US2112220A

US2112220A - Control device

Info

Publication number: US2112220A
Application number: US106990A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip S Russel
Original assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Current assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Priority date: 1936-10-22
Filing date: 1936-10-22
Publication date: 1938-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1955-03-22

Description

March 22; 1938. s RUSSEL 2,112,220

GONTROL DEVICE Filed Oqt. 22, 1936 I 11v VENTOR BY f W K M M .4 TTORNE y Patented Mar. 22, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE troit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application October 22, 1936, Serial No. 1116,9911

11 Claims.

My invention relates generally to control devices and more particularly to gravity feed control devices.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide 6 a new and improved liquid levelcontrol device of a character which will maintain a more nearly constant liquid level in a reservoir.

Another object of my invention is to provide for operatively connecting an actuated member and an actuator in a novel manner such that there will be no lost motion or slack in the connection therebetween.

Another object of my invention is to operatively,

- thereinto there is a removable, open ended. tubuconnect a float and a valve .actuated thereby in a manner such that lost motion between the float and valve will be eliminated and slack therebetween. which would ordinarily occur due to wear of the parts, will be prevented.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel connecting means for operatively connecting a float and valve actuated thereby such that there will not be any'lost movement therebetween and yet which will permit the valve to be separately and readily removed from the device for cleaning the valve and its cooperative seat.

- Another object of my invention is to provide for a liquid level control device, an efliclent yet strongly constructed, durable hollow float that will not be likely to leak.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a liquid level control device, an eflicient float ater specific gravity than desired so that float can be strongly constructed and to proof th vide in a simple and inexpensive manner for compensating for the excess weight of the float.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing certain parts of my device, and r Fig. 4 is a view shown in elevation of one of the parts of my device shown removed therefrom.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown a control device of the type adapted to control flow of liquid fuel, such as oil, to a burner (not shown), and this device includes a casing I, the top of which may be closed by a removable closure member or cover 2. The casing I has a-chamber or reservoir 3, an inlet 4 and an outlet 5 for liquid. The inlet 4 and outlet 5 may be located in the bottom wall of casing l, as

shown, and preferably the casing bottom wall,

within chamber 3, has-an integral, upwardly di- 10 rected, tubular extended portion 6 aligning with the inlet 4. Mounted on the upper end of the tubular portion 6 and preferably screw threaded lar fitting or valve seat member I that extends 5 vertically upward into chamber 3. The fitting I is provided, intermediate its ends, with an internal transverse wall 8 having an aperture or bore 9 therethrough providing a'port and upwardly facing seat ill for cooperation with the conical face ll of a reciprocable valve member I2. The valve I2 is preferably of the so-called needle type and has a stem l3 which projects upwardly above the upper end of the fitting I and preferably a cap member I4 is fitted onto the upper end of the fitting'and has an aperture therethrough for slidably receiving and guiding the valve l2.

