US2112363A - Valve - Google Patents

Description

March 29, 1938. F GOTTHARDT 2,112,363

VALVE Filed Oct. 25, 1933 Inventor Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES VALVE Fritz Gotthardt,

Ridgewood, N. Y.

Application October 25, 1933, Serial No. 695,088

2 Claims.

This invention relates to thermostatically controlled radiator-valves for steam heat and is adapted for use in connection with the one-pipe system. A liquid-filled vessel acts as a thermostat, being installed in the room the temperature of which is to be regulated; the expansion due to temperature undergone by this liquid, compresses a bellows which closes the valve when the desired temperature has been reached. Use may be made of the thermostat described in Patent No. 1,925,530, September 5, 1933. Thermostats of this design work satisfactorily in steam-heatingsystems in which the water of condensation is returned to the boiler by a separate pipe. In the case of one-pipe systems, the water of condensation is returned to the boiler by the same pipe by which the steam is supplied to the radiator. If a thermostatically controlled valveis installed in a one-pipe system it must not reduce the passage to such an extent that the velocity of the steam will prevent the return of the water of condensation. All known valves controlled by liquid-filled thermostats close slowly, in accordance with the heat-expansion of the liquid, and are therefore not suitable for one-pipe systems.

In the case of the present invention, this .objection is avoided. When the desired room-temperature has been reached, the thermostat closes the valve instantaneously thereby preventing further accumulation of steam in the radiator which ordinarily would result in the accumulation of condensed water. When the room temperature falls below the desired point the valve is instantaneously opened wide. The complete closing of the valve prevents leakage of steam into the radiator, and the complete opening of the valve assists in draining the condensed water. A partially open valve would prevent such drainage of water and cause radiator trouble. The water condensed from the steam fed into the radiator, has therefore the opportunity of flowing back through a valve that is wide open. A further improvement lies in the fact that the closed Valve is mechanically locked against being opened by steam-pressure.

Another improvement is provided by the use of a resilient, liquid-filled container, which is in heat-contact with the valve and acts as a motor, and which makes useof the difference in temperature with the valve open or closed, in order to perform a part of the work required for opening or closing the valve.

Another improvement is. that the valve-seat is connected with the valve-housing by a thin membrane, so that deformation of the valvehousing will not afiect the valve-seat, a tight closing of the valve being thus at all times assured. I

Fig. 1 is a vertical view of an ordinary thermostat. I ,5

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a possible design using a flat spring coup-ling between. the valve and the thermostatic operating-device.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view-of a complete valve, in the open position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of a part of the valve shown in Fig. 3, but in, the closed position.

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional ,view of an-' other modification of a part of the valve.

Fig. 1 shows a thermostat which can be used. The container I0 is completely filled with aliquid and is connected by means of the small pipe II with the valve-operating vessel. The container I0 is held in place by the clamp I2, which may, 20 for example, be fastened to the wall. The handwheel [3 is provided in front with a-scale, By turning the hand-wheel It the capacity of the container H1 is. altered, and thus the desired temperature is set. The position of the hand-wheel I3 can be read by the pointer l4- I Fig. 2 shows a possible design of the radiatorvalve. The valve-housing l5 has an inlet l6 and an outlet I 8. The inlet l6 can be closed tightly by the valve-disc H. The thermostatic valve-operating vessel I9 is connected by the pipe II with the container Hl (Fig. 1), and transmits its movement through the stem 26 to an intermediate, resilient, liquid-filled container 2 I, which in turn exerts pressure on the fiat spring 22. The stem 23 of the valve-disc is coupled at 24 with the flat spring 22. If the room temperature rises, the liquid in the container l0 expands, the stem 20 presses against the intermediate container 2!, and the latter in turn presses against the fiat spring 22, which is distorted until it assumes the position indicated by the broken line 25. A somewhat greater distortion causes it to snap to the position indicated by the broken line 26. This closes the valve instantaneously, and the steam is cut off. As the room temperature falls, the same process takes place in the reverse order. The spring 21 keeps the flat spring constantly in contact with the vessels l9 and 2|. Since considerable power is required to openand shut the valve, the thermostat I0 used would have to be of a large size. For this reason the resilient, liquid filled vessel 2| has been interposed. This vessel is in heat-contact withthe valve-housingj The temperature of the valve housing is nearly that of the steam while the valve is open, and falls considerably below that point when the valve is closed. The intermediate vessel experiences this same fluctuation of temperature. Whenever the valve is opened, the temperature rises, the intermediate vessel expands and forces the fiat spring almost into the position of snapping over. The actual snapping-over takes place due to a final push exerted by the thermostatic operating vessel |3, caused by the thermostat H].

