US2661724A

US2661724A - Multiple position fluid pressure actuated apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2661724A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert A Blenkle
Original assignee: JAMES P GUARNIERI Inc
Current assignee: JAMES P GUARNIERI Inc
Priority date: 1951-07-17
Filing date: 1951-07-17
Publication date: 1953-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-08

Description

3, 1953 I H. A. BLENKLE 2,661,724

MULTIPLE POSITION FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATED APPARATUS Filed July 1'7, 195].

IN VEN TOR.

[fir hr 14. file/M76 firm 4 .05%

Patented Dec. 8, 1953 MULTIPLE POSITION FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATED APPARATUS Herbert A. Blenkle, Leonia, N. J., assignor to James P. Guarnieri, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 17, 1951, Serial N0. 237,169

This invention relates to a fluid pressure actuated apparatus and more particularly to a means for moving a member, such as a piston ina cylinder, selectively to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions and for maintaining such member in each of said positions respectively.

Frequently in hydraulically or pneumatically controlled mechanisms, it is required that an element be moved selectively to any one of three or more positions with adequate power to assure completion of the movement and under control of selector means requiring relatively little power. Such a mechanism may be used for shifting gears of a gear change'mechanism afiording substantially finger tip control. This is provided by the present invention.

For example, a control might be desired by which a piston may be positioned in its cylinder selectively at either extremity'of its stroke or at one or more intermediate points between the two extremities. If the working cylinderis in a location removed from the control. position, so that a conventional type of follow-up linkage is either impractical or impossible, then a control valve may be provided which operates in conjunction with a suitable porting arrangement in the working cylinder, so that proper pressure distribution and venting is secured requiring the piston to assume a selected position and to be maintained in that position substantially positively by the pressure distribution and the ex haust arrangement.

An important object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an apparatus-of the fluid pressure actuated type, by which a member can be selectively moved to and maintained at a plurality of predetermined position and wherein no additional mechanical linkage means are necessary to effect certain intermediate positioning of the member, the invention providing a simple and effective means by which a, remote control is effective to exert a multiplied force if necessary to control the movement and positioning of the member in question.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following description,

of a preferred embodiment thereof. g

The invention may be summarized asproviding fluid pressure actuated apparatus comprising a cylinder having a port thereto adjacent to each end thereof and at least one port to said cylinder intermediate its ends. A piston is provided which is movable in said cylinder. The piston has a sufiicient width axial of the cylin- Claims. (01. 121-41) der to seal off any one intermediate port when the piston is at a predetermined position opposite such port. The invention also provides a valve means, preferably a rotary or plug type valve, having fluid pressure connections to each of the ports of the cylinder respectively. In the valve there is a housing member and a valve member movable relative to each other, so that at least one of these members is movable. Means are provided to supply fluid pressure from a suitable source thereof to the valve. Suitable passage means are provided in the rotatable element or plug portion of the valve for the exhaust of fluid pressure therethrough.

Specifically, passage means in the plug and in the housing of the valve are provided for connecting the source of fluid pressure simultaneously to ports adjacent to both ends of the cylinder respectively, while exhausting fluid'pressure from a selected intermediate port of the cylinder, so as 'to position the piston opposite such intermediate port. Other passage means in the plug and the housing of the valve provide for selectively exhausting pressure through one of the. end ports of the cylinder, while supplying pressure to the other end port thereof respectively, to hold the piston in a position adjacent to the end of the cylinder having the port through which the fluid pressure is exhausted. Means are also provided in the valve for minimizing the work required to operate it by reducing friction and by venting to exhaust any fluid pressure which might interpose an additional load on the valve.

There is hereinafter given a more complete description of' one embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view with parts principally in longitudinal section of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram development of grooved passages formed in the peripheral surface of the plug or rotor of the valve;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and .6 are transverse sectional views of the valve plug, taken respectively along lines 3-3, 44, 55. and 66 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are schematic representations of the cylinder and piston portion of the apparatus, indicating several predetermined positions of the piston in the cylinder depending upon the position of the plug or rotor of the valve. Oneapparatus embodying the invention, which is illustrated in the drawings, includes a cylinder H having ports l2 and i3 adjacent to the respective ends and H; of the cylinder and having ports I! and I8 intermediate the ends of the cylinder. A piston movable in the cylinder H is shown suitably fastened to a piston rod 2! thereof by a nut is threaded on the end of the rod. of the cylinder H through the end It thereof, passing through a suitable gland 22, which is provided with a packing 23 of any suitable or conventional type for preventing leakage of: the pressure medium employed.

