US2460908A - Valve mechanism - Google Patents

Description

VALVE MECHANI SM Original Filed Jan. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY 2 Z A TTOR NE Y.

Feb. 8, 1949. w SCOTT, JR 2,460,908

VALVE MECHAN I SM Original Filed Jan. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2. a

F l 3,3, 7%;, 7m ZA BY j A TTORNEY.

bers to prevent air leakage thereat. 55 interconnects the space 355 formed by the dome Patented Feb. 8, 1949 A 2,460,908

VALVE MECHANISM William M. Scott, Jr., Bryn Mawr, Pa., assignor to I. T. E. Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a company of Pennsylvania Application March 4, 1943, Serial No. 477,911, now Patent No. 2,426,243, dated. August 26, 1947, which is a division of application Serial No. 373,051, January 3, 1941, now Patent No. 2,405,454, dated August 6, 1946. Divided and this application November 24, 1943, Serial No.

3 Claims. (Cl. 137144) My invention relates in general to the field The cylindrical member 301 is cored to produce of circuit interrupters and more specifically annular air chambers M2 and 3l3 which are sepconcerns a novel and improved form circuit arated by means of an integrally cast partition breaker and a control means therefor. This, 3". Supported up n the p r i ion i another case is a division of my application Serial No. hollow cylindrical member 3I5 which is bored out 477,911, filed March 4, 1943, which is a division to afford a passage 3I5 between the two annular of the parent application Serial No. 373,051, filed chambers 3l2 and 3| 3. January 3, 1941, now Patent Number 2,405,454, Operable within the cylinder 3l6 is a spoolgranted August 6, 1946, and entitled Circuit shaped member 3H which essentially comprises interrupter and control therefor. The present a central portion of narrow diameter and two invention embodies a novel high speed valve pistons 32l and 322 which are operable along the mechanism for controlling the application of inner surface thereof.

p essur t the p eu ati ally perat d circuit The end 323 of the inner cylindrical member breakers such as described in the above referred is of smaller diameter than the opposite end to parent application. thereof in order to provide an abutment 324 for Accordingly an object of this invention is to a compression spring 325 which constantly exerts p e a ve high p d Valve ec anism in a force on piston 32l towards the left as viewed which a pair of diaphragms cooperate with a in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Va ve m e aphr ms eing operated Adjacent the pistons, as indicated more parby pressure from a source of compressed fluid, a ticularly i F re 3, are star-shaped el ments spring member, and aspira in m 33l and 332 as indicated in Figure 3, which main- There are other objects of the invention which tain alignment when the pistons are displaced will e m pa t f m t d tail d d s ipbeyond the ends of the passage; while permitting tion of the drawings, in which: air to flow therethrough.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the pneu- The open ends of the main cylindrical member matic operating means in the position correspond- 301 are sealed by a pair of flexible diaphragm ing to the circuit breaker open circuit position. valves 33! and 336 firmly secured thereto by a Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the pneucorresponding pair of dome shaped circular memmatic operating means corresponding to the cirbers 333 and 334, fastened to the main structure cuit breaker closed position. by any suitable means as for example screws 335.

Figure 3 is an end cross-sectional view of the The diaphragm 336 is free of the piston 32I pneumatic operating means taken along the line whereas the diaphragm 331 is attached by means I 4-I4 of Figure 2. As described in the above of screws 3 and metal plate 342 to the piston referred to parent application, pneumatically 322. In addition, piston 322 also carries a cylinoperated circuit breakers are operated by com- 35 drical member 343 which is faced with a layer pressed air. This air is delivered to the circuit of valve seat material 344. breakers over pipe 22. This cylindrical member 343 is preferably fixed The control valve which is most clearly illusto a rod 345 which is slidable within a corretrated in Figures 1, 2 and'3 is operated by a pair sponding perforation 346 within the piston 322 of oppositely disposed solenoids; that is, trip sole- 40 and is constantly biased from the diaphragm 331 noid 302 and closing solenoid 303. by means of leaf spring 341 which accordingly Compressed air from the storage means enters serves as a shock absorber during closures of the control valve through pipe 304 and flows to valve 344, as will be described. and from the operating cylinder through the As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the circuit manifold 32. These pipes 304 and 22 are secured breaker closing manifold 22 enters into the cyli to the-valve by means of a block 306 suitably der 3l6 which is supported by partition 3l4. Air perforated which,.in turn, is supported upon the is exhausted from the control valve through anmain circuit breaker frame. nular passage 3i3 and the exhaust pipe 335 con- The control valve comprises a cylindrical body nected thereto. portion 301 which is secured to the block 306 by The air in annular passage M2 is at the presa plurality of bolts 29! which pass through corsure of the supply system, and thus the left face responding lugs 295 on either side of the block of diaphragm 331 is acted upon by a correspond- 306 and the cylindrical body 301 respectively. ing force. A gasket 3 is interposed between these mem- However, as illustrated, a small passage 352 cheeses 3 i 2 acts upon an annular area whereas high pressure air within the space 333 acts upon a full circular area of equal outer diameter, the dia-- phragm valve 331 is displaced to the left (the maximum displacement being indicated in Figure 1). The spring 325, as may also be seen, acting upon the spool shaped member 3|1, adds to the force which draws diaphragm 331 in this direction.

