USRE12848E - Valve-controlling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

No. 12,848. REISSUED sBPT.'s, 1908.

P. HODGKINSUN. VALVE GUNTROLLING MBGHANISM.

APPLIGATON FILED 00124, 1904.

z SHEETS-snm 1.

duf Jh@ No. 12,848.- REISSUED SEPT. a, 1908.

F, HODGKINsoNf. VALVE GONTRAQLLING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED O'OT. 4, 1904'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wmvEssEs: INVENTOR Kay-My -OWW TTQNEY controlling mechanism for regulating or conconstiuction and effective and certain -in will be illustrated and described in connec- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS HODGKINSON, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEST- INGHOUSE MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE-CONTROLLING- ME CHANISM.

Original No. 751,510, dated February 9, 1904, Serial No. Serial No.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HODGKIN- SON, a subject of the Kingof Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valve-Controlling Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to valves and valvetrolling a supply of fluid to a steam-engine or other machine or apparatus; and it has for its object to provide a device of this character which shall be comparatively simple in operation.

My invention is rimarily designed for use 1n connection witi steam-turbines, and it tion with engines of this character, but without intention of limiting it, so far as the structural features of the valve and its operating and controlling mechanism are concerned, to this s ecific relation.

It as heretofore been customary to rovide fluid-pressure turbines of the multicellular or Parsons type with what has been termed by-pass valves, which serve to take steam from the high-pressure part of the engine, usually at a point after it has assed the speed-regulating valve controlled y the governor and before entering the first set of guide-blades of the turbine, and supplying such high-pressure steam directly to a oint in the turbine where the steam is norma ly at a lower pressure and of greater volume, for the purpose of insuring the development of-a greater amount of power under certain conditions of operation. 1While such increase of power is obtained at some sacrifice of economy, the exigencies of o eration of power plants render it occasiona y desirable to obtain an increase of power even at a sacrifice of economy.

Valves for the use above indicated have heretofore been operated by hand after the manner of an ordinary throttle-valve, as occasion demanded, and it is one of the objectsV of my present invention to provide means whereby such a valve may automatically open when the load on the engine exceeds a normal maximum and will automatically close when the load returns to the normal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Reissued Sept. 8, 1908.

108,799. Application for reissue filed october 4, 1904. 227,169.

is a side elevation of a steam-turbine provided with my improvement; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the automatic valve and its operating means; and Fig. 3 is a figure similar in a respects to Fig. 1, except that the speed regulating valve is included.

The turbine 1, which is shown in outline, receives steam through the inlet-port 2 and exhausts through the port 3, high-pressure steam being also supplied to an intermediate;

point from any suitable point oi` source through a pipe or other conduit 4 by means of my valve mechanisnn to be hereinafter described, when the load on the engine exceeds the normal.

The valve casing or chamber 5 is provided with an outer chamber, which is in open communication with the pipe 4, and with an inner chamber 7, which is in open communication with an inlet-port 7 a through a hollow valve 8. The valve 8 when seated cuts off communication between the outer chamber 6 and both the inner chamber 7 and the inlet-port 7, said inner chamber and port being in o en communication with the inletport of t e turbine. The stein 9 of the valve 8 is provided with a piston 10, fitted to operate in a cylinder 1 1, above which is a chamber 12, containing a coil-s ring 13, which acts normally to hold the va ve 8 to its seat. The chamber 12 is in communication with the chamber 7 by means of a small hole 14, so that the steam may gradually leak through into the chamber 12, and thus equalize the pressures upon the two ends of the piston 10. The chamber 12 is also connected with a pipe or conduit 15, which may be provided with a hand-operated throttle-valve 16, and which terminates in a small annular chamber 17 in a casting 18. A cylindrical bushing 19 is located in the casting 18 and is provided with ports 20, which open into the annular chamber 17, and with ports 21, which open into a chamber 22 in the casting, which is provided with an exhaust pipe or conduit 23. The bushing 19 is provided with a piston-valve 24, having an intermediate portion 25 of reduced diameter and of such length that the ports 21 are always open. Between the reduced portion 25 and the portion that normally closes the ports 20 the opposite sides are beveled, as indicated at 26, so as to insure a gradual opening of the ports 20.

The valve 24 is connected to the reciprocating sleeve 27 of a fly-ball governor 28, which may be either the main governor of the engine or a special governor for this valve. As here shown, however, it is utilized for controlling both the speed of the turbine and the valve 24, the lever'29 and link 30 being employed for connecting thegovernor to a regulating-valve 33 in the usual manner, so that an increase of speed causing the governor-balls 31 to fly outward will effect a closing movement of the regulating-valve, and vice versa.

