US2375131A - Automatic gas cutoff - Google Patents

Description

May l, 1945- c. c. PHILLIPS 2,375,131

AUTOMATIC GAS CUT-OFF Filed July 20, 1942 (m4/@5 CPM/715 1NVENTOR.

- Patented May 1, 1945 UNITED STATES rr TENT OFFICE This invention relates to fthe art of automatic cut-'off devices 4for valves in gas-supply lines, in Y connection with `any gas appliance.

As .is well known, ythere is always dangeriof the ame of f any gas appliance being extinguished by reduction of .pressure in the gas supply line. There is also the consequent danger of the -ga's continuing to flow inreduced pressure to and through the burner of the appliance Without being burned; andzthere is the further aggravated dan'geriof the gas escaping vunburned `from the burner when vthe pressure has returned to normal. Not only is Athere the waste Vof gas under vsuch'eondition's but lthereis also the very serious .danger of .an explosion, as of course will be understood. e

There have been attempts to remedy thissitua- `tion by providing means for .automatically shutiting off-thelgas when the lgaspressure fallsbelow thelpredetermined point that corresponds to that of fcombustion at vthe burner, .and for `preventing the ilowof gas to `the burner from being resumed, at normal pressure, -until the cut-olf device is released. Instances of such devices are found in the patents to Walters No. 1,963,452, Junev 19, 1934, and Chandler No. 2,072,868, March "9, 1937. Itis upon these patented devices that I have produced an improvement in several respects.

` One objectof my invention, for instance, isto provide such-a .device inwhich there is means for guiding vand steadying the valve so that the means for locking the same may be simpliiied; and, furthermore, it is an object 'to provide such -means forguiding and steadying the valve, of ya,

comparatively simple nature. n

Another object consists in providing such a 'cut-off device with 'means for preventirm foreign 'matter from entering the same and consequently from interfering with the effective seating of the valve.

Another object is toprovide such a device with a stop means, of 'an improved form, for limiting the extent of the valve-opening movement.

Another object is to embody vin such a device,

as a unitary part thereof, a pressure regulator val-ve for the supply of gas as it enters the device. Another object is toprovidean improved means for. securing the kdiaphragm in assembly.

.Another object is to provide such a .device that can .be employed with not only the familiar inammable gas 4but with any formfof gas including air.

' description fand claims when considered together Vwith the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 isa vertical sectional view of my improved .device with the valve locked in iolosed position;

and .that 'theremight be devised various modi- `cations thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention as herein set forth andclaimed.

The ,body ofmy Vpresent form Vof device I.comprises fo'ur parts, namely the bottom part I, :the diaphragm .ring 2, which may be bolted to Athe bottom part I, the :part 3 whichwhas screwthreaded engagement with thering 2., and the top part 4 which has screw-threaded engagement with -the -part 3. l

Thebottom part Vyl A'has the gas inlet15 land the gas outlet 6, .bothv of rwhich havemeans of threaded .engagement for the attachment offthis device in the assemblyy intended. The inner wall .la has .an opening therethrough formedwith a seat for the valve 1 which is adapted for closing the same; andthe valve 'l has yan upwardly and downwardly extending stem slidably `and-freely engaging in lsuitable openings through `the -top and bottom `parts of the casing for the purpose vof guiding and steadying the valve in its movement inv a vertical,` straight-'line path. The gas, after passing the valve 1, flows through the outlet 6 which is in line with the inlet 5, thereby affording a substantially direct flow of gas through the device.

The valve 1thas connected to the upper end thereof 'the flexible circular diaphragm 9 of leather or other suitable material, this diaphragm having its edge portion attached to the lannular ring 2 prior to assembly ofthe ring with the other parts. The inner lflange of ring 2 has an annular recess 2a to receive the down-turned'edge portion of the diaphragm 9 which `is secured therein Aby means'of a ring 2b 4of suitable material. Then, upon screwing the part 3 into position, its lower edge will -iirmly clampv the ring' 2b and the edge portion of the diaphragm so as to secure'the diaphragm in permanent and fixed position. Ihe ring 2b may be of a sufficiently ductilenature to respond 'to the compression of the part 43 and thereby serve toanchor. the edge portion of the diaphragm within the recess 2a.

