US2611391A

US2611391A - Valve

Info

Publication number: US2611391A
Application number: US634970A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sainsbury John; William E Hennells
Original assignee: Ross Operating Valve Co
Current assignee: Ross Operating Valve Co
Priority date: 1945-12-14
Filing date: 1945-12-14
Publication date: 1952-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1969-09-23
Also published as: GB647124A

Description

Sept- 23, 1952 J. sAlNsBURY ETAL 2,611,391

`SPt- 23, 1952 J. sAlNsBuRY Erm. 2,611,391

VALVE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1945 Patented Sept. 23, 1952 VALVE John Sainsbury, permit, and William E. Hermens, yBelleville, Mich.,v assignors to Ross Operating Valve Company, Detroit, Mich.

Application December -14, 1945, Serial N0. 634,970

4 Claims.

The 'present invention 'relates to pilot operated valvesof the type employed in 'controlling the operation of air cylinders. f

'Fo'rsome purposes, lsuch as for actuating the electrodes cf 'spot welding machines, it is desirable AtoreciprocateV air cylinders at very highY speeds. ThisV must bedone by a control valve which reverses the pressure and exhaust connections to the cylinder. The requisite rapid reciprocatio'n of the control valve gives rise to destructive hammering eiiects which shorten the life lof the valve and particularly the valve seats.

In addition, the only practical method of reciprocating such valves at high speeds and at accurate intervals isby the use Voi solenoids. These must be of excessive size if they are to operate the valve directly and accordingly, the use of; solenoid-controlled pilot operated valves has been proposed. Prior solenoid controlled pilot operated valves have been exceedingly complicated and expensive. Y

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention -to providean improved and more vrugged and simple form of pilot operated control valve capable of Vhigh-speed operation.

Another object of the invention is. to provide a-valve of the above type for controlling doubleacting air cylinders.y

-Another object isto provide an `improved form of :pilot valve for operation'` by a solenoid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention cation, the accompanyingl drawings and the appended claims. v

,In .the drawings:

vFigure 1 is a longitudinally horizontal sectionv struction; Y

The invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, is embodied in a novel form of poppet type four-way valve adapted for use in controlling the action of double-acting air cylinders. This form of the invention comprises three principal parts; namely, a base casting indicated generally at l; a valve body indicated generally at 2; and an electromagnetic actuator or solenold mechanism indicated generally at l3.

2 As best'shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, 'the base casting is cored out to provide four chambers indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 by the l11u-- merals d, 5, t and l. Chamber 4 is provided with a port ii which is adapted to communicate with one end of the air cylinder. Chamber 6 is provided lwith a port 9, adapted to communicate '30 will become apparent from the following specifi--V` with the opposite end of the same cylinder, Chamber 5 is provided with a port I8, adapted to communicate with a source of air or gas under pressure. Chamber l' provided with :a port Il, adapted 'to Vcommunicate with the atmosphere or a low pressure .region for exhaust purposes. While the major portion of chamber '6 is in longitudinal alignment with chamber f, it has'anarm projecting'laterally into a position in .longitudinal alignment with and between the chambers 5 and 1.

The top surface ci the baseA casting l is pro-y vided with four ports; port I2 communicating with chamber 4; port I3 communicating withy chamber 5; port I4 communicating with chamber 6; and port l5 communicating with chamber 1. The .base casting isalso Aprovided with aperturcd ends'or flanges I6.by means of which it may be mounted.

The valve body 2 has a flat under surface provided with ports Il, i8, I9 and 28 which are aligned and communicate respectively with the previouslymentioned base casting ports i3., I4, l5 and l2. The valve body is provided with a transverse cored chamber 2| communicating with portjl'l; a second transverse cored chamber 22 communicating with port I9 by means of a passageway 23, shown best in Figure 2; and acored chamber 24 communicating with the port 20. Thegvalve body is also provided with the cored chamber 25 which is in communication with the port I8. The wall'26, which separates charn- -bers 2| and 25 is provided with a port 21,. and the wall 28 which separates the chambers 25 and 22, is provided with a port 29 aligned with port 2l. rIhe ports 2'1 and 29 are adapted to be controlled by apoppet valve assembly having a pair of valve heads 3b and '3l which are held in spaced` relation vby means of a stem 32. The valve head 3i -is provided with a piston 33 formed with a pair of annular ribs betweenwhich, is.

iitted to atorus-shaped ring 34 formed of rubff ber-like material which acts as a seal. The pis'- ton ts within a cylindrical bore '35 which is aligned with the

ports

21 and 23. lThe outer endy of bore 35 is counter-bored and threaded to receive a closure plug 36.

v'I'he valve head 3U, which is positioned within ak longitudinal extension of chamber 2l, is

provided with a reduced projection 31 adapted to receive a compression spring 38, the opposite end of which is fitted within a closure cap 39 that is threaded into a suitable opening located in alignment with the

ports

21 and 29.

