US1415195A - Vacuum feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

E. A. ROCKWELL. v

VACUUM FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I6. I918.

9% m m 3 m A w f m m E. A. ROCKWELL.

VACUUM FEEDING APPARAEUS. APPLICAT|0N F|LED.IULYI6.1918.

1,415,195 Patented M 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- A TTORNEYL.

' vacuum chamber is arranged to be open to STATE P E OFFICE? EDWARD A. aocxwmm, on NEW HAVEN, connnccrrcv'r, As'smnon TO 1:. A. aocxwnm. COMPANY, me, on NEW You, H. Y., A CORPORATION 0; NEW YORK. H

VACUUM FEEDING APPARATUS.

amas,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. RooKWnLn,

a citizen of the United States, and a resi-' dent of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Vacuum Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. v

The invention made is in the simplification, construction, and. operation of vacuum feeding apparatus. This apparatus 1s 'used particularly as an automobile accessory. It may as well find uses in other arts where it is deslred to feed liquids from one level to another with the main tank or reservoir at a level below thelevel of the point of needed supply. This is important where the liquid is dangerous, as in all gasolene storage and supply apparatus.

The inventions object is to eliminate the need for mechanical contrivances, such as springs, levers and'like moving parts, as far as possible. I accomplish the desired result by an arrangement of my apparatus whereby the natural laws of gravity, buoyancy, and atmospheric pressure may be utilized to my end more directly than heretofore thought possible. The operating mechanism is thus simplified to such an extent that at once it becomes more positive in action, more easily manufactured, durable and dependable in use.

A further object is to provide but one float-operated valve and in such a way as to completely render unnecessary all toggles, springs, vacuum shutsofi' valv'es,.etc., as now commonly used and at the same time make my one valve readily accessible .from the outside, without dismantling any other part of the device.

I utilize a gravity chamber open to the atmospheric pressure, a vacuum chamber, and a simple valve to automatically permit gravity feed to the former chamber from the latter chamber when the pressure in each is substantially equal and to prevent such feed when the pressures are unequal. The

a subnormal pressure chamber by a connection, for example, with the intake manifold of a running engine, and isalso arranged to be sometimes open to atmospheric pressure whereby the influence of the subnormal pressure is substantially overcome. The

vacuum chamber has a connection for liquid 7 v Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 18,

Patented May 9,1922. 1918. Serial no. 245,216.

to feed from the low level main supply tank I under atmospheric pressure to the' vacuum chamber when the latter is open to the subnormal pressure. With these chambers arranged for connections as stated, the general or common purpose of a vacuum feed system will be accomplished if the pressure in the vacuum chamber is changed alternately from subnormal to normal atmospheric. pressure, whereby the liquid may first feed to such chamber and then from it to the gravity chamber. The main requirement, then, for the purpose is to automatically change the pressure conditionsin the vacuum chamber as and when the feed of fluid is required.

I satisfy this requirement, according to one feature of my invention, byv inserting a float of high buoyancy value for action in the liquid of the vacuum chamber. I attach to this float or provide on the float itself means to lift, by reason of the fioats buoyancy, a pressure inlet valve for the vacuum cham er directly and against atm ospheric pressure, and this is accomplished without intermediate or relatively moving due to the feed from the main tank. This.

causes a rise of the float and an early engagement of the valve. Thereafter, the float can not immediately rise further, even though the liquid level does. The increased immersion of the float in the liquid increases the buoyancy until it is suflicient to overcome the atmospheric pressure holding the valve closed. Then the valve is opened and at a time designed for the liquid level in the vacuum chamber to be at its high point. Once such valve is open, the subnormal pressure in the vacuum chamber becomes normal and theliquid flows to the gravity chamber through the gravity or check valve. The buoyant float, however, holds the pressure inlet valve open even though the liquid level is falling in the vacuum chamber due to the fact that the float had to acquire a buoyancy due to a rise in liquid level suf- .ficient to open the valve against pressure. Since the valve is opened, the buoyancy to hold it open is conslderably less than that which was required to open it, so that until -the-liquid level falls sufliciently to perthe gravity chamber. The whole operation .Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview is characterized by the ph sical laws employed for the purpose and y a remarkably simple arrangement.

I -Other features of the invention will appear in the detailed description of one pre-' ferred form of'its embodiment, but such description is not intended to limit the scope ofmy invention except'as the prior .art and the claims properly interpreted thereby may require.

In the drawings,-

1 through the apparatus showing the main arran ement and parts in detail; a Fig. 2 is a top plan View;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

" .Fig. 4. is a section on the line L -4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the general arrangement of the vacuum feed apparatus in connection with the main supply tank, a carbureter, and theintake manifo (1 of an explosive engine.