The piston 20 is of sufficient width axial of the cylinder H to seal off anyone of the intermediate ports 11 or it when it is in a position opposite either of such ports. To make this seal more efiective, the piston may be pmvi'dedwith one or more pairs of piston rings 25, which are so spaced that their outer edges are separated by a distanceequal at least to the width of either one of the intermediateports' l1 and I 8 which is to be sealed off, so that when the piston 25 is in a position opposite either intermediate port, the rings 25 are located respectively on each side of the port, so that the piston acts in effect as a valve. The rings may be of any suitable mate rial and construction to effect the desired sealing action".

A rotary valve generally indicated at 25 is connected to the cylinder H by suitable fluid pressure conduits extending from valve 25 to each of the ports of the cylinder respectively. For this purpose, a port 21 in the valve body or housing is connected by a conduit 28 to the port I2; a port 30 in the valve body or housing is connected by aconduit 3| to the port 13 of the cylinder; a port 32 of the valve housing is connected' through a conduit 331:0 the port I1; and a port 35 of the valve housing is connected to the port I8 of the cylinder through a conduit 36'.

The valve 26 includes a plug or rotor 31 and a housing 38. In the form shown, the plug' or rotor is a substantially cylindrical member and the housing has a corresponding cylindrical chamber formed by a collar member 40 and end members 4| and 42'. Suitable bolts 43' spaced around the housing 38 maybe used to maintain the members 40, 4! and 42 of the housing in their normal operative positions; The outer peripheral surface 39 ofthe plug 31 and the interior walls of the chamber defined by the members 40, 4| and 42 of the housing 38 form a close sliding fit with each other substantially preventing leakage or fluid-flow except through the several bores and ports as hereinafter set forth. The plug 31 and the housing 38' may be rotated with res ect to each other by any suitable means such as an axial shaft 45, which may be integral with the plug 31. The shaft 45 extends outwardly through a suitable packed gland 45 in the member 42 of the housing 38. Suitable packing 41 maybe provided in the gland 46 to prevent the leakage of fluid pressure along the shaft 45.

Fluid under pressure may be supplied to the valve 28 through a conduit 48' from a suitable source of supply thereof (not shown) at a desired pressure, the conduit 48 being connected toa port in the end member 4! of the housing, substantially co-axial of the plug 31. An axial port 50 is provided in the plug 31 to receive fluid under pressure from the conduit 48 and conduct it to an inclined bore 5| in the plug 31. Another inclined bore 52 is provided in the plug 31 for the exhaust of fluid pressure therethrough, this bore having an exit end openin into an annular ex- The piston rod 2-! projects out' haust chamber 53 formed in the end member 42 around the axial shaft 45 as shown. An inclined port 55 in the end member 42 connects the chamber 53 with an exhaust conduit 56. In the case where the fluid used is a liquid which is preferably recirculated through a suitable collecting chamber, and thence through a pump, the outlet connection 55 returns the fluid to such a collecting chamber or sump, not shown, which provides a reservoir for the liquid from which it'may be drawn through the pump (not shown) to be recirculated; In the event that the fluid used is compressed air, it is usual to exhaust it directly to the atmosphere, so that in such case, the conduit 55 maybe omitted.

Suitable grooves are formed in the peripheral surface of the plug in appropriate spaced relation to register with ports formed in the housing 38', which are connected with the ports of the cylinder ll through the fluid pressure conduits 28,.3l1, 33 and 36. The grooves may be arranged in any suitable manner to effect the desired operation of the piston in the cylinder. One such groove arrangement is shown in the drawings, wherein a groove 51 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is disposed wholly in a plane transverse of the plug 31 is connected with the inclined bore 5! by a radial bore 58 to suply fluid under pressure from the bore 54 through the bore 58 and the groove 51 to a port 66 in the housing collar member 40 and thence through the port 21 and the conduit 28 to the port I2 of the cylinder H. An opening BI' is provided in the plug 31 in a common transverse plane with the groove 51 and is connected through a substantially radial bore 52 to the exhaust bore 52, so that when the plug 31 is ro tated to bring the openin 61 into registry with the port 60 in the housing, fluid will be exhausted from the port l2 of the cylinder I! through the conduit 28-, the port 21, the port 69, the opening 61, the bore 62, and the exhaust bore 52 to the chamber 53, and thence exhausted from the valve- 26 through the exhaust port 55.

