US2177044A

US2177044A - Fluid pressure system

Info

Publication number: US2177044A
Application number: US172004A
Authority: US
Inventors: Romeo M Nardone
Original assignee: Eclipse Aviation Corp
Current assignee: Eclipse Aviation Corp
Priority date: 1937-10-30
Filing date: 1937-10-30
Publication date: 1939-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-24

Description

@cii. 24%, 1939. R NARDQNE 2,377,,Q441- FLUID PRESSURE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 50, 1837 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Romeo M ardone Gd. 24, 1939. R. M. NARDONE mvmw FLUID PRES SURE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .96 t 29 97 H 1 -h 94 a i 3.2 V 7 24 23 A. [3/ 26 X Z/ IN VEN TOR.

Romo M Nardone reamed r. at. rate UNHTE STTES amt ATENT @FFHQE air-met mum rnassnnn SYSTEM Romeo M. Nardone, East Grange, N. 1., asngnor to Eclipse Aviation Coration, East Orange, N. 3., a corporation oi New .l'ersey Application (Dctober 3t), 1937, Serial No. 172,0M

r oi. (oi. eat-414 as is commonly termed a cartridge.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel cartridge housing and breech mechanism, including a novel valve mechanism controlling admission of a scavenging supply of fiuid to the l parts with which the outlet conduit of the breech mechanism has communication. Another object is to provide an interrelationship between such valve mechanism and certain movable elements of the breech assembly, where- 5 by the scavenging action is caused to occur atv a predetermined stage in the cycle of operation. These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from inspection of the following specification when read with reference to i the accompanying drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to m expressly understood, however, that the dra are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose. I

In the drawings the invention is shown as applied to the operation of a servo-motor (engine starter, for example, of the type shown in Patent No. 2,117,225 of Fred A. Stein, granted May it, 1938) symbolizing any part to be served by the breech and valve mechanisms above described.

Reierrjing to said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view oi. the complete system, including a sectional showing of the breech mechanism, engine starter, and valve mechanism, the breech being shown with the cartridge in position and the igniting mechanism also in operative position, and the valve being shown as shifted from the position it occupies during the scavenging action, and the electromagnetic shifting means being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a second view of the breech and valve mechanisms, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy during scavenging;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view-of the igni mechanism shown in Fig. i, but on a larger scale, and with the igniting plunger in the position which it occupies whenever the breech is in the unlocked position of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse view of certain of the parts as seen along the line 4-4! of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse view along the line of Fig. 2 showing details of the locking and exhaust valve operating mechanism.

The cartridge ii is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as containing a relatively slow burning powder 82 occupying a major portion 01 the space within 5 the cartridge and separated. from a layer it of a highly combustible primer charge by an in-' tervening partition it of suitable material such as cellulose. The primer charge it is in turn confined in advance of a strip it of current conto ducting metallic material bent into the shape indicated so that one portion thereof lies along the outer metal cap H which extends over the end of the cartridge and along its cylindrical side for a certain distance, as indicated at l9, it where it firmly grips the non-metallic portion of the cartridge casing. Another portion of strip it lies in the path of the conical end of a plunger M of current conducting material, said plunger having a head 22 adapted to be urged forward as by a coiled spring 23, the plunger being slidable within a sleeve 26 of non-conducting material which in turn slides within the boss 2% of the breech cover plate 27?, the said cover plate being in two sections, 27 and 28, secured together as indicated at 29.

The means for normally holding the plunger 2! out of position for transmission of current to the igniting disc l8, and thereby preventing premature ignition-that is, ignition prior to the locking of the breech mechanismis shown as including an internally threaded sleeve iii operating upon an externally threaded screw 82 adapted vto'be threaded axially along guide pins 36 to cause a corresponding axial movement of 35 the nonconducting sleeve 26 and thereby to move the head of the plunger 2! from the position indicated in Fig. 1 in response to the turning of the sleeve 30 which results whenever the breech handle ti is swung, such swinging of the handle w being efiective to turn the threaded sleeve 80 by reason of the inter-engagement of the teeth or splines it and ill of the members 3!] and. 3t respectively, the latter being the central hub portion of the handle ll. 45

A pin 5i secures hub 68 of the handle Gil to the stem 52 or the flag or latch 53, which thereby swings with the handle All so as to move from a locked to an unlocked position with respect to the dependent leg iii of thebreech casing m leg ti, together with the toe 68, constitutes the keeper for the latch or .flag 53 and prevents open- -ing of the breech cover prior to the swinging of the handle to the unlocked position.

