US835720A - Air-valve for radiators. - Google Patents

Description

No. 835,720. I PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

T. WHBATLEY.

AIR VALVE FOR RADIATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED J'ULY2. 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed July 2, 1904. Serial No. 215,105.

To all whom, it may concern;

Be it known that I, THOMAS WHEATLEY, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air-Valves for Radiators, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in air-valves for radiators to permit the expulsion of the air from the radiator by the infl0wing heating agent and at the same time to automatically close the air-vent as soon as the .air is displaced by the heating agent, whether hot water or steam.

This air-valve is controlled by means of the float, the action of which is regulated by an expansive medium as effected by the variations in temperature of the heating agent.

The broad object of such a valve is to maintain a free exit for the cold air during the inflow of the heating agent and to close the airvent immediately upon the expulsion of the cold air and presence of the heating fluid, so as to prevent the escape of any steam or hot water through the air-vent. This implies that the action of the float must be extremely sensitive and susceptible to influence under slight variations in temperature.

It also implies that the instantaneity of action of the float is largely dependent upon the total area of the heating-surface operating to expand the water of condensation and trapped air, which impel the float.

The broad object of my present invention, therefore, is to dispose the heating-surface in such manner as to ex and the float-actuating mediums immediate y u on the presence of the heating agent and a so to retard and deflect the inflowing heating agent after it enters the valve-case, whereby the water of condensation is quickly precipitated to the bottom of the well, and thereby traps the air in a suitable chamber provided therefor, so that when the air is expanded by the heat it will react upon the liquid in the well and immediately raise the float to close the air-vent valve.

Another specific object is to retard or baffle the passage of the air which escapes under pressure toward the air-vent, so as to equalize the pressure and prevent a sudden rush of such air from operating the float and prematurely closing the valve.

A still further object is to utilize this airvent valve for preventing the rentrance of air into the radiator when the steam or water cools and recedes therefrom, thus establishing a partial vacuum in the radiator to augment or aid the reflow of the steam or water into the radiatorwhen its inlet-valve is opened.

Other specific objects and uses will appear in the following description:

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 1 1, Fig. 2, and 2 2, Fig. 1, the valvein Fig. 1 being shown as unseated from the air-vent opening and as seated upon a subseat to prevent the reentranoe of air into the radiator, the float being shown in its normal position of rest. Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly broken away, showing the float seenin Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the upper end of an air-valve similar to that seen in Fig. 1, except that the closure for the air-vent consists of a ball se cured in the upper end of a float-cap. Fig. 6 is a top plan of a modified seat or supporting disk for the valve seen in Fig. 1, which is adapted to be used when it is desired to permit the rentrance of the air into the radiator. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the device seen in Fig. 1, showing the valve as operated by the float to close the airvent.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

In carrying out the objects stated I provide a suitable base 1 with a threaded nipple 2, which is adapted to be screwed into the radiator, this base being also provided with an inflow-passage 3, extending through its top and having its upper end enlarged, forming a socket 4 and an annular shoulder 55. Resting upon this shoulder in the form shown in Fig. 1 is a comparatively thin disk or diaphragm 6, which extends across the upper end of the inlet 3 and is formed with a central opening 7, in which is secured the lower. end of a tube 8, which is of comparatively small diameter with reference to the extreme diameter of the inclosing shell and rises some distance above the disk or diaphragm 6. The upper end of this tube is open, and in it is secured a cap 9, covering the open end of the tube, but having lateral openings 10, which are formed by cutting and pressing out portions 1 1 of the sides of the cap, these portions 11 being further utilized to form compara- IIO , engage the inner walls of the float presently described.

The wall of the socket 4 is threaded, and in it is removably secured the lower end of a double-wall casing 12, so that the base and casing may be detached to permit access to the interior of the shell for cleaning purposes and also to facilitate the assembling of the float and inner tube 8. The diaphragm 6, which supports the inner tube 8, is also removable; but it is operatively held in place by having its edges interposed between the shoulders 5 and lower end of the casing 12.

This casing consists of an outer section 13 and an inner section 14, both of which are arranged concentrically around the inner tube and are united at their upper ends to form an air-chamber 15, closed at its upper end, the inner section being open at the bottom and communicating with a well A at or near its bottom through water-passages 16, these passages being located near the bottom or diaphragm 6.

The casing 12 extends some distance above the cap 9 of the tube 8, and, together with the inner tube 8, constitutes the well A, of which the diaphragm 6 is the bottom, while the open top of the tube 8 determines the depth of the well for the purpose of receiving and retaining the water of condensation. It now appears that the casing 12 and inner tube 8 are operatively fixed to the base and that the lower end of the inner section 14, having the openings 16, is disposed in the bottom of the well, and therefore the slightest accumulation of the water of condensation in the well operates to trap the air in the space or chamber 15 between the sections 13 and 14. It is also apparent that the inflowing heating agent through the passage 8 enters centrally into the float a through the upright tube 8, which communicates with the passage 3, and that the cap 9 and wings 11 operate to retard the inflowin'g heating fluid and to deflect the same downwardly at the outside of the tube 8, while at the same time the air is free to pass upwardly around the cap 9 between the wings 11, from which it finally escapes through a vent-passage 17 in the upper end of the casing 12.