Another groove 63 in the plug 31 (Figs. 1 and 4) similar to the groove 51' is in radial alignment with a port 55 formed in the housing member 4!). which is connected with the port 13 in the cylinder H through the conduit 3!. The groove 63 is connected to the fluid pressure supply bore 51 by means of a transverse bore 55. An opening 61 is formed in the peripheral surface as of the plu in the same transverse plane as the groove 63 and is connected with the inclined exhaust bore 52 by a radial bore 68. When the opening 51 is rotated to bring it into registry with the port 65 in the valve housing, fluid will be exhausted from the port l3 of the cylinder H through the conduit 3!, the port 30, the port 65, the opening 61, and the bore 88 to the exhaust bore 52.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, a groove 10 similar to the grooves 51 and 53 is formed in the peripheral surface 39 of the plug 31 in radial alignment with a port H in the housing, which is connected through the port 32 and the conduit 33 with the intermediate port 11 of the cylinder H. The groove 10 is connected with the inclined exhaust bore 52 in the plug by a radial bore 12. When port 5 formed in the housing and connecting with the intermediate port is through the conduit 35 and the port 35. The groove 13 is connected to the exhaust bore 52 by means of a substantially radial bore 76. When the plug 3'5 of the valve is rotated with respect to the housing, so that the groove is is in registry with the port '55 in the housing, fluid pressure may be exhausted through the port is of the cylinder, the conduit 3%, the ports iii? and 75, the groove 73, and the bore It to the exhaust bore 52.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, particularly Fig. 2, the grooves are arranged in a pattern, each extending a predetermined number of degrees around the peripheral surface 39 of the plug 5?, so that the various passages will be connected in a desired arrangement to move the piston 25 in the cylinder i l by supplying fluid under pressure through certain of the ports of the cylinder, while exhausting fluid pressure from certain other ports, still other ports being closed both to pr ssure and exhaust.

For example, the position of the plug 37 of the valve indicated in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 corresponds to the point in the peripheral surface indicated in the diagram of Fig. 2 as In that position, fluid under pressure may flow from the pressure supply bore to ports l2 and It at both ends of the cylinder through the several passages, ports and conduits previously described. tion of the plug 5'1, fluid pressure is exhausted from port ll of the cylinder through the ports and conduits described. At this position of the parts, the intermediate port it is closed both to pressure and to exhaust, see Fig. 6.

Thus at this position of the parts with the plug 3'! of the valve in the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4., 5 and 6, fluid pressure is effective against the two sides 3i! and 8! of the piston 20. As the port I! is open to exhaust, in any position of the piston other than that shown in Fig. l, the fluid pressure on the side of the piston toward the port i! will be less than that on the other side, resulting in the movement of the piston toward. the port ll until that port is blocked by the piston and the pressure thereupon becomes equal on both sides of the piston. This serves also to hold the piston at the desired point. This condition will be maintained at all positions of the plug 31, from about 0*" to about 180.

From about 80 to about 2":0 of the peripheral surface of the plug, see Fig. 2, the piston will be similarly caused to move to and will thereafter be maintained at the position shown in Fig, 8, due to fluid under pressure being continuously supplied to the ports 52 and I3 and being exhausted through the port 58, while the port I! is out off from both pressure and exhaust.

When the plug 3? of th:: valve is positioned at about the 3% position as shown in Fig. 2, the piston will be moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 9. This is accomplished by the positioning of the opening '6'! in registry with the-port 65, thus exhausting fluid from the port l3 of the cyl inder, while maintaining pressure to the port 12 and closing off both intermediate ports I! and I8 to both pressure and exhaust.

