US2119481A - Electric valve operating means - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1938.

J. F. FRESE ELECTRIC VALVE OPERATING MEANS Filed Feb. 24, 1936 Patented May 31, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC VALVE OPERATING MEANS Joseph F. Frese, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Monitor Controller Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,510

2 Claims.

In railway cars equipped with generators and batteries for supplying current to lamps and to motors for operating air cooling apparatus, a switchboard is usually placed at one end of the car. In cold weather, the air in the car is kept at a temperature comfortable to the passengers by steam heat supplied through pipes from the locomotive and controlled by valves in the car, and even in mild weather these valves have to be operated at times to maintain the proper tempei ature in the car. It is the purpose of this invention to provide means for controlling the valves electrically from a distant point, as by a switch which may be conveniently arranged on the switchboard at one end of the car. The invention comprises two electromagnets for each valve,

one magnet for opening the valve and the other for closing it. As the valves some time stick, especially after long disuse, I provide means whereby, when a magnet is energized to operate the valve, if the valve moves immediately, the circuit through the magnet coil will be at once cut off; but if the valve sticks, the current will be applied to the magnet coil for a predetermined time and will then be automatically cut off, thus preventing overheating of the coil, and when the current is cut off, a signal, preferably a lamp, will be activated to indicate to the operator that the valve has stuck and requires attention.

Referring to the drawing, in which the invention is illustrated diagrammatically, L and L indicate supply wires lea-ding from a suitable current source, 0 indicates a valve casing containing the valve which is to be controlled, b indicates an electro-magnet of the solenoid type for opening the valve and c indicates a similar magnet for closing the valve. For the purpose of illustration, the solenoids are shown on opposite sides of a lever I which is secured to the valve stem 2, and the cores of the solenoids are pivotally connected to the lever. The lever carries an insulated contact member 3 which engages contacts 4 and 5 when the valve is closed, to make up a circuit to the solenoid b, and the member 3 is adapted to engage contacts 6 and 1 when the valve is open, to make up a circuit to the solenoid 0. Contact 4 is connected by conductor 8 to stationary contact 9 of a manually operable switch it, and contact 6 is connected by the conductor ID to stationary contact I I of said switch. A switch arm I2 is movable into and out of engagement with either of said contacts 9 and II. This arm is connected by conductor l3 to the side L of the supply circuit.

When the valve lever is in the full-line position shown in the drawing, if the switch lever 12 is moved into engagement with the contact 9, a circuit will be made up to the solenoid b as follows: From the supply wire L through conductor l3, switch arm 12, contact 9, conductor 8, contacts 4, 3 and 5, and conductor l5 to coil of solenoid b. If the lever is in the dotted line position and the switch arm I2 is moved into engagement with contact H, a circuit will be made up to the coil of solenoid c as follows: From supply wire L through conductor I3, arm 12, contact ll, conductor 10, contacts 6, 3 and 'l and conductor 16 to coil of solenoid o. The coil of solenoid b is connected by conductor ll to a conductor Iii which is also connected to the coil of solenoid 0, so that the circuits of both solenoids are continued through conductor I8 to coil I9 of a retarded relay e, thence through conductor 20 to a coil 2| of a relay f, thence by conductor 22 to the normally closed relay switch 23, and thence by conductor 24 to supply wire L. The relay f has a high resistance winding 25 in series with coil 2|, but permanently connected to conductor 24 and the supply wire L, instead of being connected through the switch 23. Normally the high resistance coil is shunted through conductor 22 and switch 23. A conductor 26 extends from coil 2| to conductor 2'! in which is included a signaling device, preferably a lamp 28, and conductor 2'! is connected to conductor 24 and thence to supply wire L. The signal circuit just traced is thus in series with the low resistance coil 2| and in shunt to the high resistance coil 25 and switch 23. The retarded relay e controls a shunt around the coils of relay 1 as follows: From conductor 20, through conductor 29 and a switch 30 of relay 9 to conductor 3 l, and thence through conductors 26, 22, switch 23, and conductor 24 to supply wire L. The relay e has a movable contact member 32 which normally engages stationary contacts 33 and 34, and a dash-pot 35 retards the lipward movement of the member 32. The coils of the solenoids b and c and the coils l9 and 2| of the relays are of low resistance.

The operation is as follows: if the valve lever is in the full line position shown in the drawing, corresponding to the closed position of the valve, and it is desired to open the valve, the switch lever I2 will be moved from the off position into engagement with the contact 9. If the valve does not stick, it will be immediately opened by the attraction of the solenoid b which will be energized by current flowing from supply wire L through switch d and conductors B and I5 to coil of solenoid b, thence through conductors I! and l8 and coil 59 of solenoid e to conductor 20, thence through conductor 29, switch 30, conductors 3|, 26 and 22, switch 23 and conductor 24 to supply wire L. In moving to open the valve, the contact member 3 on the lever will open the circuit to the magnet b and make up the circuit to the magnet 0 at the contacts 6 and i.

