US986328A - Automatic stop-valve for hydraulic elevators. - Google Patents

Description

} 1. H. VENN. AUTOMATIC STOP VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1906.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911. I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

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Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

I. H. VENN.

AUTOMATIC STOP VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

- v APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 23, 1906. 986,328.

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ISAAC H. VENN, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC STOP-VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 23, 1906.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 331,713.

T all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I. ISAAC H. VENN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Stop- Valves for Hydraulic Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a valve apparatus for use in connection with hydraulic elevators, and has for its object the provision of means for automatically cutting olf the flow of water or other motive fluid to or from the motor cylinder whenever the elevator car is at or near its limits of travel, and thereby preventing any accidental overrunning of the car from its normal path of travel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve for the purpose set forth which will automatically operate to bring the ele vator car to rest should for any reason the stop valve operating rope become broken or disarranged.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide means which shall operate to automati-- cally reset the stop valve when the conditions of operation have been restored to normal position.

Other objects of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

There are in use and on the market at the present time a number of devices for stopping an elevator car at or near the limits of travel, but all of these devices are objectionable, owing to the fact that should the stop actuating means become broken or disarranged the stop device at once becomes inoperative and thus creates a source of danger. My invention overcomes this objectionable feature, for, should the actuating means for operating the stop valve become broken or otherwise made inoperative, the stop valve would at once act to cut off the motive fluid and bring the elevator to rest.

lVhile my invention is adapted to fluid pressure elevators of all descriptions, it is particularly applicable to plunger elevators.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates my invention as applied to a plunger elevator; Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of my auwmatic stop valve together with the main or motor cylinder controlling valve, the casin s of the two valves being cast. integral; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of my automatic stop valve and the main valve as adapted to a piston or oil'- culating elevator machine; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through Fig. 3 on the line ab,' Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 3 on the line c-(Z; and Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 5 on the line E'E looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar reference characters are used throughout the various figures.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, C denotes an elevator car with guide shoes 2 and 2 adapted to travel over the vertical guide rails 1 and 1, respectively, the latter being shown as broken away portions. 3 designates the operating plunger connected at its upper end to the elevator car C and traveling in the plunger cylinder 4, this cylinder being of such a length as to contain the plunger 3 when the same is in its lowermost position and the car is at the lower limit of its travel. The main valve 5 which controls the flow of motor fluid to and from the cylinder 4: has the usual inlet and exhaust openings at 7 and 6, respectively. 8 designates a pilot valve which controls the operation of the main valve The main valve and pilot valve stems are connected by the levers 9 and 10 to a centrally pivoted lever 11 upon which are mounted the sheaves 12 and 12. Pivoted at 32 to a bracket attached to the car, is a manual lever 15 provided with a handle 16 adapted to be grasped by the operator. At the lower end of the operating lever 15 is rigidly attached a lever 14: to one end of which is fastened a cable 13 passing around the sheave l2 and over a sheave 17, whence it leads down and is connected to the opposite end of the lever 14. A similar rope 13 is fastened to the other end of this lever and passes around the sheaves 12 and 17 and is rigidly-connected to the first-named end of the lever 1%. Attached to the frame-work 18 carrying the sheaves 17 and 17 is a cable 19 which passes over direction sheaves 20 and 20 mounted upon the overhead beam 22 and has fastened to it a weight 21, the purpose of which is to keep a uniform tension on the operating cables 13 and 13'. Any movement of the operating handle 16 will rock the levers 14 and 11 by means of the cables 13 and 13 in a well known way to operate the pilot valve 8 which will cause the main valve to regulate the inflow or outflow of motive fluid to or from the power cylinder 1 by the pipe 31.

cylinder 4 and thereby effect the lifting or lowering of the car. Attached to the top of the car C at 23 is a cable 2% which after passing over the direction sheaves 25 and 26 mounted on the overhead beam 22, is connected to the counterweight 27.

