US1848243A - Method and apparatus for automatically controlling the character of discharge from alpha multifluid pumping system - Google Patents

Description

L L. CORC AUTOMATICALLY ROM A MU ORAN 1,848,243 CONTROLLING THE CHARACTER OF LTIFLUID PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 7, 1930 March 8, 1932.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGE F Mafia)- Zen 13* L Caz-cord 27 WWW (Ittornegs Patented Mar. 8, 19321 umrsnf"ST TES:

LEWIS n con-ocean, or JACKSON Erasmus, NEW'YORK, ASSIGNOR' To THE UNITED snares eases comrannor new YonK, N. Y., A conromrron OFPENNSYLVANIA Marisol) AND arranarus non. anromrronnm"ooNTnoLLiNo THE CHARACTER or.

DISCHARGE FROM A MULTIFLUID PUMPING SYSTEM" Application filed February 7, 1930. Serial No. 426,618.

This invention relates to pumping systems of the type in whichm'ore than one distinct fluid is drawn into the system and thereafter forced. into a single conduit wherefrom the commingled fluids may be discharged under pressure for exterior use. More particularly, this invention isconcerned with pumping systems in which a liquid and a gas are sepa-- into a storage reservoir in which a volume of air under pressure is maintained above the liquid level for forcmg water into dis- -1 tributing pipes when the pumping apparatus is idle. In systems of this type the pumps usually are electrically controlled by mechanism responsive to reservoir pressures, it being desirab-le'to start the pumps only'at. in-

"1 time that a faucet is opened to withdraw water from the system. Various methods have been devised for replacing the lost air with atmospheric air, oneof which consists in admitting air as wellas water to the pumping apparatus which normally deliversinto thereservoir, and controlling said air admission in'accordance with the demandsjof the reservoir. 3 The latter method and system therefor'are enerally satisfactory except when such a condition arises that a faucet is opened while the pumping apparatus happens to be recharging thereservoir, or the pump begins to operate while someone is drawing water through the faucet.

V 1 Should someone open 'a faucet whenothe then suddenly empties frequentintervals and between such inter-- pump isoperating, the entrained compressed air in thedelivery'side of the system (outsidethe reservoir, and particularly in the air chamber of thepump) has a tendency to expand suddenly and cause fluid to be re leased through the faucet withsuch force as to. damage or knocka receptacle out of the hand of the faucet operator. Furthermore, the water continues to flow from the faucet with sufficient entrained air to cause an irregular-flow with attendant gushing and splash; ing ofiwater over a relatively'large areafsurrounding. the faucet; At frequent intervals the airchamber becomes filled with air and itself through the open faucet. mf j 1 Accordingly, it is a-primary object of my invention to remedy the above mentioned defects anddisadvantages. I

, It is an object of this invention todevise' v I a method, and apparatus therefor, for automatically controlling thecharacter of the fluid discharged from a multi fiuid pumping system. i More specifically, it iszan object of this invention to control the admissionof a gasinto a combined liquidandgas pump ing apparatus in accordance with theposicharge side'of the pump to atmospheric pressure. I

Another object ofthe invention is to provide, 1 in a water supply system of the reservoir type in which air and water are pumped into the reservoir, means responsive to faucet manipulation to shut off the air intake when the liquid pump is running with the faucetopen, and to open the air intake when the pump is running with the faucet closed. In this connection, it is a further object to convert any system 'a-lreadyin use intoone of the foregoing. nature by the additionofa pressure-responsive valve in the air intake line.

It is also an object of my invention to provide :a novel type of two-fluid pressure-re sponsive'valve assembly which shall bev'of simple and inexpensive design and which shall embody a valve unit easily removable for replacement/or repair;

.tion of a valve which opens or closes the dis- I Other and further objects will become apcharacters designate like parts, numeral 3 1 indicates the floor line upon which the system ismounted as,ior example, the floor of a basement supporting the working apparatus which supplies water through distributing lines to faucets throughout the rooms of the building above. Numeral 4 designates the base of a pumping unit which comprises a flywheel 5 (driven by an electric motor, not shown) for operating a conventional liquid pump 6. having an air dome or chamber 10. The pump receives water through. a supply pipe 7 and discharges itinto a delivery line comprisingapair ofshort pipe sections 8 and 9 respectively connected through a four-way coupling :11 and in communication with a main'distributing pipe 12 that is threaded into said coupling. Various branch lines. one of which, 13,v is shown, lead to supply valves in the nature of faucets 'l4.- With the pump running, it a .faucet is open, some of the liquid is pumped directly from a pipe 8 through the pipes 12 and 13 to'the faucet; but when all faucetsare closed the discharge of the pump passes directly through pipes 8 and 9 to a reservoir 15 to be stored therein for subsequent use beneath a predetermined volume of compressed air. The air serves, when its pressure is high enough and'the pump is not operating, to expand and forcethestored water upwardly through the system for use at the faucets. Any conventional PIGSSUIEsIG- sponsive controlling device not shown) may be connected to thereservoir to start and stop the electric, .motor in well known manner.

