US2611383A - Automatic water cutoff and drain - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 23, 1952 c. E. TALLY AUTOMATIC WATER CUTOFF AND DRAIN Filed Aug. '7, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 HlII I'IHII l'i l IN VEN TOR.

C ZrZEQZzZZy m I b ATTD R N EYS Sept. 23, 1952 c 2,611,383

AUTOMATIC WATER CUTOFF AND DRAI N Filed Aug. '7, 1946 3 Sheets$heet 2 Q QMg ATI'D RN EYS Sept. 23, 1952 c; E, TALLY 2,611,383

AUTOMATIC WATER CUTOFF AND DRAIN Filed Au. 7, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet s 1 81 "W H INVENTOR.

ATTCI RN EYE Patented Sept. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT 10F FlCgE AUTOMATIC WATER CUTOFF AND'DR AIjN; Carl E. Tally, Cleburne, Tex. L1 Application Augu t 7, 1946, SerialNo, 688,812

The invention relates to an automatic water control valve, and more especially to an automatic cut-off and drain mechanism.

In almost all water supply systems, business, residential or otherwisejthere is incommon use. a water cut-off or a stop-and-waste valve, which is manually operated to cut off the water supply. and thereby open the waste vent in the valve. It is also the usual custom to manually open all hydrants connected to such system, to afford drainage in sub-freezing weather. The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a device or mechanism of this Character, wherein the manual operations are eliminated, and such operations are automatically, positively and simply completed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of mechanism or a device of this character.

which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, strong, durable, novel in construction, unique, in the assembly of its parts, which are few in number, and inexpensive to manufacture and install. f

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of a portion of the device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a side view thereof, with certain parts added, some parts broken away and others in section. v

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a commode drain adapted to be used with the device;

Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof.

1 Claim. (01. 137-61) Figure '7 is a sideview, partly broken away, of

another type of drain adapted for use with the device. V V

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrows. v y

Figure 9 is a front elevation of a thermostat for association with the device. 7 Figure 10 is a side view thereof. Figure 11 is a side view of a manually operated scissorslike control for the device.

Figures 12, 13 and 14 respectively are detail cross-sectional ,views through a valve,.form i ng part of the device, in different adjusted positions. Figure 15 is a. fragmentarysideview of the hub portion of the 'wei htbperating lever, I

, Figure 16 isa front view of'the'same;

Figure 17 is ase'ctional view |1l I of Figure 2." v Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings. j v Referring to the, drawings in detail, I!) designates a cut-off valve (or standard stop-andwaste valve) having a squared head II to which is attached a lever l2 by a set screw l3. This lever i2 has at its opposite end an opening [4 throughwhich is fitted a bolt 15 forming connection with a rod l6 through its apertured end IT. The other aperturedend of the rod I6 has connection with the apertured'bifurcated or forked cross-head 9 bya pin 2|, as shown more clearly in Figure l, with a washer 22 and a cotter pin 23 respectively. The cross-head I9 has a guide bar 24 and at its baseatapped'aperturefor receivingthethreaded end 26 of apiston rod 2], locked by the set screw ,20.,[The pistonrod 21 has a threaded tapered end/inserted in the piston 30 and secured to it by a nut 3! on the threaded end of the'ro'd-Z'l. i

The piston 30 is'slidable within a cylinder 33 and is fitted with the usualpistonrings or piston packing 34. The cylinder 33 is fitted with a packing nut 35 and a; packing 35 respectively. This cylinder 33 is closed by a cylinder head 31 which is provided with the central projecting formation 40 having a recess for receiving the nut 3|, and the external formation offthe projection 40 is nut shaped to facilitate the applying and removing of the head'BL,

The-cut-ofi valve [0 has a nipple 4| (Figure 3) connecting with a T 42 having connection at 43 with a city water-main or source of water supply not shown. Also, the. opposite end of the valve lg has fitted thereto, two elbows 44 and 45 respectively, to off-set a pipe 46. to avoid contact with a lever and its weight hereinafter described. The pipe 46 is representative of the piping system to be protected by the device.

The elbow 45 has fitted thereto the pipe 46to the various outlets as desired, and this pipe'46 has clamped thereto, as at 4'! and 48 respectively, a supporting bracket 49, having one end formed as at 50, to receive a portion of the end and bottom of the cylinder 33, while the other end extends upward and forms a guide 5| for the guiding bar 24 to keep the piston 30 from canting while in motion. a Y

The lever l2 carries arigid cross-arm 52'having at each end rigid protruding pins53and 54, respectively, for the purpose of elevating the weight lever- 55 carrying a weight 56 having a taken on line is a laterally-projecting circumferentially-ex-- A lever 65 is heldrigidly on the square head 63 by a set screw 61.

