US1292851A - Liquid-elevating apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

T. -W. MURPHY.

LIQUID ELEVATING APPARATUS APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. I918.

Patented J an. 28, 1919.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

THOMAS W. MURPHY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LIQUID-ELEVATING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

Application filed February 7, 1918. Serial No. 215,755.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS W. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing in have invented Liquid-Elevating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined liquid and air inlet elevating and controlling device operating automatically in conjunction with tanks, piping, etc., to utilize air under pressure for automatically raising bodies of liquid from a low to a higher level, and one object of said invention is to provide a relatively simple combination of parts which for a given size and length of pipe shall have a greater capacity than similar apparatus of the same general class.

It is further desired to provide a liquid elevating apparatus, which by reason of certain novel constructions and connections, shall be capable of combining the check and, the air-controlling valves in a suitable casing in the inlet pipe and thereby materially decrease the expense of said system.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic liquid and air-controlling device which, in addition to being capable of intermittently raising bodies of liquid when supplied with air under pressure, shall be lighter in weight and simpler in construction than has hitherto been the case in similar apparatus of the same general class and capacity, owing to the liquid inlet check and air-controlling device being combined in one casing.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation, to some extent diagrammatic and partly in vertical section, illustrating a liquid elevating apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the lower portion of the valve casing forming part of my invention; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the float valve casing and its associated parts.

In the above drawings, 1 represents a supply reservoir or tank and 2 a second tank or receiving reservoir which is supported at a higher level than the tank 1 and to which. the liquid from the latter is to be. delivered. For this purpose there is provided a closed vessel or blow tank 3, suitably supported at a level below the tank 1 in such position that liquid may flow to it under the action of gravity through a connecting conduit 4: in which is mounted an automatic valve device including a casing 5 made up of an upper part 6 and a lower part 7.

The outlet from the lower part 7 of the valve casing is suitably connected to the top of the blow tank 3 from which the liquid is discharged through a pipe 8 to the elevated tank 2. A vent pipe 9 connects with the top of the blow tank 3 and leads to the top of the supply tank 1 or other suitable free discharge point; there being connected in this pipe a check valve 10 which, while preventing relatively rapid flow of fluid such as liquid or air under pressure from the blow tank 3, will permit the gradual flow of the air displaced by an inflow of liquid to said blow tank through the automatic valve device.

The automatic valve device is characterized by having at the upper end of the channel 11 in its lower portion 7, a conical seat designed for the reception of a float 12 which serves as a valve member. A suitable number of air passages 13 formed in the body of the casing open on the surface of said conical seat which, as shown in Fig. 2, is formed by the adjacent ends of a number of radial arms 14- connected by bridge section 14. These arms and bridge sections together form an annular open position support for a check valve 15 in the form of an inverted cup-shaped structure which has a limited vertical movement within a chamber 16 formed in the upper part 6 of the valve casing.

An annular air-supply chamber 17 into which the outer ends of the air passages 13 open, is formed between the parts 6 and 7 of said casing and has connected to it a passage 18 which, under operating conditions, is supplied with air at a relatively high pressure.

The top of the chamber 16 of the casing part 6 is formed to constitute an annular seat for the check valve 15 and there are passages 19 formed in its side walls and opening on its under face in position to communicate with other passages 20 opening on the top face of the lower valve section 7 and leading into the passage 11.

When the above described apparatus is to be used for elevating liquids such as acid, those parts in contact therewith are made of lead or other suitable material having the necessary structural strength, and ordinarily the float 12, being seated on the conlcal sur faces of the inner ends of the arms 1'4 erases the inner ends of the air passages 13. When therefore, it is desired to transfer liquid from the tank 1 to the tank 2, a suitable stop valve 21 in the pipeline 4 is opened it being understood that the passage 18,- although connected to a source of air under pressure, is cut ofl from" the interior of the valve casing by the float 1-2.;

As the, liquid flows from the tank 1 through the pipe 4:- into the valve casing 5', it strikes the top of the check valve 15 and passes around it through the passages 19 and 20 into the channel. 11, from whence it flows into and, gradually fills the blow tank 3. The air displaced by the rise of liquid in thelatter tank flows through the vent pipe' 9 into the tank 1, passing through the check valve 10 Without aiic'cting it. The flow of liquid from the tank 1 continues until the blow tank is filled, after which it rises the; channel 11 and striking the float 12-, raises thisslightly from its seat, it being notedthat such movement is rendered po sible in spite of the inflow of liquid by reason of the inverted cup-shape design of the check valve 15 and the provision of an air space 22 between the top of said float and the under or inside of said check valve. This unseating, ofthe float due to the impact of the risin-gliquid, perm-its air under high pressurle to enter the valve casing through the passage 18,- the annular chamber 17 and the passages 13, with the result that the check valve 15 is moved forcibly i'rpt'vard into engagement withits seat at the top of the chamber 16 and caused to cut oif further floygv of liquid as well as to prevent the escape of air through the pipe 4 to the tank; 1.