A novel form of valve seat and sealing elements areemployed in conjunction with the valve heads 30' and 3|. Thus it will be noted that the valve seating surface 40 of the port 29 is a flat surface extending at right angles to the axis of the stem 32 and that the valve head 3| is provided with an annular recess 4| in which is positioned a torus-shaped sealingV element of rubber-like material. The sealing element 42 is preferably secured against displacement in the recess 4| by peening over the outer rim of the recess. The sealing element projects beyond the end of the valve head and is adapted to cooperate with the valve seat 40. This form of valve seat and sealing element is simple and inexpensive to construct and has been found to have remarkable endurance under the rapidly repeated pounding action incident to operation of the valve under the most severe condition. The seat and sealing element of valve head 30 provided for controlling port 21 is identical in construction and hence need not be further described.

The wall 43, which separates chamber 2l from chamber 24, is provided with an opening in which is secured a removable valve seat element 44 having a port 45 and a flat seating surface 46 located within the chamber 24. The wall 41 which separates

chambers

24 and 22, is provided with a port 48 having a valve seating surface 49. A cylindrical valve element 50 is positioned within the chamber 24 and is provided at its ends with a pair of sealing elements similar in construction and operation to previously mentioned element 42 and which cooperate with seating surface 46 and 49 respectively to control the ports 45 and 48. The valve element 50 is held in spaced relation with respect to a piston 52 by a rod 53; and the piston 52 is similar in construction to piston 33. Piston 52 is mounted within a cylindrical bore 54 which is aligned with the ports 45 and 48; and the outer end of the bore 54 is threaded to receive a closure j plug 55.- The left-hand end of the valve element 50 is provided with an extension 56, which passes through port 45 and bearsagainst one end of a compression spring 51. The opposite end ofthe spring is seated within a pocket in a closure plug 58 which is threaded in a suitable opening formed in the valve body.

The valve head 30 is guided by four circumfer entially spaced inwardly projecting longitudinal ribs 59 formed within the axial extension of chamber 2|. Valve element 50 is similarly guided by four circumferentially spaced radially projecting longitudinal ribs 60 formed on the walls of chamber 24.

As best shown in Figure 2, a pilot valve is provided for controlling the admission of operating pressure to the right-hand ends of the cylinders 35 and 54 to effect a shift of the valves to the left from the positions illustrated in the drawings. The pilot valve includes a valve seating ring 6| provided with a port 62 and an annular seating surface 63. The seating element 6| is threaded into position against shoulder 64 in a threaded opening 65 which extends vertically above the center of the valve body 2. The port 62 is normally held closed by a valve element 66 having a stem which slidably fits a cylinder recess 61 in the bottom wall of an air inlet chamber 68 and is extremity 14 adapted to project into the port 62 and engage and open Valve 66 against the force of spring 69 and any air pressure which may be acting on the valve element. A spring 15 normally acts to hold the solenoid armature portion |30 up. While the solenoid 3, when energized, operates to force the pin downwardly to open the pilot valve. The pilot valve is held open during the interval in which the solenoid is energized. When the solenoid is de-energized, the armature portion |30 ascends, permitting pilot valve 66 to close under the influence of spring 69 augmented by fluid pressure. It will be seen that this drives the pin 13 upwardly, 'and when the upward movement of the pilot valve is arrested by engagement of its pad 10 with the valve seat 63, the pin 13 continues upwardly due to the uid pressure on the flange |05 of the pin and also due ,to the momentum of the pin. This frees the lower end of the tubular pin from engagement with the upper surface of the pad 10. After the pressure in the passage 8| and in the connected right end portions of cylinders 35, 54 is dissipated, the pin 13 may again fall to v f re-eneage the pad '10. depending upon the friction with which the pin 13 is fitted, but this is lof no particular importance. If the pin falls. it will be struck a sharp blow by the armature when the solenoid is energized to drive the pilot valve from its seat, while if the pin is still raised or in an intermediate position when the armature is driven downwardly, the pin is driven sharply against the valve pad 10 to knock the valve quickly from its seat. When the pin 13 is in the upper position illustratedl the outlet chamber 12 of the pilot valve is connected to atmosphere by means of an axial bore 16 extending through the pin 1I and communicating with an atmospheric port 11 formed in the upper portion of the pin. When the pin is moved downwardly by the solenoid, the lower end of the reduced portion 14 seats against the sealing pad 10, thereby closing the lower end of the bore 16 and disconnecting the chamber 12 from atmosphere, very slightly before but substantially at the same time that valve 66 is v4opened. The air inlet chamber 66 is connected by means of a passageway with a previously mentioned chamber 2|, while the airv outlet chamber 12'is a connected by means of a passageway 8| to a cross-passageway 82 which, as

best shown in Figure 4, communicates with the- The operation of the device is asl followsz'y With ports 8, 9, |0 and connected as described, operating pressure enteringv port