, As shown, a main tank 1 is divided by a horizontal wall 21 into two chambers 2 and 3. I term chamber 3. the gravity chamber because it isat all times open to atmospheric pressure .and the liquid flows by gravity to" and from this chamber 3. The chamber 2 above the horizontal wall 21 I term a vacuum chamber because the pressure within this chamber is at the proper time and under the proper conditions below atmospheric pressure and thus, on the vacuum principle, the liquid is fed under atmospheric pressure to this chamber 2 from the main supply tank 25 at a lower level thanthe chamber 2. The top of the chamber 2 is closedby means of a casting 16 fastened to the walls of the tank 1 in any a suitable manner.

munication with the atmosphere at all times.

These openings are in somecasesscreened, as by screen 23, and, in. general, such open ings and their primary purpose are well understood by one skilled in the art. I

The gravity chamber 3 has an opening at the bottom normally closed by screwthreaded plug 12, whereby the tank may be drained and cleaned as desired. Also, at the bottom of this tank there is the normally open connection with the pipe 13 which, as shown in Fig. 5, leads to the carbureter 26 to feed the latterby gravity. A pipe connection 6 serves as a communication between chambers 2 and 3 and is mounted in the wall 21 to provide'means' for convemently applying a valve 5 to such communication and, also conveniently hold a spider-guide 7 within which the operating rod 8 mounted on to move with the is guided.

The valve 5 is an ordinary flap valve which may be mounted generally as shown and may open to permit liquid to flow from chamber 2 through pipe 6 to chamber 3 when the pressures within the two chambers are substantially equal.v The specific form of this valve 5 is not important, except that it should open by gravity and be mounted as shown and indicated to close when the pressure in chamber 3 is greater than the pressure in chamber 2.

The valve 22 is-adapted to close the pasusage leading to the opening 24 leading directly to the outer air and may be con veniently mechanically depressed and held lightly against its seat by means of a light 'springl3O arranged between the valve and a screen 23 screw-threaded on the boss as indicated. Within the passage leading to the opening 24 the rod 8 is cut down at its ends to a triangular shape, as. shown in Fig. 3, whereby the pressure within the tank 2 will be on one side of the valve 22 while) the atmospheric pressure will be on the other or outer side.

Within the chamber 2 and arranged on and concentrically with the rod 8 there is a float 10 which I preferably make of cork properly treated, as by shellac, to withstand the action of-gasolene or other liquid which may pass through the apparatus. The upper end of this-float is large, as indicated, while depending from the enlarged end is a cylindrical portion 9. By this arrangement, I provide a float of very considerable buoyancy and one which will at practically all times have a considerable part of its volume within the liquid at whatever level the latter may be. The rod 8 moves up and down with the float 10, properly guided in straight-line movement by the spider 7 and the fact that the end of the rod 8 is guided in the opening 30' below valve pressure within the chamber 2 by reason of normally through pipe 13 5 to be closed tightly the connection 20. The liquid in the tank '25, however, is under atmospheric pressure and this condition causes the gasolene to feed through pipe 17 and opening 14 to chamber 2. I

As the chamber 2 fills, the float 1O rises and moves the rod 8 against the valve 22.

At the same time, pressure in the gravity chamber 3 is, by reason of the. connection 11 and opening 19, at atmospheric pressure and therefore greater than the pressure in the chamber 2. This condition causes the valve against its seat and prevents liquid from' assing through pipe connection 6 and open1ng-4 to the chamber 3. Whatever gasolene there is already in chamber 3, however, may, of course, feed to the carbureter 26 to keep the engine running. The float 10, "when it has been moved by the liquid entering chamber 2 so that the 'rod 8 presses agalnst the valve 22, stops because some little force beyond that given by the buoyancy of the float at this level ofthe liqu1d is required to open the valve 22. This is so because the pressure on one side of the valve is less than atmosphericv pressure while the pressure on the other side of the valve is equal to atmospheric pressure. The liquid continues now to enter the chamber 2 and increase the buoyancy of the float 10 by reason of the fact that an increased portion of the buoyant float is submerged in the liquid. In this manner the force due to the buoyancy of the float gradually becomes sufficient to open the valve 22 against the pressure stated, and as soon as the valve 22 is open. then the pressure within the chamber 2 becomes equal to the atmospheric pressure,

or substantially so, because the suction from the manifold 27 through pipe 20 cannot take away the air as fast as it enters.