The air delivered through the passage 18 therefore acts upon the liquid in the blow tank 3,; forcing this out through thepipe 8 into the tank 2. At the same time the flow of liquid through the vent-pipe 9to the tank 1: is effectuallyprevented since the movable element of the check valve 10 is raised by thepressure of the air acting on the colmnn of liquid which raised in the vent pipe after the filling of the blow tank 3 and caused to seat until such time as the pressure within the blow tank .3 is relieved. The flow from the delivery pipe 8 therefore continues untilthe tank; 3,is so far emptied. that the air delivered through the channel 18; passages 13 and;- channel 11*, escapes through said pipe, whereuponsincethe air passages 13 are of considerably less area than that of the dischargepipe 8, asudden reduction of the pressure in the blow tank 3 takes place and perm-its the float 12- to drop into position to close the air inlet passages 13. The check valve 15. is-likewise permitted to again unseat itself and rest on the arms 14 while the movable member of the check valve 10 also returns to its normal unseated position. A fresh supply of liquid is then free to pass from the tank 1, through the pipe l, into the blow tank 3.

If desired, I may omit the bridge sections 14f of the bottom seat for the check valve 15 Where these extend between the inner ends of the arms 14:, if the float 12' fits into the check valve 1-5 with sufficient tightness to prevent'liquid gainingaccess to the space between these members. When the: blow tank 3 has been again filled with liquid, the impact actuated float 12 and check valve 15 are. caused to operate as above described with the result that second body of liquid is delivered from said-tank 3'to the elevated tank 2,: and theoperation is repeated automatically so long as liquid and compressed air are delivered to said tank 3.

By the provision of the two co-actin'g valves 12 and 15 I amenabled to utilize the pipe 4, in which is connected the air controlling valve, for the deli-very of liquid into the blow tank 3 from! the tank 1 without requiring an independent check valvein this pipe to prevent back flow of liquid. The

pipe 9 with its check valve 1-0 will be of check valve and air-controlled device, I am able to obtain amaterially increased capacity as compared with apparatus having the same sizes of pipes, position of tanks, air pressure and liquid handled, etc, but our ployi-ng a flapper or piston check valve in the line between the supply and blowtanks. This advantageous result is due to the fact that the flow of liquid through my valve structures is not retarded as is ordinarily the case where the check valve member itself is of lead or similar heavy n'iaterial necessitated when sulfuric acid, for example, is to be handled. The liquid in the supply tank flowsto the blow tank under a relatively small head, 6., usually three to ten feet, and a heavy check valve of the flapper or piston type seriously retards such flow, where; inmy apparatus, by reason oiithe air and liquid control-lingdevices arrangedand constructed as above described, the flow from said-supply tank is unrestricted.

I claim-2 1-. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of asource of liquid; a blow tank; a'- delivery pipe leading from saidta'nk; aconduit connecting said source with the blow tank; a check valve in said conduit; and a compressed-air-controlling valve also connected in the conduit.

2. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a source of liquid; a blow tank; a delivery pipe leading from said tank; a conduit connecting said source with the blow tank; and an automatic valve device in said conduit consisting of'a casing; with a check and an air-controlling valve operative in said casing.

3. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a source of liquid; a blow tank; a delivery pipe leading from said tank; a conduit connecting said source with the blow tank; with coacting check and air admission valves connected in said conduit.

4. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a source of liquid; a blow tank; a delivery pipe leading from said tank; a casing connected between the source and the blow tank; an impact-actuated float in said casing controlling the admission of compressed air to the tank; and means for rendering said float operative in the presence of inflowing liquid from the source, when the liquid in the blow tank has risen to a predetermined level.

5. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a source of liquid; a blow tank; a delivery pipe leading from said tank; a casing connected between the source and the blow tank; a float in said casing controlling the admission of air under pressure to the tank; and a check valve mounted to render said float operative in the presence of inflowing liquid from the source, when the liquid in the tank has risen to a predetermined level.

6. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a source of liquid; a blow tank; a delivery pipe leading from said tank; a conduit connecting said source with the blow tank; a check valve in said conduit; an air admission valve also connected in the conduit; a vent pipe for said tank; and a liquid-actuated check valve in 1 said vent Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a valve casing having a liquid-receiving passage therethrough and an air delivery passage opening into said first passage; a valve normally preventing flow from the air passage to the liquid passage; and a normally open check valve for preventing flow through the passage when said first valve is open.

8. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a valve casing having a chamber, air and liquid passages opening into the same, and valve seats associated with said passages respectively; two valves in said chamber of which one normally engages the seat for the air passage and the other is normally disengaged from but is formed to co-act with the seat of the liquid passage, there being a channel around said valves to normally permit flow of liquid in one direction through the casing.

9. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a casing having a chamber and air an liquid passages o ening into the same; a float valve normal y closing the air passage; and a member covering said valve in position to permit movement thereof when liquid is flowing through the casing in one direction.

10. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a casing having a chamber and air and liquid passages opening therein; a valve normally closing the air passages; with a check valve normally covering said valve and spaced away from the same in position to permit of its movement when actuated by a moving body of liquid, in spite of the movement in an opposite direction of a second body of liquid.

11. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a'casing having a chamber and air and liquid passages opening therein; a valve normally closing the air passage; with an inverted cup-shaped member normally covering said valve and spaced away from the same in position to permit of its movement when actuated by a moving body of liquid, in spite of the movement in an opposite direction of a second body of liquid.

12. Liquid elevating apparatus consisting of a valve casing having a chamber and a liquid passage opening into the same; arms projecting into the chamber and provided with at least one passage for connection to a source of compressed air; a float valve cooperating with the ends of the arms to normally prevent escape of air from said passage into the chamber; with a cup-shaped check valve extending over the float valve and formed to prevent the escape of air under pressure from a portion of the liquid passage when said float valve is moved to open the air passage.

In witness whereof I aiiix my signature.

THOMAS W. MURPHY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patentl. Washington, D, 0.

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