US2422342A - Pressure regulated electrical control - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1947. E. J. DILLMAN 2,422,342

PRESSURE REGULATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL Filed Jan. 10, 1944 INVENTOR. mum...

41;.) ATTORNISY Patented June 17, 1947 PRESSURE REGULATED ELECTRICAL CONTROL Earnest J. Dillman, Detroit Lubricator Com corporation of Michiga Detroit, Mich., assignor to pany, Detroit, Mich., a n

Application January 10, 1944, Serial No. 517,631

2 Claims.

The invention relates to a pressure regulated device and it has particular relation to a pressure regulated electrical control.

In the control of electrical circuits by pressure actuated means, one device that has been employed includes a casing having a diaphragm therein provided with a switch actuating pin connected to the diaphragm at its center. As the diaphragm is moved in accordance with pressure at one side thereof, the switch is actuated. -The type of electrical control may vary in many ways.

One object of the present invention is to provide a device of the general character indicated wherein improved means are provided for guiding the pin in its movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pressure regulated control having an improved spring or resilient means for adjust-- ably varying resistance to movement of the diaphragm by the pressure at one side of the latter.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, from the drawings to which it relates and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a pressure regulated device constructed according to one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 particularly, the device illustrated comprises a casing having two main parts and H and mating portions l2 and i3 joined together by a series of circumferentially spaced screws M. A diaphragm l5 extending between the two parts i0 and II has its outer marginal portion securely fastened between the mating portions i2 and I3. An opening H5 in the casing part II serves as a means for connecting a fluid pressure line to the casing so that pressure in the line will be applied against the lower side of the diaphragm.

A rigid disc I 8 on the upper side of the diaphragm is connected to the latter by means of a pin having a collar 2| abutting the upper side of the disc. This pin projects through the disc and diaphragm and has its lower end peened over as indicated at 22 against a washer 23 at the lower side of the diaphragm. As best shown by Figure 3, the upper end of the pin 20 engages the lower end of a pin 25 made of insulating ma- '21 by the rivet 30.

terial which is vertically slidable in an insulating plate 26 forming part of a switch device 21.

At its upper end, the pin 25 has a head 28 which is adapted to engage a fiat contact strip 29 fastened at one end to the plate 21 by means of a rivet 30. The strip element 29 is connected by an arcuate flat spring 32 to a second flat strip 34 which also is connected to the insulating plate At its free end, the strip 34 carries contacts 35 and 36 adapted respectively to contact other contacts 31 and 38. These other contacts 3'! and 38 are connected to wires 40 and 4| extending outwardly through a conduit 43 fastened to the upper part In of the casing. A third-wire 44 is connected to the strip 34 and from this is follows that a circuit through wires 40 and 44 or through wires 4| and 44 may be completed, depending upon the position of the contact strip 34. The spring 32 is so arranged and is so connected to the fiat strips 28 and 34 that it normally biases the strip 34 into its upper position, or, in other words, as soon as the smaller pin element 25 moves downwardly, the strip 34 automatically moves upwardly.

In order to provide a guide for the pin 20 and also an adjustable spring mounting, a rigid metal strip or platform 48 is riveted to the upper side of the casing part It), as indicated at 49, and extends into the casing and over the central portion of the diaphragm. This platform centrally.

of the diaphragm has an enlarged opening 50 and within this opening a nut 5| is rigidly secured by peening over metal below the platform as indicated at 52. The threaded opening in the nut is substantially larger than the pin 20 and receives a threaded thimble 53, which is disposed with its bottom or base Wall uppermost. An opening 54 in such wall closely but slidably receives the pin 20 from which it follows that the opening serves as a guide for the pin. A coil spring 55 around the pin abuts the collar 2| on the lower end of the pin while the upper end of the spring abuts the bottom Wall of the thimble.

From the foregoing it follows that by turning the thimble, the loading of the spring may be varied and hence the pressure on the upper side of the diaphragm may be varied. Consequently,

operation of the electrical control may be varied so as to operate at various pressures. A set screw 56 threaded through the stationary nut 5| and engaging the thimble serves to lock the latter in any position of adjustment and a removable cover element 51 provides access to the parts as will be understood.

The structure provides a simple, easily manufactured and easily assembled pressure regulated control wherein the parts are readily accessible for adjustment. Furthermore, the guide and spring mounting provide a means for accurately guiding the pin and at the same time providing a means for accurately adjusting the pressure against the upper side of the daiphragm. Adjustment of the spring pressure may be easily effected and once the adjustment is made the parts are firmly held against accidental displacement. The pin on the diaphragm may be used for actuating various types of controls and in a general way it should be understood that the spring mounting and pin guide provide a means for efficiently and accurately adjusting spring pressure at one side or" a diaphragm and that this diaphragm might be employed in various capacities where fluid pressure at one or even both sides of a diaphragm might be used.

Although only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A pressure control device comprising a casing having a dish-shaped lower member with a central pressure port and having a dish-shaped upper member with a housing portion having an open side, said upper member having its rim clamped to the rim of said lower member, 3, diaphragm extending across said members and clamped and sealed at its periphery therebetween, said upper member having a supporting portion at its open side, a plate member secured to said supporting portion and extending into said casing through said open side in substantially parallel relation to said diaphragm, said plate member having an aperture therethrough concentric with said diaphragm, a nut secured in said aperture, a thimble member having an apertured end wall and adjustably screw-threaded in said nut, a helical coil spring within said thimble member and interposed between said diaphragm and said end wall, a thrust rod movable with said diaphragm and extending concentrically through said spring and said thimble member end wall aperture, locking means accessible through said open side and carried by said nut, said locking means being engageable with and operable to hold said thimble member in adjusted position, a snap switch secured within said housing portion and having an operating pin alined with and engageable by said rod for operating said switch, and means to close said open casing side.

2. A pressure control device comprising a casing having upper and lower members rigidly secured together, a diaphragm in said casing and sealed to said lower member to form a pressure chamber, said lower member having a port opening into said chamber, said upper member having a housing portion and a wall overlying said diaphragm, said housing portion having side and rear walls rising from and formed integral with said wall and having a top wall and a front wall opening, said side, rear and top walls forming a compartment overlying the center of said diaphragm, supporting means rigid with said upper member and positioned adjacent said diaphragm and having an aperture therethrough concentric with said diaphragm, an adjustment member in said compartment and accessible through said iront opening and longitudinally adjustable in said aperture and having a guideway therethrough concentric with said diaphragm, a thrust rod longitudinally reciprocal in said guideway and operatively engaging said diaphragm, a spring surrounding said rod and held under corrpression against said diaphragm by said adjustment member, a snap switch unit in said compartment and rigidly secured to one of said housing portion walls, said unit having an operating pin alined with and engageable by said rod, said unit being accessible through said front opening, one of said housing portion walls having an opening for switch current conducting means, means closing said last-named opening, and a cover member closing said front wall opening and secured to said housing portion.

EARNES'I J. DILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 670,539 Erwin Mar. 26, 1901 1,183,486 Pardue May 16 1916 1,610,213 V De Ville Dec. 7, 1926 552,803 Williams Jan. 7, 1896 1,203,287 Weber Oct. 31, 1916 2,094,319 Faust Sept. 28, 1937

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