The upper end of the lever 65 carries a lateral lug- 68 (Figure 2) working in connection with stop lugs 69 and I0, respectively, carried on either, side of the said lugv I58 by a connecting plate I having connection thereto by rivets I I, a square bar I2 to which are attached as extensions thereof the bars I2 and 12", to be hereinafter described. The side edges I3 on the plate I0 slide vertically within a guide I5 (Figure 2) having two opposing rollers H. The guide I5 is a two-piece bracket formed from pieces I6, 76' (Figure 17) each of which carries rollers 14. The bracket pieces 16, 16 are formed around the larger end of the four-way valve body 6|, as at "in Figure 2 of the drawings, and such bracket piecesextend furtherdownward and have their lower portions formedv around the smaller end of the'cut-off valve I0, as at I6. The said bracket pieces I6 and I6, either forged or cast are held together by, the bolts19, and also function to hold the valve body I0, the four-way valve body 6.I .andthe plate in alignment;

' The square bar "I2" (Figures 7 and 10-) forming a continuation of bar, I2 (see Figure 11') extends upwardly and at 80 is in threaded connection' with a thermostat 8i. (Figures 9 and 10) formed of a multiple of discs 82 filledwith fluid, such as mercury, alcohol or other suitable expanding and contracting fluid. Each disc 82 hastapped hubs 83.' The bottom-most disc 02 is'threaded onthe end 80 of the bar 72". Short connecting threaded-studs 84 arethreaded to the stud 85 which has its upper end held firmly to the bracket 16a by an adjusting nut 88 below and another'adju sting n 1 1 t89 above the bracket, holding'the thermostat'at an adjusted position and I with it the bars 12, Iilf and 12" which in turn "support the plate I0 carrying the stop lugs 69 and I0 controlling thev pivotal movement of the lever 65' in its swingigmovements in a manner to appear. The'bar 12, being thermostatically controlled by 8| will-raise or lower plate I0 to release the lug 58 on lever 65 to opera'te the fourway valveil ma manner to b'e' explained.

Abracket 01 and the bracket 16aare held in rigid"verticalpositicn'by a member 95, preferably of wood, as, the same is non-expansive,

, 4 12" by a pivot pin 95' and its other end weighted by a counterbalance weight 96 for the purpose of counterbalancing the weight of the bars 12", 12', I2, 10 and all parts carried thereby. The square bar I2 (Figure 3) extends upward from its lower end connection by the rivets 'II with the plate 10', and ends with a pivot 99 which pivotally carries the lower handle I00 being connected with another handle'IOIby means of a pivot pin I02. The handle. IOI, carries a pivot pin I03 vertically opposite the pivot 99. The

,pivot pin I03 is fixed to the lower end of the square bar I2, (Figure 3). The opposing handles I00 and' IN carry suitable hand grips I04 for apurpose to appear. The square bar I2 carries an alignment member I05 (Figures 3 and 4) secured tothe said bar by rivets I05, the upper end of the member I05 being formed as a sleeve I01 for telescopically fitting over the lower end of the bar 12' as shown in Figure 3. The two handles I00 and IM are provided with pins I08 which carry an expanding spring I08, and the rivets I03 pivotally carry a pair of depending bars I09 which are provided with slots I I0 within which are slidably received the pivots 99. This allows the handles I00 and IM to be pivoted towardseach other on pivot pins I02 by manually forcing the hand grips I04 together. Reverse movement or separation of the handles I00 and IOI is limited by the lower end of each slot IIO coming in contact with the rivet 99 by reason of the expanding force of the spring I08. The square bar'l2' of Figure 3 extends upward terminating, as shown in Figure 11, in a pivot pin III upon which is pivoted the lower lever II2 having a handle II2, forming one element of a scissors like element for moving bar 12" relative to bar 12'. To the oposite end of the bar 12" is secured by rivets I I9 an alignment member I I8 having a sleeve I20 through which slides the lower end of the square bar 12", the end of which is provided with a pivot pin II1 on which is pivoted the complementary-lever I I3, having a hand grip l I3, for the scissors-like element; The handles II2 andI I3 are'biased closed, as at I2I, by the 'contractive flat spring I 22, fixed to the pivot pins III and Ill. The bar-lengthening element formed by the levers I I2 and I I3 enters the residence or other building immediately above the floor line through an adequate slot I24 and these levers are pivoted to the building by thepins II5, -I I6, respectively. The levers are manually operated, through an opening cut in the inner wall or base, not shown.