The foregoing description applies to an ordinary form of plunger elevator system and contains nothing new or novel in the art.

Attached to the main valve 5 by the pipes 28 and 29 is an automatic stop valve 30 which in turn is connected to the plunger All motor fluid passing to or from the cylinder 1 must of necessity pass through the stop valve 30 and pipe 31. To the upper end of the stop valve stem 33 is attached a rope or cable which passes up through the elevator hatchway and over the direction pulleys 35 and 35 mounted on the overhead beam After passing over the pulley 35 the cable 3% leads down the hatchway and under the direction pulleys 4L1 and 11 which are located at or near the bottom of the elevator well. The free end of the cable 3% is fastened to the weight 12 which latter is connected to the lower stem 13 of the stop valve 30.

Near the upper end of the hatchway is a small lever 36 pivoted at 37, the opposite end being fastened to the stop valve cable 34 at the point 50. Near the lower end of the hatchway is a similar lever 18 pivoted at 17 and carrying a roller 49 on one end, the other end being fastened to the cable 3 1 at 51. Between the fixed pivot point 17 and the connection 51 is fastened at a. suitable point such as 16, a cable M which has con nected at its lower end a weight 45. Normally this weight A5 rests on the bottom of the hatchway or is supported from underneath in some other suitable manner. Preferably the right-hand portions of the levers 36 and 16 are horizontal .as shown.

Mounted upon the car are two cams or wedge-shaped pieces 40 and 30. These cams are similar in shape but are mounted reversely with respect to each other and in substantially parallel planes; that is, the cam 40 is shown as being behind the cam The roller 33 carried by the lever 36 placed in such a position as to be engaged by the cam 39 when the elevator car ap proaches its upper limit of travel. Similarly the cam 40 engages the roller 49 when ever the car nears its lower limit of travel. The cams and rollers are so set or placed with respect to each other that the proper cam will engage its corresponding roller, only.

The cylindrical lining or shell 66 in which the valve 66 operates is provided with passages or ports 541, 0.) consisting of perforations or openings through the shell. By reference to Figs. 2 and 1-, it will be seen that 1 some of these perforations communicate with passages 28, 29 leading to similar ports 52, 53 in the main valve cylindrical lining 56, while others communicate with similar passages leading to the pipe 31. As indicated in said figures, direct communication between the pipe 31 and the main valve cylinder is out 011 except through the shell 66, as the walls or partitions shown in Fig. :1: extending inwardly to the shell 66 cut off direct communication between the passages Q9, 28 and the corresponding passages leading from said shell to the pipe 31. It will thus be seen that with the valve 66 in its intermediate position, if the main valve 56 is lowered communication will be established from the supply pipe 7 through the port 53, passage 29, port and cylinder 66, and thence to the pipe 31. If the main valve 56 is lifted above its central position. the port will be open and communication established between the exhaust pipe 6 and the pipe 31. If the valve 66 is moved upwardly, it will close the port 54, and if lowered it will close the port 55. The pipes 28 and 29, Fig. 1, are simply a modified form of the passageways 28, 29 between the main valve and the stop valve.

The parts during normal operation are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the stop valve 30 being in an intermediate position and establishing an unobstructed passage for the motor fluid to and from the cylinder 4. The stop valve 66 when moved upwardly from its normal or intermediate position, closes all communication between the pressure supply pipe 7 and the plunger cylinder at; similarly when the stop valve 66 is moved downwardly all connnunication between the exhaust pipe 6 and the plunger cylinder 1 through pipe 31 is cut off.

