US644406A - Fluid-pressure regulator. - Google Patents

Description

Patanted Feb. 27. I900.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Modem TNE noams pzrzgzs ca, FNOTO-LITNO WASNINGTON, D. c.

No. 644,406. Patented Feb. 27, 190 0,

' 8. E. CRAWFORD.

FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR. (Application flled Aug. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) -3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Y -1 NORRIS PETERS co, PHOTQL'ITHQ, msumorom n. c.

No. 644,406. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

s. E. CRAWFORD.

FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 3.

Unwrap STATES PATENT FLUID-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,406, dated February 27, 1900.

Application filed August 3, 1899.

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LSAMUEL E. CRAWFORD, a resident of Avalon, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fluid-Pressure Regulators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to fluid-pressure regulators for use with gas and other fluids.

One object of my invention is to provide such a form of a fluid-pressure regulator that the pressure-regulating valve will eliminate variations of delivered. pressure, which are due in devices in common or general use to the friction of the operating parts or to an unbalanced condition of the valve.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple means of delivering the reduced or regulated volume of fluid through the governing-diaphragm of the regulator to a centrally-located discharge opening or pipe at the top of the regulator without interfering with the action of said diaphragm.

My invention consists, generally stated, in the novel arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use the fluid-pressure regulator, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of my improved fluid-pressure regulator. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of-the same, showing the valve parts in their normal positions. Fig. 3 is atop or plan View with the casin g removed and valve connections and showing the val veseat. Fig. 4 is a like view showing the valve connections in position. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of another form of regulator, showing some of the parts in elevation and the parts in their normal positions. Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of Fig. 5 with the upper casing and flexible stem removed. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a regulator made in accordance with my invention and showing the valve and the counteracting diaphragm mounted on a common stem with the supply and discharge openings at one side of the Serial N0.'725,99l. (No model.)

regulator in a vertical line with each other. Fig. 8 is a like view showing the supply and discharge openings reversed from that shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a like view showing the supply and discharge openings at the bottom of the regulator in a horizontal line.

Like numerals herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

My improved fluid-pressure regulator is shown at 1 and is provided with the baseplate 2, to which is secured by screw-bolts 2 the casing 3 for forming the outlet-chamber 3 and inclosing the different parts of the regulator. Extending below the base-plate 2 and formed as part thereof are the inlet and outlet ports 4 and 5, which are divided by the partition-wall 6 and have the supply and outlet pipes 7 and 8 connected thereto. Communicating with theinlet-port 4, through the base-plate 2, is the valve-opening 9, which is provided with the valve-seat 9 at the upper end thereof for seating a valve 10, mounted on one end of a lever 11, pivoted at 12 in the standards 12, formed on the base -plate 2. The opposite end of the lever 11 terminates in a depending projection 11, and a pressure-plate 13 is secured to the lever 11 between the projection 11 and the standards 12, which is adapted to engage with a diaphragm 14 fitting over an opening 14 in the base-plate 2, preferably located equally distant from the pivotal point 12' of the lever 11 in the standards 12 as the valve-opening 9' for the valve and formed of the same area or diameter as the opening 9, although the diaphragm 14, covering the opening 14, can be formed at a greater distance from the pivotal point 12 than the opening 9' and the size of these openings varied, if desired, and it is also obvious that the pressure-plate 13 may be made in a dilferent form, varying to. suit the efiective area of valve 10 in its various positions above the valve-seat 9. Pivoted at 15 to the lever 11 above the pressure-plate 13 is the diaphragm supporting plate 15, upon which rests a flexible diaphragm 16, which extends across the outlet-chamber 3 and is secured to the casing 3 by the ring 16. A thin plate 17, having a boss 17 thereon, fits on top of the diaphragm 16, through which boss 17 is secured a screw-bolt 18, which extends into the supporting-plate 15 through the diaphragm 16 and plate 17 for holding these parts together and for allowing the supporting-plate to give weight to the diaphragm 16. The diaphragm 16 acts to form the dash-pot or air-chamber 19 within the casing 3 above the outlet-chamber 3, and an opening is formed in the top of the casing 3', which is closed by a plate 21, fitting over the same and secured to the casing 3 by bolts 21, for communicating with the air-chamber 19 and allowing the securing and removal of the bolt 18 and connecting parts when desired. An air-vent 221s formed in the top of the casing 3 for communicating with the atmosphere from the air-chamber 19, and an outlet-opening 23 is formed in the base-plate 2 for communicating with the outlet-chamber 3 and the outlet-port 5.

