US3435776A - Apparatus for pumping a fluid fed thereto by gravity - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1969 a. OSTROFSKY ET AL 3,435,776

APPARATUS FOR.PUMPING A FLUID FED THEHETO BY GRAVITY Original Filed n c. z1, 1963- v Ill! Fig. I

Fig. 4

l2 2/ A A INVENTORS. Bernard Osfrofsky Jack N. Bergman United States Patent 3,435,776 APPARATUS FOR PUMPING A FLUID FED THERETO BY GRAVITY Bernard Ostrofsky, Gary, and Jack N. Bergman, Hammond, Ind., assignors to Standard Oil Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Indiana Original application Dec. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 334,773, now Patent No. 3,315,521, dated Apr. 25, 1967. Divided and this application Feb. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 614,645

Int. Cl. F04b 21/04 US. Cl. 103188 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pumping apparatus which has a first cylindrical tube having a spring-loaded, concentric, reciprocally-moving appendage at one end thereof and a second cylindrical tu-be located at the opposite end thereof. The cylindrical tubes are perpendicular to one another and are joined so that fluid may flow serially therethrough. The open end of each tube is sealed by a spring-loaded check valve. The application of force to the appendage closes the check valve in the second cylindrical tube, compresses the fluid in both tubes, and opens the check valve in the appendage forcing fluid out of a pro-directed nozzle in the appendage.

Cross references to related applications This is a division of application Ser. No. 334,773, filed Dec. 31, 1963 and issued on Apr. 25, 1967, as US. 3,315,521.

Background of the invention The invention pertains to dispensing means wherein a piston having a reciprocating motion operates in a casing which receives material from a supply container so that motion of the piston applies pressure to the material to cause discharge. The invention pertains also to dispensing means wherein a pressure-moved element is of tubular form and through which the material is dispensed and which pressure-moved element is slideable along its axis. The reciprocating valve in the outlet is caused to return to its initial position by means of a spring.

Summary of the invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for pumping fluid which is being fed to the apparatus by gravity. More particularly, it relates to a pumping device which may be used to dispense couplant between a transducing means and the surface of an article being inspected ultrasonically by the transducing means.

This apparatus for pumping can be used with various forms of transducer systems and configurations. It can be used to deliver couplants other than oil. It may be adapted for use with automated inspection systems. It also may be used suitably in automatic lubrication systems. It can be used for controlled, metered, or measured additions of any liquid to either a batch or a continuous process. This pumping apparatus can be adapted easily by a simple mechanical arrangement to any use where periodic or programmed additions of liquid are required.

Briefly, the pumping apparatus of this invention comprises a first cylindrical tube having a concentric movable appendage at one of its ends, a second cylindrical tube located at the opposite end of the first cylindrical tube, and a nozzle extending from the movable appendage at, an angle and comprising an outlet for the apparatus. The movable appendage moves reciprocally in the first cylindrical tube as force is applied and removed at the free end of the appendage. The appendage is spring loaded. The second cylindrical tube has its longitudinal 3,435,776 Patented Apr. 1, 1969 axis perpendicular to and intersecting the longitudinal axis of the first cylindrical tube. The first end of the second cylindrical tube has an inlet for the pumping apparatus and the opposite end is sealed. The inlet is sealed by a spring-loaded check valve. The outlet for the apparatus is sealed b a spring-loaded check valve and the angle at which the nozzle is extended from the movable appendage is such as to direct fluid to a desired point.

This pumping apparatus may be used advantageously in a transducer holding device which permits by ultrasonic methods the rapid and convenient measurement of the thickness of inaccessible objects and the detection of defects in such objects. In using such a transducer holding device in the testing of a material for defects or the measuring of the thickness of an object, the transducer being held by the holding device is applied to the accessible surface of the object being inspected. A couplant is applied to the interface between the surface of the transducer and the surface of the object under inspection. The couplant may be any liquid with the proper acoustical character, e.g., motor oil or glycerine. The couplant is required to provide proper acoustic transfer from the transducer to the material being tested. The couplant also reduces the rapid excesssive wear of the crystal face of the transduced as it is moved into contact with and across the surface to be tested. The pumping apparatus of the present invention is a means for dispensing the couplant between the face of the transducer and the surface being examined.

