US1814074A - Throttle valve operating mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 14, 1931. J. a. BLUNT ET AL THROTTLE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1929 OM85 uh BY Ffoyer rue/ old ATTORNEY July 14, 1931. J. G. BLUNT ET AL THROTTLE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed July 29. 1929 2 SheetsSheet 2 Fl en.-

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A' ORNEY Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oar-ice JAMES G. BLUNT AND ROGER W. CLIFFORD, SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK I THROTTLE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM I Application filed 'J'uly 29,

This invention relates generally to throttle valve operating mechanisms, and more parpressure, but, in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted, through the instrumentality of a single hand lever, to control a fluid motor for normally operating the throttle valve, and in the event of failure of fluid pressure, to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a throttle valve operating mechanism of the type indicated, wherein the fulcrum points of the hand lever will be automatically changed in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure, to provide increased leverage enabling the throttle valve to be cracked or initially opened with greater expedition and with less exertion of physical energy than is possible under prior and present practice;

Further objects of the invention are to provide a mechanism of the type indicated which is economical to manufacture and maintain, which has a minimum number of parts, which effects a material economy of space in the cab, and which is of increased efficiency in operation.

Other objects of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 and 1a are views in side elevation showing the invention applied to a locomotive boiler; Fig. 2 a side view partly in elevation and partly in section, and on an enlarged scale, of the throttle valve control mechanism shown-in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a front end view, in elevation, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the quadrant and throttle lever removed; Fig. 5 a vertical, transverse section, taken on the line V-V of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 a vertical transverse section taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 2;

1929. Serial no. 881,821.

Fig. 7 a longitudinal, vertical section taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 an enlarged fragmentary view, showing details of the hand lever latch mechanism; Fig. 9 a transverse, vertical section taken onthe line IX-IX of Fig. 8; and, Fig. 10

a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line X-X of Fig. 4, showing details of the pressure fluid connection to one of the cylinders and of the means for attaching the re- 00 movable cylinder head.

In the practice of the invention, referring descriptively to the specific embodiment thereof which has been selected for exemplification herein, the throttle valve 1 is nor- .6 mally operated by a fluid pressure motor 2,

controlled by an auxiliary valve 3, which in turn is controlled by a hand lever 4.

The fluid pressure motor comprises two axially aligned suitably bored, spaced cylinders 5 and 5a, and a piston element embodying two balanced pistons 6. and 6a, one fitted for reciprocation in each of the cylinders. The cylinders are formed in an integral casting, which also embodies a bed plate 7, 7i and the seat 8, of the auxiliary control valve 3. Removable heads 56 are fastened to the ends of the cylinders by bolts 50. The piston element is also formed as an integral casting, and comprises a stem 9, connecting the pistons and embodying two parallel bars 10, spaced apart to provide a slot 11, through which the hand lever 4, passes. The hand lever is pivotally connected to the stem 9, by a pin 12, which passes through the bars 10 and the lever, and has extended ends to which are connected the rear ends of a yoke 13, that straddles the cylinder 5a, and has its forward end connected to a throttle rod 14.

The auxiliary valve 3 for controlling the movements of the piston element to effect the desired adjustments of the throttle valve, comprises the seat 8, a removable casing element 15, a disc valve 16, a stem 17 for oscil- 05 lating the disc valve, a follower 18, and a spring 19, interposed between the follower and an end of the casing element, and adapted to press the disc valve snugly against the seat 8. Rigidly fixed to the valve stem 17, is a 1 lover arm 20, which serves to oscillate the disc valve to adjusted positions. The valve seat is formed with three ports 21, 22, and 23. the port 22, being disposed intermediate the others and exhausting to the atmosphere, and the ports 21 and 23 communicating with pipes 24 and 25, respectively, which lead, re spectively, to the outer ends of the cylinders 5 and 5a. The valve disc is provided with a central channel or recess, adapted, upon selective movements of the disc,to permit exhaust of )ressure fluid from one or the other of the cylinders through the ports 21 and 23 and out to atmosphere through the port 22. By referring to the drawings it will be obvious that the valve disc is adapted to be moved to a central or neutral position where equilibrium of pressures on the pistons will be established and movement of the piston element arrested, with consequent maintenance of the throttle valve in any particular position of adjustment selected; to a throttle valve opening position, where pressure Wlll be exhausted from the cylinder 5 and additional pressure admitted to cylinder 5a to effect the. desired degree of opening of the throttle valve; and to a throttle valve closing position, where pressure will be exhaused from the cylinder 50. and additional pressure admitted to cylinder 5 to effect the desired degree of closure of the throttle valve.