A transverse passage i2 serves to connect the chamber 1| with a smaller: chamber I4 wherein is located a coiled spring I6 pressingupon the end 11 of rod 82 to yieldably hold said rod 82 in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position the other end of said rod fits into the depression 83 in the forward surface of the flag 53; but after the firing of the cartridge and the swinging of the handle M to the breech unlocking position the corresponding movement of the flag 53 shifts the position of the depression 83 from that indicated at 83a (see Fig. 5) to that indicated at 8317 and thereby creates a cam action which presses the rod 82 forward to the position indiated in Fig. 2, in which position contacts I24 and I25 are bridged by member I23.

After the handle M has thus been moved to the lock releasing position the sectional breech cover 21 and 28 may be swung to the breech opening position about the supporting trunnion 94 in which the hinged portion 95 of the breech cover plate is rotatably mounted, as indicated at 96. This swinging of the cover plate will operate to eject or at least dislodge the cartridge by reason of the intervening parts 91 and 98, the

' former being a toe piece on the hinge 95 engageable with the ejector 98 in response to the swinging of the cover plate, and the ejector 98 being in turn provided with a flange engaging the forward flange on the cartridge to eject thelatter.

Upon ignition of the priming charge I3, the rapid combustion of the said priming charge creates suflicient additional heat to ignite the 'main charge. I2, which thereupon proceeds to burn at a relatively slow.rate, to cause a gradual building up of pressure in the chamber II and the conduit I66 leading to the point of application of the pressure thus'generated.

While the resulting pressure may cause a forward movement, to a limited degree, of a few particles of the powder I2, combustion of virtually the complete charge occurs in the breech chamber; the conduit I66 serving mainly for the transmission of the pressure fluid resulting from such combustion, together with those few particles of the powder not consumed. Any of such particles which collect upon or pass through the slotted cylindrical cage or grid MI in starter I04 will subsequently be blown out of the engine starting mechanism, along with Y, any residual gases, by the scavenging action,

hereinabove referred to and to be described presently in greater detail.

As shown in Fig. l, the cylindrical slotted cage IOI is an integral extension of the externally threaded boss I02 in which the head end 003 of the engine starter housing I04 terminates. Within said housing MM is a piston Hi6 provided wtih sealing rings Hill for fluid tightness as the piston moves along the inner cylindrical surface of the housing Iild in response to the passage of the pressure fluid through the slotted cage WI on its way to theworlring chamber I08 of the starting unit. In its normal position-' that is, the position indicated in Fig. 1-the piston We operates to hold valve III firmly seated on the valve seat formed in the cover plate M2, such seating being effected against the opposition of the coiled compression spring M3 and-by reason of the fact that piston Itiii engages the end of the valve stem M4 as the piston is returned tmthe position shown; the return of the piston to said position being due to the expanding action of the coiled compression spring flit, which expanding action occurs following the release of the pressure fluid to theexhaust conon the other.

ample, that more fully illustrated and described in the Stein patent above identified.

When such return stroke of the piston I has been completed (the engine having meanwhile been started as a result of the initial rotation imparted thereto through the motion translating connections between the piston I00 and the engine crankshaft, which connections are only partially shown at H9 in Fig. l but are more fully illustrated and described in theabove identified Stein patent) the operator will proceed to release the lock of the breech mechanism preparatory to swinging the cover plate to the open position to allow removal of the remains of the cartridge. As a result of this unlocking movement the rod 82 is shifted to the left of the position shown in Fig. 1, the shifting being produced by reason of the cam action of the flag 53 upon the rounded end of the rod as it moves the latter out of depression hereinbefore described.

