US2194884A

US2194884A - Water pressure reducer

Info

Publication number: US2194884A
Application number: US250614A
Authority: US
Inventors: Algernon E Butts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-01-12
Filing date: 1939-01-12
Publication date: 1940-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1957-03-26

Description

March 26, 1940. A. E. BUTTS 2,194,884

WATER PRESSURE REDUCER Filed Jan. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m In venior A.E,Bwiis A tiorneys March 26, 1940. A. E. BUTTS WATER rmss suaz REDUCER Filed Jan. 12, 19:9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A iiorneys Patented Mar. 26, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a water pressure reducer especially adapted for use on a hot water system employed for furnishing hot water for any purpose and which includes a safety valve 5 required by law to prevent pressure from build-.

ing up to such an extent that would endanger the system. A system of this kind frequently discharges hot water from the storage tank thereof by way of the safety valve when the flow of hot water from the system is suddenly stopped at the hydrant due to back pressure suddenly building up against the pressure of the incoming water from the water main causing an upward surging of water in the tank that builds up an excessive pressure sufficient to open the safety valve and permit the water tc escape and cause damage. The present invention has for its primary object the provision of means for automatically reducing the pressure of the incoming water from the 20 water main when the back pressure occurs and obviates the surging upwardly of the water in the supply tank and consequently eliminates the temporary excessive pressure which heretofore acted to open the safety valve and permit waste of the Water as well as damage.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a conventional water heating arrangement equipped with a water pressure reducer constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the water pressure reducer.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a plunger type valve element.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a plunger type piston.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a storage tank of a hot water heating system, 6 the outlet pipe of said tank equipped with the usual hydrant or faucet l for obtaining hot water from the supply tank as needed. Connected with the supply tank 5 is a conventional type of heater 8 for the purpose of heating the water in the supply tank to a desired temperature. The tank 5 by the requirement of law must be equipped with a safety valve 8 so that should excessive pressure buildup in the tank it may escape. A water supply pipe I is connected with the tank andto a water main H for furnishing water to the tank as wateris drawn fromthe tank by way of the faucet 1. It has been found in actual practice that when the faucet l is quickly closed a back pressure is silddenly created in the tank against the pressure of the incoming water causing an upward surging of water in the supply tank sufiicient to build in an excessive pressure causing the valve 9 to open and allow waste of water and damage To overcome this objection to a water heating system of the character described the present invention is connected thereto between the water supply pipe it and the water main I! so that when the back pressure is created in the supply tank by the sudden closing of the faucet J the supply of water to thetank from the water main will be automatically and temporarily cut off. The water main remains closed to the tank by the present invention until the upward surging of the water in the tank 5 has stopped and the present invention then automatically restores the communication of the water main to the tank 5 by way of the water supply pipe ID.

V The present invention consists of a valve housing l2 threaded onto the water main II at its a lower end and is equipped at said end with a valve seat E3 of tubular construction having a series of ports It and in which is slidably mounted a plunger-type valve provided with a stem H5. The ports H! are opened and closed by the sliding movement of the valve element l5. The valve housing l2 has an outlet neck I! and a stuifing box 18 including a guide I9. The stem extends through the stuffing box l8 and the guide i9 and has mounted thereon a coiled spring 20, one end of which bears against the'guide l9 and the other end against the collar 2! fixed on the stem. The spring 20 normally acts to position the valve element 15 to close the ports l4 while the flow of water from the main acts on the valve element IE to slide the same upwardly stuffing box 25 to contact the upper end of the stem l6 of the valve element E5. The water pressure in the by-pass pipe 23 normally maintains the piston 26 in contact with the stem iii of the valve element I5.

Under normal operating conditions, the valve element I5 is in its uppermost position, as shown in Figure 2, to open the ports I l so that water from the main may reach the supply tank 5. The valve element I5 remains in this position as long as conditions are normal and water is being drawn from the supply tank by way'of the faucet 1. However, when the faucet I is suddenly closed, stopping the flow of incoming water, the spring 20 moves the valve element 15' downwardly closing the ports M cutting off the supply of water to the tank 5 and thereby eliminating the possibility of the water being caused to surge upwardly and bring about building up of excessive pressure in the tank sufficient to open the safety valve. When the faucet is opened the pressure of water raises the valve I5 to open ports l4 and thereby restore the supply of water to the tank 5.

While I have described and shown a plunger type valve l5 and a cylindrical type seat, it is to be understood that this invention can successfully operate with another type of valve element and valve seat. Also, it is to be understood that while this invention has been shown and described in connection with a hot water heating system of a particular construction, the invention is readily adaptable to other types of systems.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such invention relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a hot water supply tank having a safety valve, a supply line for said tank, valve controlled delivery means leading from said tank, and means for preventing opening of the safety valve when back pressure is developed in said tank by the sudden closing of the valve controlled delivery means, comprising a casing in the supply line to said tank and having a valve seat, a valve in said casing adapted to engage said seat and provided with a stem and tending to be opened by the supply line pressure, spring means to normally maintain said valve seated, a cylinder having a piston therein for applying pressure to said stem in opposition to the opening pressure, the valve, stem and piston being so constructed that the areas thereof tending to efiect opening of the valve by pressure are equal to the areas tending to close said valve by pressure.

2. In a device of the class described, a water supply tank having a safety valve, a supply line for said tank, valve controlled delivery means connected to said tank, and means for preventing opening of the safety valve when back pressure is developed in said tank by the sudden closing of the valve controlled delivery means comprising a valve in the supply line to said tank tending to be opened by the supply line pressure, means acting to normally maintain said valve closed, and means for applying pressure to said valve in opposition to the opening pressure, said last-mentioned means being so constructed that the areas thereof tend to eifect closing of said valve by pressure equal to the areas tending to open said valve by pressure.

ALGERNON E. BUTTS.