When the valve diaphragms are in the position indicated, the circuit breaker operating cylinders (not shown) are vented through insulating pipe 36! and through pipe 22 which leads to the cylindrical passage M6. The air is then free to flow from this passage through the star-shaped element 332 into the annular passage 3l3 and thus to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 35L Pressures on the opposite faces of diaphragm 336 are equalized through small passage 354 which interconnects the manifold 22 and the dome shaped space 355.

Fine strainers are preferably introduced into the auxiliary equalizing passages 352 and 354 to preclude the entry into the dome of dust or other foreign particles which would cause faulty seating of the valves.

The dome-shaped elements 333 and 334 are centrally perforated at 36I and 362 respectively to form a pair of auxiliary valves which may be sealed by solenoid plungers 365 and 366 surfaced with layers of valve seat material 363 and 364 respectively. These plungers are spring pressed toward their respective valves by compression springs 361 and 31! which are retained within axial recesses in the plunger and in the solenoid stops 369 and 316. The force exerted by the springs must be sufficient to ensure effective valve closures when full supply pressure exists within the dome shaped spaces. Manual operation of the plungers is provided for by plunger rods 312 and 313 tapped into their corresponding plungers and which pass through appropriate centralizing bushings in the solenoid steps.

The coil solenoids 362 and 363 are preferably energized from a control circuit hereinafter described and are supported upon the main valve structure by means of the posts 36!.

Control valve operation As previously mentioned, when the valve membars are as illustrated in Figure 1, the circuit breaker contacts are open and the manifold 22 is vented through exhaust pipe: 35! to the atmosphere.

If the closing solenoid 363 is energized or if the plunger rod 313 is actuated so that the plunger 366 is drawn in against the action of compression spring 31! and bears against its corresponding stop 316, then the passage 362 will vent the dome shaped space 334 to the atmosphere.

Inasmuch as the equalizing air flow through relatively small passage 352 is less than the air flow to the atmosphere through the larger passage 362, the high pressure air within chamber 3l2 will act to displace diaphragm 331 toward the right when viewed as in Figure l.

The displacement of diaphragm 331 will accordingly cause the displacement of the attached spool-shaped member 3" and thus piston 322 will move beyond the open end 323 of cylindrical member 3" and permit the high pressure air to enter the circuit breaker manifold through the star-shaped member 33i as is more particularly illustrated in Figure 2.

Piston 32| will, by virtue of the displacement of the entire member 311, enter the cylinder M5 and block the flow of air from the manifold to the atmosphere through pipe 36L The increase in pressure within manifold 22 will cause a corresponding increase in pressure in the space 355 due to the equalizing passage 354. Since the right hand face of this diaphragm is obviously at atmospheric pressure, this increase in pressure will act to force and maintain flexible diaphragm 336 against its seat 362 and thus efiectively seal the passage 3l6.

Thus actuation of plunger 366, as hereinabove mentioned, will cause the various operating members to assume the positions illustrated in Figure 2, wherein as indicated by the air flow arrowheads, compressed air from the supply passes through the star-shaped member 331 and enters the circuit breaker manifold 22 and thus causes contact engagement.