In order to move the piston to the position shown in Fig. 10, the plug 3'? of the valve is rotated to the 330 position, Fig 2, at which position the opening 5! is in registry with the port 65, so that fluid is exhausted through the port :2 as above set forth to the exhaust bore 52. In this position, fluid pressure is maintained to the port it through the groove 83; and ports 47 and I8 In this posiplug or rotor of the valve may be moved rapidly from any one of its positions to any other, so as selectively to position the piston l i in any one of its positions shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, and with a minimum of effort. It will also be obvious from the foregoing that as many intermediate positions as desired for the piston may be provided for in the same way as the positions shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the ports 60, 55, H and it in the housing have been aligned to make connection with the plug at a given line on the periphery of the plug. It will be understood, however, that additional sets of passages may be arranged around the housing on other similar given lines to make connection-f with the valve at various other points in the housing, whereby a plurality of piston-cylinder combinations may be operated in a selected sequence or in other desired movement combinations. It is contemplated, for example, that all the various positions of the piston shown in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive, could be provided for in a limited total angular range of movement of the plug 31, for example 90. Thus, four or more separate cylinders could be selectively controlled by a single valve. Such an arrangement is to be considered within the purview of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be understood that by rearrangement of the grooves on the periphery of the plug and by changing the connecting ports and bores of the plug, various other desirable combinations can be achieved.

Referring to Fig. l and specifically to the valve 25 illustrated therein, means may be provided to minimize the amount of effort required to turn the plug member 31. These means include ball bearings 85 interposed between the plug 3! and the end member 42 of the housing to act against the thrust imposed against the plug by the pressure of the fluid entering through the supply conduit 43. In order further to minimize any thrust which may be imposed on the plug 31 by high pressure fluid seeping into the space between the left hand end surface of the plug 3? as seen in Fig. 1 and the end member 4| of the housing, an annular recess 86 is formed in the end of the plug adjacent to the end member All. The recess 86 is connected through a very small vent passage 81 with the fluid exhaust bore 52, from which any fluid flowing through the passage 81 may pass to the chamber 53. A suitable packing 33 may be provided about an extended end portion 99 of the plug 3'! adjacent to the fluid pressure inlet 50.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the invention fulfills the objects set forth and. provides a substantially positive means of positioning a piston selectively at several predetermined positions in a cylinder. For the purposes of obtaining exactly equal pressures upon both sides of the piston, it may in some instances be found desirable to provide an additional piston rod extending from the side of the piston in order to oflfset the relatively smaller area of the face 8| of the piston by reason of the piston rod 21. However, for simplicity, such an additional piston rod which is a well known expedient in the art, is not illustrated in'the accompanying drawings.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, there is herein described the principles of operation of the invention, together with the elements which are now considered the arcane meie edeaibo m ntsz h reei= It 1 4 9 t-under; teeds ow v r, at. e; t uct re is l e only illustrative, and'that theinvention can be carried out by other means,- Various modifications and equivalents will; occurto those-skilled in-theart: from the foregoing disclosure, I do not wish to be limited, therefore, except by, the, appended claims, which are to be construed validly as broadly as the state of the prior art, permits.

What is claimed is:

1. Fluidpressure actuated apparatus, comprising a cylinder having a port thereinto adjacent to each end thereof, and at least one port to said cyl-,

inder intermediate its ends, a piston movable in said cylinder andhaving a sufhoient axial extent to seal oil. one only of such intermediate ports when said piston is at a single predetermined po-v sition opposite each such intermediate port in spectively, a valve having ahousing member and a inemher withhi said housing, saidmembers of said-valve being relatively movable, fluid pressure connections from ports in one member of said valve to each of the ports of said cylinder respectively, means to supply fluid pressure from a source thereof to the other member of said valve, means for the exhaust of fluid pressure from said other member of said valve, the members of said valve having a predetermined diilerent relative, position for each desired position of said piston in said cylinder respectively, which positions of said piston are respectively substantially at each of said ports, to said cylinder, a passage in. said other member of said valve from said fiuidpressure supply meansto the valve port communicating with oneend port of said cylinder at a first and at all the intermediate of said positions of said piston and of the members of said valve, a passage in said other member of said valve from the fluid pressure exhaust means to the valve port communicating with the other, end of said cylinder at said, first position or the members of said valve, a passage in said other member of said valve from the fluid pressure exhaustmeans to the valve port communicating with said one end port of said cylinder at a last position of the members of said valve, a passage in said other member or" said valve from said fluid pressure supply means to the valve ports communicating with said other end port of said cylinder at said last and all intermediate of said positions of said members of said valve, a passage in said other member of said valve from said fluid pressure exhaust means to the respective intermediate valve ports of said cylinder for each of the intermediate positions of said piston and the valve members respectively, and means forming a part of said other member of said valve for blocking communication between all intermediate ports of said cylinder to both said fluid pressure supply means and said fluid pressure exhaust meansexcept as aforesaid.