The diaphragm .9 .is attached to the valve '7 in .tension I0 of the valve.

the transverse wall I4. That is, the weight of th lower part of member I2 will normally turn the same, by force of gravity, about itspivot point in a clockwise direction so as to bring the curved portion I2a beneath the edge of the opening I3, this locked position of the member I2 corresponding to closed position ofthe valve T, as' indicated in Fig. l. When the member I2 occupies'such locked position, the valve 'I can not be opened by gas pressure but it is necessary to' manually release the locking member I21in order to open s the valve. -The threaded member II will be set at the proper position upon `the threaded eX- tension I0 at the time of assembly of the parts in order for the locking member I2 to bear' proper relation tothe edge of the-opening I3 and thus function in the manner'intended according to a certain predetermined minimum gas pressure. Then, having once set the member II, it will remain in such position. If so desired, there may be providedrameans for locking the member Il insuch set position, as for instance a set screw. The locking projection' is so formed with the vcurved portionV I2athat, upon turning the same counter-clockwise about its pivot point, it will clear 'the edge of the opening I3 so as to enter the same and permit the valve to be raised to openposition, as indicated in Fig. 2. Access to the partsfor' this purpose may be had upon ready removal of the cover or top part 4. Then, when the locking projection has been lso raised to position within kopening I3 and the'valve opened, asV indicated in Fig. .2, the locking projection will rest against the edge of the opening I3. So long as the gas-pressure*remainsabove the predetermined minimum, as above' mentioned, the locking member I2 in such position will remain idle andthe valve will continue to be held open by the pressurev of the gas upon the under-*side of the diaphragm.

Lhe extent to which the valve 1 may be opened is determined by the stop pin I5 which has screw- Ithreaded engagement in the top partv 4 so as to be readily accessible for adjustment. This pin isinalignmentwith the reduced stem portion I6 thatprojects upwardly from the extension IU and, by means of the flush 'or counter-sunk head .of this pin, it may be manipulated in an easy mannerywhenever desired, 'the head being provided with a screw-driver slot. y

The portion I6 has free slidable engagement .at all times vin the flared guide extension I1 upon the under-side of the top part 4; and this arrangement serves not only in connection with stoppin I5 but alsoas a-further means of holding the valve y in `vertical position and ensuring straight-line movementgof the same during openingand closing. The removable stop I5 also permits ready access to the upper guide means for servicing thesame so as to-preclude the danger of sticking.

In order to permit the escape of any gas that might leak into the upper partof the device, I have provided the ventl.

In the inlet opening 5 I have inserted a readily removable lter cartridge I9 with a plurality of wire mesh screens 2U and 2I of different gauge, for the purpose of preventing the entrance of foreign particles that might otherwise adhere to the valve 'I or its valve seat and thus interfere with the proper closing of the valve. This cartridge can be removed by means of a handle I9a of wire or any other suitable form. Upon removal of the cartridge I9, it can be cleaned and replaced or a new cartridge may be inserted. These screens may be secured in position in any suitable manner.` By means of having the screens 20 and 2| inclined inthe manner indicated, any foreign matter will be apt to drop therefrom and hence they will not require attention as soon as other wise. j

' By means of the removable plug 22 inthe bottom of the device, access maybe had to the lower end of the valve stem portion 8 for the purpose of supplying a suitable lubricant to prevent sticking of thesame at any time. The valve stem portion 8 will always occupy position within its guide even when the valve occupies fully opened position; and the same thing is true of the valve stem portion I6 in its guide I'I.

The slide valve 23 is adapted to regulate the gas pressure from the main supply line through the opening'24 in the wall 2a and is readily accessible for adjustment by means of the screwthreaded stem that extends through the wall of the bottom part I of the casing.

When this device is rst installed, the regulator valve 23 will be set; likewise the stop pin I5 and the member I I and the Valve 'l will be opened by raising the locking member I2 in the manner above explained. It is to be understood that this device can be installed at any point in a gassupply line, wherever it is necessary or expedient to shut off the supply of gas immediately upon reduction in pressure below a certain point. With this device, not only will the supply of gas be automatically shut oli" under such condition, but the valve 1 will be automatically locked closed so as to prevent any flow of `gas therethrough until it is manually released. The danger of resumed gas flow tothe burner, after accidental extinguishment of the burner flame, and the ow of gas through the burner and into the room occupied by the appliance, is so obvious as to require no explanation.

The regulator valve 23 will determine the gas `pressure upon the lower side of the diaphragm, while the stop I5 will determine the maximum extent to which the valve "I may be opened and thus also serve as a pressure regulator device. As is well known, a pressure regulator valve is always provided in the gas supply line; and there is av decided advantage in having the valve 23 embodied in and as part of the same device with the stop means I5. In this way, there is some reasonable assurance that these two regulator devices will both receive .attention and will be set in proper accordance with each other. Furthermore, by having the pressure regulator 23 embodied in this device, the gas pressure in the supply line can be set for each individual appliance with which this automatic cut-oli device is associated and, as a result, there is no dan-- ger of the diaphragm 9 being subjected to excess pressure at any time. Thus, with my device, the gas pressure may be kept under complete control and there is every assurance of obtaining and maintaining the highest possible degree of eiiciency. Also, the regulator valve 23 and its' means of adjustment, in the present combination, is not subjected to the usual foreign particles which are here removed by the filter.