The intermediate vessel 2| therefore acts as a motor which performs a part of the work required to open and shut the valve. When the valve is closed and the room temperature falls, the foregoing operations take place in reverse order. The intermediate vessel 2| may be omitted if the thermostatic operating vessel I9 is brought into heatcontact with the valve-housing and if the liquid contents of the said vessel are correspondingly increased. This has been done in the design shown in Fig. 3. Since, after the valve has been closed, a large difference in pressure develops and tends to open the valve, there being steam-pressure on one side and a vacuum on the other, the valve-disc must be locked against undesired opening.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a radiator valve locked with the aid of the toggle- joints 28 and 29. The valvehousing l5 had an inlet l6 and an outlet l8. The cover 35 is seated on the housing l5 by means of a ring 34 provided with a right and left hand thread. The stem 23' of the valve-disc I1 is guided by a recess in the cover 35 and by a brace 33 which is rigidly attached to the cover 35. The pivot 36 of one arm of the toggle-joint 28 is rigidly attached to the cover 35', and pivot 3| of the other arm. 29 is rigidly attached to the stem 23. Pivot 32 connects the two arms of the toggle- joints 28 and 29, and is guided in a slot of the lever 36. Fig. 4 shows the valve in the closed position, with the pivots 30, 3| and 32 of the toggle joints 28 and 29 lying nearly in a straight line. A forcible opening of the valve by steam-pressure is impossible. In Fig. 3 the thermostatic vessel 31 is secured by the nut 38 to the cover 35'. The pipe H is connected with the thermostat ID. If the temperature of the liquid in the thermostat ID or in the thermostatic vessel 31 rises, said liquid expands and compresses the bellows 39, which exerts pressure through its rod 40 upon the lever 4|. The lever 4| has its fulcrum 42 rigidly fastened to the brace 33. This lever 4| participates in all of the slow motions of the bellows 39, transmitted to it by the rod 40 and is held securely in contact with the same by the spring 21. The lever 4| is prolonged by the lever 36, the fulcrum 43 of which, is fixed to the lever 4|. A tension-spring 44, is attached at one end to the pin 45 in lever 4|, and at the other end to the pin 46 in the lever 36. If in Fig. 3 the liquid in the vessel expands, the bellows is compressed, the rod 40 is thrust downward and fulcrum 43 of the lever 4| moves from left to right until it has passed the straight line connecting the pins 45 and 46. At this instant the tension spring 44 throws the lever 36 from right to left, closing the valve by means of the toggle- joints 28 and 29, as shown in Fig. 4. This shuts off the steam; the vessel 31 cools off, and the process described above takes place in a reverse order. The quantity of liquid in the vessel 31 is so chosen, that as the vessel 31 cools to the temperature of the closed valve, the lever 4| is brought into such a position that the fulcrum 43 and the two pins 45 and 46 come almost into a straight line. If the room temperature falls, the liquid in the thermostat l contracts, and produces a still further movement of the lever 4|. The lever 36 snaps over to the other side, and re-opens the valve. The thermostat l0 furnishes the final amount of power necessary to throw the lever 36. The larger movements which the lever 4| is called upon to make, are produced by the liquid in the vessel 31, which is affected by the great fluctuations of the temperature of the valve-housing, resulting from the opening and closing of the valve. Vessel 31 therefore acts as a motor. The locking of the closed valve can be effected in any other desired manner, as for instance, in that shown in Fig. 5.