I0 willexlst'in chambers

5, 2| and 68 at all times, while cham-- bers 1 and 22 and the left-hand ends of the cylinders 35 Iand 54 will be connected to the exhaust outlet at all times. The outlet chamber 12o! the' pilot lvalve is constantly in communication with" the right-.hand ends of both ofthecylindersv 'v 35 and 54. With'thepartszin the pcsitionillus` trated, 4thevalve elements 30, 3I and 5Il-wi1lbe held in 'their-right-hand positions by theaction of springs 38 and '51,'and `by the pressure in chamber 2I. In that positionports 21 and 48 arev closed andports 29 and v45 are open. 'Ihel air-finl`et chamber' 63 of the pilot valve! is connectedto the air under pressure inv chamber ZI bye-a passageway 80. The right-hand ends of the cylinders 35 and 54 are connected to the atmosphere'f through passageway 81| and/32: and`= the bores 16y and r11 in pin 13. vAs a result, air vunderpressure iiows from port I0 through chamber 5', ports I3 and I1, chamber'ZI, p'ortlln:` chamber 24, ports and I2 and chamberdtogthe cylinder 1 .and ,port Il i v When solenoid 3 is energized, pin i3 .is-den` pressed, and the right-hand ends of the cylinders and 5d will be disconnected from the atmosphere and connected through bores 82 and BI, port 62, chamber 68 and passageway Sli to the pressure existingl in chamber 2|. Since the di ameters of the pistons 3.3 and 52 are greater than the seating diameters of the valvesv 30V and 5B, the pressure acting on the right-hand ends of the pistons will force the valves to the left, as viewed in the drawings, compressing springs 33 and 51. This will close .ports 29 Iand 45 and open ports 21 and 48. InY that positionof the parts, pressure from portV III passes through chamber 5, ports I3 and I1, chamber 2|., port 21, chamber 25,- ports I8 and I4 and .chamber S to the cylinder port 9. At the saine time cylinder port 8is connected through Achamber 4, ports .I2 and 20, chamber 2li,v port 48, chamber 22, passageway 23, .ports `I9 and I5 and chamber 1 to the exhaust port II.

ljAs soon as the solenoid pin 13 will be lifted upwardly by pressure acting on the shoulder on the pin thereby permitting valve element 36 to close port 62 under the inuence of spring 69 and any differential pressure acting on the valve. At the same time the pilot outlet chamber 12 is connected to atmosphere through bores 16 and 11, thereby discharging the air under pressure at the right-hand ends of the pistons 33 and 52. As soon as the air at the right-hand ends of the pistons is discharged, which occurs almost instantaneously, the valves will be shifted into the position illustrated in the drawings by means of springs 38 and 51, plus air pressure in chamber 2 I.

It will be apparent that there is provided in accordance with the present invention, a solenoid controlled four-way pilot operated pneumatic valve of the type employing two poppet valve assemblies, each of Which is in effect a three-way valve. An important feature of the present invention resides in the utilization of a single relatively small pilot valve for controlling the simultaneous reciprocation of two relatively large poppet valve assembiles. The construction of the valves and seats and the general arrangement of the parts is such that the valve may be operated continuously for long periods at exceedingly high speeds without injury. In actual tests, reciprocations at speeds in excess of 400 cycles a minute for sustained periods have not produced failure of any part of the mechanism.

is f rie-energized, the

The design or construction of the.pilotvalve l is particularly suitedy lfor Aoperation by .a 'ela tivelyfsmall and therefore inexpensive solenoid.