The sections 13 and 14 are preferably formed of separate pieces of metal, as metal tubing, the shell 14 having its upper end reduced in diameter at 18 and extending through a central opening 19 in the upper end of the section 13, the vent-passage 17 being formed in the top of this reduced extension 18 of the section 14, and the walls of the opening 19 are suitably secured by soldering or brazing to the periphery of the extension 18.

A diaphragm or supporting-plate 20 is secured horizontally within the extension 18 directly beneath the vent 17 and is provided with an opening 21, in which a ball-valve, as 22, is normally seated to close the openin 21. The ball 22 is in this instance employed for closing the opening 21 and also for closing the vent 17, and the diaphragm 20 is located so as to permit a limited vertical movement of the ball 22 between the seat of the opening 21 and opposed seat of the vent 17. This valve is sulficiently weighted to seat itself by gravity in the opening 21, but is also sufliciently light to ermit the air to escape through the opening 21 when expelled from the radiator by the inflowing heating agent, and although this valve is slightly raised from its seat 21 during the expulsion of the air it is not elevated sufliciently by such airpressure to close the vent 17, this latter operation being eflected solelyv by the movement of the float, as presently described. This float consists, essentially, of outer and inner concentric cylinders or tubes 23 and 24, having their upper ends united by soldering or brazing and their lower ends similarly united to form a sealed air-chamber 25 between the concentric walls 23 and 24.

The inner wall 24 of the float surrounds the fixed tube 8, and therefore both walls 23 and 24 are concentric with said inlet-tube 8, the wings 11 serving to guide the lower end of the float in its vertical movement. The wall 24 is extended a slight distance above its junction with the upper end of the wall 23, and in this upper end is secured by any suit able fastening means, as solder or brazing, a cap 26, similar to the cap 9 of the tube 8, said cap 26 being provided with airpassages 27, which are formed by cutting and pressing portions of the sides of the cap outwardly to form wings 29. These wings serve two purposes-first, to deflect downwardly any steam or hot water which may possibly rise to the cap 26, and, second, to engage the inner side of the extension 18 to guide the upper end of the float in its vertical movement. The upper ends of the caps 9 and 26 are concavo-convex, with their convex faces uppermost, and the convex face of the cap 26 is utilized to engage the ball-valve 22 for the purpose of unseating it from the opening 21 and seating it in the vent-opening 17.

In the operation of this valve, assuming that the radiator is filled with air and that the heating agent is permitted to flow therein, then the air is expelled from the radiator by the pressure of the inflowing heating fluid. and passes outwardly through the passage 3, through the tube 8, passages 10, and into the interior of the float-tube 24, from which it continues to escape through the passages 27 into the extension 18 of the casing 12, the pressure of the air being suificient to unseat the ball-valve 22', whereupon the airis free to escape through the vent 17 until entirely expelled from the radiator. At this moment the inflowing steam or hot water enters TIO through the passage 3 into the tube 8 and 10 15, and this trapped air is quickly heated and expanded by the inflowing heating agent, thereby depressing any water which may have accumulated in the bottom of the chamber and forcing it back through the I5 opening .16 into the.float-chamber, thus causing an extra accumulation of water in the bottom of the float-chamber, which immediately raises the float and causes said float to raise the valve 22 against the seat of the vent 17, thus preventing the escape of the heating agent through said vent. Now if the steam in the radiator is allowed to cool it condenses and forms a partial vacuum and tends to cause a rentrance of air in said radiator through thevent 17. This rentrance of air into the radiator is prevented by the closing of the valve 22 against the seat 21, said valve being held in this position by the inequality of air-pressure, and therefore op- 0 erates to maintain the vacuum until the reopening of the inlet-valve for the radiator, whereupon the partial vacuum operates to augment the upflow of the steam, which is the object sought.

3 5- In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of the device seen in Figs. 1 and 2, consisting of a base 1, a single-wall outer casing 12 havinga vent 17 in its top, and in the base 1 is centrally secured a tube 8, having a cap 9, the

0 tube 8 and casing 12 forming an interposed well for receiving a float 30, consisting of outer and inner concentric walls 23 and 24, which are united at the top by soldering or brazing or other suitable means and are 5 openat the bottom, whereby the air may be trapped in the chamber 25 between the walls 23 and 24.

