US2987078A - Gas valve - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1961 D. E. DU PEROW GAS VALVE Filed Dec. 16, 1957 ..I! k l i u Ms 0 KW E N o e M M M m DM M igan Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 702,980 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-5991) The gas valve of the present invention is particularly adapted for controlling the flow of gas to burners such as the top burners of gas ranges. The invention can be used with either single type burners or composite burners having two or more burner sections.

Heretofore, valves have been made which provide a gradual increase or decrease in the rate of flow of gas to a burner upon turning a valve member, but these valves have been unsatisfactory because the gas flow variation for a given turning movement of the valve member is too great, making fine adjustment of the flame size difiicult or impossible. Valves have also been made in which relatively great amount of turning movement of the valve member is required between full on position and off position but these valves provide an uneven rather than a gradual increase or decrease in the rate of flow of gas between a low or otf position and a full on position.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, improved valve structure in which a valve member can be turned through a relatively large angle to provide a gradual, even increase or decrease of the rate of gas flow to a burner between a full on position and a low or off position.

The invention is carried out generally by providing a rotatable valve plug with a plurality of ports registrable with an inlet in a valve body, the larger or full on port being provided with a circumferential tail port of taper cross section with its smaller end projecting away from the port. The extension moves over the edge of the inlet as the valve plug is turned and together with the inlet edge defines an orifice which gradually changes in size for controlling the rate of flow from the valve inlet to the burner. Certain other ports in the valve plug are arranged to register gradually with the inlet and cooperate with the tail port to provide gradual variation of gas flow through the valve. One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a valve according to this invention in use, parts being broken away and shown in phantom to illustrate structure.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan View of the valve member separate from the valve body.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View through the valve.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view through the valve illustrating an off position.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 55 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 illustrating a low on position of the valve.

IGURE 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of FIG- URE 3 illustrating an intermediate on position of the valve.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 illustrating a higher intermediate on position.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing a full on position.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view on line 1010 of FIGURE 3 illustrating a position-indicating device.

Shown in the drawings is a valve according to this invention having a valve body 16 with a tapered internal chamber 17 into which an inlet 18 and an axial outlet 19 communicate.

The particular valve illustrated also ice has a side outlet 22. A tapered valve plug 23 is rotatable in valve chamber 17 for controlling the flow of gas from inlet 18 to outlets 19 and 22. Outlet 19 is provided with a conventional hood 24 containing an adjustable orifice (not shown) through which gas may be introduced into a mixing tube 25. Outlet 22 is illustrated as being connected to a line 26. Gas is furnished to different burners such as the main burner section and simmer burner section of a composite burner respectively through a mixing tube 25 and gas line 26.

Plug 23 has an extension 29 projecting out of an open end 30 of valve body 16 and projecting through an opening 31 in a cap 32 closing the end of the valve body. Extension 29 has a flat side 34 for nonrotatably receiving a control knob 35 and for controlling a valve positionindicating arrangement within cap 32. The position indicator is described below.

Valve plug 23 has an internal axially extending gasway 38 opening into chamber 17 and communicating with outlet 19. Gasway 38 continues in a constricted portion 39 which opens into a slightly enlarged bore 40. An angled bypass passageway 41 extends from bore 40 to an enlarged port 42 disposed generally in the plane of inlet 18 so that it can be selectively turned into and out of registry with the inlet. Bore 40 continues in a somewhat enlarged, internally threaded portion extending into operating stem 29 and having a metering screw 45 threaded therein. Screw 45 has a taper extension 46 whose end is advanced and retracted relative to orifice 39 for metering the flow of gas from inlet 18 through bypass 41 and into gasway 38.

Valve plug 23 has generally radial ports 48 and 49 extending from gasway 38 to the exterior surface of the valve plug. Both of these ports are arranged to be brought into and out of registry with inlet 18 upon turning the valve member. Port 48 has a relatively small cross dimension to pass a relatively small flow of gas and port '49 has a relatively large cross dimension for passing a greater flow of gas. Port 48 has an enlarged outer portion 50 which is axially offset from ports 42 and 49. Port 48 is also oifset somewhat from the center of inlet 18.

Valve plug 23 is provided with a recess 52 which extends in a generally circumferential direction and which has a cross sectional area varying along its length. For this purpose, the recess may conveniently be formed by cutting into the surface of the valve plug along a chord of a circle whose center is on the axis of the valve plug. The depth of the recess thus varies generally uniformly between its small end 53 lying adjacent the surface of the valve plug and its large end 54 which opens into large port 49. In the construction shown, if the portion of the chord represented by the bottom of recess 52 were extended, it would intersect the circumference of a circle of the valve plug at approximately the center line of port 49. The side walls of the recess are preferably angled to each other. An angle of about 52 has been found satisfactory.

Recess 52 may be termed a tail port for port 49. The combined circumferential extent of port 49 and the tail port is about and the combined circumferential extent of ports 42 and 49, enlargement 50 and tail port 52 is about 163. The circumferential extent of inlet 18 is about 50". Ports 42 and 49 and tail port 52 have their centers disposed generally in the plane of the center of inlet 18 and enlargement 50 of port 48 preferably has its center offset axially from that plane so that it can register with inlet 18 simultaneously with port 42 and tail port 52 with sufficient space being left between these ports at the surface of the plug to provide an adequate seal between the ports.

Valve plug 23 is provided with an external ClICllIl'lferential groove 56 extending around most of the periphery or the plug (FIGURES). This groove and outlet 22 with which it registers are axially offset from the general plane of inlet 18 and the described ports in the valve plug. Groove 56 is arranged to register with a branch passagew'ay 57 opening at one end into inlet 18 and opening at its other end into valve chamber 17.

Valve plug 23 is seated within chamber 17 by a compressed coil spring 60 which reacts against cap 32 through axially abutted clicking washers 61 and 62 encircling valve stem 29 and contained by the cap. Inner washer 61'has a projection 63 which engages between axially extending lugs 64 and 65 on the valve body so that washer 61 is secured against rotation. Outer washer 62 has an internal flat 65 which mates with flat 34 on valve stem 29 so that washer 62 rotates with the valve stem relatively to washer 61. Washer 62 has a radial finger 66 which engages the outer edges of lugs 64 and 65 in off and full on positions of the valve respectively. Washer 62 has an axial projection 68 which snaps into recesses 69, 70, and 71 in washer 61 at various on positions of the valve as will be described in greater detail.

In operation, it may be assumed that threaded inlet 18 has been connected to gas supply line 74 (FIGURE 1). Outlet 19 and its hood 24 are assembled with mixing tube 25 and outlet 22 has been attached to gas line 26. The valve is in its off position (FIGURE 4), with inlet 18 and branch inlet 57 both closed by the surface of the valve plug so that no gas flows through the valve. Upon turning operating handle 35 and valve plug 23 counterclockwise'as FIGURES 4-9 are viewed through about 65, groove 56 is brought into registry with branch inlet 57 and gas flows through the passageway defined by the groove and the wall of chamber 17 to outlet 22 into gas line 26 for furnishing gas to a burner such as a simmer burner. This position of the parts is illustrated in FIG- URE 5. At this time, main inlet 18 is still closed by the surface of the valve plug. Projection 68 on clicking washer 62 snaps into recess 69 in clicking washer 61 to give audible indication of this position.

Upon turning valve plug 23 counterclockwise about 30 more, port 42 comes into registry with main inlet 18 (FIGURE 6) so that gas flows through port 42, bypass 41, bore 40, orifice 39, and gasway 38 through outlet 19 a chordal direction rather than in a radial direction because of its axial ofiset from the center of inlet 18. This provides ineftect a gradual opening of port 48 and therefore a gradual increase of gas flow through port 48. While port 48 is opening, port 42 moves across inlet 18 but remains in registry therewith. When the plug reaches the FIGURE 7 position, clicking projection 68 snaps into recess 71 to give audible indication. In this position, gas flows from port 42 to outlet 19 as described and in addition gas flows directly from port 48 into gasway 38 and to outlet 19. This provides an intermediate flow of gas to the main burner. Thus in turning the valve up from the low position of FIGURE 6, a gradual increase of gas is furnished until the intermediate position of FIGURE 7 is attained.

'When the valve is turned further counterclockwise, the

' smallend 53 of tail port 52 comes into registry with inlet 18. This occurs while ports 42 and 48 are also still 'in registry with the inlet. 'Upon continued turning of the valve, portions of the tail port having a greater cross sectional area move over the end of the wall forming inlet 4 18 so that a progressively greater amount of gas flows through tail port 52 into port 49 and into gasway 38. In effect, portions of the valve body adjacent the intersection of inlet 18 and chamber 17 cooperate with the tail port to provide an orifice which varies gradually and generally uniformly as the tail port comes into registry with the inlet.

While the tail port is coming into registry with the inlet, ports 42 and 48 leave registry therewith. The variation in the cross sectional area of port 52 is greater than the variation in the etfective openings at ports 42 and 48 as they leave registry with the inlet so that despite their leaving registry, the rate of flow of gas to the main burner is gradually increased. When tail port 52 is fully registered'with inlet18 (FIGURE 8) the flow of gas through gasway 38 is greater than in the FIGURE 7 position wherein both ports 42 and 48 are in registry with the inlet.

FIGURE 8 illustrates another intermediate position of the valve. This position is attained by turning the valve about 50 beyond the position of FIGURE 7. When the valve is turned further counterclockwise through about another 38, large port 49 gradually comes into full registry with inlet 18 and the flow of gas through gasway 38 is gradually increased to the full on flow. This position of the valve is illustrated in FIGURE 9. At this position, click washer projection 66 strikes valve body lug 65 to prevent further turning of the valve plug. The circumferential extent of groove 56 is great enough so that it remains in registry with branch inlet 57 and side outlet 22 through all on positions of the main burner.

To turn the valve down from full on position the operating handle is turned to rotate valve plug 23 clockwise as FIGURES 4-9 are viewed. In turning the valve down from the full on position of FIGURE 9 through the FIGURE 8 position and to the intermediate position of FIGURE 7, large port 49 gradually leaves registry with inlet 18, tail port 52 comes into full registry and then gradually leaves registry while pgrt enlargement 50 and port 42 come into registry. The rate of flow of gas through gas-Way 38 to outlet 19 in this adjustment is gradually and evenly decreased. In this regard, it is again to be noted that the rate of reduction of flow through tail port 52 exceeds/the rate of increase of flow through ports 48 and 42 as they come into registry with the III e When the valve is turned down further, enlargement 50 of port 48 leaves registry in its chordal direction relatively to the inlet and the flow of gas through port-48 is gradually diminished and out off. Upon further turning of the valve clockwise, port 42 leaves registry with the inlet and cuts off the flow of gas to the main burner section. Gas is still furnished to the simmer burner section through branch inlet 57, groove 56, and outlet 22. The valve is turned to off position by rotating it until groove 56 leaves registry with branch inlet 57 and at this time click washer projection 66 engages valve body lug 64 to prevent further turning-of the valve member. Click washer projection 66 snaps into recesses 71, 70, and 69 while the valve is being turned down to indicate successively the positions of FIG- URES 7, 6, and 5.

The valve may be turned up or turned down from any position between the low main burner position of FIG- URE 6 and the full on main burner position of FlGURE 9 and the rate of flow to the main burner will be gradually increased or decreased. The valve plug rotates through about 152 between the FIGURE 6 position and the FIGURE 9 position so that relatively small variations can be obtained in the size of the flame at the main burner I claim:

1. A gas valve comprising, a valve body having a chamber into which an inlet and an outlet communicate, a valve plug rotatable in said chamber for controlling the flow of gas from said inlet to said outlet, said plug having an internal gasway communicating with said outlet, a first port in said plug registrable with said inlet in one position and means forming a bypass intercommunicating said port and gasway, a metering member carried by said plug and operable to meter the flow of gas through said bypass for providing a low flow of gas at said one position, second and third ports circumferentially displaced from said first port and opening from said gasway to the exterior of said plug, said second port having an enlarged outer end which is off-set axially of the plug relative to said first and third ports and Whose center is off-set axially from the center of said inlet for gradual registry in a chordal direction with said inlet and for maintaining communication between said inlet and gasway through a range of turning movement of said valve plug greater than the effective cross dimension of said second port, said enlarged outer end being registrable with said inlet at a second on position of said valve plug while said first port is registered with said inlet to provide an intermediate metered flow of gas, said third port being registrable with said inlet at a third on position of said valve plug and having a cross dimension larger than the combined efiective cross dimensions of said second port and metered bypass for passing gas at a high rate of flow said valve plug having a generally circumferentially extending recess registrable with said inlet and having a cross dimension which varies along its length, said recess forming a duct between opposed surface portions of said valve plug and valve body, said recess open ing at a larger portion thereof into said third port, said first port and said enlarged end of said second port being spaced from the smaller end of said recess a circumferential distance less than the circumferential extent of said inlet, so that said recess registers with said inlet while said first and second ports are in registry with said inlet and so that gas is furnished to said gasway simultaneously through all three of said ports in turning said valve between said second and third positions, said valve body having portions which co-operate with said recess when the latter is in registry with said inlet to define an orifice which passes a flow of gas smaller than that passed by said third port, the size of said orifice being variable upon turning movement of said valve plug, the size of said orifice varying inversely to the sizes of the portions of said first and second ports registered with said inlet when said valve plug is turned between said second and third on positions thereof, the rate of variation of said orifice being greater than the rate of variation of the combined effective sizes of said first and second ports, whereby gradually to vary the rate of fiow through said valve between said low rate and said high rate.

2. In a gas valve of the type having a chambered body with an inlet and an outlet, and a valve plug in the chamber with an internal gasway communicating with said outlet and with a relatively small metered port and a relatively large port selectively rotatably registrable with the valve inlet respectively in a low on position and a high on position of the valve plug, improved structure facilitating a gradual uniform variation of the rate of flow of gas through the valve between said low and high positions, said structure comprising, a third port communicating with said gasway, a recess in the exterior of said valve plug forming an enlarged outer end of said third port, said recess being disposed circumferentially intermediate said large and small ports and being registrable with said inlet while said small port is registered therewith to provide an intermediate on position of said valve plug, said recess being axially partially ofl-set from said inlet so that it registers gradually in a chordal direction with said inlet to gradually vary the gas flow to and from said intermediate on position, the chord of registry being greater in length than the cross dimension of said third port so that said third port remains in communication with said inlet through a range of valve plug rotation greater than the cross dimension of said third port, said valve plug having a groove of varying cross dimension which opens at its larger end into said large port and which extends generally circumferentially toward said small port, said groove being registrable with said inlet and cooperating with a portion of said inlet to form an orifice which is variable upon turning of said valve plug, said recess and said small port being spaced from the small end of the groove circumferential distances less than the circumferential extent of said inlet so that gas is furnished to said gasway simultaneously through all three of said ports in turning said valve between said high and low positions, the size of said orifice varying inversely to the sizes of the portions of said small port and third port registered with said inlet when said valve plug is turned between said high and low positions thereof, the rate of variation of said orifice being greater than the rate of variation of the combined effective sizes of said small port and third port, whereby gradually to vary the rate of flow through said valve between said high and low positions,

3. A gas valve comprising, a chambered body with an inlet and an outlet, a valve plug in the chamber with an internal gasway communicating with said outlet, said valve plug having a circumferential series of three ports selectively rotatable into registry with said inlet and communicating with said gasway, the first port being relatively small to pass gas at a low rate at a low on position of the valve plug, the second port being relatively small and having an enlarged outer end spaced circumferentially from the first port a distance less than the circumferential extent of said inlet, so that said first and second ports cooperate to pass a greater flow of gas at an intermediate on position of the valve plug, said outer end being displaced axially from the center of said inlet so that it gradually registers in a chordal direction with said inlet to gradually vary the gas flow when the valve plug is turned between said low and intermediate positions, the third port being relatively large to pass gas at a high rate at a full on position of the valve plug, a recess in said valve plug having a varying cross dimension, the larger end of said recess opening into said large port and the smaller end projecting generally circumferentially toward said first and second ports, said recess being registrable with said inlet at rotative positions of said valve plug between said intermediate and full on positions and co-operating with portions of said inlet to provide an orifice which varies gradually upon turning of said valve plug, said first and second ports being spaced from said small end of said recess circumferential distances less than the circumferential extent of said inlet so that when said valve plug is turned between said intermediate and said full on positions, gas passes from said inlet simultaneously through all three of said ports to said gasway, the rate of variation of said orifice being greater than the variation of the combined effective sizes of said first and second ports in turning between said intermediate and full on positions, whereby gradually to vary the rate of flow of gas through said valve between said low and full on positions and through said intermediate position of said valve plug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,630,781 Burman May 31, 1927 2,249,982 Rutherford July 22, 1941 2,257,886 Mueller Oct. 7, 1941 2,723,102 Mueller Nov. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 321,709 Italy Oct. 13, 1934

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