A pair of conventional check valves 16 and 17 are disposed in pipe sections 8 and .9 respectively. The valve116 closes pipe8 when the -liquid-level-controlled device may be em pumpis idle and openswhen the pumpexerts' a dischargepressure above that maintained in the reservoir. Valve 17 opensline 9 when the'pump is idle, and likewise maintains line 9 open when the pump is running with all faucets 14:.closed, but closes the line 9 when the pump operates with faucet .14 open.

Mechanism is provided for maintaining an adequate air supply in the top ofthe reservoir, including an air line 18, 19 through which atmospheric air may be drawn into the snifter valve 21 on the intake side of the pump and thereafter delivered under pressure, along ,with the discharged water, throughpipes 8 and 9 intothe reservoir. .A

ployed. of the :type fully disclosed and claimed in apending-application Serial Number 316,041, filed October 30, 1928, for the purpose of regulating the admission of air from the atmosphere into line 18, 19. Briefly described, this comprises a valve 22 which is opened and closed by an arm 23 as the latter is oscillated by a float 24 when the liquid level rises and falls respectively. The element 25 is a gauge for indicating reservoir pressure. I

It-may happen that a faucet 14 is opened during one of the periodic intervals that the pumpis operating to replenish the supply of water in the reservoir, at which time the atmospheric air valve might also be open. Under such condition, if the air pipes 18 and 19 were in direct communication with each other, theair collected in the pump chamber 10and entrained in the distributing pipes, would suddenly tend to expand to atmospheric pressure and spurt from the faucet with :great force, and would also cause a splashing and spattering of water, with periodic gushing of-pent-up air, as long'as the faucetremained open. To correct this defect in exist ng systems I have provided means for cutting off the air supply as follows:

A spccial valve assembly 26 (see also Figure 2) is inserted in the air line 18, 19. This assembly comprises a pair of castings 27 and 28, the upper one 27 of which is provided with an annular locating boss 29 which bears against a washer 31 and the periphery of a diaphragm 32. These parts are maintained in sealing engagement by machine screws 33. The castings are shaped to provide chambers 34 and 35 in which the diaphragm may flex in response to pressures. The upper casting is provided with a nipple 36 which may be screwed into the lower s'de of the four-way coupling 11, and an interior passageway 37 extends from one end of the nipple to the other whereby chamber 34 is always in communication with the interconnected ends of pipes 8, 9, and 12.

The lower casting 28 receives an elongated threaded valve hous ng 38 which is detachablv scaled and locked in position-by a soft washer 39, a hard washer 41 and a lock nut 42, and which has a nipple extension 43 to which air pipe 18 is connected by a-coupling 4A. A passage 45 through the valve housing 38 places pipe 18 in communication with diaphragm chamber 35. A similar passage 46 y and a nipple coupling extension 47 are emvalving element 5 4 forcedby springer) against said seat 49 to maintain the valve closed. By pressing downwardly on stem extension 52 the valve 54 maybe forced from its seal;

against the res st-anceof the spring.

Centrally of the diaphragm 32 and on the lower side thereof there is secured, by solder or the like, a disc 56 having a central integral actuating 1311157. A co1l sprmg 58 surrounds this pin and reacts 111 compression against disc 56 and the upper surface of casting 28. p The pm 57 1s adapted, upon downward flexure of the diaphragm, to depress extension 52 and thus open the valve, but the spring 58 is strong enough to prevent this action when the pressure above the diaphragm is below a predeterm ned value. Insome installations the inherent tendency of the flexible diaphragm to return to its fiat position may be suflicient to eliminate the necessity of utilizing spring 58.

'mission of air to the sn'fter valve21of the pumps. As a result of this automatic valve operation, the pump delivers water only and a uniform and steady flow of water is obta ned through the faucet. Upon closing the faucet the pump discharge pressure immediately rises, diaphragm 32 is pressed clownwardly to cause pin 57 to open the air valve 48, and air is thereby again admitted to the pump to be compressed with the water and passed to the reservoir to replen sh the air and water supply therein.