2 Fluid pressure actuated apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which said valve is a rotary valve said members of which comprise a relatively stationary housing and a rotor mounted in said housing for rotation in respect thereto about a predetermined axis; and in which said means to supply fluid pressure and said means for the exhaust of fluid pressure to and from said valve respectively comprise a supply conduit for fluid pressure passing through one end of said housing and means for the exhaust of pressure fluid in the other end of said housing, both substantially concentric with said axis; in which said fluid pressure connections from said valve 8 toeach of the ports of, said cylinder. respectively compriseconduit means communicating between the, respective ports of said cylinder and said housing of said valve; and in which said passages in said other member of said valve comprise bores and grooves in said rotor selectively connecting the ends of said rotor to which fluid pressureand exhaust are connected as aforesaid with ports in said housing, so as selectively to supply pressure toand exhaust pressure from selected ports in said cylinder.

3. Fluid pressure actuated apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the piston has at least two predetermined intermediate positions respectively opposite at least two intermediate ports to said cylinder, and in which the valve arrangement is such that a single relativemove merit of the members of said valve in one direction from one relativeposition of such members to another will control the flow of pressure and exhaust to and from the several ports of said cylinder, so that said piston will be moved successively from one end of said cylinder through all intermediate positionsv of said piston opposite said intermediate ports of said cylinder respectively to the other end of said cylinder and vice versa.

4. Fluid pressure actuated apparatus, comprising a cylinder having a port thereinto adjacent to each end. thereof and a plurality of ports to said cylinder intermediate its ends, a piston movabl in said cylinder and having a sufficient axial extent to seal off each such intermediate ports when said piston is at predetermined positions respectively opposite such intermediate ports, a rotary valve including a housing and a rotor mounted therein for rotation about a predetermined axis, fluid pressure connections from said housing to each of the ports of said cylinder re-- spectively; said rotor having an inclined bore therein communicating with one end of said rotor and having a second inclined bor therein sepa: rate from the first named inclined bore and-communicating with the other end of said rotor, means to supply fluid pressure to said housing to one end thereof and in a manner substantially axial of said rotor, means for exhausting pressure from the other end of said housing coaxially with said rotor, so that one of said inclined bores of said rotor is continuously supplied with fluid pressure, while the other inclined bore of said rotor is continuously open to exhaust, other bores in said rotor connecting said inclined bores with the surface thereof and arranged selectively 'to register with ports in saidhousing, so as selectively to supply fluid pressure to or to exhaust from or to seal ofi said ports of said cylinder in response to rotation of said rotor, said valve being constructed and arranged, so that (a) at one position of said rotor with respect to said housing, pressure will be supplied through said valve means to one of said ports at a first end of said cylinder, while pressure is exhausted through said port at th other end of said cylinder, and while all intermediate ports of said cylinder are closed to exhaust, (b) at a second position of said rotor in respect to said housing, pressure will be supplied to said other end of said cylinder and simultaneously exhausted from said first end of said cylinder, while all said intermediate ports are closed to exhaust, and (c) at an additional predetermined position of said rotor in respect to said housing for positioning said piston opposite each of said intermediate ports respectively, pressure will be supplied simultaneoush to both end ports of said cylinder and will be exhausted from the one predetermined intermediate port of said cylinder opposite which said piston is to be positioned, while otherwise preventing exhaust of pressure from said cylinder.

5. Fluid pressure actuated apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the fluid pressure supplied to said valve communicates with the interior of said housing axial of said rotor and at one end thereof, this end of said rotor having a relatively small diameter extension J'ournalledin a correspondingly shaped portion of said housing, which is provided with packing means for preventing flow of fluid pressure past the packing means to the space between the end of said rotor and said housing, and wherein said space between the end of said rotor and said housing includes an annular chamber, and passage means 10 connecting said annular chamber to the inclined exhaust passage in said rotor, so as to minimize axial thrust on said rotor incident to leakage of fluid pressure past said packing to the space between said rotor and said housing.

HERBERT A. BLENKLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,046,529 Winton Dec. 10, 1912 1,892,187 Drennon Dec. 27, 1932 2,481,426 Hull Sept. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 848,833 France Aug. 7, 1939