US2087388A - Heating system - Google Patents

Description

E. A. RUSSELL HEATING SYSTEM July 20, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 2, 1936 I m/ant Y IdMardA. 55m

Patented July 20, 1937 UNITED STATES Parent eerie HEATING SYSTEM Application March 2,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in heating systems, more particularly to means for insuring an immediate flow of steam into the radiators of a steam or vapor heating system of the type used on railway cars when the thermostat again calls for heat after a period of time during which the flow of steam tothe radiators has been cut oif.

In one Well known form of steam or vapor heating system, a so-called vapor regulator is usedfor cutting oil the further flow of steam from the source of supply whenever the radiating system becomes filled with steam. The steam from the supply first flows through the vapor regulator past a thermostatically controlled cut-off valve in the regulator and thence through the radiators and back to the vapor regulator. This returned steam contacts with a thermostatic element which expands and closes the cut-01f valve to prevent further flow of steam from the source through the vapor regulator. As the steam in the system and in contact with the thermostatic element condenses, the thermostatic element will contract and open the valve so as to admit more steam to the system. Before reaching the radiators, the steam flows through a control or distributing valve. This valve is usually thermostatically set in accordance with temperature changes in the space heated by the radiating system. When heat is required the valve is open and steam flows through the radiators before returning to the vapor regulator. When no further heat is required, the control valve is closed so as to shunt the steam from the source directly back to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator. Under such conditions (that is with the control valve in so-called closed position) the cut-off valve in the regulator will normally be closed, only opening at intervals to admit suificient steam to the short loop through the distributing valve to keep the thermostatic element expanded. Now when more steam is desired in the radiators and the control valve is thrown to open position, the flow of steam through the vapor regulator will not start until the steam in contact with the thermostatic element has been dissipated and this element has time to contract and open the cut-off valve in the regulator. This causes a delay or lag in the process of admitting steam to the radiators, and it is the purpose of the present invention to do away with this lag.

According to this invention a by-pass conduit is provided around the cut-off valve of the vapor regulator, there being a normally closed valve in this conduit. Motorized means is provided for 55 opening this by-pass valve for a predetermined 1936, Serial No. 66,681

short period of time immediately after heat is called for and the control valve is opened. As a result the flow of steam to the radiators will begin immediately through this by-pass and will continue until the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator has had time to contract and open the cut-off valve of the regulator. By this time the by-pass valve Will close and the steam will flow through its normal path of travel in the vapor regulator. The by-pass valve remains closed until the control valve is again opened after a period or" time during which the flow of steam has been cut off.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved heating system of the type briefly described hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specification which follow.

Another object is to provide improved means for preventing delay in admitting steam to the radiators, due to the lag in the operation of opening the vapor regulator valve.

Another object is to provide an improved form of motorized by-pass valve and control mechanism for the same.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of one approved combination of apparatus elements constructed and operating according to the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. perspective view, partly diagrammatic, showing the assembled apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the by-pass valve.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through a vapor regulator.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram.

The heating system to which these improvements are applied comprises in general (see Fig. 1) the source of steam A, the reducing valve B, the vaporregulator C, the control or distributing valve D, the radiator or radiators E, and the thermostat F and relay mechanism G for controlling the valve D. The improvements which have been added in accordance with the present invention include the by-pass conduit H, the bypass cut-ofi valve J, and the motorized mechanism K for operating the valve J, this mechanism K also being controlled by thermostat F through relay mechanism G.

The main steam supply pipe A (which in the case of a railway car heating system is the main train steam line extending throughout the length of the train from the source of steam at the locomotive) is connected through pipe I, re-

low pressure chamber 5 is connected with high pressure chamber 3 through passage 6, and the movable cut-off valve 1 is adapted to close against a valve seat 8 so as to stop the flow of steam from chamber 3 into'chamber 5. Steam from low pressure chamber 5 flows out through port 9 and thence through the piping and heating system hereinafter described. Excess steam and the condensate from the heating system flows back to the vapor regulator and enters through port l0 into a passage ll extending down into a return chamber l2 in which is positioned an expansible thermostatic disk 13. I Condensate can how out through passages 14 in the lower portionof the regulator. temperatures it will expand and force up an operating rod M which through rocking lever I5 and valve stem [6 moves valve 1 againstits seat 8 so as to out off the further flow of steam to the heating system. When steam no longer flows back into chamber l2 and the steam therein has condensed, the disk I3 will contract thus permitting valve 1 to open, whereupon further steam will flow through the vapor regulator to the heatingsystem. This vapor regulator functions to keep the heating system filled with steam at substantially atmospheric pressure, since the system is open. to the atmosphere through the ventsof the vapor regulator. It will be understood that this vapor regulator C may take a-variety of forms, as are now well known in the art, the one hereinabove described being disclosed merely by way of example.