Within the housing l and cover 35 (Fig. 5), is provided the roller 50. The axle 5| of roll 52 is secured to the valve-stemt 23. The lever 36 forces a shape 53 between the two rolls, whereby the valve is opened or closed. Fig. 5 shows the valve in the closed position. Undesired opening by steam-pressure is impossible. When the temperature falls the lever 36 assumes the position shown by the broken outline. The spring 54 keeps the roller 52 in contact with the shape 53.

One of the difficulties connected with large valves when used with the one-pipe system lies in the fact that during their installation, their housing is likely to be sprung out of true. This is detrimental to their tightness. For this reason in my design the valve-seat 56 is provided with a thin membrane 51, which in turn is held to the housing l5 by the ring 58. Any distortion of the housing |5 will distort the thin membrane- 51, but will not affect the heavy ring 56, which serves as a valve-seat.

To sum up, in my invention a liquid filled thermostat is connected with the valve by a coupling having a collapsing articulation, which provides for a complete and instantaneous opening and shutting of the valve at the desired temperature, in order that the difficulties of removing the Water of condensation may be avoided. The motion of the levers is rendered more perfect by the insertion of a vessel which acts as a motor. The valve when closed is mechanically locked against forcible opening by the pressure of the steam. It is to be noted that the volume of chamber 31 is actually several times smaller than that of thermostatic vessel I0, although the drawings are not held in proportion. In order not to confuse the various expressions employed in the foregoing descriptions and the following claims, it is to be noted that the operating mechanisms connecting elements 2| and 31 with the valve stems are to be distinguished according to their respective functions. Thus in Fig. 2 is shown nothing more than what I shall term a snap joint consisting of spring 22 which is flexed to either right or left, thereby opening or closing disc |1, respectively.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 are shown besides snap joints also means for locking the valve stems in their closed position. These means I shall term lock joints. Thus in Figures 3, 4 and 5 the snap joints consist of levers 36 and 4|, connected by spring 44, whereas the lock joint in Figures 3 and 4 consist of double levers or link- joints 28 and 29, and in Fig. 5 of roller 52 and bar 53.

Another important feature of my invention is to be carefully considered. It relates to the valve seat 56 and its integral part 51, which latter constitutes in effect a membrane or resilient suspension, upon the function of which the proper seating contact between disc I1 and seat 56 entirely depends. In hand-operated valves a tight seating of the disc against the seat may be easily forced, particularly when the disc is made of relatively soft or resilient material, whereas in automatically operated devices of the kind described, a true seating function depends upon accurate workmanship. 1

Inasmuch as valves are often handled by careless workmen, it quite often happens that when applying heavy wrenches in tightening the valve to steam pipes, the valve portion containing the valve seat becomes distorted and consequently precludes proper seating of the disc. For that very reason I have so designed the valve seat as to be independent of the valve housing. This I accomplish by resiliently suspending the seat. In the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, the seat body is annularly undercut toform an annular resilient support in the form of annular membrane 51, which in itself may become distorted without influencing the upper portion of the seat, which is spaced from the housing body.

While the above is only one of the possible constructions of resiliently suspending a seat, similar ways of accomplishing the same results may be readily devised, and I reserve for myself the right to make changes in that particular construction within the broad scope of my claims.

The present invention is primarily designed for single-pipe steam heat radiators. It may, however, be adapted for use in connection with vacuum and hot water systems, in which latter application a by-passing arrangement for water from one radiator to the other may be provided.

I claim:

1. In a temperature-governed radiator valve including a housing and a closure member operatively mounted therein, an exterior completely liquid filled thermostatic vessel exposed to room temperature, a single and completely liquid filled closure acting element associated with said housing and influenced by the steam, which passes the open valve and a liquid conduit connecting said thermostatic vessel and said closure acting element, a snap-joint operatively connecting said element with said closure member and adapted to instantaneously either fully open or fully close the latter and a lock-joint provided for said closure member and adapted to forcibly retain said closure member in its. closed position, when brought to that position by the snap-joint actuated by said element.

2. The device defined in claim 1: Said element being adapted to gradually bring said snap-joint to almost its snap movement position for either closing or opening said closure member, when said element is subjected to changes in temperature within said housing; the function of the room thermostat being to complete the snap movement of said snap-joint by adding impetus to movement of said element.

FRITZ GOTTHARDT.

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