US2536791A

US2536791A - Liquid feed dividing means

Info

Publication number: US2536791A
Application number: US778577A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry R Welby
Original assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Current assignee: Detroit Lubricator Co
Priority date: 1947-10-08
Filing date: 1947-10-08
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 8, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l fINIZiNTOR.

81 W be? M K M 1441 ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1947 V INVENTOR. BM W K. M

M ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1951 H. R. WELBY 2,536,791

LIQUID FEED DIVIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 8, 1947 s Sheets-Sheet 3 5 2s INVENTOR.

m ,a mu; 29 3| '6 28 BY 9 'a 'u-za M I 20 38I5'9 l3 12 24 .414, ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED :sTArEs PATENT OFFICE LIQUID :FEED DIVIDING MEANS Henry .R. Welhy, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit Lubricator Company, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application .OctobenS, 1947, Serial No. 778,577

Claims. .1 V

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in liquid feed dividers in general and more particularly to .feed dividers ,for use in automatic mechanical lubrication.

.One of the objects-of this invention is to provide .a new and improved liquid feed divider which will receive liquid through a single inlet port and discharge it successively and automatically through .eachof a plurality of outlet ports.

Anotherobject is to provide-an improved liquid feed'dividerof the type utilizinga pair of double acting pump vplungers.

Another object isto provide aliquid feed-divider of the .type, utilizinga pair of douhleaoting pump plungers having a means for relieving pressure and restoring the plungersto normal operation in the event that the .plungers become locked inan intermediate position.

Other-objects will become apparent-from time to time throughout the specification and claims as hereinafter related.

,In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, there is .clearly and fully illustrated .a preferred embodiment of this invention, in which drawing:

Figure .1 is a view in front elevation of a liquid feed divider embodying this invention and showing the exterior of the casing and the inlet and outlet fittings,

Fig. .2 is a view in right. elevation of the feed divider shown in Fig. 1,

Fig.3 is a plan viewof the .feeddivider shown in ,Fig. 1,

,Fig. 4 is a sectional view of. the feed divider of Fig. 1 taken on the .section line 4-4 and showing the check valve in an auxiliary outlet passageway,

Fig. .5 is a sectional view taken on the section line '55 of Fig. 1 showing the pump plungers and showingone of the plungersin section which contains a passagewayand check valve,

Figs. 6, v7, 8, and ,9 are diagrammatic views of the cylinders and plungers of the feed divider in successive stages of operation, and.

Fig. is a diagrammatic view similar to that shown in Figs. 6, '1, 8, and 9 but showing the plungers in an intermediateilocked position.

Referring to the drawings bycharacters of ref erence there is a feed divider ,l comprisinga .cas ing Z'having an inlet members and a plurality of outlet members 43. The casing .2 has .a pair of cylindrical passageways or cylinders 5 and .6 .re-

There is an inlet passageway 18 leading from the inlet memher 3 to the cylinder Band extending to thecylinder 6 as a passageway 9. There are four outlet passageways ll 1 i, IZand 13 respectively leading iromthe cylinders 5 and 6 to theoutlet members t. Positioned in the cylinders 5 and 6 are a pair of reciprocally movable plungersor pistons M and 15 respectively.

The pistons .14 and 45 each have three spaced annular grooves it, 4.1, it and l9, 28, 2-4 respectively, When either of the pistons is or 15 is moved to one extremity of the cylinder in which it is carried there is formed aey-lindrical spaceor cavity at the other end ofv the cylinder. The cylinder 5 has two such cavities .22 and 23 and the cylinder .6 has two cavities 2s and 2 5. There are a pair of

passageways

25 and 21 running from the .end portions .22 and .23 respectively -of cylinder to paced points in the central portion of'cylinder ,5. Similarly there are

passageways

28 and 29 running fromend

portions

24 and 25 respectively of cylinder ii to spaced points in the central portion of cylinder 5. The various passageways heretofore enumerated form valve ports at their points of entrance into the cylinders Eand 6; and are controlled by the pistons andgrooves whichare cooperable therewith The piston 5 has diametrical passageway .35.! through the grooved portion .28 and a longitudinal axial passagewayil extending from the passageway to to the end portion which forms the cavity 2.5,. The passageway has an enlarged portion 32 in which is positioned a longitudinally movable check valve 33 which iscooperable with a valve seat member es. Thecheek valve 33 has an axial cavity '35 therein into which open one or more apertures 35 for the passage of liquid therethrough. A 'screw threaded plug member 37 closes the open end of the enlarged passageway portion 32 and is operable to hold under compression a spring 38 which urges the check valve Kit-towards a closed position. The plug member 37 has a longitudinal passageway '38 therethrough which is operable to pass liquid flowing from the check valve33. The end portion 24 of the cylinder =6 has a passageway 48 running therefrom which communicates with the outlet passageway 1 The passageway ii! has an enlarged portion 41 '(see Fig. i into which is fitted a check valve Mand valve seat member if; :for controlling flow of liquid to theoutlet passageway ii, the check yalve tzheing urged towards closed position by a spring 44.