Brief description of the drawings The structure and use of this invention will be more fully understood with reference to the attached drawings. In these drawings, the pumping apparatus is used in a transducer holding device, the subject of the parent application, SN. 334,773.

FIGURE 1 presents an elevational view of a transducer holding device employing the pumping apparatus of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 shows an elevational view of the transducer holding device employing the pumping apparatus of the present invention, wherein the detachable handle has been removed.

FIGURE 3 presents a plan view of the transducer holding device employing the pumping apparatus of the present invention, wherein the magnet of the transducer holding device is connected to the surface of an extrinsic object under investigation. The solid lines show the apparatus when the pumping device is touching the object. The dotted lines represent that part of the apparatus that can be removed from the surface of the object when that part is not touching the extrinsic object.

FIGURE 4 presents an enlarged secondary view of Section AA of the pumping apparatus of the present invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment With reference to FIGURES 1, 2, and 3, the pumping means 12 is shown securely fastened to the top of plate 11, which is connected to the base of reservoir 10. The plane of plate 11 is perpendicular to the axis of reservoir 10. The pumping apparatus 12 is securely fastened to the top of plate 11 by clamp 13. Transducer holder 14 is connected on the underside of plate 11 directly below the pumping apparatus 12. Therefore, the reservoir 10, the pumping apparatus 12, transducer holder 14, and plate 11 are joined such that they move as a unit. In FIGURE 1, the flexible portion of the detachable handle, flexible tube 16, is shown connected to a stud which extends from one end of reservoir 10 and is concentric to reservoir 10. The stud is clearly shown in FIGURE 2 as element 15. A straight, non-flexible portion is not shown 3 in FIGURE 1 and is connected to the free end 17 of flexible tube 16. This nonflexible rod is available to use this device to reach a particular spot on the object being inspected.

The second holding means 18 is comprised of plate 19 and bushing 20. Plate 19 is connected to the back of magnet 21, which holds the transducer holding apparatus to the surface 22 of the object that is under study. Bushing 20 is slipped over stud 15 and is located just below the base of reservoir 10. Bushing 20 is free to rotate about the common axis of stud 15 and reservoir The design of this transducer holding apparatus is such that any other part of the apparatus that is not directly or indirectly connected to this second holding means 18 can be rotated about the common axis of reservoir 10 and stud without moving the second holding means 18, of which bushing is a part. For example, if the handle, composed of the flexible tube 16 and the non-flexible rod (not shown), is rotated in a clockwise direction while magnet 21 is held against the surface of a stationary object, the assembly of reservoir 10, plate 11, pumping apparatus 12 and transducer holder 14 will be rotated about the common axis of reservoir 10 and stud 15 in a clockwise direction.

The pumping apparatus of the present invention, that is, the pumping apparatus 12 or couplant dispenser 12, is equipped with a movable head assembly, which comprises a head 23 and an associated neck 24. When head 23 is pressed against an object, the head 23 and neck 24 are forced toward the body of dispenser 12. The couplant within dispenser 12 is compressed. With reference to FIGURE 4, valve 25 is closed and valve 26 is forced open. Couplant is ejected from the dispenser 12 through nozzle 27. Nozzle 27 extends from dispenser head 23 downward and in such a direction as to have the line of its longitudinal axis pass through the vertical axis of transducer face 34 when the head 23 and neck 24 have been forced toward the body 12 of the dispenser. When the nozzle 27 is in such a position, couplant will be ejected from the nozzle 27 onto the surface of the object above the center of the transducer face so that it will flow down the surface of the object between the object and the transducer face. Valve 26 closes as spring 28 quickly overcomes the reduced pressure of the couplant. When the dispenser 12 and its movable head 23 are withdrawn from the object, spring 29 forces the neck 24 and head 23 to return to their original positions. Spring 30 opens valve 25 and couplant is permitted to flow by gravity sequentially from reservoir 10 through permanent line 31 and rubber tube 32 into the body of dispenser 12. When the head 23 is again forced against an object, the above functioning is repeated and couplant is ejected from nozzle 27.