As soon as the chamber 2 is open to atmosphere, then the pressure of the liquid acting through the o ening 4 is suflicient to open valve 5 and the i uid starts to feed by gravity to chamber 3. he valve 22 will not close as the liquid level begins chamber 2, for the reason that it will be remembered that the float 10 came to stop against the valve 22 before the liquid level stopped rising in chamber 2 in the first part of the cycle. Thus, it is necessary for the liquid level in chamber 2 to fall to a substantial degree buoyancy necessary to keep the valve 22 open, inasmuch as such buoyancy now does not have to act against any counteracting pressure except that of gravity and the light spring 23, which may not be considered as substantial in this connection. The liquid 'level continues to fall in chamber2 and the to fall in before the float 10 loses the liquid to pass into chamber 3 untilthe valve 22 is closed and the suction from the manifold 27 causes a decrease in the pressure within chamber 2 suflicient to cause the atmospheric ressure in chamber 3 to close the valve 5. hen the latter closes, the operations are repeated.

It is important to note, as will be emphasized in the embodiment and description of the invention shown, that there is a substantial delayed action in the opening and closing of valve 22 and that this delayed action is characterized by pressures and float-buoyancy conditions to a far greater degree than by the mechanics of moving parts. Thus, the desired result is accomlished in an extremely simple manner.

he only moving parts in the apparatus are the valve 22 .of the simplest form, the float 10 and its attached rod 8 moving therewith but not with relation thereto, and the valve 5. Such movements as occur are substantially straight-line movements. The only care required in manufacture and maintenance beyond ordinary pipe fitting is to 1 general description of the invention that the valve 22 may-be opened and kept open for the desired time by designing the area of the valve on which the atmospheric pressure bears compared to the area of the valve exposed to the pressure within the chamber 2. Also, thetime may be controlled by the design of the float 10 and the degree of its buoyancy.

The features of the invention may be utilized in other ways than that shown in the preferred embodiment of it, but it is not thought necessary to show such variations as might properly come within the scope of the invention as now claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A vacuum feed apparatus having in combination, a tank or chamber designed to receive liquid under subnormal pressure and discharge it under normal pressure and pressure-controlling means for said chamber to alternately permit and then prevent subnormal pressure therein comprising a valve located in an opening from the chamber to normal pressure, a float of high buoyancy ,value in the liquid of the chamber, and

a buoyancy value to open the valve against atmospheric pressure before said valvecan open and fall to a level suflicient to immerse the float for a less' buoyant value to fall wth the liquid before said valve can close.

2. A Vacuum feed apparatus, comprising in combination a vacuum tank and means including a valve to intermittently change the res sure therein at timed intervals according to the liquid level in the tank, such means including a regulating float of high buoyancy value arranged to directly operate said valve, and a device to cause the float H to act as a regulator by a comparatively wide range of increase and decrease in the buoyancy value of the float under the rise and fall of liquid with respect to the float.

3. A vacuum feed apparatus comprising, a vacuum tank orchamber, a regulating float therein and a pressure-controlled valve I member having direct engagement with and causing the float-to act by a comparatively wide range of increase and decrease in buoyancy value as the liquid rises and falls in the chamber with respect to the float;

4. A vacuum feed apparatus comprising,

a vacuum tank or chamber, a lift valve In an opening to the atmosphere from the chamber arranged to have a substantial area for atmospheric pressure to hold it closed, av

float within the chamber designed to have its buoyancy force directly balance such atmospheric pressure at the time when the Valve should open, said float being formed and arranged to exert pressureon and maintain immovable relation with said valve through the entire chamber-filling operation.

5. For the purpose described, a tank and a substantially T-shaped float therein to insure a substantial body immersion under the conditions described, the cross-sectional area of the head portion and of the stem portion of the float being unchanged throughout their respective lengths. a

6. A vacuum feed apparatus, comprising a vacuum tank or chamber having an opening to the atmosphere and a valve for said opening entirely accessible from outside the chamber, an opening from the chamber to a region of subnormal pressure, said firstnamed opening being sulficient, in size to render the influence of the second 0 emng' negligible when the valve of the or-mer opens, and a float within the chamber-relatively immovable with relation to said-valve and arranged to transmit its functional movement directly" to the said valveto open the same.

.7. A vacuum feed apparatus comprising a vacuum tank or chamber connected .by a passage to'a region of subatmospheric pressure and having an openingto theatmos- 'phere of greater cross-sectional area thanthat of said passage, a valve controlling the vi opening, a float of T-shaped vertical section 1n the tank, means connected toQthe float for operating the valve, and a fuel intake and exit ort in the tank.

8. vacuum feed apparatus comprising a vacuumtank orchamber connected by a. passage to a region of subatmospheric pressure and having an opening to the atmosphere of 'reater cross-sectional area than that of sa1 section in the tank, a vertical rod on the float for liftingthe valve, and a fuel intake and exit port in the tank,

9. A vacuum feed apparatus comprising a vacuum tank or chamber connected by a passage to a region of s'ubatmospheric pressure and having an opening to the atmosphere of greater cross-sectional area than-that of passage, a lift valve controlling the.- opening, a single float of T-shaped vertical

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