Within casing I there is a supporting member ii that is preferably of general U-shape having a base I6 from which a pair of spaced, upstanding. sides I! extend, and this supporting member l5 may be mounted on the tubular portion 6 and be rigidly secured to the casing I by the fitting l. The base It of the supporting member I5 may be provided with an aperture therethrough for receiving a lower end portion of the fitting I which .may be tightened down to clamp the base between the upper end of the tubular portion 6 and a downwardly facing external shoulder ll! of the fitting 1. Preferably the base I6 is interposed between washers or gaskets I9 to insure a fluid- 'tight connection. Adjacent their upper ends the sides ll of the U-shaped support I5 are provided with aligning apertures to receive a shaft or pivot pin 20, and pivotally supported intermediate its ends'on the pin 20 there is a lever member 2|. Rigidiy secured to one end of the lever 2| there is a hollow weight member or float 22 that is disposed in the reservoir or chamber 3 for actuating the valve member ii. The weight or float 22 is strongly constructed and as a result its specific gravity is in excess of that which would float at a level to maintain the desired, substantially constant level in chamber 3. Rigldly secured to the other end of lever 2! on the opposite side of the pivot pin 20 from the float 22 there is a second weight member 24 that preferably depends from the underside of the lever 2|, and this second weight member 24 counterbalances the float 22 or compensates for the excess weight .of float 22 whereby the valve member l2 will be actuated to maintain the desired, substantially constant level in chamber 3., By reason of the counterbalancing weight member 24 the hollow float 22 may be made of a metal of such thickness that the float will be strong and durable. If desired, the float 22 may consist of a solid piece of metal, such as aluminum, if a sufliciently heavy counterbalancing weight is provided to compensate for the excess weight so that the float will float at the proper level.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lever 2| is preferably of plate-like form and is preferably provided with a substantially rectangular shaped opening or aperture 2| therethrough for freely receiving the valve stem l3. In order to operatively connect the float 22 and valve l2 in a manner such that there will not be any lost motion or slack therebetween and so that the valve may be readily removable from the casing I provide a resilient or spring connecting or holding member 25 that is preferably carried by lever 2| and holds the valve l2 to the lever. The connecting member 25 may be formed of spring sheet metal of rectangular shape, andv may be secured at one of its ends to the lever 2| between the underside of the lever and the weight member 24. The connecting member 25 and lever 2| may be provided with aligning apertures for receiving a reduced extended portion 26 of the weight member 24, the extended portion 26 being adapted to be peened over as a rivet to rigidly secure the weight, connecting member and lever together. The connecting member 25 preferably lies flat against the underside of lever 2| and has a downwardly disposed, oflset portion 21 at its other or free end, through which is provided an elongated aperture or slot 28 for receiving the valve member |2. The valve |2 preferably has a transversely extending abutment member, preferably a pin 29, opposite end portions of which are engaged by the connecting member -25 which is under tension urging the pin upward into engagement with the underside of lever 2|. Thus the connecting member 25, acting through the pin 29, urges the valve l2 upward and holds the valve to the lever 2| so that there will be no lost motion or slack therebetween. By providing the tensioned member 25 with the offset portion 21 it will be seen that the force exerted by the member 25 will be directed more nearly vertical to reduce side thrust on valve. The abutment pin 29 provides a convex-surface for abutment with the lever 2| and with the tension connecting member 25, which reduces friction between the pin, lever and connecting member.

The herein described connection for the float and valve permits the valve to be very easily and readily removed in the event that it is desired to clean the valve and its seat of foreign matter, or if for any reason it is desired to remove the valve. Before the valve"is removed the chamber 3 will, of course, be enfptied oi fluid and the valve wi1l-be held in its up position by the float. By pressing downward on the valve .the

I free end of the spring connecting member 25 The operation of my device is as follows: when liquid in reservoir 3 increases above the desired level the float 22 will rise and pivot lever 2| to move the valve 2 downward toward its seat to reduce the quantity of liquid entering reservoir 3. Conversely, when the level of the liquid decreases below the desired level the float 22 will descend and will pivot lever 2| in the opposite direction, lifting the valve away from its seat to increase flow of liquid into reservoir 3.

From the foregoing description it will be 'seen that I have provided a new and improved float which may be excessively heavy so that it may be strong and durable, and that I have provided simple and inexpensive means for compensating for the excess weight of the float. It will also be seen that I have provided a novel connecting member for operatively connecting the float and valve such that there will not be any lost motion therebetween. Further, the novel connecting means is of a character such that it will automatically take up slack due to wear of the parts.

In addition, my connecting means, although holding the float and valve together in a manner such that there will be' no lost motion or slack therebetween, permits of easy and ready removal of the valve. 'By eliminating slack between the valve and float it will be appreciated that the valve will be moved upon very slight movement of the float, which will result in obtaining a more constant'rate of flow from outlet 5.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a lever member having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a valve having a stem and reciprocal toward and from said port, said stem projecting through said aperture to provide a hand grip portion for manual rotation of said stem, and means operable upon rotation of said stem to hold said stemand said lever member in engagement, said valve being removable from said port and said lever memher through said aperture.

