US2554429A - Radiator testing device - Google Patents

Description

y 1951 F. B. THOMPSON 2,554,429

RADIATOR TESTING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1948 fig .2

I ENTOR.

Fraz/flz'zz Bi um Thompson Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. (CI. 73-51) This invention relates to a testing device and has relation more particularly to a device of this kind for detecting leaks in radiators and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a testing device including means whereby the article to be tested can be readily submerged or lifted as desired and solidly maintained in selected adjusted position.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind including a tank open at its top together with a support for a radiator or the like suspended above the tank for up and down movement with respect to the tank and wherein hydraulic means are provided for effecting and controlling the movements of the support.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein a work supporter is suspended above an open tank 8 for movement with respect thereto and together with means for controlling the movement of the support including a hydraulic lift and wherein the discharge from the hydraulic lift is delivered to the tank.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind wherein the wearing parts thereof are positioned exteriorly of the submerging tank whereby is not required to empty the tank to effect repairs or maintenance.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination of the several parts of my improved testing device whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

In the drawing:

Figure l is a View in perspective with portions in section of a testing device constructed in ac-- cordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken centrally of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the type of lifting element as herein employed.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawing, T denotes a tank of desired dimensions and which has its upper or top face open. The tank T, however, is preferably rectangular in plan. Rigidly secured to the corner portions of the tank '1 and depending therefrom are the supporting legs I for maintaining the tank T at a desired distance above the surface upon which the legs I engage. The upper free marginal portion of the side walls 2 and the end walls 3 of the tank T are defined by the outwardly and upwardly inclined flanges or aprons 4 which serve to drain back into the tank fluid which may be splashed out or otherwise displaced from within the tank T dur ing a working operation. The outer marginal portions of the flanges or aprons 4 have. extending therealong the inwardly facing shoulders or abutments 5 of desired height which serve to substantially eliminate overflowing of liquid re- 7 ceived upon the flanges or aprons 4.

As shown in the accompanying drawingpthe legs I associated with one end portion of the tank T are connected at a desired pointbelow the; tank T with a cross member 6. The central por;

tion of this member 6 has rigid therewith an outstanding platform I upon which is vmounted a hydraulic jack or lifting element E. This element E comprises a closed cylinder 8 intersected bya diaphragm 9, operatively engaged with the central portion of the diaphragm 9 and extending upwardly therefrom is a plunger II) of desired length. This plunger is slidably disposed through the top head II of the cylinder 8 and the upper or outer extremity of the plunger I0 is operatively connected as at I2 with a rock arm I4 fixed to the shaft I5 for movement therewith. The connection between the plunger l0 and the rock arm I4 is preferably relatively close to the shaft I5 to assure maximum effective upward. rocking move ment of the arm I4. The outer end portion of the rock arm I4 is provided with a slot I6 extending lengthwise thereof and through which freely passes a pivot member I'I carried by the lower end portion of a vertically disposed elongated lift arm I8. This arm I8 is held to the adjacent end walls 3 of the tank T by the vertically spaced guide brackets I-9 and the adjacent apron or flange 4 is provided with a suitable opening 20 through which the lift arm I 8 freely passes.

The shaft I5 at its opposite end portion is also? operatively engaged with the lower extremity with a second lift arm I8 through the medium, of course, of a second rock arm I4. Obviously upon rocking movement of one of the arms I4 The arms I8 are coextensive in length with" their upper extremities provided with the inof the tank T. The opposed faces of the heads 21 have rigid therewith the bearings 22 with which are operatively engaged the central portions of the hanger members H. These hanger members are each herein disclosed as being in the form of an inverted V with the extremities of the arms 23 thereof operatively engaged as at 24 with the end portions Of the end members 25 of the work frame F.

The frame F is herein disclosed as rectangular in form and of such dimensions to readily have up and down movement within the tank T. The end members 25 of the frame F and the side members 26 thereof constitute angle members having inwardly directed flanges a at the bottom margins thereof, and which provide rests for the work supporting members 21 which substantially bridge the space between the members 23.. The members 21 are preferably flat, and are separable from the frame F so that said members may be readily shifted lengthwise of the members 26 to such selective positions as may best suit the requirements of practice. Although not shown, it may be stated that if desired work supporting members may be supported lengthwise of the frame F and operatively supported by the flanges a of the end members 25.

With the frame F preferably at the limit of its upward movement and with the tank T properly filled. with water, the. radiator to be tested is placed upon the supports 27. The radiator is filled with air under pressure and as the pressure. within the jack or element E is reduced the frame F will move downwardly until it is submerged to a depth determined by the location of the leak in the. radiator and which depth will be readily and substantially instantaneously in- (heated by the bubbles in, the water created by the air escaping out from the radiator through the, leak.

In communication with the cylinder 3 at the pressure side of the diaphragm 9 is a pipe line 28 which leads to a pressure tank 29 of desired capacity and which may be supported at any preferred location with. respect to the tank T. In communication with this line 28 is a supply line 30- leading from a. suitable source of water supply such as. a city main, and. interposed in this line, 30 is. a non-return valve 31- of any preferred type. Also interposed in the line 30 is a valve 32 of any desired type for controlling the flow through the pipe 30- to. the pipe linev 28.

Interposed in the line 28 at a desired point be.- tween the jack or element E and the communication between the pipe 30 and the pipe line 28 is a.

valve structure S diagrammatically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. This valve S. may

be of anytype preferred as itis only necessary that. the valve. member 33 of the valves, when in one, adjustment, allows for unobstructed flow through the pipe line 28 and. when. in a second position allows for flow through the portion of the pipeline 28 between the jack or. lift element E. and thev valve structure S through a branch pipeline 34 leading from the casing 35 of the valve, structure s and delivering or discharging with the. tank T.