By providing the double guide means for the valve stem, at top .and bottom, there is not only ensured dependable straight-line movement of the valve without requiring any other means for this purpose, but it becomes possible also to employ a rather simple form `of structure with respect to the `mounting and operation of the valve-locking mechanism, as above explained.

Another advantage resides in the stop means I which is readily accessible at all times from the outside of the device and which does not protrude from the wall of the casing.

Recognizing the fact that there are here provided v'irtually two gas pressure regulating means, as` abo-ve explained, both of them are readily accessible and they can be very conveniently and advantageously set the one with respect to the other, as above pointed out.

Also, there is precluded any danger of foreign particles being deposited upon either the valve 'i or its seat or upon the valve mechanism 23.

This device can be employed in connection with either natural or artiiicial gas, so far as the familiar inflammable gas is concerned..

Another advantage resides in the means for securing the diaphragm in assembly, with resulting convenience and eiiciency. This particular means, in combination with my means for preventing undue gas pressure upon the diaphragm, will permit the diaphragm to be made of certain material which otherwise would be prohibited, and this arrangement greatly facilitates the assembly of the diaphragm whenmade of such material, as will be understood by those who are familiar with the art to which this invention relates.

The pressure regulator valve 23 may serve also as a means of entirely shutting on' the gas supply to this device by simply setting the valve 23 in fully closed position.

While the abovedescription refers to the use of the familiar inflammable gas, yet in the iollowing claims the term gas is employed in its broader sense so as to include air or any other form of gas; and thusV the scope of the following claims is not` to be understood as being limited to devices for inammable gas but is suiiiciently broad to comprehend also devices for other gases including air.

What I claim is: I

l. A gas cut-oir device comprising a casing provided with inlet and outlet openings, a flexible diaphragm disposed substantially horizontally in said casing, a substantially vertically disposed valve for closing on the passage oi gas between said inlet and outlet openings, said valve being connected to said diaphragm, said valve having a downwardly projectin,cr stem portion and an upwardly projecting stem portion, said casing having guide means for at least one of said valve stem portions so as to ensure straightline movement of said valve, a single locking member pivotally mounted upon said upwardly projecting stem portion, said locking member having a weighted portion below its point of pivotal mounting and having an upward projection for manipulation thereof and having an intermediate locking projection, a transversely disposed wall within said casing and having a central aperture for said locking member, said parts being so constructed and arranged that said locking projection may be turned upwardly into said aperture, upon opening said valve, and will remain in raised position so long as the gas pressureupon said diaphragm remains above a predetermined point and will b-e automatically lowered so as to have locking engagement below the edge of said opening in the event the gas pressure upon said diaphragm falls below a pre determined point.

2. A gas cut-off device comprising a casing provided with inlet and outlet openings, a flexible diaphragm disposed substantially horizontally in said casing, a substantially vertically disposed valve for closing the passage of gas between said inlet andv outlet openings, said valve being connected to said diaphragm, said valve having upwardly and downwardly projecting stem portions, said casing`having guide means above and below said diaphragm for ,said valve stem portions so as to ensure straight-line movement of said valve, a single locking member mounted upon said upwardly projecting stem portion for adjustable movement therealong and for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, and means provided upon the interior of said A casing for co-operative engagement by said lockingv member so as to automatically lock said valve in closed position in the event of the lowering of the gas pressure upon said diaphragm below a predetermined point.

3. A- gas cut-on device comprising a casing provided with inlet and outlet openings, a flexible diaphragm disposed substantially horizontally in said casing, a substantially vertically disposed valve for closing the passage between said inlet and outlet openings and being'connected to said diaphragm, said valve having an upwardly and downwardly projecting stem, the top and bottom parts of said casing having guide means for said valve stem so as to ensure straight-line movement oi said valve, locking means pivotally mounted upon the upper part of said stem, and means provided upon the interior of said casing for co-operative engagement with said locking means so as to automatically lock said valve in closed position in the event of a lowering of the gas pressure upon said diaphragm below a predetermined point.

4. A gas cut-oi? device comprising a casing provided with inlet and outlet openings, a flexible diaphragm disposed substantially horizontally in said casing, a substantially vertically disposed valve for closing the passage between said inlet and outlet openings and being connected `to said diaphragm, said valve having an upwardly and downwardly projecting stem, the top 'and bottom parts of said casing above and below said diaphragm having guide means for said valve stem so as to ensure straight-line movement of said valve, the top and bottom of said casing each having an opening and a removable closure therefor permitting access to said guide means for servicing the same, locking means pivotally mounted upon said upper part of said valve stem and enclosed within said casing, and means provided upon the interior of said casing for cooperative engagement by said locking means so as to automatically lock said valve in closed position in theevent of the lowering of the gas pressure upon said diaphragm below a predetermined point.

CHARLES C. PHILLIPS.

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