US3472263A - Valve mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct, 14, 1969 v E. A. H. ERIKSSON VALVE MECHANISM Filed Dec. 16, 1966 //V VE/VTOR. Eausr A. H EmzrsSou ArromvJYs United States Patent 3,472,263 VALVE MECHANISM Ernst Axel Harald Eriksson, Eriksbergsvagen 16,

Sollentuna 2, Sweden Filed Dec. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 602,299 Int. Cl. Gd 16706; F16k 31/145 U.S. Cl. 137--116 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a valve mechanism for use with feed or booster pumps and like apparatus and serving to keep constant the pressure of the liquid delivered to a place of consumption.

The valve mechanism is particularly intended for use in such liquid distribution systems as are described in U.S. Patent 2,654,323. In these systems, the liquid is placed under pressure by the operation of a pump driven by an electric motor and is permitted to flow to the place of consumption, e.g. the spray nozzle, when the pressure in the pump outlet has reached a predetermined value. Liquid distributing systems of this type are generally used in connection with oil burners to which combustion air is supplied by a fan driven by the pump motor. In conformity with the system described the valve mechanism comprises a main valve inserted in a line leading from the pressure side of the pump to the place of consumption, and a pressure control valve inserted in a bypass leading from the pressure side of the pump back to the suction side thereof, the valves being each constituted by a stationary valve seat in a common valve housing and by a diaphragm common to said valve seats, enclosed in the valve housing cooperating with the two seats and supported by a disk, said diaphragm consisting of rubber or like material and being pressed against the valve seats by a spring force acting upon said disk to keep the valves closed; said diaphragm, however, can be moved away from the valve seats against the action of the spring force by the liquid pressure prevailing in the housing to open the valves when said liquid pressure has reached the predetermined value.

Such a valve mechanism has not been found satisfactory in practice, inasmuch as no perfect control is obtained which primarily is due to the formation of an air cushion between the diaphragm and the disk supporting it. However, this shortcoming is eliminated by the valve mechanism according to the present invention which is characterized by the fact that the diaphragm is fixedly connected to the supporting disk. Besides, the invention entails the advantage that the diaphragm is not deformed by the suction to which it is exposed due to the outlet of the control valve being in communication with the suction side of the pump.

These features of the invention and the advantages gained thereby will appear more clearly from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawing which diagrammatically shows a cross section of the main details of a liquid distributing system equipped with an embodiment, chosen by way of example, of the valve mechanism suggested by the present invention.

The liquid distributing system illustrated in the draw- "Ice ing is built up in all essential details in the same way as that disclosed in the U.S. Patent 2,654,323, for which reason merely the main features of the system will be described here. The system incorporates: a gear pump 1, the suction line 2 of which passes through a filter 3 from a liquid container (oil tank) 4 and the pressure conduit 5 of which leads to a valve mechanism 6 from which an inlet 7 leads to the place of consumption which is shown here as an oil spray nozzle 8, for example in an oil burner.

The valve mechanism 6 has a valve housing 9 to which the pressure conduit 5 is connected, and mounted in the wall of said housing 9 is a cylindrical body 10 which at the end facing a diaphragm 11 has an annular flange 12 constituting a fixed valve seat for a main valve. Concentrically inside the flange 12 said cylindrical body 10 has a second annular flange 13 which constitutes a fixed valve seat for a pressure control valve. Instead of being provided in a separate body 10 the valve seats 12 and 13 can be arranged in the valve housing 9 proper.

The place between the valve seats 12 and 13 communicates via an outlet passage 14 with the line 17 leading to the place of consumption 8, while the chamber inside the valve seat 13 is connected by means of a central outlet passage 15 to a passage 16 which leads to the filter 3 and thus to the suction pump 1.

Mounted in the valve housing 9 is the diaphragm 11 which is common to the two valve seats 12 and 13 for coaction therewith. The diaphragm 11 which is of rubber or like flexible material is supported by a circular disk 17 which has a thickness such that it remains plane despite the prevailing pressure. It is provided in a cylindrical recess 18 which is slightly larger than the disk 17 so that it will center the disk 17 without preventing the oscillation thereof. The disk may be considered as a lever pivotally mounted about a support 19 which in the embodiment illustrated is formed by a pair of balls mounted beside one another and relatively close to the periphery of the recess 18.

Arranged on the same side of the diaphragm as the disk 17 is a spring device which comprises a spring 20 and a pin 21 actuated thereby. The pin is kept pressed with one end against the disk 17 and thus against the diaphragm 11 by the spring 20 in order to keep the two valves having the seats 12 and 13 closed when the pump 1 is not in operation or the pressure delivered thereby is lower than a predetermined value. For opening the valves the pressure generated by the pump 1 in the valve housing 9 thus has to slightly exceed said predetermined value. Once the valves have been opened and a major area of the diaphragm has been exposed to the liquid pressure, a smaller value thereof suffices to maintain them open. The pressure control valve comprising the valve seat 13 and the diaphragm 11 ensures that this operational pressure which is supplied to the place of consumption 8 via the main valve comprising the valve seat 12 and the diaphragm 11, is not essentially exceeded but is kept substantially constant.

To eliminate the risk of an air cushion being formed between the diaphragm 11 and the disk 17, the diaphragm 11 is fixedly connected to the disk 17 over the entire surface or by at least that part thereof by which the diaphragm 11 coacts with the valve seats 12 and 13.

In a preferred embodiment the diaphragm 11 is vulcanized to the disk 17. The diaphragm 11 may also be glued or otherwise fixed to the disk 17 What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. A valve mechanism for use with feed or booster pumps and like apparatus and serving to keep constant the pressure of the liquid delivered to a place of consumption, comprising a main valve inserted in a line leading from the pressure side of the pump to the place of consumption, and a pressure control valve inserted in a bypass leading from the pressure side of the pump back to the suction side thereof, the valves being each constituted by a stationary valve seat in a common valve housing and by a diaphragm common to said valve seats, enclosed in the valve housing cooperating with the two seats and supported by a disk, said diaphragm being formed of rubber or like material and being pressed against the valve seat by a spring force acting upon said disk to keep the valves closed; said diaphragm being movable away from the valve seats against the action of the spring force by the liquid pressure prevailing in the housing to open the valves when said liquid pressure has reached the preto the disk in the vicinity where the diaphragm contacts the valve seats; thereby avoiding the presence of an air cushion between the diaphragm and the disk.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,654,323 10/1953 Wahlmark 103-39 2,662,348 12/1953 Jacobson 137505.11 3,251,375 5/1966 Reed et a1. 137414 FOREIGN PATENTS 691,022 6/ 1964 Canada.

determined value, said diaphragm being fixedly connected 15 DONALD E. WATKINS, Primary Examiner

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