US3430821A - Vapor-liquid withdrawal valve - Google Patents

Description

Filed May ll, 1967 G. G. WINTERS ETAL Marc 4, 1969 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A valve device has been provided for attachment to the opening on top 0f a pressurized container and adapted for the selective withdrawal of liquid or vapor therefrom. It comprises a closure cap such as a standard aerosol valve cap securely tted `within a spud in the opening of the container. The closure cap has a closed bottom end with a central opening adapted to threadedly -receive a hollow externally threaded body. Inside the container, there is a funnel-shaped structure defined by a lower tubular -member and an upper truncated conical section securely engaged into the closure cap. The conical section contains at least one, but preferably several perforations circumferentially spaced for the passage of vapor. A depressible pin extends centrally through the hollow externally threaded body. The pin is integrally attached at its lower end to a unitary structure consisting of an upper seat, a lower seat and means for connecting the two seats. Depression of the pin lowers the seats so that either liquid or vapor can be withdrawn depending on the relative positions of the seats and the vapor passages.

This invention relates to valves and in particular to a specially constructed valve suitable for selective withdrawal of vapor or liquid from a pressurized container.

In withdrawing uids from a pressure vessel containing both vapor and liquid under pressure it is sometimes desirable to ywithdraw vapor and at other times to withdraw liquid only. There are several valves or similar devices which when mounted on or attached to the top of such pressure vessel permit the withdrawal of vapor or liquid selectively. Such valves are described for example in U.S. 2,365,423 and 3,021,870. However, these valves as well as many others which are currently in use are often complicated to construct and expensive to fabricate.

In the shipment of refrigerants in recent years, it has become increasingly necessary and economically desirable to ship the refrigerant (usually fluorocarbon) in a pressurized cylinder without a conventional discharge valve. Simplicity of construction and economy of fabrication of such cylinders have become of paramount commerical importance and have in turn resulted in the use of so-called disposable cylinders which can be discarded after one use by the consumer. Simplicity in cylinder construction has in turn necessitated simplicity and economy in the types of dispensing mechanisms which must be employed with such cylinders.

Accordingly, this invention provides a valve which can be readily mounted on pressurized vessels containing both vapor and liquid under pressure and which can be operated to withdraw vapor or liquid selectively. The valve described herein is simple to fabricate `and economical to construct and is therefore readily adaptable for use with such disposable cylinders, although it is equally adaptable for re-usable cylinders.

The present invention will be more clearly comprehended from the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of the valve device of this invention in the normal closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of the valve shown in FIGURE 1 during vapor withdrawal operation, and

FIGURE 3 is also a diagrammatic view of the valve shown in the previous gures during liquid withdrawal operation.

Referring now specifically to FIGURE 1, numeral 1 designates a cylinder having a central opening provided with a spud 3 and a standard aerosol valve cap such as closure cap 5 with a flat bottom 7 adapted to receive externally threaded member 9 having a passage 11. The closure cap is securely attached to spud 3 by the crimped sections 13 as shown in the figures, or alternatively by other means Such as a lock-nut ora snapy ring, etc. An elongated member such as depressible pin 15 extends axially through passage 11. Pin 15 is embedded or is otherwise securely attached to a unitary structure consisting of an upper plug member 17, a lower plug member 19, connecting arms 21 and a perforation or passage way 21a.

Extending vertically down through the cylinder there is shown a substantially funnel-shaped member defined by a vertically extending conduit 23, a substantially truncated conical wall portion 25 (hereafter referred to as dip tube connector) extending from thelupper end of said conduit, and a further upward extension 25a adapted for engagement with the lower end of closure cap 5 as shown in the drawings. The dip tube connector contains one or more circumferentially arrayed perforations 27 for the passage of vapor from the cylinder as will be explained hereinafter. A plastic or rubber tubing (dip tube) 23a is attached to conduit 23 or is slipped thereon and extends vertically down to the bottom of the cylinder.

A resilient member such as a spring 29 is xed at its lower end as in 31 and adapted to be compressed by the depression of pin 15 and is attached at its upper end to plug member 17. A fusible metal safety element 33 may be sealably positioned at the bottom 7 of closure cap 5 to guard against excessive pressure -build up due to temperature rise within the cylinder.