To provide for limiting the degree of oscillation of the disc valve, the lever 20, is formed at its bottom with a depending lug 26, which is disposed between the abutments 27 and 28, integrally formed with the cylinder casting. The lever arm 20, of the auxiliary valve is pivotally connected at its up per end to one end of a link 29, by a pin 30. The other end of the link 29 is pivotally connected by a pin 31 to the upper end of a hand lever 4. In the event of failure of fluid pressure, contact between the lug 26 and abutment 28 will occur after the throttle valve has been initially cracked, thus making the pin 31 the fulcrum for the hand lever.

It is well known that certain types of throttle valves are unbalanced in a way to insure their positive closure and that relatively great pressures are required to crack or open them, and that once they are opened, considerably less power will suffice to effect further opening.

In view of these well known conditions, the present invention provides, in the event of failure of fluid pressure to the cylinders, for increasing the leverage of the hand lever 4, to enable the throttle valve to be initially opened or cracked by the expenditure of a minimum amount of manual power. To this end, the hand lever is provided, intermediate the pivot pins 31 and 12, with an abutment 32 adapted to fulcrum on an adjustable abutment 33, when in emergency the lever is moved to initially open the throttle valve.

The adjustable abutment 33, comprises a bolt 34, which passes through a bore in a lug 35, formed integral with the cylinder casting. Fitted between the head of the bolt and the lug 35 is a spacing washer 34a. To efiect various adjustments of the abutment 33, spacing washers of different thicknesses, or a variable number of washers may be used. After the throttle valve is cracked, the hand lever will pull the lever arm 20, to a position where its stop lug'26, will contact with the abutment 28, whereupon the fulcrum point of the hand lever will be changed from the abut-' ment 33, to the pivot pin 31. By thus varying the effective leverage of the hand lever, so as to coincide with the varying power requirements to effect manual operation of the throttle valve, the throw of the hand lever is confined to a limit suitable for the space available in the cab.

In order to adapt the hand lever 4 to assume the positions necessitated by the changes of fulcrum point, a pivotal member for convenience hereinafter termed a quadrant 36, is employed. This quadrant has one of its ends pivoted between the jaws 38, and its other end slidably fitted between the jaws 39. A latch guide 40 is pivotally connected to the hand lever 4, by a pin 41, and is made of greater breadth than the hand lever to provide ample contact with the quadrant to facilitate relative pivoting movements between itself and the hand lever. The latch guide is formed at one end with a groove 42, in which the lateral flange 37 of the quadrant is fitted, and at its other end with a lug 43, which spaces the guide from the hand lever toinsure free sliding movement ofthe latch 44, and also serves as a guide for the latch. The latch is formed with a guide slot 45, in which the lug 43 fits, and is connected by a link 46 to a hand operable bell crank lever 47.

The operation ofthe mechanism is as follows: Assuming that the parts are in total throttle valve closure position, and that proper fluid pressure is present for operating the motor, when the hand lever 4 is moved bac ward, it fulcrums on the pin 12, moving th valve disc 16 to throttle opening position. After the desired opening of the throttle valve has been substantially accomplished, the hand lever is locked to its quadrant 36, by the latch 44, and in response to a slight continued movement of the pistons 66a, will pivot on the pin 41, until the valve disc 16 is restored to neutral position, where the pressures acting on the pistons will be balanced, and the throttle valve held positively in the desired adjustment. The various closing adjustments of the throttle valve are similarly efi'ected by reversing the movement of the hand lever. In the event of failure of fluid pressure, the throttle valve is cracked open by moving the hand lever until its abutment 32-, contacts with the abutment 33, whereupon the hand lever will fulcrum on the abutment 33, affording sufliciently increased leverage to enable the throttle valve to be opened with a minimum of manual exertion. After the valve is cracked, the fulcrum point of the hand lever is changed to the pin 31, the lug 26 having come into contact with the abutment 28. It will be obvious that the shifting of the fulcrum points is made in accordance with the power requirements, and serves to confine the throw of the lever to desirable limits.

Fig. 10 of the drawings illustrates a novel, economical, and eflicient means of connecting the pressure fluid pipes and the removable heads to the cylinders. In such construction the cylinder casting is formed with a lug 48, having a cylindrical bore 49, into one end of which is welded the pipe 25, and into the other end of which is threaded the cylinder head fastening bolt 50. Intermediate the opposed ends of the pipe and bolt a passage 5d is provided to lead pressure fluid from the bore to the inside of the cylinder.

The present invention can be applied to existing locomotives having the throttle operating rod located outside the boiler, by

shortening the rear end of the throttle operating rod and substituting a suitable supporting bracket in place of the existing throttle lever fulcrum bracket.

Particularly novel features of the present invention are the provision for increasing the leverage of the hand lever to effect cracking of the valve by manual power in the event of failure of fluid pressure; the use of a pivoted quadrant adapted to compensate for the variations in leverage; the pivoting of the hand lever to the quadrant to enable the hand lever to pivot in response to continned movement of the pistons to restore the auxiliary valve to neutral position; and the four cooperative pivotal connections embodied in the mechanism, viz, the quadrant to the cylinder casting, thequadrant guide to the hand lever, the piston element to the hand lever, and-the auxiliary valve to the hand lever.

\Vhile one of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been shown, it is obvious that many variations in procedure, form, arrangement, and construction of parts can readily be made, and therefore the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but includes all such changes and modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant supported to permit relative movement between it and the piston element; a hand lever operatively connected to the auxiliary valve and to the iston element and adapted to move the auxiliary valve to piston element moving positions and to a neutral position where movement of the piston element is arrested; and means pivotally connecting said hand lever to selective points on the quadrant to permit said lever to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position.

2. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressurethe quadrant to permit said lever to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position.

3. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant; and a hand lever operatively connected to the auxiliary valve and the piston element, and connected to the quadrant to permit the lever to fulcrum at its point of connection with said quadrant to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position, said quadrant having a connection permitting it to move to maintain operable engagement with the lever.

(L. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant pivotally mounted at one end independently of said piston element whereby said quadrant is permitted movement to and from said piston element; and a hand lever operatively connected to the auxiliary valve and the piston element, and connected to the quadrant to permit the lever to fulcrum at its point of connection With said quadrant to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position.

5. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a hand lever; and a quadrant movable relative to the piston element and in a direction substantially longitudinal of the lever, the said hand lever being operatively conneetedito the auxilia valve and the piston element, and connecte to the quadrant to permit the lever to fulcrum at its point of connection with said quadrant to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position.

6. In a throttle valve operating mechanism, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant supported to permit relative movement between it and the piston element; a guide slidably mounted on the quadrant; and a hand lever operatively connected to the auxiliary valve and adapted to move the same to piston element moving positions and to a neutral position where-movement of the piston element is arrested, said hand lever being operatively connected to the piston element, and connected to the guide to fulcrum at the point of connection with said guide, thereby permitting said lever to return the auxiliary valve to .neutral position. I

7 In a throttle valve operating mechanism,'the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve movable from neutral position for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant pivotally mounted at one end independently of said piston element, whereby said quadrant is permitted movement to and from said piston element; a guide slidably mounted on the quadrant for movement to selective positions thereon; and a hand lever operatively connected to the auxiliary valve, the piston element, and the guide, said last connection providing a fulcrum to permit said lever to return the auxiliary valve to neutral position.

8. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by fluid pressure and in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; a throttle rod connected to the piston element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a hand lever pivotally connected at one point to the piston element and at another point to the auxiliary valve; and means adapted in emergency to form a fulcrum for the hand lever intermediate the two mentioned pivot points, when the hand lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closure position.

9. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by fluid pressure and in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the thottle valve by manual pressure, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; a throttle rod connected to the piston element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a quadrant; a hand lever pivotally connected at spaced points to the auxiliary valve, the piston element and the quadrant; and means disposed in the path of movement of the lever adapted to-form a fulcrum therefor intermediate the auxiliary valve and piston element pivot points, when in emergency the hand lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closure position.

10. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by uid pressure and in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embody- 1ng a piston element; a throttle rod connected to the piston element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a hand lever; 21 quadrant adapted to move in a direction longitudinal of the hand lever, the said hand lever being pivotally connected at spaced points to the auxiliary valve, the piston element, and the quadrant; and means disposed in the path of movement of the lever and adapted to form a fulcrum therefor intermediate the auxiliary valve and the piston element pivot points, when in emergency the hand lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closure position.

11. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a. throttle valve by fluid pressure and in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying a piston element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the piston element; a hand lever; a quadrant adapted to move in a direction longitudinal of the hand lever; a guide slidably mounted on the quadrant, the said hand lever being connected at spaced points to the auxiliary valve, the piston element, and the guide on the quadrant; and an abutment disposed in the path of movement of the lever and adapted to form a fulcrum therefor intermediate the auxiliary valve and the piston element 'pivot points, when in emergency the hand lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closure position.

12. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by fluid pressure and in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure to operate the throttle valve by manual pressure, the combination of a fluid-pressure motor comprising two spaced cylinders and a piston element having two pistons, one fitted for reciprocation in each of the cylinders; an auxiliary valve for controlling fluid in the cylinders; a control lever for operating the auxiliary valve; a pair of spaced stops for limit- III ing movement of the control lever; a quadrant, pivoted at one end; a hand lever; a link pivotally connected to the hand lever and to the control lever; a hand lever to the piston element; a pivot pin connecting the hand lever to the quadrant; and means disposed in the ath of movement of the hand lever and a apted to form a fulcrum therefor intermediate the pivot connections to the link and the piston ele-' ment, when in emergency the hand lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closure position.

13. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by fluid pressure, and, in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure, to operate the throttle valve by manual force, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying an element actuated by said pressure; a throttle rod connected to said element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the application of fluid pressures to the motor; a hand lever having operable spaced connections with the auxiliary valve and throttle rod; and means disposed between the connections adapted in emergency'to form a fulcrum for the hand lever when said lever is initially moved from total throttle valve closed position.

14. In a throttle valve operating mechanism adapted normally to operate a throttle valve by fluid pressure and, in the emergency of failure of fluid pressure, to operate the throttle valve by manual force, the combination of a fluid pressure motor embodying an element actuated by saidpressure; a throttle rod connected to said element; an auxiliary valve for controlling the a plication of fluid pressuresto the motor; a and lever having operable spaced connections with the auxiliary valve and throttle rod; and a pair of means, one being disposed closer to the "said connection with the throttle rod than the other, the one of said means disposed closer to the connection being adapted in emer gency to form a fulcrum for the hand lever when the same is initially moved from total throttle valve closed posltion, and the other one of said means forming a fulcrum for the said hand lever during subsequent throttle valve opening movement.

JAMES G. BLUNT.

ROGER W. CLIFFORD.

pivot pin connecting the

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