The cylindrical member 343 and its associated valve seat 344 will act subsequent to displacement to seal passage 362 against theescape of high pressure air. Subsequent to circuit breaker closure, there will be no tendency for the spool shaped member to return to the position indi- 'cated in Figure 1, since the combined forces of the high pressure air acting upon the left surfaces of the diaphragms is substantially greater than the combined forces of the compression spring 325 and the air acting on the right surface of diaphragm 331.

The closing solenoid plunger 366 may be permitted to return to the position indicated in Figure 1 to minimize air leakage through passage 362.

The diaphragm 331 as illustrated in Figure 2 is maintained in a position clear of its seat and thus permits air flow through star-shaped member 33! to compensate for any leakage within the various elements, as for instance, the circuit breaker closing cylinders.

Energization of the trip solenoid 362, or manual actuation of rod 312 to cause the displacement of plunger 365 to the left as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, will accordingly permit air passage 36l to vent the high pressure air contained within the dome 355 to the atmosphere.

The venting action will occur at a more rapid rate than the flow of equalizing air from the high pressure manifold through passage 354' and thus the diaphragm 336 will tend to move towards its neutral position.

Therefore, under the influence of spring 325 a and the high pressure air, the spool shaped memher 311 will correspondingly be displaced and thus will pull the diaphragm 331 against its seat to preclude the further flow of air to the manifold.

This motion of the diaphragm is accelerated by the drop in pressure in the central cylinder 3l6 which occurs as soon as the air therein exhausts to the atmosphere and the leading edge of piston 322 enters its cylinder.

valve members will again asindicated in Figure 1, vent the manifold, and open the circuit breaker contacts.

Following circuit interruption, the plunger 365 may be allowed to close passage 36l as is required for a succeeding circuit closure.

Since various modifications of the hereinabove described control system will be evident to those skilled in the art, I prefer to be bound, not

sume the position by these specific disclosures, but by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a valve system having a first line containing a source of high pressure fluid; a second line; a pair of flexible diaphragms; valve mechanism individual to and controlled by each of said diaphragms; the valve of saidfirst diaphragm controlling the fiow of fluid from said first line to said second line; means for applying pressure from said high pressure fluid source to both faces of said first diaphragm; said first diaphragm being operable to open and close said valve under the action of said fluid pressure; spring means operating on said first valve urging it into position for disconnecting said first linefrom said second line; and means for venting one side of said first diaphragm whereby said diaphragm is operated by the pressure of said fiuid in said first line on the face of said diaphragm acting against said spring means to connect said first and second line; a passage means for venting said second line to the atmosphere and means for operating said second diaphragm under the action of pressure in said second line into position closing said venting passage of said second line to the atmosphere,

2. In a valve structure, a first line; a second line; a flexible diaphragm operated valve having a connecting position for connecting said first and second lines and a disconnecting position for disconnecting said first line from said second line, both faces of said diaphragm being under equal pressure in both its connecting and disconnecting positions; spring means normally urging and holding said diaphragm valve to its disconnecting position; means for venting one side of said diaphragm valve to cause a drop of pressure on said one side, said diaphragm valve being thereupon operable by the pressure on its other side for operation to the position for connecting said first and second lines; and means controlled by pressure in said second line for maintaining said diaphragm in valve connecting position against the action of said spring means; said means comprising a second flexible diaphragm controlled by pressure in said second line.

3. In a valve structure, a first line; a second line; a flexible diaphragm operated valve-having a connecting position for connecting said first and second lines and a disconnecting position for disconnecting said first line from said second line, both faces of said diaphragm being under equal pressure in both its connecting and dis connecting positions; spring means normally urging and holding said diaphragm valve to its disconnecting position; means for venting one side of said diaphragm valve to cause a drop of pressure on said one side, said diaphragm valve being thereupon operable by the pressure on its other side for operation to the position for connecting said first and second lines; means controlled by pressure in said second line for maintaining said diaphragmin valve connecting position against the action of said spring means; said means comprising a second flexible diaphragm normally disconnected from and brought into operating engagement with said first diaphragm under contrast of the pressure in said second line; means for applying equalized pressure on both faces of said second diaphragm; and means for venting one face of said second diaphragm to permit the pressure in the other face of said second diaphragm to operate said second diaphragm to disconnect from said first diaphragm whereby said spring means operates said first diaphragm and its valve to disconnected position.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references file of this patent:

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