The description of operation of this device is made with reference to the diagrammatic views (Figs. 6 to It should be noted that the structure and normal operation of this feed divider is substantially the same as that disclosed in the Patent 2,155,368 to Wangenheim or the Reissue Patent 21,236 to Hillis, the novelty lying substan tially in the novel means for restoring the pistons to normal operation after looking in an intermediate or central position.

The oil or other liquid to operate this feed divider is provided by a force feed lubricator or similar pressure transmitting means. In Fig. 6 it is seen that oil under pressure is admitted to the inlet passageway 8 and is distributed under pressure through groove l1, passageway 9, groove 23 and passageway 26 to the end portion or closed cavity 22 of cylinder 5. The oil under pressure entering the cavity 22 will cause the piston M to move to the left. This leftward movement of the piston it will cause the oil, which during a previous cycle has filled the cavity 23, to be discharged under pressure through the passageway 21 and groove [3 to the outlet passageway 13. Since the pistons are of equal area on each end the oil which is discharged will be under the same pressure as at the inlet and a measured quantity will thus be supplied. The piston ill, at this point, comes to rest against the extreme left end of the cylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. '7).

In Fig. 7 the piston I4 is shown moved to the extreme leftward position whereat the groove I! has registered with the passageway 28 allowing oil to circulate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove I! and passageway 28 to the end portion 24 of the cylinder 6.

As the oil under pressure enters the cylinder end portion 24 the piston I5 is caused to move to the left. This leftward movement of the piston I5 will cause oil, which during a previous cycle has filled cavity 25, to be discharged through passageway 29 and groove [8 to the outlet passageway i ll, the piston l5 coming to rest at an extreme leftward position in the cylinder 6 (as shown in Fig. 8 or in Fig. 5).

In Fig. 8 the piston is shown moved to the extreme leftward position whereat the groove has registered with passageway 21 allowing oil to circulate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove ll, passageway 9, groove 20, and passageway 21 to the end portion or cavity 23 of cylinder 5. As the oil under pressure enters the cylinder end portion 23 the piston Id is caused to move to the right. This rightward movement of the piston M will cause oil, which during a previous cycle has filled the cavity 22, to be discharged through passageway 26 and groove 2! to the outlet passageway l2, the piston M- coming to rest at an extreme rightward position in the cylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. 9).

In Fig. 9 the piston 14 is shown moved to the extreme rightward position whereat the groove I! has registered with the passageway 29 allowing oil to circulate from the inlet passageway 8 through groove I! and passageway 29 to the end portion or cavity of the cylinder 6. As the oil under pressure enters the cylinder end portion 25 the piston I5 is caused to move to the right thus causing oil which during a previous cycle has filled the cavity 24, to be discharged through passageway 28 and groove it to the outlet passageway l I,the piston coming to rest at an extreme right ward position in the cylinder 5 (as shown in Fig. 6).

At this point a complete cycle of operation has been completed and the pistons are in their initial position of Fig. 6, this same continuous cycle of operation being repeated over and over.

Under certain conditions it is possible that the pistons l4 and I 5 could simultaneously reach a position where both would be centrally located between their stops or end points thus causing the divider to become locked. Fig. 10 shows this condition wherein pistons I4 and I5 have stopped centrally thus closing the

various passageways

26, 21, 28 and 29 so that oil can neither enter nor leave either of the cylinders. In order to release the pistons from this position two

needle check valves

33 and 42 are provided; one being used in the piston l5 and the other in the casing in a suitable location.

When the oil pressure to the inlet passageway 8 continues to increase, due to the locked position of the pistons l4 and I5, this increase will cause the check valve 33 in the piston [5 to open thus permitting oil to flow through the passageway 3|, the apertures 36, and the passageway 39 to the cavity 25. The pressure at which the check valve 33 will open is controlled by the spring 38. As the oil under increased pressure enters the .cavity 25 the piston [5 will move to the right thus causing a, corresponding increase of pressure in the cavity 24 and auxiliary passageway 43 until the check valve 42 opens and permits oil to be discharged into the outlet passageway II. This rightward movement of the piston IE will continue until the groove 20 registers with the passageway 26 allowing oil to enter cavity 22, move the piston M to the left and discharge oil from the cavity 23. At this point the pistons l4 and I5 are in the position shown in Fig. '7 and will begin to function normally again. Under ordinary operating conditions the predetermined spring load on the

check valves

33 and 42 plus the oil outlet pressure prevents the oil from opening the check valves.

It should be further noted that the novelty of this invention lies substantially in providing a means to permit oil to enter the cavity at one end of one of the locked pistons and to permit oil to be discharged from the cavity at the other I end of the piston. .The means shown and described is only one of several possible means by which this result might be obtained. One possible alternative would be (see Fig. 10) to provide an auxiliary inlet pasageway to cavity 22 with a check valve therein and an auxiliary outlet passageway and check valve from cavity 23. This form would have both check valves and passageways in the casing and thus would eliminate the one in the piston. It should be obvious to one skilled in the art that there are a number of possible alternatives which would be the equivalent of the form shown.