In communication with. the pressure tank 29 through the top thereon. is a pipe line 33. leading from a source of air under pressure and interposed in this line 36 is a valve structure V. This valve structure V may be as desired but includes a. valve member 31 which, when in one position, permits unobstructed flow through the pipe line 3.6 of air under pressure for discharge within thetank. 29. When the valve member 31 of. the structureyv is; in a second position, it. affords communication between the portion of the pipe line 36 between the valve structure V and the tank 29 with a filler pipe 38 leading from the casing 39 of the valve structure V. This filler pipe 38 discharges from above within the tank T.

When it is desired to fill the tank T the valve member 33 of the valve structure S is adjusted to close the flow through the lifting element or jack E and the valve member 31 of the valve structure V is adjusted to shut off the flow of the air under pressure to the tank 29 and to open the flow through the portion of the pipe line between the valve structure V and the pipe 35 and out through the filling pipe 38. The pipe 3| leads from a suitable source of water supply under a requisite pressure and when the flow through the pipe 30, is opened, as by proper adjustment of the valve 32 the water will flow through the pipe line 28 to the tank 29 and after the tank 29 is filled the water will flow out through the adjacent portion of the pipe line 35 and discharge into the tank T through the filling pipe 38. After a proper amount of water has been discharged within the tank T, the valve member 3-! is adjusted to close the flow through the filling pipe 38 and to. open the pipe line 33 for flow of the air under pressure which will initially engage against the water within the portion of the pipe line 36 between the tank 29 and the valve structure V. The valve member 33 of the valve. structure. S is also adjusted to open the how through the. pipe line 28 from the tank 29 to the pressure chamber of the lifting element or jack E, and at the same time to close the. flow out through the pipe line 34. The pressure created within the cylinder 8 will result in the upward swinging movement of the rock arms 14 to raise the frame. F and to maintain the frame in said raised position. The radiator to be tested is thenv placed uponv the members 27 associated with the frame F and the valve member 33 of the valve structure S adjusted to open the flow through the portion of the pipe line 28 leading from the element or jack E and into the tank T through the pipe 34. This will result in the reduction of pressure. in the. cylinder 8 of the element or jackE and. permit the frame F to lower. When the frame F is lowered to a desired point. the valve member 33 of the valve structure S is adjusted. to close the flow out through the pipe 34 and also through the pipe 28 to the element or jack. E so that the frame F will be maintained in desired. lowered position to facilitate the testing of the radiator.

When. it isv desired to remove the radiator it is only necessary that the valve member 33 of, the valve structure S be adjusted to open the flow through the pipe line 28 to the jack or element. E.

Extending up within the. tank. T through the bottom thereof is an overflow pipe: 40 through which the water within the tank T will discharge after the water level has reached a predetermined height.

Hingedly connected as at 4| with a side marginal portion of the tankT at. the bottom thereof is a table 42 of desired dimensions and which is provided with the rearwardly disposed tail piece 43 which operatively engages the tank '1 from below to limit the downward swinging movement of the table 42 and also permits the table 42 to curve as an eifective and convenient support for the radiator or kindred work under such conditions when thetop of the tank or more particularly the flanges or aprons 4 should be too high. When not in use the table 42 may" be swung upwardly and maintained in such inoperative position by a swing latch 44 or otherwise as may be preferred. It is to be pointed out that in the present apparatus a non-compressible liquid directly coacts with the lifting element or jack E with the resultant advantage of permitting more precise adjustment of the frame F to assure a radiator or the like to be submerged to the exact depth desired to best locate a leak.

While the use of air under pressure may be of advantage yet it may be that under some conditions, and particularly where high city water pressure is used, the apparatus may be effectively operated by admitting water direct from the city pressure, to the element or jack E.-

It is also particularly to be pointed out that the device or apparatus hereinbefore pointed out is one wherein the frame F and the work thereon is suspended within the water in the tank T, thus materially minimizing the costs of assembly and maintenance.

Furthermore, it is to be pointed out with particularity that as the pressure is released in the lift member or jack E, the required amount of water will be delivered within the tank T with the resultant advantage of maintaining the desired water level within the tank T and also will eliminate the necessity of making frequent changes of water in the tank T.

It is to be further pointed out that in the apparatus as herein embodied all wearing parts 'of the apparatus or device are exteriorly of the tank T, and thereby permitting repairs or maintenance possible without necessitating the draining and refilling of the tank. As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings the bottom 45 of the tank T is provided with the drain opening 46 normally closed by a plug 41.

By having the members 21 readily shiftable the same can be positioned to best positions to accommodate radiators having projecting parts or to allow, when desirable, the radiator to be passed down through the frame F to rest directly upon the bottom of the tank T.

' the frame F to be raised out of the water within the tank a selected distance and maintained solidly in such position while the repair operation is in progress.

From the foregoing description it is thought to .be obvious thata radiator testing device constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly 'well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, an open top tank, a work supporting platform within said tank, inverted V-shaped hangers mounted transversely of the opposite ends of said platform, vertically movable members disposed exteriorly of the opposite ends of said tank and connected with the apices of said hangers, guide elements for said members mounted on the said tank ends, a shaft journalled below and at one side of said tank, arms carried by said shaft and connected with the lower ends of said members, and a hydraulic means connected with one of said arms for effecting the raising and lowering of said platform.

FRANKLIN BRUCE THOMPSON.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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