7 Steam flows from the low pressure chamber 5 of the vapor regulator through pipe l'l'to the control or distributing valve' D. This valve is of well known type and comprises a plurality of chambers into which the various pipe connections lead, these chambers being connected in different selected relation by means of a central rotatable valve member. A pipe line I8 leads from one of the valve chambers to the radiator or plurality sition steam will flow from the vapor regulator through pipe I! to and through valve D, thence through pipe l8, radiators E and pipe l9 back tothe valve D and from the valve through pipe 2!) back tothevapor regulator. When valve D is moved to closed position the steam will be directed from supply pipe I! through the valve and back through pipe 20 to the vapor regulator, the pipe loop through the radiating system being cut off except for a drain outlet for the condensate therein. I

Referring briefly to Fig. 4, the movable element of valve D is controlled by a rocking lever 2| pivoted centrally at 22. When lever 2| isin the position shown in this figure, the valve D is closed. The core 23 of a solenoid motor 24 is connected through rod 25 with the core 26, of a,

similar solenoid motor 21. A yoke member 28 on rod 25 engages the upper, arm of lever 2|. Now if solenoid coil24 is energized, the core 23 will When disk I3 is exposed to steam be drawn to the left thus swinging lever 2| in a counter-clockwise direction to a correspondingly inclined position toward the left, this serving to move the valve to open position. At the completion of this valve-operating movement, the lower arm of lever 2| will, through crank arm 29 of the snap switch 30, shift the movable contact 'member 3| out of engagement with a fixed con- 'tact 32 (thus breaking the operating circuit through solenoid 24) and into engagement with a second fixed contact 33. The circuits for operating this valve D are controlled from relay mechanism G through wires in the conduit 34 (Fig. 1), the relay mechanism G being in turn controlled from thermostat F through the circuit in conduit 35. Typical circuits for this purpose will'be hereinafter described.

The heating system as thus far described is well known inthe art and 'operatesas follows: Steam from the supply pipe A flows through reducing valve B, vapor regulator C and distributing valve D to and through the radiating system E: When excess steam flows back through the pipe line I9, valveD and pipe 20 into the return chamber of the vapor regulator, the thermostatic" heating system. However, as soon as some of.

the steam in the system has condensed and the thermostatic element I3 is no longer exposed to asteam temperatureythis element will contract and open the valve 'l'thus permitting additional steam s I In this manner the radiating system is maintained full of just sufto flow into the system.

ficient steam for heating purposes (that is as long as control valve D is open). When the desired temperature has been reached in the space V heated by the radiating system E, the thermostat F will function through relay mechanism G to move valve D to its closed position. This will cut off the further flow of steam through the radiating system E, but steam will now flow from the vapor regulator through the short loop comprising pipe line l1,- valve D and pipe line 20 directly back to the return chamber of the vapor regulator. This portion of the conduit system will be maintained full of steam at all times, but since very little steam is required for this purpose it will be apparent that the thermostatic element I3. will be normally expanded and the valve I normally closed under these conditions (that is when valve D is closed). Assuming now that the temperature within the space being heated has fallen so that additional heat is nowdesired from radiating system E, the thermostat F will function to cause valve D to be moved to open position. However, there will probably be no immediate flow of steam. into the radiating system since vapor regulator valve 1 is closed pose of the present improvement to avoid this delay and supply steam immediately, as soon as control valve D has been moved to open position, even though the vapor regulator cut-off valve 7 has not yet been opened.

According to the present invention a by-pass conduit I-I ispro-vided, this. conduit connecting 58 and 59 back to the battery.

the high and low pressure chambers 3 and of the vapor regulator. In the present example this by-pass H comprises a pair of short pipe sections 36 and 3? connected at their outer ends by a looped fitting 38. Vapor regulators of the type here shown usually are provided with a pair of ports 4 leading into opposite sides of the high pressure chamber 3 and similarly a pair of ports 9 leading from opposite. sides of the low pressure chamber 5. This is done so that the pipes 2 and ll can be connected with the vapor regulator from either side thereof as may be desirable in the particular installation, the two ports that are not used being closed by screw-plugs. The pipe sections 36 and ti of the by-pass H are connected into these normally unused ports. It will be apparent that this by-pass might be built directly into the vapor regulator assembly if so desired.