Assuming that the operating handle 16 has been moved by the elevator attendant. in a direction to effect the lowering of the car, the pilot valve 8 will operate to efiect the opening of the main valve 5 and establish ccnununication between the plunger cylinder fl: through the pipe 31, stop 'alve 30 and pipe 23, and the exhaust pipe 6. The car 0 together with the plunger 3 is considerably heavier than the counterweight 27. There fore the motor fluid with which the cylinder 4: is filled will be forced out through the exhaust pipe 6 and the car will descend. As the car moves downwardly and approaches its lower limit of travel, the cam l0 will engage the roller 49 and upon any further downward movement the roller will be moved downwardly causing the lever arm 48 to move upon its pivot 17 and thus exert an upward pull. upon the tables 3-1 and M which are rigidly attached to it. An upward pull upon the "able 3% at the point 51 will exert a downward pull upon the stop valve stem 1-3 to which it is attached. This action is assisted by the weight 42. The stop valve will therefore be gradually closed as the car moves downwardly, thereby cutting oil? the flow of exhaust fluid, and since there is now no outlet for the exhaust, the plunger and consequently the elevator car, are brought to rest. The upward pull upon the cable 44 causes the weight to be raised a short distance. This weight 45 is considerably heavier than the smaller weight 42. It now it is desired that the car be lifted, the handle 16 is actuated by the operator to the other side; as before the pilot valve will -ause the main valve to move and supply motive fluid to the plunger cylinder 4 from the pressure supply pipe 7. This fluid can pass through the stop valve 30, the exhaust only being closed. As the fluid finds its way into the plunger cylinder the car is raised and the weight 45 will act to return the stop valve stem to its intermediate position as the cam 40 is carried out of engagement with the roller 49. When the weight 45 finally rests upon its support, all of the parts will have returned to normal conditions. The elevator car may proceed upwardly until when near its upper limit of travel, the cam 39 will engage the roller 38 carrying it upwardly and causing the lever arm 36 to swing about its fixed pivot 37 and thereby exert a downward pull upon the cable 34, the-weight 45 in this instance exerting no influence whatever. A downward pull upon the cable 34 at the point will cause the stop valve stem to be raised against the action of the weight 42. This will operate the stop valve to gradually cut off the supply of fluid to the plunger cylinder and thereby prevent any further upward movement of the elevator car. The car, however, is free to descend again since the exhaust passage through the stop valve is open, it being merely necessary to move the operating handle 1.6 to a position corresponding to such downward movement; the main valve being moved so as to allow the motive fluid to escape from the plunger cylinder. As the car descends, the cam 39 will move away from the roller 38 and the weight 42 is now enabled to return the stop valve to its normal operating conditions. Thus it is readily seen that whenever the elevator car tends to travel beyond its normal limits either up or down. the stop valve 30 will automatically operate to bring the ear to rest and thereby effectually prevent any of the numerous accidents that may happen from this cause alone.

Should for any reason the cable 34 become broken or unduly stretched, the weight 42 would at once pull the valve stem 43 to its lowermost position thereby placing the stop valve 66 and the safety *alve 65 in such positions that the flow of motive fluid would be &

to restand could not be again operated until the able 34 was repaired.

By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the preferred construction of my automatic stop valve is clearly shown. In this figure instead of having the main valve connected to the stop valve by the pipes 29 and 2-8 as in Fig. 1, they are cast integral, the passages 529 and 28 having the same functions as the pipes 29 and 28, respectively. The main valve 5 is shown as a diflerential valve, the cross-sectional area of the cylinder 58 being greater than that of the cylinder 59. Both the main valve and the stop valve adjacent are shown in their normal inoperative positions. The pilot valve is not shown, it being well known in the art and hence needs no description. The stop valve stems 33 and 43 are continuations of each other and have mounted upon them two cylinder valves 65 and 66. The pipe 31 which leads to the plunger cylinder is connected to a chamber which leads through the valve ports 54 and to the ports and 52, respectively, these latter leading into the main valve cylinder 59 and being under the control of the main valve piston 56. A safety 'alve is mounted on the valve stem 33 and is adapted to close a passage between the port 53 and chamber 60 when in its extreme lowermost position. Ordinarily the valve 66 operates to close the passages or ports 54 and 55, but when the rope 34 breaks the valve 65 closes the ports 54 and the valve 66 closes the ports 55. When the stop valve cable 34 causes the valve 66 to move downwardly, the latter closes the ports 55 and thereby closes the passage to the exhaust pipe 6 through the main valve cylinder 59 and the port 52, the main valve at this time being up to connect the exhaust pipe 6 with the port 52. In a similar manner when the stop valve rod is raised by the car reaching its upward limit, the ports 54 will be closed by the stop valve 66, thereby cutting off the pressure supply to the plunger cylinder through pipe 7 and the valve port Should the stop valve rod 43 be moved to its extreme lowermost position, as in the event of the valve cable 34 becoming broken, the valve 66 will close the exhaust port 52 and the valve 65, which is under ordinary cir cumstanccs not brought into use, will close the supply port 53. This will block the cylinder pipe 31, preventing both the admission and escape of motive fluid from the plunger cylinder and thereby at once stopping the elevator car from further movement in either direction.

