US2969801A

US2969801A - Regulator

Info

Publication number: US2969801A
Application number: US709683A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard D Cummins
Original assignee: FIREWEL DEV Co
Current assignee: FIREWEL DEV Co; FIREWEL DEVELOPMENT Co
Priority date: 1958-01-17
Filing date: 1958-01-17
Publication date: 1961-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 1978-01-31

Description

Jan. 31, 1961 R. D. CUMMINS 2,969,801

REGULATOR Filed Jan. 17, 1958 T v INVENTOR.

REGULATOR Richard D. Cummins, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignor to Firewel Development Company, Buffalo, N.Y., a copartnership Filed Jan. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 709,683

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-64) This invention relates to a regulator, and more particularly to a regulator for use in maintaining a minimum reference pressure in oxygen breathing or suit pressure apparatus.

In my copending application Serial No. 669,365, filed July 1, 1957, there is disclosed an aneroid valve for maintaining a minimum reference pressure for oxygen breathing apparatus or pressure suits, at altitudes above 35,000 feet, and which valve, upon rupture of the bellows, will prevent a build up of excessive and/or harmful pressures in such oxygen breathing apparatus or pressure suits. The present invention operates in a similar manner, however, it features a compound arrangement of aneroid valves providing a compact and efiicient device for such pressure control purposes. More particularly, it effects space saving economies by a reduction in size, and in addition, reduces the number of hose connections required.

A general object of the invention is to provide a regulator having aneroid valves which will maintain a minimum reference pressure for oxygen breathing apparatus or pressure suits at altitudes above 35,000 feet, and which will prevent a build up of excessive and/ or harmful pressures in event of rupture of an aneroid valve.

A further and more specific object is to provide such a regulator which features a compound arrangement of aneroid valves providing a compact assembly which affords space saving economies, and which reduces the number of hose connections when both the pressures of oxygen breathing apparatus and the pressure suit is to be regulated.

These and further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a section view through a representative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section view of an aneroid valve used in the 'device of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section view of a restricting orifice used in the device of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 6 identifies a regulator embodying the principles of the invention, which includes a body portion 7 having a pair of oppositely disposed threaded recesses 8, 9, and a pair of oppositely disposed openings 11, 12. The recesses 8 and 9 are adapted to receive aneroid valve arrangements 13, 14, each of which comprise a threaded cap 15, a headed pin member 16 which is secured to the inside of the cap by a screw 17, an evacuated bellows 18 one end being supported by the pin member 16 the other end having an axially positioned valve button or facing, this button or facing for the aneroid valve 13 being designated at 19 and for the aneroid valve 14 at 19a, and a spring 35 compressively arranged between the inside of one end of the bellows 18 and the head of the pin member 16. An opening 20 is formed in the cap to expose the exterior of the bellows 18 to atmospheric pressure at all times. The only difference between aneroid valve 14, as compared with aneroid valve 13, is that the button or facing atent O 2,969,801 C6 Patented .Jan. 31, 1961 19 of the latter is of less diameter than the equivalent button 19a of the former, as seen in Fig. 1, the reason for which will be explained. It will be seen that the free end of the bellows 18 is spaced a certain distance from the end of the pin member 16, to limit the axial movement of the bellows under maximum pressure differential.

A first pressurized oxygen supply passageway 21 is arranged in the body portion 7 and extends upwardly where it is bifurcated for connection with each of the openings 11 and 12. The passageway 21 is threaded for receipt of a hose or conduit 22, which leads to an oxygen supply for delivery of oxygen at approximately 70 p.s.i. to the regulator 6. Extending from the passageway 21 are passageways 23 which are arranged to connect the passageway 21 with each of the threaded recesses 8 and 9, said passageways 23 having a pair of metering orifice plugs 24 disposed therein. As best seen in Fig. 3, each orifice piece 24 includes a filter 26 adapted to strain the oxygen which will flow in passageway 23.

The end of passageway 23 opening into recess 9, has a valve seat 25, while the end of the passageway 23 opening into recess 8 has a valve seat 30. The

valve seats

25 and 30 each are of a diameter which corresponds with the diameter of the adjacent facing 19 and 19a respectively of bellows 18.

