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be readily comprehended from the de- 201 tailed description of the accompanying drawings. wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view, with portions in section, of my improved device and portions of the fluid or medium supply lines broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device shown applied to the ends of a superheater unit of which intermediate portions are broken away.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4C is a sectional and side elevation of my improved device shown applied to the ends of a superheater unit of which portions are broken away. r

Figure 5 is a view taken substantially along the oiiset line 55 of Figure 1, as viewed by 40 the arrows.

Figure 6is a sectional view takensubstantially onthe line 66 of Figure l, as viewed by. the arrows.

In the particular exempliiication of the 5 invention as disclosed in the drawings, A

illustrates a superheater unit, the intermediate portion whereof is broken away; the unit being provided with the two ends 10 and 11 and these ends provided with the usual super- 50 heater unit clamp 12 employed in the installation of the unit to hold the unit in place when in service on alocomotive.

i The ends 10 and 11 of the superheater unit are usually provided with the enlarged portions 13 which are seated in the usual washers 14 for effecting fiuid-tight connections when in service. The outer ends of the superheater units are provided with rounded enlargements or heads 15 for a ground oint connection with the superheater header not shown; the rounded heads beingiintended to receive a gasket 16 of leather or anyother suitablematerial for effecting a water-tight joint with the tester now to be described.

My improved tester comprises a closed chamber 17 which is surrounded by a cylindrical piston 18, having a fluid-tight relation with the walls of the chamber 17 by means of a suitable packing 19 of proper form and suitable material and held in place by plate 20 shown bolted to the end wall of the chamber 17 by bolts 21. The end wall of the chamber 17, which is provided with thepaclc ing 19, is provided with a port 22 which permits fluid to flow from chamber 17 into the closed end of the cylindrical piston. 18.

The base portion of the chamber 17 is provided with ports 23 and 24; the port 23 receiving one end. of a pipe 25, while the port 24 receives one end of a pipe 26; the two pipes being shown threaded into the ends of the ports. The outer end of pipe is connected to one outlet of a three-way valve 27; while the outerend of pipe 26 is provided with a discharge plug valve 28 having an operating handle 29 for controlling outfiowinto discharge pipe 30 which may lead to a container or other suitable point of discharge.

One end: of the three vay valve 27 has a connection 31 which, in turn, connects with a water supply line 32 which leads to a suitable source of fluid or water under pressure. The other end of three-way valve 27 is provided with a connection 33 having an air supply conduit or pipe 3 1 connected thereto and lead- 1 in g froma suitable source of air under pressure. i i y l The connection at the end of fluid pipe 32 is provided with a P1136 havlng a threeway valve 36 which has a pipe 37 whose oppovalve 86 is in the position shown in Figure 8;

. The side wall of the cylindrical piston 18, on oppositesides, is provided with suitable brackets 89, 89, for the purpose-of pivotally securing the anchors or clamp members 40,40. The upper ends of the anchors 40, 40 are shown preferably bowed inwardlytoward each other and are formed with hand-grasping portions 41; while the lower or opposite ends are provided with inwardly disposed hook portions 42, which are adapted toengage beneath the usual, superheater un t clamp member 12. The anchors 40, 40, inter-,

mediate of their pivotal points 48, 48 and the hook ends 42, 42, are shown provided'withapertured lobes 4.4 to receive a suitable contractingspring which normally draws the hook ends 42 into .engagementwith the underside a line or pipe for conveying the fluid-to any of the unit. clamp member 12, as shown in the drawings. I

The three way valve 86 is provided with a discharge outlet 46 which may connectwith suitable source. of storage or waste.

My improved. tester is a portable device in- Htended for testing large 'numbersof super-.

heater units clustered on the shop floors or trucks for the purpose of determining whether theunits are leak-proof before installationfon locomotives; and in orderthat the tester may be moved it is, of course, necessary that the pipes 82' and 84 be provided with suitable flexiblef'connections, such as hose, flexible conduits or joints. 7

a In operation, it .will"be"understood that pipe 82 is connected with some suitable fluid supply, preferably water under pressure;

while pipe 84 is:connected with a suitable I supply of air under pressure valve 27 it being understood should initially be closed.

' Thesuperheater unit clamp member 12is.

arranged at the ends 10 and 11 of the superheater unit A, asshown in the drawings, and

my improved testing device is then. applied with theheads or enlarged portions of the superheater unit ends arranged in thesockets or enlarged 'orifices of the ports 28 and 24in V I the base ofthe chamber 17 as shown in the drawings, with a suitable packing element or washer therebetween'so-as to provide a fiuid- 1 7 v .27 is then set so as to bring its ports into tight seating.

' In order to hold theloosely mounted superheater unit clamp element '12 in proper posiof handle members or vbars 48, 48, pivotally' connected together at 49 and havingj aw'portions formed to encircle-'oriit' about the roundend of one of the superheater units,

tion while applying my .testingdevice, 1

prefer to employ the clamp member shown at 47 r in Figures 1 and4, which consists of a pair charge pipe 80.1

as shown in Figure 4'. The jaw portions.