The bar 12 of Figure 11 continues upwardly and terminates in the threaded end (Figures 9 and 10) which connects with the thermostat previously described. The pipe 46 continues to a conventional faucet drain I3I. In place of the manually-operated drain I3I, the drain device of Figures '7 and 8 may be used. The pipe 46 is-attached to a T connection I3I' having a casing I32 within which a float l32 is caged by a cross wire I33 for controlling a port I34 in the upper end or cap portion I35 of the casing I32.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, there is shown a type of drain I36'fo'r use with the device or mechanism, and isespecially designed for commode tanks or the like, not shown, and includes a swing valve I38 pivoted at'I40" formed'with a temperatures. By adjustment of the nuts 88 and 89 (Figures 9 and 10) the structure composed of the bars I2, I2 and 12", and the plate I0 carrying the stop lugs 69 and I0 is initially adjusted relative to the side lug 68 on the lever 65. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the raising or lowering of this structure by the nuts 88, 89 determines the relative initial position between the stop lugs 69, I0 and the side lug 68. In Figure 3 the stop lug 69 is engaging the side lug 68. If for example the atmospheric temperature should drop to 32 degrees, the thermostat 8i will contract and raise the plate 10, lifting the stop lug 69 above the side lug 68 to release it, whereupon the lever 65 is free to be tilted, in a clockwise direction in Figure 3, by the lever 55, which is biased in a clockwise direction, shown in Figure 3, by the weight 53. The lever 55, as shown in Figures and 16, has the hub lug 58 initially in contact with the lug 58' on the stem of the fourway valve core 60 and actuates the four-way valve as the weight moves clockwise from the position shown in Figure 3 downwardly until the lever contacts the pin 54 on the cross-arm 52 carried by the lever I2. In so moving downwardly, the lever 55 moves the four-way valve core from closed position, shown in Figure 12, to the left open position, shown in Figure 14 whereby water in the pipe I42, connected by the T 42 to pipe 43,

enters the four-way valve through the top nipple I44 and leaves the valve through side nipple I41 to enter the pipe I43 for application to the right hand end of the cylinder 33 against the piston 30, actuating the piston rod 21 to move the lever I2 to the left in Figure 3 approximately 90 degrees, whereupon the cut-off valve I0 is moved from cut-on (shown in Figure 3) to a cut-off. As the valve In is turned counterclockwise in Figure 3 by the lever I2, the pin 54 is also raised since its arm 52 is carried by the lever I2. Raising of the pin 54 will then lift lever 55 and its weight 55 past top vertical center, whereupon it will flop further to the left in Figure 3 by gravity to a position approximately 36 degrees beyond top center. At this point the lugs 58 and 58 carried by the hub 51 on the lever 55 and the four-way valve core 60 will come into contact, while the weight continues its fall to this 36 degree position, and thus also moves the lever back to its starting point of Figure 3 whereupon its lug 6-8 will strike the stop lug 10 which was raised when the thermostatic device 8| was contracted by the fall in temperature and lifted the plate I0 and its stop lugs 69 and 10. With stop lug III in the path of the side lug 68, it thus stops the four-way valve core 60 at its cut-off position of Figure 12. The drain I3I allows any water in the water system represented by pipe 46 to be drained off to prevent freezing of the water therein. The nipple I44 of valve casing 60 is open to the atmosphere to allow the water from cylinder 33 to drain.

When the temperature rises about 32 degrees, the thermostatic device 8I will expand, causing plate I0 and its stop lugs 59 and 10 to drop. In so doing, the lower stop lug I0 will free the lever 65 to complete its counterclockwise movement, in Figure 3, under the influence of lever 55, to turn the valve core 60 to the position of Figure 13 whereupon water, already in pipe I42 will pass into the valve body BI, as heretofore, explained,

and not through nipple I52 into pipe I5I to force the piston 30 from the left hand end of cylinder 33 to its right hand end causing valve I0 to open to furnish water, for the piping system represented by pipes 46. When lever 65 is freed by lug I0 for counterclockwise movement, it falls to the left in Figure 3 until it strikes pin 53. When valve la is opened, the parts resume the position shown in Figure 3.

The manually operated handles I00 and IBI are for raising the plate III to release the side lug 69 from contact with the lug 68 for a valve test operation, prior to freezing weather. The other manually operated levers H2 and H3 (Figure 11) are for lowering'the plate I0 to release the side lug 10 from contact with the lug 68 during subfreezing weather to obtain a supply of water, then when these levers are manually released, the device or mechanism will again out off the water and drain the pipes automatically, as before described.

I claim:

In combination, a cut-off valve, a lever having one end connected to said valve and provided with an opening in its other end, a rod having an apertured end arranged contiguous to said opening, a securing element connecting said apertured end to said lever, a crosshead mounted on said rod, a guide bar extending from said crosshead, there being a tapped aperture in said crosshead, a piston rod having a threaded end engaging said tapped aperture, a cylinder, a piston reciprocably arranged in said cylinder and mounted on said piston rod, a head closing an end of said cylinder, a nipple extending from one end of said cut-ofi valve, a T connected to said nipple for receiving water from a source of supply, a pipe leading from the opposite end of said cut-off valve, a bracket mounted on said pipe for supporting said cylinder, a portion of said bracket forming a guide for said guide bar, a crossarm carried by said lever, pins projecting from each of said crossarm, a weight lever adapted to be elevated by said pins and having a counterweight mounted thereon, a hub on said weight lever, a four-way valve body including a core having an end engaged by said hub, conduits leading from said four-way valve to said cylinder and to said T, thermostaticcontrol means coacting with said weight lever to operate said four-way valve core when freezing temperature exists, and manually operable means for actuating the four-way valve core independent of the thermostatic control means.

CARL E. TALLY.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 346,308 [Newman July 27, 1886 365,258 Hurt June 21, 1887 368,674 Kent Aug. 23, 1887 874,089 Larkam Dec. 17, 1907 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 70,102 France of 1915

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