Fig. 3 illustrates my improved automatic stop valve in connection with a main valve adapted to a hydraulic elevator of the circulating type, the stop valve being the same cut ofl both to and from the plunger (ylinder l in construction and operation as heretofore,

4. Thus the car would be instantly brought the only change being in the main valve. In Y a patent to Venn and Smith, ga -114,610, granted Nov. 5, 1889, for an improvement in hydraulic valve apparatus is fully disclosed a main valve similar to that shown in Fig. 3 of this application. By reference to this patent and to Figs. 3, 1, 5 and 6 of this application, the operation of this valve can be readily understood without detailed description here. In Fig. 6 is illustrated a re lief valve 61 in the circulating pipe 6st. A similar arrangement is disclosed in my Patent, No. 685,231, granted Oct. 22, 1901, for an improvement in automatic stop valves for hydraulic elevators. The stop valve in this instance is connected between the main valve and the motor cylinder, 31 designating the port or passage between the stop valve mechanism and the said cylinder. \Vhen the car ascends the supply port 7 is open through the main valve and when the car approaches its upper limit of travel the stop valve 66 closes the port To prevent too sudden stopping of the hydraulic cylinder piston, the relief valve 61 operates when the supply is cut oflt. hen the main valve is moved downwardly the car may descend while the motor fluid circulates through the pipe 6 1. That is, when the main valve is moved upwardly the pressure supply pipe 7 communicates directly with the circulating pipe 6% above the relief valve 61 as indicated in Fig. 6. Pressure is therefore exerted on top of the piston in the hydraulic cylinder to effect an upward movement of the car. At the same time that the main valve is opened the passage 52 is opened to the exhaust pipe 6 thus allowing the fluid beneath the piston in the hydraulic cylinder to escape while the car is ascending. Now when the car approaches its upper limit of travel, the stop valve 66 will be moved downwardly automatically to close the exhaust passages and bring the motor piston and car to rest. The main valve 67 is a cylindrical throttle valve fixed to the valve stem 68 by means of spiders so that the fluid may pass through this valve. The stop valve 66 is preferably of similar construction. On the downward movement of the valve 67 the supply pipe 7 is opened directly to the circulating pipe 6t and thence above the cylinder piston. The valve 56 at the same time opens the port 53 to the upper passage of the stop valve casing through the port (A and thence through the pipe 31 to the lower side of the cylinder piston. It will therefore be evident that when the main valves 67 and 56 are thus moved to their lower positions the car may descend by reason of its unbalanced load, the fluid circulating through the pipe 6 1, valves 67, 56, ports 5% to pipe 81 and the cylinder below the piston, any variations of displace ment being taken up by the supply from the pipe 7. lVhen the car reaches its lower limit of travel the stop valve 66 must be moved upwardly to cut oi the circulation and automatically stop the car. This necessitates a reverse arrangement to that of the plunger elevator system in Fig. 1, and can be accomplished by the use of direction sheaves, the weight 42 remaining connected to the lower end of the stop valve stem to effect a closure of both passages in the stop valve casing if the limit stop cable should break, and thus stop the car and prevent movement thereof until the cable is repaired.