This results not only'rfr'om thesmall size lofthe.. pilot valve, but from the principles upon'which, it; operates. "Thus, `it will lbe noted thatwhenz... the parts are in vthe position illustrated in the drawings, 'the highv pressure existing in cham@ ber '68V is acting tohold the pilot valve closed; while the pin 13 iselevated .in spaced relationy to the-seating' pad 10o-f the pilot valve. When/zA the solenoid is energized; the pin .is driven down-f wardl'yfandthe initial `downward movement is.. unopposed except 'by Vthe relatively light spring`V 'I5 vruntil such'ftime as the end of thevpin 13 strikes' pad11Il`. By that time, the pin 13.and .theasso-f' ciated'movin'gfparts in the solenoid have conf; siderable kineticY energy which is effectiveto` drive the valve element-166 off. its vseat ybyfa hammer-like blow. As soon as thevalve 66 ls` open, the `pressure on the opposite lsides ofthevalve element is substantially balanced an'drela-v tivelyilittle force is required :to hold itin an open position' Aagainst the relatively light spring 69.'

. lThevh'ammer-like blow applied by the pin to 'the valve is cushioned by the pad 10 and consequently will not cause'injury rto any of the parts.

whiie the invention is umstrated and described.-

as embodied in a four-way valve adapted to conprinciples of the invention are equally applicable to any form of valve incorporating two doubleacting poppet three-way valve elements regardi. 1.-lessfo'f'ftheinannersin'whichy the ports ofv the valve arefconnected'to eachother or to thepres-` sure supply or exhaust port kor ports. Moreoverf; the main valves may be utilized to( controlfthe flow' of liquids. rather than gases while the pilot valve mechanism remains pneumatic without departing `from the broad principles of the invention.. r, -While only one embodiment of the invention. is illustrated and described herein, vit willbe ap. parent that variations in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts may be indulged in without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A four-way pneumatic valve assembly comprising a base, said base having four passageways each of which extends through the base and is connected to one of a plurality of ports, all of which ports are located in one surface of the base, the opposite ends of said passageways terminating in openings located in substantially parallel side surfaces of said base, a substantially sealed valve housing having a ported surface secured in sealing relation to the said surface of the base and coacting with the aforementioned ports in the base, a pair of axially shiftable double poppet valves in said housing with their axes extending parallel to each other and in a common plane parallel to said surface of the base, means including a pilot valve within said housing for simultaneously shifting said valves in the same direction, means also within said housing for returning said valves, said housing having ports controlled by said valves and communicating with the passages through said base.

2. Arpilot-controlled, huid-operated four-Way valve and motor unit comprising a housing having a pressure supply chamber and an exhaust chamber, a pair of substantially parallel rectilinearlyslidable three-way. valves therein arranged side by side and relatively close to one another, each of said valves having an independent outlet chamber, a pair of pistons, one such pistonbeing operatively connected to each of said valves, eachV piston forming in effect a substantially coaxial continuation of its valve, and said pistons also being arranged side by side and relatively vclose to one another,v said pressure supply chamber being located near the ends of said valves opposite to the ends to which the pistons are connected, outlet chamber of said valves being located closer to said pistons, intercommunicating cylinder head chamber portions in pressure-conductive communication with the ends'of the said pistons remote from their respective valves, and a pilot valve for controlling communication between said pressure supply chamber and said cylinder head chamber portions, said pilot valve comprising a two position valve element movable to interrupt or permit communication between said pressure supply chamber portions and said cylinder head chamber portions, a, stem for actuating said valve element including -a portion having limited independent movement with respect to said element and an exhaust port portion connectable to and disconnectable from said cylinder head chamber portions in response to such independent movement of the stem with respect to the valve element. j

`3. .A valve and motor unit as defined in claim 2 wherein each piston" is coaxial with its valve and the axes ofthe two three-way valves and of the two pistons being parallel to one another, said pilot valve being movable in a path perpendicular to the plane which contains the axes of said three-Way valves and pistons.

4. A four-way fluid valve including a housing having four ports located in one surface thereof, one of said ports being a pressure supply port, another being an exhaust port and the remaining ports being controlled ports,- means including four axially movable poppet valves Whose axes are parallel to said'surface for connecting one of said controlled ports to the pressure supply port while the other controlled port is connected to the exhaust port and vice versa, said vpoppet valves being arranged in pairs of axially aligned valves and the axes of said pairs being parallel, means for shifting all of said poppet valves simultaneously in the one direction, means for returning said valves, a base on which said valve housing is mounted and in which are formed four passageways leading respectively from ports in a single surface which are aligned REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,229,446 Hall July 12, 1917 1,855,603 Lewis June 8, 1929 1,930,557 Hughes Oct. 17, 1933 2,097,201 Renkenberger Oct. 26, 1937 2,218,861 Stumpf Oct. 22, 1940 2,240,168 Pick Apr. 29, 1941 2,311,806 Almond Feb. 23, 1943 2,364,626 Emerson Dec. 12, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,865 Great Britain of 1913