Into one of the pipes of by-pass H is connected the valve J (shown in section in Fig. 2). This valve comprises an inlet chamber 33 and an outlet chamber it: separated by a web ll in which is a port d2 normally closed by the movable valve member 53. Valve member 53 is carried by a valve stem M, and a spring 55 surrounding the lower portion of this valve stem normally holds the valve in closed position as shown in Fig. 2. The motor mechanism indicated generally at K is adapted, through shaft 46, to rotate the cam ll in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 2. The raised portion 43 of this cam is adapted to engage the head .9 on valve stem A l which projects (through a suitable packing) from the valve casing. The raised portion 63 of the cam is of such arcuate length that as the cam is rotated through somewhat less than 180 from the position shown in Fig. 2 the valve 43 will be opened and held open for a predetermined period of time and then permitted to close again under the influence of spring 45. A suitable speed reduction is provided between the motor and shaft 56 so that valve 43 will be held open for a predetermined short period of time, for example about 18 seconds. This time should be just sufficient to permit the thermostatic element l3 to contract and the valve l to open after the valve D has been shifted to open position. The motor mechanism K is actuated and controlled through circuit wires in a conduit 56 from the relay mechanism G.

The electrical system will now be more completely described, referring again to Fig. i. The relay mechanism G comprises a solenoid coil 5! which may be energized from the battery or other source of power 52 through the following circuit: Through wire 53, resistance 54, terminal 55, coil 5!, terminal 56. resistance 55, and wires When coil 55 is energized it will lift the core it and through stem 6! raise movable contact plate 62 into the position shown in dotted lines in which it engages and connects the fixed contacts 53 and 64.

The thermostat F is here shown as of the mercury-column type. A wire 63 extends from one terminal 55 of the solenoid coil to a fixed terminal which is in constant engagement with the mercury column 56 of the thermostat. A wire El extends from the other terminal 56 of the solenoid coil El to a second terminal which is mounted in the thermostat tube so as to be engaged by mercury column 66 when a predetermined maximum temperature is reached in the space whose temperature is to be regulated.

When this desired maximum temperature is reached. a shunt circuit around the solenoid coil is completed as follows: From terminal 55 through wire 65, mercury column 66, and wire 6'! to the other terminal 56. This will deenergize the solenoid so that core 66 will fall and contact plate 62 will be lowered into engagement with a second pair of fixed contacts 58 and 39.

On the shaft 46 of motorized valve operating mechanism K is mounted a second cam 10 adapted to alternately engage with a pair of pivoted contact arms I! and 12. These contact arms are connected by a spring 13 which tends to urge these contact arms toward a pair of fixed contacts 14 and 75 respectively. When cam member l0 is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4, the arm M will be lifted out of contact with fixed contact i l. but contact arm 12 will be held by spring 13 in engagement with the other fixed contact 15. When cam 16 is rotated through an angle of 180, the arm 12 will be engaged by the cam and pushed out of engagement With fixed contact 15, but spring 13 will then move the other arm ll into engagement with the fixed contact 14. This switch mechaanism controls the motor K.

As indicated in Fig. 4, the desired temperature has been reached in the space that is being heated and valve D has been closed so that steam no longer fiows through the radiating system E. At this time, however, steam will continue to fiow through the short loop comprising pipe ll, valve D and pipe 26 back to the vapor regulator so that thermostatic element it will be normally expanded and valve 1 closed. When the temperature in the space that is being heated falls sufficiently, mercury column 66 of thermostat F will move down out of engagement with the upper fixed contact and the shunt circuit which short-circuits the solenoid.5l will be broken. Core will now be energized and snap switch 36, and wires 8!, 82, and 59 back to the battery. The energized motor 24 will draw in core 23 and swing the operating lever 2| toward the left thus moving valve D to open position. At the completion of this movement snap switch 33 will be operated to swing the movable contact 5i out of engagement with fixed contact 32 and into engagement with fixed contact 33, thus breaking the operating circuit through motor 2t.

At this same time a second actuating circuit will be completed as follows: From battery 52 through wires 53, E6 and ll, relay contacts 63, 62 and 65, wires l8 and 83, switch contacts 15 and lit, wire 84, motor K, and wires 85, 82 and 59 back to the battery. The motor K thus energized will rotate cam ll in a counterclockwise direction. The raised portion 48 of the cam will immediately engage the head 49 and depress valve stem i so as to open the valve 43 and permit a fiow of steam through the by-pass H connecting the high and low pressure chambers of the vapor regulator. This will permit steam to flow from supply pipe 2 through the vapor regulator and pipe ll to the control valve D (now open) and thence through the radiators E.

, battery. Thiswillcause lever arm 2| This flow of steam is permitted immediately (when valve D is opened) without waiting for the vapor regulator valve 1 to open. The by-pass valve J will continue open for a. predetermined period of time, during which time steam is no longer being returned to chamber l2 so that thermostat l3 will contract and open the valve 1. This will establish the normal flow of steam directly through port 6 of the vapor regulator and the by-pass valve J may now be permitted to close since its function has been completed. Before valve 41 has been rotated through an angle of 180 the cam portion 48 will have passed out of contact with head 49 and valve 43 will be closed. At the completion of this rotation of 180, the cam 'HJ (Fig. 4) will have rotated into engagement with swinging contact 12 and broken the energizing circuit of motor K, thus stopping the motor. In the meantime spring 13 will have moved contact 'll intoengagernent with contact '14 but this will not complete any circuit until the solenoid5l is again deenergized.