In the device shown in Fig. 4 the outer casing consists of a single wall, the cap 26 seats directly in the vent 17, and the space between the walls of the float is open at the bottom, instead of closed, as seen in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly-modified form of valve, like that seen in Fig. 4, except 5 5 that a ball 32 is mounted directly in an opening in the upper end or cap of the float and is held in place by crimping a portion of the gapl on said float against the periphery of the In Fig. 6 I have shown a valve-supporting disk 40, which may be substituted for the disk 20 when it is desired to permit the reentrance of air into the radiator. This 'disk is provided with a central opening 41 and 6 5 prongs 42 to receive and support the valve 22 in the opening 41 and to permit the'air to escape and reenter between the prongs.

It is now apparent that the air is trapped in each of the devices seen in Figs. 1 and 4 by the water of condensation which accumulates in their respective wellsthat is, the doublewall casing constitutes the air-trap of the device seen in Fig. 1 and the double-wall float constitutes an air-trap in the device seen in Fig. 4. In both of these devices the cap 9 at the top of the tube 8 receives the impact of the air as expelled from the radiator and also serves to deflect the steam or water directly into the bottom of the well, so as to prevent the operation of the float by a sud- 8o den rush of air toward the vent and also to trap the air in the chamber 15 as soon as possible after the air in the radiator has been expelled through the vent.

Although I have shown the tube 8 as disposed in the central passage of the float, it is evident that it may be otherwise located pro viding it has direct communication with the inlet and vent openings of the shell and also with the upper end of the well.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an air- 5 vent, a float having an open lower end communicating with the inlet and provided with openings near its top and communicating with the vent, and laterally-projecting wings on the upper end of the float in sliding en- 00 gagement with the casing and overhanging said openings.

2. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a hollow float-open at the bottom, and 10 5 communicating with the inlet and provided with openings near its top, communicating with the air-vent, a cap covering the upper end of the float above the openings, and laterally-projecting wings on the float also above 1 IO said openings in sliding engagement with. the casing to guide the upper end of the float and at the same time to deflect the heating agent outwardly and downwardly from the interior of the float.

3. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a float having a lengthwise passage open at the bottom and communicating with the inlet and having its 1 20 upper end provided with outlet-passages communicating with the vent, and laterally-projecting wings on the upper end of the float above said outlet-passages and in sliding engagement with the upper end of the casing to r 2 5 v deflect the heating agent outwardly and downwardly from the interior of the float and at the same time to guide the upper end of the float.

4. An air-valve for radiators, comprising [30 an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a tube within the casing having its lower end connected to the inlet and provided with lateral passages at or near its top, a hollow float inclosing said tube, a valve actuated by the float to close the air-vent and wings on the upper end of the tube projecting laterally and downwardly above the lateral openings therein, and engaging the float to guide the same in its vertical movement and to deflect the heating agent downwardly.

5; An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float for actuating the valve to close the air-vent,

a tube leading upwardly from the inlet into the interior of the float and provided with laterally-projecting wings engaging and guiding the float and adapted to deflect the heating agent downwardly between the float and tube.

6. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float for actuating the valve to close the air-vent, a tube leading upwardly from the inlet into the float and having its upper end provided with a cap and lateral openings beneath the cap, and aterally-projecting wings engaging the inner sides of the float to guide the same in its vertical movement.

7. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an air-' vent, a valve for the air-vent, a hollow float for actuating the valve to close the air-vent, a tube leading upwardly from the inlet into the interior of the float and having its upper end provided with laterally and downwardly projecting wings and lateral passages bethe float to guide the same in its vertical movement, said float having its upper end provided with lateral passages, and wings above the passages, en aging the interior of the casing to additionajly guide the float in its vertical movement.

9. An air-valve for radiators, comprising an outer casing having an inlet and an airvent, a valve for the air-vent, a tube leading upwardly from the inlet toward the air-vent and having lateral passages in its upper end,

wings projecting laterally and downwardly above the passages in said tube, a float encircling the tube and having its upper end provided with lateral passages and downwardly-deflected wings above the latter passages, whereby the heating agent is deflected laterally and downwardly, said valve being actuated by the float to close the vent.

10. An air-valve for radiators comprising a shell having an inlet and vertically-alined air-outlets spaced apart one above the other and having valve-seats in their adjacent ends, a valve playing between said seats and normally resting on the lower seat to close the lower outlet, and a heat-actuated float I for unseating the valve from the lower seat and seating it against the upper seat to open the lower outlet and to close the upper outlet.

11. An air-valve for radiators comprising a shell having an inlet in its bottom and an outlet in its top, a central tube rising from the bottom and forming with the shell a well, a heat-actuated float in the well,a diaphragm forming part of the shell between the upper end of the float and said air-outlet and itself provided with an air-outlet, said outlets being in vertical alinement with each other and with the central tube, a ball-valve playing between said outlets separately from the float and normally seated in the up er end of the outlet in the diaphragm, said oat operating to unseat the valve from its normal position and to seat it in the lower end of the outlet in the top of the shell.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 23d day of June, 1904.

THOMAS WHEATLEY.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHAsE, HOWARD P. DENISON.

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