US701265A - Slow-closing device for hydraulic-elevator valves. - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 27, I902 L. H. HARRIMAN.

SLOW CLOSING DEVIQE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR VALVES.

(Application filed may 24, 159B.)

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No. 70|,265. Patented May 27, I902.

L. H. HARRIMAN.

. SLOW CLOSING DEVICE FOR HYDRAULH'} ELEVATOR VALVES.

(Application filed M21124, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 $heetsShee1t 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT iO rricE.

LOUIS H. HARRIMAN, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PLUNGER ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF VVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SLOW-CLOSING DEVICE FOR HYDRAULlC ELEVATOR VALViES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,265, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed May 24. 1898. Serial No. 681,560. (No model.)

at the highest rate of speed that is consistent with safety and also to have the car reach its maximum rate of speed as soon as possible after starting. If, however, the controlling apparatus of a high-speed elevator is so adjusted that the car may be started quickly,

great care must be exercised on the part of the operator to bring the car to a standstill gradually; otherwise certain undesirable resuits will follow. For example, sudden stopping causes an unpleasant sensation to a passenger, and in the case of an elevator so constructed that the car is lifted by a plunger underneath the car, the car and plunger being properly counter-weighted, if when the car is going up the supply of water to the cylinder be shut off too rapidly the momentum of the car and plunger going up and the counterweight going down will be so great that the plunger will jump off the water and go beyond the point desired and will then drop back with a jerk extremely unpleasant to the passengers. Also in this class of elevators when the car is going down if the exhaust be shut off too rapidly the car will come to a stop with a sudden jerk. Similar results will occur if the main valve be closed too quickly in the class of elevators in which the plunger is arranged at one side of the 0 elevator-well and is one-half the length of the run of the car, the latter being lifted as.

the plunger descends and being lowered as the plunger is raised in the elevator-cylinder that is, when the plunger is going up and the 5 car is going down the plunger is liable to jump off the Water and the car will drop beyond the stopping-point and be pulled back as the plunger returns. In the case of the ordinary circulating elevators, in which the water acts upon a piston instead of a plunin so short a time that there will be any jerking or strain-that is, however suddenly the operator may attempt to stop the car the rate of speed with which it comes to rest is limited to a predetermined rate.

My invention consists of a slow-closing or retarding device which permits the free opening of the'ordinary three-way controllingvalve in either direction or to either open position from its central-or closed position, but which prevents a correspondingly quick return of the valve to its closed position.

My invention consists, further, of certain other features, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like references refer to like parts, and in which a Figure 1 is a section of a preferred form of my invention applied to a common type of elevator-valve. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sectional views of different modifications.

l is a common type of three-way elevatorvalve, S being the supply, E the inlet to the elevator-cylinder, and WV the exhaust.

2 is an auxiliary motor, and 3 is a simple form of pilot-valve, which is provided with any well-known means for operating the same from the car. The auxiliary motor is connected to the main valve by any suitable means, as the links 4. 5 6, whereby the former may move the latter in accordance with the position of the pilot-valve.

8 is a closed cylinder, which for convenience is shown adjacent to the auxiliary motor, said cylinder being provided with a piston, the piston-rod of which is shown in this instance as a continuation of the piston-rod of the auxiliary motor, although, as will hereinafter appear, said piston-rod may be connected with any part which moves with the IOO return flow toward either end of the cylinder.

12 is a relatively smaller passage than passage 15, said passage being shown in this instance as connected to each end of passage 15. 13 is a regulating-plug in said passage 12 for regulating the flow therethrough.

The operation of the device is as follows: The operator in the car will move the pilotva'lve to the right, as shown in Fig. 1, admitting water under pressure to the auxiliary motor, moving its piston to the right, which in turn will move the main valve to the right, opening the supply to the elevator-cylinder. In using myinvention the supply to the auxiliary motor will be enlarged sufficiently to inove the main valve to the open position as quickly as desired. As the auxiliary motor moves to the right it draws after it the piston 9 in the cylinder 8, the fluid therein being forced through the opening 11 past the checkvalve- 10 back into the cylinder through the central opening 11 and as the flow in this direction is unobstructedcomparativelylittle resistance will be oifered to the movement of the piston of the auxiliary motor by the piston 9. When the pilot-valve is moved to the left, so that the main valve will be returned to its central position, the piston 9 will also be moved from its position at the right hand of the cylinder 8. As soon as the piston 9 is moved to the left the check-valve. 10 will close, preventing a return flow through the passage 15. There will be, however, a reduced flow of fluid through the passage 12 to the right-hand end of the cylinder 8, permitting the piston 9 to return comparatively .slowly to its central position, and thus preventing a too-rapid closing of the main valve. The speed with which the main valve may be closed may be adjusted by the valve 13,

as desired. In like manner when the main valve is moved from its closed position to open the elevator-cylinder to exhaust the piston 9 may move freely to the left, the fluid in cylinder 8 flowing freely past said piston through the open passage 15, past the checkvalve 10 through the central opening 11 into the cylinder. As the main valve returns to its central or closed position the check-valve 10 closes and the only supply to, the lefthand end of the cylinder 8 is through the passage 12, sothatthe piston 9 returns slowly to its middle position, the main valve thus being obliged to close slowly, as before. It may be found desirable to'have the first part opened.