It will be understood that the main regulating-valve, which is operated by the lever 29 and the link 30, is capable of suiiicient movement beyond that necessary for supplying full pressure to the inlet end of the turbine to permit movement of the governorballs inwardly to a position beyond that which corresponds to normal maximum load.

When the engine is running at normal speed and under full load, the governor-balls 31 will be in substantially the positions indicatedv in the drawings, and if the load in creases so as to decrease the speed-the balls will move inward toward the governor-shaft 32, and thus lower the valve 24 sufficiently to -partially o en the ports 20, and thus permit a slight ow of steam from the chamber 12 through the pipe 15, chamber 17, ports 20 and 21, chamber 22, and exhaust-pipe 23.

This action correspondingly reduces the pressure in the chamber 12, and thus permits the pressure in the chamber 7 to open the valve 8 slightly, and thus sup ly steam through the pipe 4 to the intermediate point of the turbine. A further movement of the valve 24will serve to produce a further fall of pressure behind the piston 10, and thus insure further movement of the valve 8 against the pessure of the spring 13, which assists in ma 'ng the valve movement steady and uniform.

In case the valve 24 opens to its fullextent substantially atmospheric pressure will be produced in the chamber 12, since the hole 14 is so small that the leakage through it takes place sl'wly, and consequently the valve 8 will be opened to its full extent.

While my invention is primarily intended for use in connection with the automatic regulation of steam-turbines, it is my intention lto include within its scope both nonautomatic and partially-automatic mechanism, in so far as there may be a demand therefor in connection with the control of a fluid-pressure supply to any machine or apparatus. It will be also understood that the apparatus may be so constructed and arranged that the main valve shall be normally held to its seat by unbalanced Huid-pressures and be moved from its seat by a spring or equivalent means when the Huid-pressure at the side having the greater area is relieved by means of the auxiliary valve, such operation being substantially a reversal of that already described.

The form, location and relative arrangement of the valves and connecting and operating means may also be otherwise varied within considerable limits without departing from the invention, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention:

1: In an engine, the combination with a main valve, a spring tending to hold it to its seat and means for subjecting it to normally balanced fluid-pressures, of a normally closed auxiliary valve and a governor connected to said auxiliary valve and actuating the same to exhaustthe fluid-pressure which supplements the action of the spring upon the main valve when more steam is required by the engine.

2. The combination with a main valve having a piston and a casing having chambers at the respective ends of the piston between which is a small leakage-passage that is always open, of a spring acting upon said piston and tending to hold the valve to its seat and an automatically-actingv auxiliary valve for reducing the duid-pressure which supplements the action of the spring.

3. The combination with a main valve.

having a casing provided with two chambers connected by a permanently-open restricted assage and the fluid-pressures in which act 1n opposite directions upon the valve, of a spring acting in conjunction with the iiuidpressure in one n of said chambers and an auxiliary valve for relieving the pressure which acts in conjunction with said spring.

4. The combination with a valve and a casing having two chambers connected by a restricted but always open passage and within which Huid-pressure acts in opposite directions upon the valve, of an auxiliary valve for relieving the pressure which tends to hold the main valve to its seat and means for automatically o ening the auxiliary valve when the demand or fluid-pressure from the source controlled by the main valve attains a predetermined value.

5. The combination with a valve embodying or provided with a piston, a casing having two chambers connected by a restricted but always-open passage and a cylinder for the said piston, of a spring tending to hold the valve to its seat and an auxiliary valve the opening of which relieves the huid-pressure which acts in the cylinder and in the chamber communicating with or forming a part thereof to supplement the action'of the spring.

6. In an engine, the combination with a main valve embodying or provided with` a piston, a casing having two chambers connected by a restricted passageyoner of which is an extension ofthe cylinder for said piston,

and a s ring tending to hold the valve to its seat, o an auxiliary valve, an engine-governor and connections between said auxiliary valve and said governor whereby the exhaust-passage from the cylinder is opened and closed in accordance with the demand of the engine.

7. The combination with a steam-turbine having an inlet-port at one end and an exhaust-port at the other and provided with a steam-conduit leading to an intermediate point, of a normally seated valve in said conduit, a casing for said valve having two chambers connected by a restricted passage and containing steam which acts in opposite directions upon the valve, of an exhaustvalve for the chamber in which the steam acts in a direction tending to close the main valve, a speed-governor and connections between said governor and the exhaustvalve.

8. The combination with a steam-turbine provided with a steam-conduit leading to a point between its main inlet and exhaust ports and a normally seated valve in said conduit, of an auxiliary governing-valve for said main valve, a speed-governor and connections between said speed-governor and said governing-valve whereby the opening and closing of said main valve is dependent upon the speed of the engine.