In operation pin 15 may be depressed -by some external mechanical means or in any other Asuitable manner. For example, a conventional charging hose having typical tirecore valve depressor may be threadedly attached to threaded member 11 and the pin depressed lby turning the hose in a clock-wis'e direction. Depression of the pin will downwardly bias the position of plug members 17 and 19'. Slight depression of the pin by attachment of the charging hose lowers the position of the upper plug member 17 thereby allowing the vapors to pass through perforations 27 and the passages 35 as shown in FIGURE 2. In the meantime plug member 19 is simultaneously downwardly biased so that it does not totally obstruct vapor passages 27 thus allowing the vapor to be withdrawn from the cylinder as indicated by the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 2. When liquid withdrawal is -desired the pin is further depressed until vapor passages 27 yare totally obstructed `by lower plug member 19. The liquid in the cylinder which is under pressure can thus be withdrawn through dip tube 23a land perforation 21a as indicated by the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 3. Plug member 19 can be constructed from plastic, rubber or rubberlike substance in order to insure that a tight seal is achieved when the plug member is lowered to obstruct vapor passages 27 during liquid withdrawal operation. Similarly plug member 17 may Vbe constructed of plastic, rubber or lrubber-like substance in order to alect a tight seal which insures against leakage when the valve is in the normal closed position as indicated in FIGURE 1.

While the valve device of this invention has heretofore been described and illustrated in the drawings with a certain degree of particularity and conciseness it should be nevertheless understood that many modifications and revisions may be suggested in the light of this disclosure which are nevertheless comprehended within the scope of this invention. It should be pointed out however that when the valve device of this invention is used in conjunction with a typical charging hose having a tire-core valve depressor therein the device can normally be used only for the withdrawal of vapor since the degree of depression of pin 15 is limited by the maximum depression action of the tire-core valve in the charging hose with respect to the pin. Thus, if liquid withdrawal is desired the charging hose should be disconnected and pin 15 further depressed by some other external mechanical means in order to lower plug member 19 so that it may totally obstruct the vapor passages in the tube connector, thus permitting liquid withdrawal.

The number and geometrical configuration of the perforations (vapor passages) in the dip tube are not critical. Generally 1 to 8 circumferentially and preferably equidistantly arrayed perforations are suitable. Similarly, these perforations may be circular, oval, rectangular or any other shape, provided that suflicient flow area is available to prevent siphoning of liquid during vapor withdrawal operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A device adapted to be attached to an opening on top of a pressurized container for the selective withdrawa1 of vapor or liquid therefrom, comprising, in combination, a receptacle member with a closed bottom having a substantially central opening therein, said receptacle member being securely positioned into said opening of the pressurized container; a hollow extern-ally threaded member extending through said opening in the closed bottom of said receptacle member and `being securely engaged thereby; a substantially funnel-shaped member inside said pressurized container detned by a vertically extending hollow member having a lower end and an upper end and a substantially truncated conical wall portion extending from said upper end and having at least one perforation circumferentially disposed therein; an e1011- gated depressible member having an upper end and a lower end and extending centrally within said hollow externally threaded member; a unitary structure defined by an upper seal member integrally attached to said lower end of said elongated depressible member, a lower seal member and means for connecting said upper and said lower seal members, said lower seal member being arranged to coact with said truncated conical wall portion to close said perforation when said depressible mem-ber is depressed; and a resilient member positioned between said upper seal member and said upper end of said vertically extending hollow member, said unitary structure having a passage way to thereby establish communication between said pressurized container and said hollow valve body when said lower seal member is in sealing position with respect to said perforation in said conical wall portion.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said truncated wall portion contains a plurality of circumferentially arrayed perforations.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said truncated wall portion contain a plurality of circumferentially arrayed perforations equidistantly spaced therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,356 1/1959 Thomas Z22-402.17 X 3,191,816 6/1965 Frad et lal 222--402.19 3,283,962 ll/l966 Whitmore Z22-402.18

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

I. R. DWELLE, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR.

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