It should be understood that the principles of this invention are'equally adapted to a For. example,

number of .similar uses. though I have illustrated one specific type of apparatus, it is obvious that separate water and a r pumps might be employed to discharge into a common conduit, the float control mechanism might be replaced by any other suitable type, and valve 48 might be mechanically or electrically controlled by movement of the faucet handles. Likewise, similar automatic system might be employed in connection with. other liquids and gases than water and air; and with carbonating apparatus to prevent, during charging of said apparatus, the escape of carbon dioxide gas from the faucets when the latter a-re opened "at the soda fountain. As is proper and well understood, the scope of this invention is to be ascertained from a study of the following appended claims.

Iclaimsf v l. The method ofwithdrawing only a liquid from the discharge side of an 21913511621? tus which normally pumps a liquid anda gas in ,commingled relation into a distribut 1 i'ngsystem, consistingjin the steps of tapping the distributing system at a point where withdrawal of the liquid "is desired, and, simultaneously, automatically in response to said tapping operation, stopping the admis-i sion of gas to the pumping apparatus.

2. A pumping system comprising in com, bination, a pumpmg apparatus; a storage reservoir; means for admitting aliquid and a gas to said pumping apparatus to be placed under pressure thereby; means for delivering the compressed gas. and the liquid from said pumping apparatus to said reservoir, whereby said compressed gas tends to displace saidliquid from the reservoir; a. distributing line connected to said delivery means so that it may receive either the pump discharge-or the liquid .from said reservoir, said distributing line including Iineansfor withdrawin liquid therefrom; a valve in said means Ior admitting gas to the'pumping apparatus; and means, automatically responsive to manipulationof said .y'vithdrawing' means, for opening. and closlng said valve.

3. Inthe combination set forth in claim 2,

c said automatically responsive means, being designed to close said valve when said withdrawing, means is opened during thentime that the pumping apparatus is being operated-,whereby no gas is ever discharged through said distributing line and its with drawing means. a p

4. In the combination, defined in. claim-2, said'automatic means comprising a pressureresponsive device in communication with said distributing line and hence responsive to pressurevariations caused in thelatter by opening and closing movements of said with? drawing means. i. y 5. In awater supply system that consists in a distributing line which either may receive water from a reservoir or a mixture of air and water from a pumping apparatus; a

two-fluid pressure responsive valve comprising a casing having an air passage one end of which is adapted for communication with the atmosphere and the other end of which is designed for connection to the inlet side of the pumping apparatus, an auxiliary normally open valve mounted in said casing to control said air passageway, and a pressure-responsive device design for connection to the distributing line and adapted to close said auxiliary valve upon the reduction of the pressure in said line to a predetermined value. v

6. In a water supply system, a storage reservoir; a pumping apparatus for receiving water and air and delivering them together under pressure to said reservoir whereby a column of water is maintained beneath a column of air in said reservoir; a water inlet line connected to the pumping apparatus; an air supply line connected between said pumping apparatus and the atmosphere, including a shut-01f valve controlled by conditions within the reservoir; a water distributing line in communication with the reservoir at a point below the normal water level therein and also in'communication with said pumping apparatus, whereby said line is adapted 'to receive water from the reservoir or to receive the fluid discharged by said pumping apparatus; means for tapping water from said distributing line; and means, automatically operable in response to manipulation of saidtapping means,-to stop the admissionof air through said air supply line to said pumping apparatus.

7. In the combination set forth in claim 6, said pumping apparatus including a single conduit for conveying the pump discharge to said reservoir; means for coupling said distributing line to said single conduit; and a pair of check valves disposed in said single conduit, one at each side of said coupling means.

:8. A-pumpingsystem comprising, in combination, a pumping apparatus; a pair of fluid conduits, one :for supplying a liquid to the pumping apparatus and the other for supplying a gas thereto; a single conduit for re ceiving the fluids asthey are discharged from said apparatus; means for withdrawing the fluids from said single conduit; and means, automatically operable in response to manipulation of said withdrawing means, to control the admission of the gas to said apparatus; said automatically operable means serving to closeoflt' said gassupply when the withdrawing means is .opened, whereby only a liquid medium .is discharged from said pumping apparatus when the withdrawing means is open.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEWIS L. CORCORAN.

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