Obviously, various changes in the details and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and I desire therefore not to be limited to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to have protected by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of a weight normally supported in a stationary position, an actuating device in position to be operated upon by the car or a part carried by the car, and connections between said actuating device and the weight for lifting the latter when said device is operated, and a flexible connection extending from said actuating device to said stop valve for operating the valve when said device is actuated.

2. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve of a weight, an actuating device connected to said weight, a con nection between one side of the valve and said actuating device, and a connection between the other side of said valve and said actuating device.

3. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of a flexible connection between the two sides or ends of said valve, one or more actuating devices connected to said flexible connection, and a weight on a fixed support connected to said flexible con nection to hold the valve in normal position.

1. In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of a weight connected to said valve tending to close the same, a rope or cable connecting the ends of the valve, actuating devices for said cable, and an additional weight overcoming the action of the first-named weight to hold the valve normally in open position.

In an elevator, the combination with an automatic stop valve, of a weight connected to one end of said valve and tending to close the same, acable connecting the ends of said valve, pivoted levers having one arm of each attached to said cable, and an additional weight connected to said cable and normally holding the valve open against the action of said first-named weight.

6. In an elevator, the combination with a car, motor and controlling means, of an automatic stop valve, a weight tending to 7 closing of the valve.

7. In an elevator, the combination with a car, motor and controlling means, of an automatic stop valve, a cable connecting the ends of the valve, a weight to close the valve if the cable should break, an additional weight connected to said cable to hold the valve normally in open position against the action of the firstnamed Weight, cams connected to the car in planes parallel to each other, and levers having one arm of each connected to said cable and the other arm arranged in the paths of movement of the respective arms.

8. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, motor and controlling means, of a casing having separate passages connecting the motor and controlling means, a single valve for controlling said passages, and means operated by the car for actuating said valve.

9. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, motor and cont-rolling means, of a stop valve device having a plurality of passages, a single valve for controlling said passages, and means operated automatically by the car for actuating said valve.

10. In a hydraulic elevator, the combina tion with a car, motor and controlling means, of a reciprocable throttling valve, a casing for said. valve having a supply passage and an exhaust passage controlled by said valve, and automatic limit stop apparatus operated by the car to actuate said valve to one of its closed positions.

11. In an elevator, the combination with main valve apparatus, of an auxiliary valve, a casing for said auxiliary valve having a supply passage and an exhaust passage controlled by said auxiliary valve, operating means for said valve, and an additional valve for closing one of said passages while the auxiliary valve closes the other passage upon the operating means becoming deranged.

12. In a hydraulic elevator, the combina tion with a car, motor and controlling means, of a stop valve, a casing therefor having a supply passage and an exhaust passage controlled by said valve, means operated by the car for actuating said valve to effect a stop ping of the car at the limits of its travel, and a safety valve connected to said stop valve and co-acting therewith to close both of said passages upon said valve-operatingmeans becoming ineiiective.

13. In a hydraulic elevator, the combination with a car, hydraulic motor and controlling means, of a stop valve, a casing for said valve having a supply passage and an exhaust passage between said motor and controlling means, a safety valve, a valve stem rigidly connecting both valves, 21 cable connecting the ends of the valve stem and passing up and down the elevator well adjacent the car, a lever mounted on a fixed pivot at or near the upper limit of travel of the car and attached to said cable, an additional lever similarly mounted and connected near the lower limit of travel of the car, cams carried by the car and reversely arranged in different planes to strike the respective levers and effect the actuation of the cable and the closing of one of said passages by the stop valve, a movable weight connected to said cable and normally resting on a fixed support, and an additional weight connected to the valve stem to actuate both valves to eli'ect the closure of both passages and the stopping of the car if the cable should break.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC I-I. VENN.

WVitnesses HYATT L. GAnmsoN, CAMPBELL Soo'r'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

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