Steam will now flow through the vapor regulator in the normal manner until the radiating system has become filled with steam and returned steam has again expanded thermostatic element l3, whereupon valve Twill be closed temporarily to cutoff the further fiow of steam into the heatingsystem. From this time on the vapor reg ulator will function in the usual manner to intermittently admit more steam to the heating system as the steam is condensed.

This operation will continue until the temperature within the space being heated has again been raised to such a point that the shunt circuit through thermostatF is completed, whereupon solenoid 5| will again be short circuited and contact plate 62 will drop into engagement with the other pair of fixed contacts 68 and 69 as now shown in Fig. 4. A second actuating circuit will now be completed through motor 21 of valve D as follows; From battery 52 through wires 53, I6 and 86,relay contacts 68, 62,'and 69, wire 81, solenoid coil 21, wire 88, snap switch contacts 33 and 3|, and. wires 8|, 82 and 59 back to the to be swung back to the position shown in Fig. 4 thus closing valve D. At the same time a second actuating circuit will be completed which extends from the battery through the relay contacts to contact 69, thence through wires 81 and 89, switch contacts 14 and 1|, wire 84, motor K, and wires 85, 82 and 59 back to the battery. This will again energize motor K and cause cam 41 to be rotated through another angle of 180 until cam 16 has engaged and lifted the arm H to the position shown in Fig. 4 thus breaking the circuit through motor K. This will return cam 41 to the position shown in Fig. 2, but during this 180? rotation of the cam the valve J has not been opened. All of the parts are now again positioned as shown in the drawings so as to be ready for another cycle of operations when thermostat F again calls for heat. It will be noted that the heating system operates substantially the same as it has'done heretofore, except for the fact that the delay in supplying steam when needed to the radiators, due to the inherent lag in the operation of vapor regulator'C, is'eliminated. This added mechanism is controlled from the same thermostatic mechanism heretofore used, and a more prompt and efficient control of the temperature isprovided.

'I claim: p i r l. The combination with a source of steam, 8.

' and supply and return pipes connecting the con-' trol valve and radiator, the control valve whenin closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending around the cut-ofi valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, and means for temporarily opening the by-pass valve each time the control valve is moved to open'position.

2. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a

a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when in closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-passconduit extending around the cut oif valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, and thermostatically controlled means for opening and closing the control valve and for also opening the by pass valve for a short time whenever the control valve is first opened.

'3. The combination with a source of steam,

a vapor regulator comprising a cut-01f valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-ofi valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the.

control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when in closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending around the cut-ofi valve of the vapor regulator, a nor- 6 mally closed valve in the by-pass, and thermo statically controlled means for simultaneously opening the control valve and the by-pass valve and for subsequently closing the latter'valve after .a predetermined short period of time.

4. The combination with a source of steam, a

vapor regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve 2 i when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valvewhen in closed position sending steam directlyback to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending.

around the cut-01f valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, motorized means for opening the by-pass valve and subsequently closing same after a predetermined short period of time, and means for causing an operation of the motorized means simultaneously with the opening of the control valve.

5. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor regulator comprising a cut-ofi valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure tosteam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when in closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending around the cut-oh" valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, motorized means for opening the by-pass valve and subsequently closing same after a predetermined short period of time, and thermostatic means for opening and closing the control valve and startting an operation of the motorized means each time the control valve is moved to open position.

6. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a returnpipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of 40 the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when in closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending around the cut-on valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, motorized means for opening the by-pass valve and subsequently closing same after a predetermined short period of time, and thermostatic means for opening and closing the control valve whenever the temperature in the space heated by the radiator falls below or rises above a predetermined temperature, said thermostatic means also starting an operation of the motorized means at the same time the control valve is moved to open position.

7. The combination with a source of steam, a vapor regulator comprising a cut-off valve and a thermostatic element for closing the valve when heated by exposure to steam, a control valve, a. radiator, a supply pipe leading from the vapor regulator beyond the cut-off valve to the control valve, a return pipe leading from the control valve to the thermostatic element of the vapor regulator, and supply and return pipes connecting the control valve and radiator, the control valve when in closed position sending steam directly back to the vapor regulator and when in open position directing the steam first through the radiator and then back to the vapor regulator, of a by-pass conduit extending around the cut-ofi valve of the vapor regulator, a normally closed valve in the by-pass, a rotary cam for opening the by-pass valve, motorized means for rotating the cam at a rate to hold the valve open for a predetermined short period of time, thermostatic means for simultaneously opening the control valve and starting an operation of the motorized. means, and means for stop-ping the motorized means after the bypass valve has returned to closed position.

EDWARD A. RUSSELL.

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