What is claimed and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid outlet passageways, a pair of cylinders, a plurality of ports therein and passageways interconnecting said cylinder ports and said inlet and outlet passageways, a reciprocally movable piston in each cylinder actuated by incoming fluid at one end of the cylinder and ejecting a measured quantity of fluid from the opposite end of the cylinder through a cylinder port and an interconnecting passageway into the other cylindensaid pistons being alternately actuated, each piston when stationary constituting a valve cooperable with said ports and passageways and operable to control and direct both the admission and ejection of fluid to and from the other cylinder and causing the fluid received from the opposite end of one cylinder to be directly discharged out of an associated casing outlet passageway under the inlet pressure, the relationship of said pistons to said ports and passageways being such that if said pistons should simultaneously stop at a valve closed position the various ports and passageways would be so blocked as to prevent fluid from entering and leaving both of said cylinders, andmea-ns to permit fluid to enter one end of one of said cylinders and to be discharged from the other end of said one cylinder when both of said pistons are in said valve closed position thereby to cause said pistons to return to normal operating positions; said last-named means comprising an auxiliary outlet passageway from one end of one of said cylinders, a spring closed check valve in said last-named passageway operable to open at a predetermined pressure, a passageway in the piston of said one cylinder having one end registerable with said fluid inlet and its other end opening into the other end of said one cylinder, and a spring closed check valve in said last-named passageway operable to open at a predetermined pressure to permit flow to said other end of said one cylinder.

2. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid outlet passageways, a pair of cylinders, a plurality of ports therein and passageways interconnecting said cylinder ports and said inlet and outlet passageways, a reciprocally movable piston in each cylinder actuated by incoming fluid at one end of the cylinder and ejecting a measured quantity of fluid from the opposite end of the cylinder through a cylinder port and an interconnecting passageway into the other cylinder, said pistons being alternately actuated, each piston when stationary constituting a valve cooperable with said ports and passageways and operable to control and direct both the admission and ejection of fluid to and from the other cylinder and causing the fluid received from the opposite end of one cylinder to be directly discharged out of an associated casing outlet passageway under the inlet pressure, one of said pistons having a diametrical passageway therethrough and an axial passageway communicable therewith and extending to one end of said piston, said diametrical passageway being registerable with said inlet passageway, said casing having an auxiliary passageway extending from the cylinder at the other end of said one piston to the outlet passageway which receives the discharge of fluid from the other end of said one piston, a spring operated check valve in said axial passageway for controlling the flow of fluid to said one cylinder, and a spring operated check valve in said auxiliary passageway for controlling the flow of fluid from said one cylinder.

3. Liquid dividing means comprising a casing having a fluid inlet and a plurality of fluid outlet passageways, a plurality of cylinders and interconnecting passageways, a reciprocatory piston in each cylinder actuated by incoming fluid and operable to cause the ejection of a measured quantity of outgoing fluid, means for controlling and directing the admission and ejection of fluid to and from said cylinders; and safety means operable in the event of failure of operation of said controlling and directing means to supply fluid pressure to one of said pistons and to permit ejection of fluid by another of said pistons; said last-named means comprising an auxiliary outlet passageway from one of said cylinders, a spring closed check valve in said auxiliary passageway, an inlet passageway through said one piston registerable at one end with said fluid inlet and opening into the cylinder at the other end, and a spring closed check valve in said last-named passageway.

4. Liquid dividing means comprising a body having two pairs of pump chambers, a plunger in each chamber, said plungers being interconnected in pairs, conduits for feeding liquid to and discharging liquid from said chambers, valve means controlled by said plungers and controlling flow through said conduits to and from said chambers, and safety meansop-erable in the event that said valve means should stop in a closed position blocking feeding and discharge of liquid and including means forming a first and a second auxiliary passageway respectively operable to supply liquid pressure to one of said plungers and to permit discharge of liquid by another of said plungers, said first auxiliary passageway extending through said one plunger and having one end registerable with one of said liquid feeding conduits and its other end opening into the pump chamber of said one plunger, and spring operated check valves positioned one in each of said auxiliary passageways and operable to control flow of liquid therethrough.

5. A device for dividing into measured quantities a stream of liquid to be supplied thereto under pressure, comprising means having a plurality of chambers, a plurality of plungers contained in and reciprocally fitting said chambers such that each chamber has a plunger cooperable therewith, means coupling said plungers' in pairs whereby each of the plungers in a pair is operable to drive and to be driven by the other plunger of its pair, conduit means for flow of liquid to and from each of said chambers and including an outlet for each of said chambers and a main inlet, valve means controlled by movement of said plungers and operable to control flow through said conduit means for cyclic operation of said plungers, safety means operable to reestablish cyclic plunger operation in the event of interruption thereof by said valve means, said safety means including one of said pairs of plungers and an inlet pasageway and an outlet passageway, safety valves in said passageways, said passageways leading respectively from said main inlet and from one of said outlets to the chambers of said safety means pair of plungers, one of said safety means plungers having one of said passageways leading therethrough and opening through its end wall, said one safety means plunger having a valve chamber in its passageway and containing one of said safety valves, and spring means urging said safety valves closed against flow from said main inlet and to said one outlet.

HENRY R. WELBY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS