US3245592A - Rotary sand cut-off - Google Patents

Description

April 12, 1966 v. FRANTZ ROTARY SAND CUT-OFF Filed Sept. 21, 1964 FIG. .2

In v e n 'r o r-.

Virgil L. Frantz BY WMQM;

his Aflorney United States Patent 3,245,592 ROTARY SAND CUT-OFF Virgil L. Frantz, Salem, Va., assignor to Graham-White Sales Corporation, Salem, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,802 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-517) This invention relates to sanding systems of railway locomotives and like vehicles and has for its primary object the provision insuch a system of an improved sand cutoff for shutting off the how of sand from a source of supply to facilitate periodic removal of a sand trap for inspection and, if necessary, repair or replacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sand cut-off wherein a gate and its seat are so arranged and Constructed as to inhibit interference with operation by said particles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sand cut-off wherein the gate is rotary and, over its range of movement between open and closed positions, presses against and is wiped by a rubber seat surrounding the inlet opening closable by the gate, thereby ensuring closing of the opening without impairment.

' An additional object of the invention is to provide a sand cut-off in which the seat for the gate is entirely formed by a readily replaceable rubber ring.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a sand cut-off which is simple and rugged in construction and trouble-free in operation over a long service life.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the sand cutoff of the present invention in an exemplary installation;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved sand cut-off 1 of the present invention is designed for installation in a sanding line of a locomotive or like vehicle (not shown) between a sandbox or other usual supply source (not shown) and a sand trap or sander 2. While the sander 2 may be of any suitable type, the illustrated sander is generally similar to that shown in Frantz application, Serial No. 224,010, filed on September 17, 1962, now US. Patent No. 3,207,540, except for a novel connection 3 to the discharge pipe 4, which was invented by Virgil L. Frantz and will be the subject of a separate patent application.

Conveniently mounted on,and bolted or otherwise releasably secured to a mounting flange 5 on the sand trap 2 about the latters inlet end 6, the sand cut-off 1 at its inlet end 7, preferably is similarly secured toa pipe flange 8 into which is screwed or fitted the adjoining end of a feed pipe 9 extending upwardly from the cut-off to the sand box.

The illustrated sand cut-off 1 has a generally box-shaped hollow body 10, containing a cavity or chamber 11 opening upwardly at the top through an aperture 12 and downwardly at the bottom through an outlet or outlet opening 13, both preferably centered laterally on the body and the pipe flange 8 thereabove and of smaller crosssectional area than the cavity.

Patented Apr. 12, 1%66 "ice The preferred top aperture or opening 12 is circular in cross-section and enlarged or laterally or radially outset over its upper portion to provide an upwardly facing annular socket, groove or seat 14, cylindrical at the side and bevelled or downwardly tapered at the bottom, for socketing, receiving or seating the correspondingly configured rim, lip or outer portion 15 of a rubber or like resilient seat, ring or washer 16. Extending through the aperture 12 and releasably or removably clamped in the socket 14 therein by engagement by the underside 17 of the pipe flange 8, the rubber seat 16 has a vertically directed cylindrical bore 18 approximating the inside diameter of the feed pipe 9 and serving as the inlet port or opening through which sand normally flows by gravity into the cavity 11 and therefrom, through the outlet opening 13 to the sand trap 2.

For closing the inlet opening 18 and shutting or cutting off flow of sand by gravity therethrough from the sand box to the sand trap 2, there is rotatably, swingably or pivotally mounted in the body cavity 11 below the rubber seat 16 a rotary gate, slide or blade 19 having a circularly and, preferably. cylindrically convex upper or outer surface 20 confronting and engaging a correspondingly concave un-densurface 21 of the ring. Substantially centered laterally on the inlet opening 18, the upper surface 20 of the gate 19 is such area as, in the gates closed position, to contact the undersurface 21 of the seat 16 about and close the opening.

The rotative axis of the gate 19 preferably intersects and is substantially normal or radial to the axis of the inlet opening 18 and the engaging surfaces 20 and 21 of the gate and seat, respectively, are substantially concentric or oo-radial, depending on their form. However, the radius of the gate surface preferably is slightly or somewhat greater than that of the seat surface, so that the gate will exert an upward, radial force on and press against and partly compress the ring over the areas in which the surfaces are in contact.

The progressive compression of the resilient or yieldable seat 16 by the gate 19, as the gate rotates or swings from a normal, open or retracted position in an end of the cavity 11, clear or out-of-the-way of the inlet opening 18, to closed position in which it engages the seat entirely around or about the opening, has the distinct advantage of enabling the seat to exert a wiping action on the gate and so prevent any sand particles on the gate from being carried by it to the underside 21 of the ring. For both maximum benefit from the wiping action and smooth operation, the gate 19 should maintain contact with the seat 16 even in open position and contact in that position over a substantial area, without intrusion of the gate upon the opening 18, is obtained by providing in the leading edge 22 of the gate 19 a central recess 23 conforming in curvature to the opening. If, as preferred, the engaging surfaces 20 and 21 are cylindrical rather than spherical, the seat 16 convenient-1y is provided on its rim 15 with a locating tab 24 fitting in a notch 25 opening off the socket 14 in the upper portion of the aperture 12 for circumferentially positioning the seat relative to the body.

The use of a yieldable or resilient, readily replaceable ring 16 as the seat and only contact for the gate 19, together with the upward radial force exerted by the gate on the ring, ensures that, in the gates closed posimake the gate and its radial arms 26 at its sides as a one-piece or unitary stamping.

Straddling or embracing and offset outwardly from the inlet opening 18, so as not to interfere with the normal gravity flow of sand to the sand trap 2 when the gate 19 is open, the arms 26 conveniently are mounted on pins, stub axles or shafts 2.7 seating in and extending horizontally through boss-reinforced openings 28 in the opposite sides of the body 10 and insertable from within into those openings through square or otherwise outof-round apertures or openings 29 in the arms. Having a cylindrical journal 30 for rotation in the associated opening 28, each of the pins, inside its journal and within the cavity 11, has a square or otherwise out-of-round neck 31 of the configuration f the aperture 29 in the adjoining arm 26, so as to lock it and the arm against relative rotation. Each pin 27 has at its inner end a head 32 of larger cross-section than the arm opening 29 to prevent it from passing therethrough.

Once the gate 19 has been centered on the inlet opening 18, the pins 27 are held against axial shifting to the body by springs or spring washers 33 applied over their outer ends and acting inwardly against the sides 34 of the body. The spring washers 33 act outwardly against roll pins 35 which are inserted radially through the outer end portions of the journals 30 and serve not only as handles for operating the gate 1? from either side but, in cooperation with arcuate or other suitable stops or abutinents 36 on the sides 34 of the body It beyond the spring Washers 33, to fix or determine the gates open and closed positions. If desired, the pins 27 may be fixed against axial movement relative to the arms 26, as by having their heads 32 tack-welded thereto. It also is desirable that the journals 30 should carry within the openings 28 0-rings or like suitable gaskets 37 to seal the openings against entry of moisture and prevent caking of the sand standing in the cavity 11 when the sand trap 2 is not being operated. To permit the gate 19 and the headed pins 27 to be inserted therethrough in assembling the cut-off, the outlet opening 13 is larger in cross-sectional area than the inlet opening 18 and of a size and shape to pass the gate.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved sand cut-off, which, by using a rotary rather than a reciprocable closure member and depending on metal-to-rubber rather than metal-to-metal contact between the closure member and its seat for shutting oft flow of sand to a sand trap, 0perates effectively and without interference by the sand. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included that do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A sand cut-off for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body, a rubber seat removably inserted in an aperture in said body about a sand inlet opening therein, a gate in said body and rotatable across said seat for opening and closing said inlet opening, a cylindrically concave surface on said seat, and a cylindrically convex surface on said gate spaced radially from said body and having surface engagement with said seat surface, said seat on rotation of said gate exerting a wiping action on said gate surface for preventing sand particles from being carried between said surfaces.

2. A sand cut-off for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body, a rubber seat inserted in an aperture in an upper end of said body about a sand inlet opening therein, releasable means for clamping said seat in said aperture, a gate mounted in a cavity in said body below said seat and rotatable thereagainst for opening and closing said inlet opening, a cylindrically concave surface on said seat, and a cylindrically convex surface on said gate radially spaced from said body and having surface engagement with said seat surface, said seat on rotation of said gate exerting a wiping action on said gate surface for preventing sand particles from being carried between said surfaces.

3.. A sand cut-01f for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body having an aperture in a upper end thereof, a rubber seat releasably clamped in said aperture, a gate in a cavity in said body between said aperture and an outlet and rotatable against said seat for opening and closing an inlet opening therein, shaft means extending through opposite sides of said body and rotatably mounting said gate, and springs acting between said sides and outer ends of said shaft means for centering said gate on said seat.

4. A sand cut-off for shutting off gravity fiow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body having an aperture in an upper end thereof, a rubber seat releasably clamped in said aperture, a gate rotatably mounted in a cavity in said body between said aperture and an outlet, a cylindrically concave undersurface on said seat about an inlet opening therein, a cylindrically convex surface. on said gate substantially concentric with and engaging said undersurface and rotatable thereagainst for opening and closing said inlet opening, stub shafts fixed to said gate beyond opposite sides of said surface thereon and extending through correspondingly opposite sides of said body for rotatably mounting said gate therein, and spring means acting between said sides and outer ends of said shafts for centering said gate on said seat. I

5. A sand cut-oft for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body having an aperture in an upper end thereof, a rubber seat releasably clamped in said aperture, a gate rotatably mounted in a cavity in said body between said aperture and an outlet, a cylindrically concave undersurface on said seat about an inlet opening therein, a circularly convex surface on said gate substantially concentric with and pressing and rotatable against said undersurface for opening and closing said inlet opening, downstanding legs on said gate at opposite sides of said surface thereon, a stub shaft fixed to each leg and extending through an adjoining side of said body, and springs acting between each side and an outer end of the related shaft for centering said gate on said seat.

6. A sand cut-off for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body having an aperture in an upper end thereof, a rubber seat releasably clamped in said aperture, a gate rotatably mounted in a cavity in said body between said aperture and an outlet, a cylindrically concave undersurface on said seat about an inlet opening therein, a cylindrically convex surface on said gate substantially coaxial with and pressing and rotatable against said undersurface for opening and closing said inlet opening, stub shafts fixed to said gate beyond opposite sides of said surface thereon and extending through corresponding sides of said body, handles on said shafts beyond said sides, spring means acting between each handle and the adjoining side for centering said gate on said seat, and means on one of said sides and cooperating with the adjoining handle for limiting the rotation of said gate.

7. A sand cut-off for shutting off gravity flow of sand from a feed pipe to a sand trap, comprising a body, a flange releasably connecting an upper end of said body to said pipe, said body having a cavity therein opening upwardly through an aperture onto said pipe and downwardly through an outlet onto said sand trap, a rubber seat inserted in said aperture and having a vertically directed inlet opening therethrough, a rim on said seat releasably clamped in an upwardly opening socket in said aperture by said flange, locating tab and notch means on said seat and body for positioning said seat circumferentially relative to said body, a gate having integral arms at opposite sides thereof and insertabie into said cavity through said outlet, headed pins each non-rotatably received in one of said arms and projecting horizontally therethrough and an adjoining side of said body for rotatably mounting said gate, sealing means about each pin for sealing against entry of moisture therebetween and said body, a handle on each pin outwardly of said body for rotating said gate between open and closed positions, spring means on each pin between and acting against its handle and said body for positioning said gate laterally relative to said body, stop means on said body and c0- operating with said handles for determining the open and closed positions of said gate, a cylindrically concave undersurface on said seat about said bore, and a cylindrically convex surface on said gate and substantially surface over the range of rotation of said gate for opening and closing said inlet opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,883,147 4/1959 Mirza et a1 251-301 3,090,593 5/1963 Pro 251301 FOREIGN PATENTS 449,790 6/ 1949 Italy. 259,641 7/1949 Switzerland.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

coaxial with and pressing upwardly against said under- 15 S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SAND CUT-OFF FOR SHUTTING OFF GRAVITY FLOW OF SAND FROM A FEED PIPE TO A SAND TRAP, COMPRISING A BODY, A RUBBER SEAT REMOVABLY INSERTED IN AN APERTURE IN SAID BODY ABOUT A SAND INLET OPENING THEREIN, A GATE IN SAID BODY AND ROTATABLE ACROSS SAID SEAT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID INLET OPENING, A CYLINDRICAL CONCAVE SURFACE ON SAID SEAT, AND A CYLINDRICALLY CONVEX SURFACE ON SAID GATE SPACED RADIALLY FROM SAID BODY AND HAVING SUR-

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