The use and operation of my improved fluid-pressure regulator are as follows: The gas or other fluid under pressure will pass from the supply-pipe 7 into the inlet-port 4E and up against the valve 1.0, which will cause the valve 10 to rise and allow the gas to pass up through the opening 9 around the valve 10 and into the outlet-chamber 3 to fill the same under the diaphragm 16. The diaphragm 14 across the opening 14 is exposed to the same pressure of the gas in the inlet-port 4E from the supply-pipe '7 as the face of the valve 10 over the opening 9, and the upper side of the pressure-plate 13 and valve 10 are exposed to the common pressure of the gas within the outletchamber 3, so that any initial or sudden introduction of the gas within the inlet-port 4 when the regulator is at rest will raise the diaphragm 14 against the pressureplate 13 and cause this end of the lever 11 to rise by means of its pivot 12 in the standards l2 and the opposite end and valve 10 to lower or drop down onto the valve-seat 9 and throttle or check the gas entering the outletchamber 3 through the opening 9' from the inlet port 4: and supply pipe '7, thereafter maintaining an equilibrium between the pressure-plate 13 and valve 10. The increased pressure of the gas under the diaphragm 16 will cause it to float at its weighted pressure and, being connected to the lever 11, compels the valve 10 to sensitively respond to the slightest impulse of the diaphragm 16, thus maintaining under said diaphragm a sensitively-eonstant pressure without regard to the variations of intlowing pressures from the supply-pipe 7. The air-vent 22, opening into the dasl1-pot or air-chamber 19, will allow the diaphragm 16 to be raised and lowered freely without chattering, and the gas in the outlet-chamber 3 will pass therefrom down through the outlet-opening 23 into the outletport 5, and thence through the outlet--pipe 8 to the point of consumption.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated my improved fluid-pressu re regulator for use where it is desired to pass the gas orother fluid from an inlet-pipe located directly under and central to the regulatortoadischarge-pipelocated centrally at the top of the regulator without interfering with the sensitive action of the diaphragm-as, for instance, in a street-lamp or in any cases where horizontal or rightangle connections cannot be used conveniently. In this case the end of the lever 11 opposite the valve 10 is connected by a link 24 to another lever 24., which is pivoted at one end 25 to a standard 25, and its opposite end is pivotally connected at 26' to the lower end of a vertical hollow stem 26, which extends up through the plates 15 and 17 and diaphragm 1G and is secured around the same by jam-nuts 27 and 27, engaging with an exteriorly-tln'eaded surface 28 on the hollow stem 26. The upper end of the hollow stem 26 passes through an auxiliary diaphragm 29, located within and extending across the upper part of the regulator, and is held thereto by jam-nuts 30 30,fitting on each side of the diaphragm 29 and around the threaded surface 28 on the hollow stem 26. The gas or other fluid in this device enters the supplypipe 7 and strikes directly against the pressure-diaphragm 1-:l-, which extends over the opening for the supply pipe and has the pressure plate or post 13 resting against the upper side thereof. The post 13 fits under and against the lever 11 and the gas enters the inlet-port 4, passes up through the oponing 0 around the valve 10 into the outletchamber 3, and thence enters the bottom of and passes up through the hollow stem 26 and thence out of the upper end thereof through the discharge or outlet pipe 8 at the upper end of the regulator to the place of consumption.

In Fig. 7 the fluid-pressure regulator is illustrated in connection where it is desired to use the supply-pipe entering the top and the discharge or outlet pipe directly under the supply-pipe in a vertical line and at one side of the regulator. In Fig. Sthe positions of the supply and discharge pipes are reversed by having the supply-pipe at the bottom and the discharge-pipe at the top of the regulator in a vertical line and at one side thereof. In Fig. 9 the supply and discharge pipes are located in a horizontal line, and in all these views, Figs. 7, 8, and 9, the pressureplate 13 over the diaphragm l t is secured on the end of a common stem 31, which extends up through the valve 10, the valve being secured thereto. The stem 31 extends up and is pivoted at its upper end 31 to the valve end of the lever 11.