9. The combination with a steam-turbine,

a steam-conduit connected to a point between the inlet and exhaust ports of the turbine and a valve in said conduit which is normally subjected to oppositely-acting bo'dies of steam under pressure, of a controllingvalve for partially or wholly exhausting the body of steam which tends to hold the valve closed, a governor and connections between the same and the controlling-valve and operating to o en said controlling-valve when the speed o the engine falls below a predetermined limit.

10. The combination with a steamturbine provided with a steam-conduit leading to a point between its main inlet and exhaust ports, of a valve in said conduit, a casing for said valve comprising two chambers connected by a restricted passage and normally containing steam under pressure which acts in o posite directions upon the valve, a control ing-valve for exhausting steam-pressure from the chamber in which the steam tends to close the valve and means for automatically opening the controlling-valve when the speed 1o the engine falls below a predetermined imit.

\ 11. The combination with a steam-turbine provided with a steam-conduit connected to the engine at a point between the main inlet and exhaust ports and a valve in said conduit subjected to o positelyacting bodies of steam having a limited communication each with the other, of a controlling piston-valve for exhausting the body of steam which tends to hold the main valve closed and provided with beveled operating-surfaces whereby its movement with reference to the exhaust-port tends to gradually open or close said port.

12. In a turbine, a fluid inlet to the high pressure stage, a supplemental fluid inlet to an intermediate stage, independently operating valves regulating said inlets and means dependent on the turbine speed whereby said valves are automatically controlled.

13. ln a turbine, a main fluid inlet at the high pressure end, a valve controlling said inlet, a high pressure inlet intermediate of the main fluid inlet and the low pressure end, a valve controlling said inlet, a speed governor and means between said governor and said valves whereby the operations of said valves are independently and automatically controlled by said governor.

14. In a turbine, a main fluid inlet at the high pressure end, a supplemental fluid inlet nearer the low pressure end, a valve between the main inlet and the supplemental inlet for controlling the latter inlet, a valve controlling the fluid admitted to the main inlet and that passing the valve for the supplemental inlet, a governor and means dependent thereon for automatically operating said valves independently.

15. A turbine having a main valved inlet at the high pressure end, a supplemental valved inlet nearer the low pressure end and means for automatically controlling the valves in said inlets independently.

16. In a turbine, a main fluid inlet at the high pressure end, a valve controlling said inlet, a supplemental fluid inlet intermediate of the main fluid inlet and the low pressure end, a fluid actuated valve controlling said latter inlet and means for automatically governing the operations of both of said valves.

17. A fluid-pressure turbine and in combination, a pressure-chest, a conduit leading therefrom to an intermediate part of the turbine and a valve in the chest controlling the said conduit said valve having an opening therethrough allowing communication between the said pressure-chest and the end of the turbine, substantially as described.

18. A turbine having a plurality of pressure inlet passages disposed at different stages whereby the fluid pressure may be introduced at different points and means for automatically controlling the passing of the working fluid through said passages.

19. A turbine having a main inlet at the high pressure end and a supplemental inlet nearer the low pressure end with means for automatically controlling the latter inlet.

20. VIn combination with an elastic fluid turbine Wheel, a device for controlling the admission of live working fluid tothe inlet of said 'Wheel7 a device for controlling the admission of live Working fluid to the outlet of said Wheel and means controlled by said Wheel for operating said devices to vary the steam pressure exerted by said fluid respectively on the vopposite sides of said Wheel7 substantially as described.

21. In combination with an elastic fluid turbine Wheel7 means for admitting live Working fluid simultaneously to both sides of said Wheel7 and a device governed by the speed of said wheel for regulating the admission of said fluid to the exhaust side of said Wheel, substantially as described.

22. In combination with an elastic fluid turbine wheel and its inclosing casing, a valve for admitting live Working fluid to theinlet side of said Wheel, a valve for admitting live Working fluid to the exhaust side of said Wheel, and means controlled by said Wheels for governing the said valves, substantially as described.

23. In combination with an elastic fluid turbine Wheel and its inclosing casing, a valve for admitting lluid to the inlet of said Wheel, a valve for admitting fluid to said casing on the exhaust side of said Wheel, and means controlled by saidwheel for governing said valves, the said means being constructed and arranged to throttle the valve communicating Iwith the exhaust side prior to throttling said inlet valve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this lst day of October, 1904.

FRANCIS HODGKINSON.

Witnesses:

DAVID WiLL1AMs5 JN0. S. GREEN.

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