50 are'held'in gripping relation with the superheaterunit end by means of a spring 51 (see Figure 1). With this clamp placed beneath the superheater clamp element 12, 6 1

it is apparent that the latter will be held in place at the enlarged ends of the super heater unit 'A until the testingdevicehas been put into place. Thls permits the operator to use both hands in applying and mainpulatmg 7 the testing device; the temporary clamp ele- Q 1 ment 47 may be removed after the testing device has been applied to the superheater unitiA. n p p r r The testing. device is applied by grasping 89 handles 41, 41 of the. anchor member 40 and drawing the handles together so as to separate the jaw or hook ends 42 so as to enablethese hook ends 42 to be placedaboutthe s'uperh'eater-unit clamp element 12, with the; 35 hook ends engaging therebeneath, as shown in the drawings. Valve 86, is then opened to allow water,or other suitable fluid'which is under a suitable pressure, to flow through pipe 87 and into chamber 17 The water isiioo allowed to fill chamber 17 and to flow through port 22"into'the piston 18. This will build p a pressure in cylindrical piston18 and cause it tojmove upward. I

As the anchor members 40, 40 are pivotallyf connected to the piston 18 by the brackets 89.

the anchor will-likewise moveupward and thereby draw the enlarged ends of the superheater unitA firmly into the socketed or enlarged orifices of ports 23 and 24 in the lm bottom of the testing device and provide water-tight seal. g i p Valve 27 is now set so that itsports will register with the water pressure. pipe 82 and with pipe 25, thus allowing the water to passTios through port 28 and intoend 10 of the superheater unit A. l As soon'as the superheater unit A is filled, the water'-or other medium-will flow out of superheater unit end 11, throughport 24; 11o into, pipe 26. Before opening valve. 27, which is controlled by handle '27, it will be understood that valve 28 is opened. As soon as 'the water' discharges through. pipe 8.0, valve 28, operated by handle 29, isthen closed alfi thus causing pressure to build up in the superheater unit equal to the pressure in supply line 82, thereby providing effectual testing means for leaks'in the superheater unit.

' When the. testhas been completed, valve j unit A will force the water out of the superheater unit and through pipe "*26 and disv The three-way valve 86, operatedby'handle a 36, is then closed against inflow of the water from pipe and connection 37, into the chamber 17; the valve 36 being set so as to allow the water to discharge through outlet 46 thereby relieving the pressure on piston 18 and hence release the clamped relation be tween the device and the superheater unit;

permitting the anchor member to be released and be applied to the next unit tobe tested. The water coming from the cylinder may be conducted to some suitable container to prevent wasting if desired.

I have shown what I believe to be a desirable form of my invention, which I have described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

lVhat I claim is 1. A device of the character described comprising ported means adapted to receive the orificed ends of a superheater unit; a pressure medium receiving conduit communicat- I ing with one port of said means; a discharge conduit communicating with the other port of said means; means, operable by a medium under pressure, whereby said ported means and the superheater unit are clamped a together; and controllable means whereby a fluid under pressure and compressed air are alternately admitted to said pressure me dium receiving conduit.

2. A device of the character described comprising a pressure medium receiving cham ber; a piston operable by the medium entering said chamber; anchor elements pivotally carried by said piston; a pressure medium re ceiving member adapted to register with one end of a superheater unit; adischarge member adapted to register with the other end of the superheater unit; and means having communication with a pressure fluid supply and a compressed air supply and with said pressure medium receiving member whereby a pressure fluid and compressed air may alternately be admitted to said pressure medium receiving member.

3. A device of the character described comprising a member provided with a pair of fluid conveying channels having flared orifices to receive the headed ends of a superheater unit; a pressure fluid supply line and a compressed air line means for selectively r placing said lines in communication with one of said channels; a fluid receiving chamber; a piston reciprocably associated with said chamber; a pair of jaw members connected with said piston and adapted to engage with the superheater unit, whereby movement of the piston induced by admission of fluid to said chamber will draw the headed ends of the superheater unit into the orifices of said channels; and means for controlling outflow through the other of said channels.

4. A device of the character described comprising a chambered member provided with a base having a pair of ports; pipes secured to one of the ends of each of said ports; a cylindrical piston slidably surrounding said member in fluid-tight relation therewith; the upper end of said chambered member having a port whereby fluid is admitted into the piston; controllable means whereby a fluid and compressed air are alternately admitted to one of said pipes; a pair of superheater unit engagingmembers pivotally secured to said piston whereby upward movement of the piston will hold the superheater unit ends against the ports in said base; and controllable means for admitting fluid into the chambered member.

5. A device of the character described comprising a closed chamber provided with an outlet port in one end wall and a controllable inlet; a piston telescopically mounted over the outlet port end of said chamber in fluidtight relation therewith; a pair offluid conveying conduits secured to the opposite outer sides of the chamber; controllable means connected with one of said conduits whereby fluid under pressure and compressed air may alternately be admitted to said conduit; a pair of jaw members connected to opposite sides of said pistonso as to move therewith; means for forcing the jaw ends of the jaw members toward each other, whereby the ends of a superheater unit are held in position beneath the ends of said conduits; and means for controlling the outflow from the other of said conduits.

GEORGE W. CARRIGAN.

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