2. In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a lever member extending across said port and having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a valve having a stem, the valve end portion of said stem being insertable through said aperture to position said valve in cooperaport, a lever member extending across said port and having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a valve having a'stem; the valve end portion of said stem being insertable through said aperture to position said valve in cooperative relation to said port, said stem having intermediate its ends a pair of lateral oppositely directed pivot members engageable with said lever member, and a leaf' spring fixed to said lever member and having an offset portion, said oflset portion engaging and holding said pivot members in engagement with said lever member.

4; In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a lever member extending across said port, a

member flxed to said lever member, said members being in overlying relation and each having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a

valve cooperable with said port and having a 7 4 port, a lever member extending across said port,

a member fixed to said lever member, said members being in overlying relation and each having an aperture. therethrough alined with said port, a valve'cooperable with said port and having a stem extending through said apertures, said stem having a lateral portion positioned between-saidmembers, each of said members having its aperture shaped for engagement of said lateral portion with the marginal edge portion or its aperture, the aperture more remote 'from said port being also shaped for passage of said portion therethrough, so that upon turning of said stem on its longitudinal axis the valve can be withdrawn through said apertures and from said lever member; and means holding said stem against rotation during operation of said valve.

6. In a control device, a casing having akvalve port, a lever member extending across said port, a member fixed to said lever member, said members being in overlying relation and each having.

' member, and one of said members having an offsetportion engageable with and holding said lateral portion against rotation during operation of said valve.

'7, In a control device, a casing having a valve port,'a lever member extending across said port. a

leaf spring member fixed to said lever member, said members being in overlying relation and each having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a valve cooperable with said port and-having a stem extending through said apertures, said stem having a lateral portion positioned between "said members, each of said members having its aperture shaped for engagement of said lateral portion with the marginal edge portion of its aperture, the aperture more remote irom-said port being also shaped for passage of said portion therethrough, said leaf spring member having an port, alever member extending across said port and having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a valve stem having a valve portion and having intermediate its ends a laterally projecting portion passed by said aperture so that said valve portion and said projecting portion can be inserted through said aperture to position said projecting portion on the port side of said lever member, saidstem being tumable on its longitudinal axis to position said projecting portion in abutting relation to said lever member, and means operable upon turning of said stem to hold said projecting portion inengagement with said lever member.

9. In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a lever member extending across saidport and having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a leaf spring member secured to the port side of said lever member and extending across said aperture, said spring member having an aperture alined with said valve port, a valve member having a stem extending through said apertures and having a lateral portion positioned between said spring member and saidlever member, said lever member aperture being so shaped that upon insertion of .said stem through said apertures said projecting portion will pass through said lever member aperture and engage said spring member, .said spring member being movable away from said lever member by said projecting portion upon-manual operation of said stemso that said stem can be rotated to position said lateral portion between said spring member and said lever member.

10. In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a lever member extending across said port and having an aperture therethrough alined with said port, a leaf spring member secured to the .port side of said lever member and extending across said aperture, said spring member having an aperture alined with said valve port, a valve member having a stem extending through said apertures and having a lateral projecting portion positioned between said spring member and said lever member, said lever member aperture being so shaped thatupon insertion of said stem through said apertures said projecting portion will pass through said lever member aperture and engage saidspring member, said spring member being movable away from said lever member by said projecting portion upon manual operation of said stem so that said stem can be rotated to position said projecting portion between said spring member and said lever member, said spring memberhaving an onset portion cooperable with said projecting portion to maintain said projecting portion between said spring member and said lever member during operation 01' the valve.

11. In a liquid level control device, a casing having avalve port, a lever member in said casing having a fulcrum support, a float member carried by one end of said lever member, a valve member cooperable with said port and having'a stem, laterally projec means on said stem engageable with the port si 'e' of said lever member, said lever member having an aperture therethrough shaped for-passage of said projecting means so that upon rotation of said stem the valve may be withdrawn from said lever member through said aperture, a weight member secured to the other end or said lever member and acting by gravity in opposition to the weight of said float member, and a spring member clamped to said lever member by said weight member and enga ng said projecting means to hold said valve member and said lever member in operative ent.

m S. RUSBEL.