of the closing movement of the main valve rapid and the latter part slow, as by this means the car may be quickly checked; but the last part of the closure of the valve will not be so rapid as to cause any of the undesirable results above referred to. complish this by the means shown in Figs. 2 or 4:, in which the cylinderis shown as tapered internally from the ends toward the center for a portion of the length, as shown at 25,

the internal diameter of the cylinder at the I may acends being somewhat greater than that of the piston and tapering to a point some distance from the center of the cylinder, the middle portion thereof being made straight and of the same diameter as the piston, as shown at 30. The operation of this arrangement is apparent. In the first part of the travel of the piston from either end toward the center the .fluid in the cylinder can circulate past the piston with considerable freedom; but the freedom with which it can thus circulate will become more and more restricted until the piston reaches the straight part of the cylinder, when the only circulation will be through the restricted by-pass, and the speed of its travel for the remainder of its movement to ,the center of the cylinder will be dependent upon the degree to which ,the valve therein is Other well-known means for varying the speed of the piston of aretarding-chamber i may be substituted for the means shown herein, as my invention is not limited to the particular means illustrated. The general combination shown, however, I believe to be origi-.

nal with me.

If it is desirable to adjust the speed at which the valve may be opened in either direction, a valve may be placed in each enlarged bypass, as shown at 20, Fig. 2, and if it is de sired to have the speed, of closing from one direction different from that from the other direction this may be readily accomplished by placing a by-pass, at 26 and 26 around each check-valve, as shown in Fig. 2, each of which may be independently adjustedby the plugs 27. It will be obvious that it is immaterial whether the single by-pass (shown in Figs. 1 and 4) or the two by-passes (shown in Fig. 2) be used in connection with the means .for adjusting and varying the speed of the piston in its openingor closing movements.

If it is desired to have the main valve close slowly from, only one open position, one of the check-valves could be omitted or a construction might be, used, such as is shown in Fig. 3, in which one-half of the cylinder is sufficiently enlarged to permit a free circulation past the piston in whichever direction it e is moved. In this modification I show checkvalves in the. piston instead of in a by-pass andprovide the piston with a small aperture in lieu of the restricted by-pass shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be evident that this aperture might be omitted and the piston made piston will be in its middle position when the main valve is in its middle or closed position. It is obviously immaterial whether the cylinder is fixed or the piston and piston-rod are fixed.

When my invention is used in connection with an elevator-valve, it will be impossible for the operator to start or stop the car in any less time than the adjustment of my device will permit. For example, if the car is controlled by a lever in any well-known manner and the car is traveling at a high rate of speed the lever may be instantly thrown over to its fullest extent to stop the car, yet, nevertheless, the car will gradually come to rest without appreciable strain or jar. B y means of a few experiments the valves in the various by-passes may be so adjusted that the time in which the car may be started or stopped will be the least that is consistent with safety.

My device may be easily and cheaply made,

it not being necessary for the piston to fit the cylinder accurately, and packing Will be necessaryonly Where the piston-rod enters the cylinder. Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. The combination with a three-way valve which is adapted to be closed when in an intermediate position, of a slow-closing device having a moving part thereof connected to said valve, means for permitting the movement of said moving part at apredetermined speed from an intermediate position in either direction, and means for restricting the speed at which it may be moved toward said intermediate position.

2. The combination with ahydranlic-elevator valve which is adapted to be moved from an intermediate position to open the supply to and discharge from the elevator-cylinder, a slow-closing device connected to said valve, consisting of a cylinder, a piston therefor, means for permitting a free discharge of the fluid in said cylinder as the piston is moved toward either end of said cylinder, and means for restricting the supply of fluid to either end of said cylinder as said piston is returned to its intermediate position, whereby said valve may be opened quickly to supply or exhaust, but will be retarded in its movement to its closed position.

3. A device for regulating the opening and closing movements of a three-way valve, consisting of a cylinder, a piston therefor, means for permitting the unrestrictedcirculation of fluid past said piston when it is moved from an intermediate position in said cylinder in either direction, and means for automatically restricting the circulation past saidpiston as it is moved toward said intermediate position.