The openings 11 and 12 each form a first demand valve chamber arranged for communication at certain times with the passageway 21. An outlet line 27 can lead from the chamber 11 to the mechanism controlling the pressure in a crewmans face mask (not shown), while an outlet line 28 can lead from the chamber 12 to a crewmans pressure suit (not shown). Each demand chamber 11 and 12 has a flexible diaphragm 29 the edges of which are clamped against the rim of the chamber by a cap 31. Each diaphragm 29 therefore forms a pair of chambers at its opposite sides, the inside chambers being designated at 11 and 12 respectively, and the outside chambers being designated at 11a and 12a respectively. A pair of passageways 32 connect each end of passageway 23 with the

corresponding chamber

11a, 12a between each diaphragm 29 and the cap 31, as best seen in Fig. 1. A light spiral compression spring 33 is arranged between each cap 31 and diaphragm 29 to bias the diaphragm toward the respective chamber 11 or 12. Each diaphragm has a metal disc 34 adapted to engage a knob 36 located on the end of a valve stem 37. Each valve stem 37 extends through a central aperture 38 of a metal disc 39 located in a bore 41 formed in the bifurcated passageway 21, and has a cap shaped valve head 42 which seats against the high pressure side of the disc 39. A spiral compression spring '43 holds the stem 37 normal to the disc 39 so that the valve head "42 is seated against the disc aperture 38, thus preventing flow of high pressure oxygen from the passageway 21 into demand chambers 11 and 12,

In the operation of the regulator 6, it will be assumed that oxygen under a gage pressure of say 70 p.s.i. is being supplied to the conduit 22. At altitudes below about 35,000 feet the demand valves i.e., the volume between a diaphragm and cap 31, are referred to ambient pressure by reason of the fact that each passageway 32 is in communication with a recess 8 or 9 since the bellows facings 19 and 19a will be held from engagement with a

respective valve seat

25 or 30 due to the pressure differential to which each bellows is subjected. During this time a small amount of oxygen, say, 20 cubic centimeters per minute, is constantly being bled through each orifice piece 2 4 into the recesses 8 and 9, and escapes to atmosphere via cap hole 20.

As the airplane rises in altitude the ambient pressure within the recesses 8 and 9 decreases causing the evacuated bellows 18 to expand axially. When the ambient pressure drops to a critical value of 3.4 p.s.i.a., the bellows expand sufliciently to seat the

valve buttons

19, 19a against the

valve seats

25 and 30*, to thereby isolate the demand valves from communication with the atmosphere. The oxygen bleeding past the orifice pieces 24 in passageway 23, builds up the pressure on the passageways 32, and in the chambers 11b, 12b between each diaphragm 29 and cup 31, to supply a higher than ambient reference pressure to the demand valves.

The eifective area of the button or valve facing 19a of the aneroid valve 14 is approximately five times greater than the eiiective area of the valve facing 19 of aneroid valve 13. The bellows valve facings 19, 19a are so proportioned so that it will take a pressure of approximately 17 p.s.i.a. to unseat the valve button 19 of bellows 13, while a pressure slightly above 3.4 p.s.i.a. is all that is required to unseat the valve button 19a of the bellows 14. Hence, the reference pressure maintained in the demand valve for service of the crewmans mask i.e., in the volume between the diaphragm and cap, will he just onedifth the value of the reference pressure maintained in the demand valve for service of the orewmans pressure suit.

In the event of failure of either bellows, as by rupture, it will be seen that the spring 35 will force the corresponding valve facing 19, 19a into engagement with a respective valve seat. This will allow a build up of pressure against the valve facing by reason of the oxygen flowing through an orifice piece 24, and when such pressure reaches a predetermined maximum, the valve facing will be unseated to allow escape of oxygen to atmosphere via hole 20. In such manner, the danger of excessive build up of suit or mask pressure from this cause, will be avoided. While a safety relief valve could be arranged to prevent such build up pressures, such a relief valve would increase the danger of leakage, hence, is not desirable. 4

From the foregoing it will be seen that the regulator of the invention provides a compact and effective device for the regulation of pressures in a face mask and pressure suit, and that other objectives of the invention are satisfied.

The foregoing description has been given in detail without thought of limitation since the inventive principles involved are capable of assuming other physical embodimerits without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A regulator comprising a body portion formed to provide a first inlet passageway for the supply of pressurized oxygen to the regulator, a pair of demand valves each having a first chamber connected to an outlet and a second chamber, a diaphragm separating each of said first and second chambers and each said demand valve in said first chambers being responsive to movement of its respective diaphragm for providing communication between each said first chamber and said first pressurized oxygen supply passageway, said body portion being formed to provide a pair of recesses each of which is open to atmospheric pressure and is in communication with said first pressurized oxygen supply passageway via a second passageway, an evacuated bellows arranged within each recess and responsive to a given atmospheric pressure therein, means attaching one end of each of said bellows to said body portion, each of said bellows having a facing at its other end for engaging an outwardly facing seat upon the end of the corresponding second passageway, and resilient means within said bellows biasing said facing against said seat to disrupt the communication between the recess and the corresponding second passageway, said body portion also being formed to provide a third passageway providing communication between each second passageway and each said second chamber of each demand valve.

2. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the efiective area of the facing and seat of one bellows is greater than the effective area of the facing and seat of the other bellows.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,437,462 Frye Mar. 9, 1948 2,449,548 Burns Sept. 21, 1948 2,703,572 Seeler Mar. 8, 1955 2,755,799 Marty July 24, 1956 2,824,557 Mejean et a1. Feb. 25, 1958 2,834,343 Keckler et al. May 13, 1958