If the valve sticks and does not immediately open, current in full strength will be applied to the coil of solenoid b for a short time, and then will be automatically cut off and the signal lamp will be lighted to indicate that the valve has stuck and needs attention. Thus, if the solenoid I) does not open the valve immediately when current is admitted to its coil, the circuit through the coil will be maintained at the contacts 4 and 5 and current at full strength will flow through the coil until the valve opens or the retarded relay e opens the switch 39. The opening 'of this switch will open the shunt circuit around the low resistance coil 2i of relay 3, and current at full strength will then flow from conductor 2B through said coil to conductor 22, thence through switch 23 and conductor 24 to supply wire L. Relay f will then open switch 23. This will open the shunt around the high resistance coil 25 of relay 1 and the current flowing through coil 25 will cause the relay to hold the switch 23 open. The opening of this switch also opens a shunt around the lamp circuit 26, 21, and the lamp lights, indicating to the operator that the valve has not opened and requires attention. When the switch 23 opens, the resistance of the lamp and the resistance of the coil 25 of relay f, in multiple, are left in series with coil 2| of relay coil E9 of relay 6 and the coil of solenoid b. The current flowing in the coil of relay 6 is thus reduced and the relay closes the switch 39, but without effect, as the switch 23 of relay 7 is held open by the current flowing in its high resistance coil. The current flowing in the coil of solenoid b is also reduced so that no one of the coils can be injured by excessive current. The signal will be energized until the valve is manually moved, which will cause the circuit of the coil of solenoid b and the coils of the relays to be broken, or until the circuit is otherwise interrupted, as by moving the arm of switch it to open position. When the circuit is broken, the relay f permits its switch 23 to close and the relays are then set for the next operation.

When the valve is open, the valve lever is in the dotted line position and the circuit for the coil of solenoid c is made up at the contacts 6 and I to the switch d. When it is desired to close the valve, the arm of switch d is moved into engagement with contact I l and the current then flows from supply wire L through said switch and conductors l0 and Hi to the coil oi relay 0 and thence through conductor l8 and the relay circuits previously traced, which are common to the coils of both solenoids b and c, to the supply wire L. If the valve does not stick, the solenoid 0 will immediately move it to the closed position and the valve lever will open the circuit to the solenoid c at the contacts 6 and l and make up the circuit to the solenoid b at the contacts 4, 5. If the valve does not move from the open position immediately, the current at full strength will be applied for a limited time to the coil of solenoid c, and at the expiration of that time, if the valve has not moved, the relay e will open the switch 30, breaking the shunt around coil 2| of relay f, and the latter relay will open the switch 23, breaking the shunt around the high resistance coil 25 and the signal circuit 26, 21. The switch 23 will be kept open by current flowing through the high resistance coil 25, and the current in coil of relay 6 will be reduced by reason of the resistance introduced into its circuit, and this relay will close, but without effect. Its coil and the coil of solenoid 0 will be protected by the resistance introduced in series with them, so that no injury can result to the coils. The lamp will remain lighted to indicate that the valve has stuck until the circuit through the solenoid is broken by manual movement of the valve or by opening of the switch d.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a current source, a device movable back and forth between two positions, two electromagnets having their armatures operatively connected to said device, one of said magnets, when energized, adapted to move said device in one direction and the other magnet, when energized, adapted to move said device in the opposite direction, a circuit for the coils of said magnets including a switch operable by each magnet to open the circuit to its own coil and to make up the circuit to the coil of the other magnet, and a manually controlled switch for connecting the coil of the magnet whose circuit is so made up to the current source, of means for automatically reducing the current flow in the magnet coil so connected if the magnet fails to move the device comprising a relay having a low resistance operating coil and a normally closed switch in the magnet circuit and having a high resistance holding coil in shunt to the relay switch, said relay, when its operating coil is energized, adapted to open the latter switch, and a retarded relay, having a coil in the magnet circuit, controlling the first-mentioned relay to cause the latter to open. the magnet circuit in a predetermined time after the closure of said latter circuit by said manually controlled switch providing the energized magnet fails to move said device and open its own circuit.

2. The combination with a current source, a device movable back and forth between two positions, two electromagnets having their armatures operatively connected to said device, one of said magnets, when energized, adapted to move said device in one direction and the other magnet, when energized, adapted to move said device in the opposite direction, a circuit for the coils of said magnets including a switch operable by each magnet to open the circuit to its own coil and to make up the circuit to the coil of the other magnet, and a manually controlled switch for connecting the coil of the magnet whose circuit is so made up to the current source, of means for automatically reducing the current flow in the magnet coil so connected if the magnet fails to move the device comprising a relay having a low resistance operating coil and a normally closed switch in the magnet circuit and having a high resistance holding coil in shunt to the relay switch, said relay, when its operating coil is energized, adapted to open the latter switch, a normally closed circuit in shunt to said operating coil, and a retarded relay, having a coil in said magnet circuit, adapted to open said shunt circuit in a predetermined time after the closure of said magnet circuit by said manually controlled switch, providing the energized magnet fails to move said device and open its own circuit.

JOSEPH F. FRESE.

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