The person using this apparatus to inspect the surface of some object, hereinafter referred to as the tester, takes the transducer-holder assembly, which contains the transducer 33, and places the magnet 21 against the particular surface of the object to be inspected. Magnet 21 holds the assembly against the ferrous surface 22 of the object. The shape of the magnet should be adapted to conform to the surface of the object. If the surface is not ferrous, other suitable means, such as a suction cup, may be used to hold the assembly to the object. The tester then rotates the non-flexible rod (not shown) in a clockwise direction. This causes the couplant dispenser 12 and its movable head 23, the transducer holder 14, the transducer 33, and the connecting plate 11 to move toward the object being inspected. The movable head 23 of the couplant dispenser 12 comes into contact with the surface 22 of the object. The plunger valve action of the dispenser, the pumping apparatus of the present invention, as it is being pressed against the object causes couplant to be ejected from nozzle 27. The transducer face 34 then makes contact with the object and the measurement is made. After the measurement is completed, the nonfiexible rod (not shown) is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction far enough to remove the transducer face 34 and dispenser head 23 from the surface 22 of the object. The entire assembly is then slid across the surface 22 of the object to the next point to be measured. Again the tester rotates the non-flexible rod in a clockwise direction so that the couplant dispenser head 23 makes contact with the surface 22 of the object, couplant is ejected from nozzle 27 and the transducer face 34 is permitted to contact the surface 22. The measurement is obtained and the procedure is repeated until all of the desired points of interest on the object have been investigated. The flexible section 16, which connects the rod (not shown) to the stud 15 of the assembly, permits the rod to be held at any necessary angle while the transducer face is maintained in a position against the object. Such a feature can be seen to permit flexibility and ease of handling.

From this example, it is clearly seen that such a pumping apparatus can be used conveniently in inspection systems. It is also seen that such a pumping apparatus can be used advantageously in an application where periodic or programmed additions of liquid are required.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to pump a fluid being fed to said apparatus by gravity, said apparatus comprising a first cylindrical tube having a concentric movable appendage at a first end thereof, said appendage moving reciprocally in said first cylindrical tube as force is applied and removed at the free end of said appendage, said appendage being spring-loaded, a second cylindrical tube located at theopposite end of said first cylindrical tube and having its longitudinal axis perpendicular to and intersecting the longitudinal axis of said first cylindrical tube, said cylindrical tubes having their interiors joined and adapted for the flow of fluid serially therethrough, the first end of said cylindrical tube having an inlet for said apparatus and the opposite end being sealed, said inlet being sealed by a first spring-loaded check valve, said first springloaded check valve being normally in an open position to permit the flow of fluid from said inlet into said second cylindrical tube, and a nozzle extending from said appendage at an angle and comprising an outlet for said apparatus, said outlet being sealed by a second springloaded check valve and said angle being such as to direct fluid to a desired point, said second spring-loaded check valve being normally in a closed position to prevent the flow of fluid from said outlet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,584 11/ 1935 Boyett 103-178 2,078,483 4/1937 DeWeal et a1. 10 3-188 2,334,383 11/1943 Carr et al. 103-178 2,360,648 10/1944 Copeland et a1. 103-189 2,514,421 7/1950 Simi r 103-178 2,622,539 12/1952 Martin 103-178 2,657,834 1-1/1953 Bacheller 103-189 2,884,093 4/1959 Stewart 103-178 FOREIGN PATENTS 229,718 10/ 1963 Austria.

WILLIAM L. FREEH, Primary Examiner.

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