4. A slow-closing valve, consisting of a closed cylinder, a piston therefor, an enlarged passage connected to each end of said cylinder and to an intermediate portion thereof, check-valves in said passages arranged to permit afree flow of the fluid in said cylinder from either end toward the center thereof, and means for permitting a restricted flow toward either end of said cylinder.

5. Aslow-closing device for a three-way valve, consisting of a closed cylinder, a piston therefor, an enlarged passage connected to each end of said cylinder and to an intermediate portion thereof, check-valves in said passages arranged to permit a free flow of the fluid in said cylinder from either end toward the center thereof, and a restricted by-pass around said check-valves.

6. A slow-closing device for a three -.Way valve, consisting of a closed cylinder, a piston therefor, an enlarged passage connected to each end of said cylinder and to an intermediate portion thereof, check-valves in said passages arranged to permit a free flow of the fluid in said cylinder from either end toward the center thereof, a restricted by-pass around said check-valves, and a valve in said by-pass for regulating the flow therethrough.

7. A slow-closing device for a three-way valve, consisting of a closed cylinder, a piston therefor, a passage connecting each end of said cylinder to an intermediate portion thereof, check-valves therein arranged to permit a free flow of fluid from the ends toward the middle of said cylinder, means for regulating the flow through said passages and means for permitting a restricted flow in the opposite directions.

8. The combination with a hydraulic-elevator valve, which when moved from its middle position in one direction will connect the elevator-cylinder with the supply and in the other direction with the exhaust, a slow-closin g device for said valve consisting of a cylinder, a piston therefor, connected to a moving part of said valve, and arranged to be in the central position of its travel when the valve is in its closed position, means for permittinga free circulation past said piston as it is moved in either direction from its central position,

and means for preventing a correspondingly free circulation past said piston as it is moved from one of its extreme positions to its middle position, substantially as described.

9. A device for regulating the opening and closing movements of a three-way valve, consisting of a cylinder containing a fluid, a piston therefor, passages connected to said cylin- 'der, means for alternately closing said passages as the piston is moved in different directions, and a constantly-open passage, reladevice for a three-way tively smaller than said first-named passages, through which fluid may flow when either of the first-named passages is closed.

10. A device for regulating the opening and closing movements of a three-way valve, consisting of a cylinder containing a fluid, a piston therefor, passagesconnected to said cylinder, means for alternately closing said passages as the piston is moved in different directions,a constantly-open restricted passage, relatively smaller than the first-named passages, through which the fluid may flow wheneither of said passages is closed, and means, for regulating the flow through all of the above-named passages.

11. A device for regulatingthe opening and closing movements of a three-way valve, consisting of a cylinder containing a fluid, a piston therefor, means for permitting a free circulation of fluid past said piston as it is moved from the center of said cylinder toward either end thereof, means for permitting only a restricted return flow past said piston as it is moved toward the center of said cylinder, and means for gradually restricting the freedom with which the fluid may pass the piston as it is moved from either end toward the center of the cylinder, whereby the speed at which the piston may be returned is correspondingly reduced as it approaches the cen ter of the cylinder.

12. A device for regulating the opening and closing movements of a three-way valve, consisting of a cylinder containing a fluid, a piston therefor, means for permitting a free circulation of fluid past said piston as it is moved from the center of said cylinder toward either end thereof, means for permitting only a restricted return flow past said piston as it is moved toward the center of the cylinder, and means for varying the freedom with which the fluid may pass the piston, whereby the speed at which the piston may be moved by the valve during such predetermined movements is correspondingly varied.

13. The combination with an elevator-valve which is adapted to be closed when in an intermediate position and be opened when moved in either direction from said position,

an automatic speed-regulating device having a moving part thereof connected to said valve, means for permitting comparatively free movements of said moving part in either direction from an intermediate position, and means for automatically varying the speed at which said part may be returned from an extreme to said intermediate position, whereby the speed of said valve in its closing movements may be made different at different points therein.

14. The combination with an elevator-valve which is adapted to be closed when in an intermediate position and be opened when moved in either direction from said position, an automatic speed-regulating device having a moving part thereof connected to said valve, means for permitting comparatively free movements of said moving part in either di rection from an intermediate position, and means for automatically varying the speed at which said part may be returned from either extreme to said intermediate position,

whereby the speed of said valvein its closing movements may be made different at different points therein.

15. The combination with an elevator-valve which is adapted to be closed when in an intermediate position and opened when moved in either direction from said position, a slowclosing device comprising a piston and cylinder, one of which parts is fixed and the other movable, connections between the movable part of said device and said valve, whereby said piston is in an intermediate position with respect to said cylinder when said valve is in its closed position, means for permitting a comparativelyfree circulation of fluid past said piston when said valve is moved in either direction, and means for correspondingly restricting said circulation when said valve is returned to its closed position, so that the speed of said valve in closing is correspondingly reduced.

LOUIS H. IIARRIMAN.

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