US2508185A - Valve device - Google Patents

Description

y 6, 950 G. K. NEWELL 2,508,185

' VALVE DEVICE Filed Aug 30, 1944 INVENTOR GEORGE KNEWELL BY lzfziiulz ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1950 VALVE DEVICE George K. Newell, near Pitcairn, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse AinBrake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 30, 1944, Serial No. 551,791

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a fluid pressure control device and more particularly to a valve device of the type for releasing fluid under pressure from a charged chamber or other volume.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel valve device of the above mentioned type for initiating the venting of fluid under pressure from a chamber or conductor and which is responsive to a force created by the flow of fluid from the conductor to reduce the fluid pressure in the chamber or conductor to a selected low value, the valve device functioning automatically to close off the flow of fluid from said chamber or conductor when the pressure of fluid therein has been reduced to said selected low value.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following description.

1 In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a valve device constructed in accordance with the invention, and Fig. 2 is a lateral section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, this valve device comprises a body I having formed therein a chamber 2 connected to a fluid pressure conductor 3, and containing a valve 4 supported by a spring 5 which is carried by a cap nut 6 having screw threaded connection with the body I. The valve I engages a seat member 4' and is for the purpose of controlling communication through a passage I provided in a wall 8 of the body, which wall separates the chamber 2 from a chamber 9 formed in the body by a cover I9 having screw threaded connection with thebody.

The valve 4 is provided with a fluted stem II which projects through passage I into chamber 9, there being a plurality of flutes provided in the stem as shown in Fig. 2. Secured to the end of stem H within chamber 9 is a coaxially arranged disc I2, which may be circular in form and is spaced away from wall 8. One or more ports or openings I3 lead from chamber 9 to the atmosphere, said ports oropenings being protected from entry of dirt, insects, etc. by a skirt I4 on the cover I9. This skirt is spaced from the body I and extends across the openings.

Disposed above the valve stem II and in axial The other end of plunger I5 is provided with a hand button I6 for manual operation.

Interposed between and o'peratively engaging the button I6 and an exterior surface of the cover I0 is a spring I! for normally urging the plunger I5 to th position in which it is shown on the drawing, that is, out of engagement with the valve stem II. A disc I8 is secured to the inner end of the plunger I5 for engagement with the cover III to prevent Withdrawal of the plunger from the cover. With the plunger out of engagement with the valve stem I I the spring 5 acting against the valve 4 maintains it seated, closing communication from the chamber 2 t chamber 9.

Operation Let it be assumed that theconductor 3 is connected to a chamber or the like containing fluid under pressure and that it is desired to release the fluid under pressure from said chamber. To accomplish this, the plunger I5 will be depressed into engagement with the valve stem I l and then actuated to force the valve 4 from its seat. With the valve 4 open, fluid under pressure will then flow from conductor 3 and the connected chamber or the like (not shown), and chamber 2, past said valve to chamber 9 and thence to the atmosphere. When the valve is being opened by the operation of plunger I5, the disc I2 is moved in the direction of Wall 8 and the fluid under pressure released past the valve then flows through the space between the disc and the wall to the atmosphere. This flow of fluid under pressure will create a reduction in pressure on an area under the disc and adjacent the valve stem to a pressure below the opposing atmospheric pressure above the disc, thereby creating a force upon the disc which will act to hold the valve open against the opposing force of spring 5 and the pressure of fluid in chamber 2 acting upon the valve. The plunger I5 may therefore be released and returned to its normal position upon the opening of the valve 4.

The position which the disc I2 and the valve 4 will assume, with respect to the wall 8, as just described, will depend substantially upon the degree of reduction in pressure below atmosphere on the area under the disc above mentioned.

- This reduction in pressure on the under side of disc I2 will in turn vary in proportion to the velocity of fluid under pressure flowing out of the end of the bore I into the space between the disc I2 and the wall 8. This velocity of fluid flow in turn will depend upon and vary in proportion to the capacity of the valve and stem to release fluid under pressure from chamber 2 through the bore I as well as the pressure in the said chamber. This flow will also reduce as pressure of fluid in the chamber 2 reduces and may also vary accordon the disc I2 to hold the valve open against the force of spring 5 and the pressure in chamber 2 acting upon the said valve, whereupon the valve will close.

The degree of force obtained for holding the valve open will also vary aecordingeto thearea of disc [2 so that a relatively large'disc willhold the valve 4 open until the pressure in chamber 2' is reduced to a lower degree-than lithe area of the disc were less. It will therefore be seen that the structure may be designed to automatically close and retain any desired pressure.

While this valve: devicehasbeen-described as being'manually operated, it may also; be used in other locations: where its: operation is automati cally initiated. Such. an installation, for eX-'- ample, might be. in connection with roadside signal apparatus for-the controlof railway trains or thelike, where a momentary force canibe'applied-to thevalve; by anzohjectalongithe right of way Having: now' -described my invention; what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A valve device-comprising a casing having a pressure-chamberand a. vent port connecting-said chamber to; a fiat surface on saidcasingfor re-- one side and the periphery of Which is constantly.

subjectto substantially atmospheric, pressure and said disc being .operative upon' a ,suflicient reduction in pressure on its opposite side below atmospheric pressure on the oneside to hold said valve open, means connectinggsaid valve tosaid disc and disposing said discs substantially coaxial with said vent port and with said opposite side parallel to said flat casing surface and so spaced from said surface as to provide between said surface and said opposite side of said disc a relatively restricted fluid flow communication from said vent port to the periphery of said disc whereby the pressure *on' said opposite side of said-idisc will be reduced below that on saidone side to-a degree proportional to the rate of venting of fluid through said vent port.

2. A vent valve device comprising a casing having a valve chamber adapted to receive fluid underpressure, andzalso having a smooth surface 1'5- of'substantial area exposed to atmosphere and a passage-way connecting said valve chamber to saidsurface-for releasing fluid under pressure from said chamber to atmosphere over said surface, a valve in said chamber for controlling flow of fluid from said chamber through said passage, a stem' for said valve extending through. said passage 'withthe endopposite: said valve disposed beyond said surface, .a. member attached to the end of said stem opposite-said valve" and having a surface spaced'apartfrom, parallelto'and adjacent said smooth. surface, and means for 'actu ating said stem-tounseatsaidwalve.

GEORGE: K; NEWELL.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of'record in the file of this patent:

UNITED. STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,075 Klein Oct. 4, 1887 1,168,415 Pullen' Jan; 18, 1916 2,138,125 Schultz Nov. 29, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 402,204 France of 1909 526,415 France of 1921

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