Various modifications other than those illustrated and described of the construction and design of the various parts of the casing and parts of the regulator may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its advatages.

It will thus be seen that by the construction of my improved fluid-pressure regulator it enables the use of regulators of small diameter and shorter levers, therefore making the same more compact and consequently much simpler and cheaper, so that a greater range of pressure can be handled with a much smaller apparatus than is ordinarily used. The advantages of this construction of regulator are that by reason of the direct application of an exact ratio of counteracting forces to internally-located parts and with no intervening friction su ch as external packed stems, pistons, dad-as well as uncertain factors, such as varying spring tensions, there is secured a higher degree of sensitiveness, especially when delivering at low pressure, than by the use of the ordinary regulators. It will also be seen that any variations of inflowing pressure against the face of the valve will be counterbalanced by a like pressure on a like face pressing oppositively, and it will further be seen that the fluid can be delivered in a reduced or regulated form through the.

discharge pipes connected therewith, a'flexi ble or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow and connected to said partition or diaphragm, and flexible counteracting means within said case adapted to be connected to said partition or diaphragm to balance the valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure.

2. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosin g case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow and connected to said partition 'or diaphragm, and flexible counteracting means within said case adapted to be connected to said partition or diaphragm to balance the valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon in the opposite direction by the same pressure.

3. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow and connected to said partition or diaphragm, and a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm within said case adapted to be connected to said partition or diaphragm to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure.

4. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow and connected to said partition or diaphragm, and a flexible or yielding counteractirig-diaphragm within said case over said supply-passage adapted to be connected to said partition or diaphragm to balance said valve and be acted upon inthe opposite direction by the same pressure as that which acts on the valve.

5. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow, a lever fulcrumed in said case and connected to said valve and partition or diaphragm, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm fitting over an opening in the case from the said supply-passage, and a pressure plate or post adapted to engage said lever and counteracting-diaphragm to balance said valve and be acted upon in an opposite direction by the same pressure as that which acts on the valve.

6. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith at the bottom and top respectively, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe, a lever fulcrumed in said case and connected to said valve, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm fitting over an opening in the case from the supply-passage adapted to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure, a hollow stem connected to said lever and passing through and secured to said first-named partition or diaphragm to deliver the regulated fluid to the discharge-pipe at the top of the case, and a flexible or yielding packing-box connectedto the upper end of the hollow stem above the discharge-pipe.

7. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith at the bottom and top respectively, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe, alever fulcrumed in said case and connected to said valve, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm fitting over an opening in the case from the supply-passage adapted to engage said lever to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure, a hollow stem passing through and connected to said first-named partition or diaphragm to deliver the regulated fluid to the discharge-pipe at the top of the case, a

flexible or yielding packing-box connected to the upper end of the hollow stem above the partition or diaphragm and below the discharge-pipe, and a lever fulcrumed in the case and adapted to be connected to said firstnamed lever and hollow stem.

8. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inelosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition ordiaphragrn within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm within said case adapted to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure, and connections from the first-named partition or diaphragm to the valve and counteracting-diaphragm.

9. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosin g case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in thedirection of the flow, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm within said case, and a stem or rod connected to the partition or diaphragm, valve and counteractingdiaphragm, said counteractingdiaphragm adapted to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure.

10. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of an inclosing case having supply and discharge pipes connected therewith, a flexible or yielding partition or diaphragm within said case, a valve within said case over the passage from the supply-pipe opening with or in the direction of the flow and connected bya lever fulcrumed in said case to the said partition or diaphragm, a flexible or yielding counteracting-diaphragm within said case adapted to balance said valve and equal the pressure against the valve when acted upon by the same pressure, and a stem connected to said lever for carrying the valve and adapted to engage with the counteracting-diaphragm.

In testimony whereof I, the said SAMUEL E. ORAVVFORD, have hereunto set my hand.

SAMUEL E. CRAWFORD.

\Vitnesses:

M. E. OoNNER, J. N. 3001112.

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