This longitudinal movement of the rod 02 is sufllcient to carry the contactplate I23 into engagement with the stationary contacts I24 and I25, whereupon a circuit is completed to energize the winding I28 of the solenoid I21; the circuit passing from the source I28 to said winding I26 by way of conductors I3I, I24, I23, I25 and I32, and returning by way of the ground connections indicated at I33 and I34.

The eifect of the energization of the solenoid I21 in the manner thus described is to cause the solenoid plunger I to be shifted to the 'left from the position indicated in Fig. 1in which position it is normally held by the action of coiled compression spring I42 upon the collar I43 of the plungerinto the position indicated in Fig. 2, in which position the valve II within the valve housing I52 occupies a position wherein free communication is allowed between conduits I56 and I5! on the one hand and conduits I58 and I 59 c Of these conduits, the first-named serves to connect the valve chamber ISI with the air pump I62 or other source of compressed air or equivalent scavenging fluid, while the conduit I5I serves to establish communication between said valve chamber IOI and the passage I2 leading into the forward chamber II of the breech mechanism. Free communication is thus established with the conduit I66 leading to the chamber I08 of the engine starter, and between said chamber I08 and the atmosphere by way of outlet I69, conduit II 50, valve chamber Ill and exhaust pipe I59.

The free path for the scavenging fluid which is thus provided permits a blowing and scavenging action all along said path, and any solid particles remaining in said path after the engine starting operation, together with the unexhausted gaseous residue are thus carried away and ejected to the atmosphere at the terminal of the exhaust pipe I59.

After completion of this scavenging step, the operator will proceed to swing open the now unlocked cover palte, in order to effect removal of the spent cartridge. As he does so, the flag is withdrawn from the path of the rod, whereupon spring 16 snaps said rod lengthwise sufficiently to reopen the solenoid circuit at the switch I123. Solenoid spring I42 then acts to return the valve to the fluid cut-off position of Fig. 1, thus completing the cycle.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a cylinder, having a piston therein, of a cartridge firing breech mechanism, means for flring a cartridge in said breech mechanism, means for conducting the resulting gases to said cylinder to move said piston, and means for scavenging said cylinder to remove any gases that may remain after completion of the piston stroke, said last-named means being operative in response to the unlocking of said breech mechanism following flringof' the cartridge.

2. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism having a cover plate and means for unlocking said cover plate with respect to the breech body, means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism, said introducing means including a valve for connecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, and means responsive to unlocking of said cover erating said valve.

3. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism having a cover plate and means for unlocking said cover plate, means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism, said introducing means including a valve for connecting the breech chamber and servo-motor with a source of pressure fluid, and means responsive to unlocking of said cover plate for operating said valve, said valve further serving to vent said servo-motor whereby the scavenging fluid may be evacuated therefrom.

4. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism, means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism, and means for conveying said scavenging fluid to said servo-motor, said introducing means including a valve for connecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, means normally holding said valve plate for op-- in source disconnecting position, and electromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connecting position.

5. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism having a cover plate and locking means for said cover plate, of means for introducing a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism and servomotor, said introducing means including a valve for connecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, means normally holding said valve in source disconnecting position, electromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connecting position, a circuit from a current source to said electromagnetic means, and means including said cover plate locking means for operating said circuit.

6. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism, means for introducing .a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism and servo-motor, said introducing means including a valve for connecting the breech chamber with a source of pressure fluid, means normally holding said valve in source disconnecting position, electromagnetic means for shifting said valve to the connecting position, a circuit from a current source to said electromagnetic means, and means for operating said circuit.

7. The combination with a servo-motor of actuating means including a breech mechanism having a firing pin, a cover plate, and a lock for fastening said cover plate to the breech body, means including a lock engaging rod for controlling introduction of a scavenging fluid into said breech mechanism and servo-motor, and common operating means for said firing pin, lock, and lock engaging rod.

ROMEO M. NARDONE.