US2588179A - Safety control device - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1952 J THORNBERY 2,588,179

SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE Filed Spt. 16, 1947 Patented Mar. 4, 1952 SAFETY CONTROL DEVICE John H. Thornbery, Whitefish Bay, Wis.,"assignor to Milwaukee Gas Specialty Company, Milwaukee, Wis., 'a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 16, 1947, Serial No. 774,28l

-6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to safety control devices, and may be characterized as an improvement in safety control devices, in general, of the character shown and described in the copending application of Robert W. Mueller, Serial No. 561,- 082, filed October 13, 1944, now Patent No. 2,477,- 078, issued July 26, 1949.

While the particular device which I shall describedhereina'fter in connection with the drawing is a thermocouple safety shutoff device in which an armature connected to the shutoff valve is held in attracted position, with the shutoff valve in open position by an electromagnet connected in circuit with a thermocouple subject to the heat of the flame, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such a device but may be employed in other types of safety shutoff or control devices, for example, in devices using a switch for controlling a circuit for an electrore'sponsive valve instead of a safety shutoff valve connected to the armature.

It is to be further understood that the present invention may be employed in other forms of safety control devices and that it is not limited to the particular use described in the abovementioned copending application of Robert W. Mueller, but may be used elsewhere as suitable or desired.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide an improved form of safety control device that may be manipulated more expeditiously and in which the reset position of the hande may be'self-locating or located by feel and with the valve concealed to the eye, for-example, in floor furnace installations and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a better guide for the reset means mounted in the valve body; also a device in which the reset means is concealed within the valve body whereby to prevent it from being damaged during handling and operation, and to prevent side thrusts causing such reset means to jam or look.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device in which the handle is positioned or supported by spring means in such manner that, when the handle is depressed, no additional pressure will be exerted on the tapered valve plug which might otherwise cause it to jam.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described having vari-- ous features of novelty and advantages, and which is particularly characterized by its simplicity in construction, its economy in manufact'ure, andits effectiveness in use.

Further objects and advantages of the inven- Figure 1 is an axial sectional view through one form of safety control device embodying the resent invention; g

Figure 2 is a plan View of the handle "and abutment means shown in Figure-1; v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cro'ss-sectional view through the valve plug showing the pilot, open, and closed positions of the plug, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View par-' tially in elevation and showing another form of abutment means for the handle 'of the device.

Referring now to "the drawing, the burner shown at 1 is the'm'ain burner. It may be' the main burner for a 'ro'oin "or space heater, fora water heater, or for a soar furnace, an oven burner, one or more topbu'r'ners, or any other burner, and it may be of any suitable construction.

A fuel supply pipeco'nduit '2 leads 'to the burner I for the delivery of "gaseous or other fuel thereto, for example, through "a mixing chamber 3 to which air is "admitted through adjustable inlets (not shown), as well understood in the art. The safety control device "of the present invention, designated in its entirety' at 4, is connected into the 'fuel supply conduit 2 for controlling'the supply of fuel, as will presently appear.

The safety'control devi-ce '4 comprisesa valve body 5 having an inlet chamber 6, an intermediate chainber l, and an outlet passage 3. Contiguous sections 'of'the fuel supply pipe 2 are connected to the inlet chamber '6 and outlet passage 8. h V

A wall or partition :9 separates the inlet chamber 6 from the intermediate chamber 1. This wall hasa'valve opening 10. An annular valve seat is provided about the valve bpeninw upon which valve seat the yielding facing II of the thermocouplesafety valve 2 is adapted to seat to shut off communication between theinlet and intermediatechambers 6 and 1 and thereby the supply of fuel for the main burner I; also .the supply of fuel for apilot burner I3, which pilot burner is positioned in 'prpximity to the main burner l as shown in the drawing. 7 i

Screwed or otherwisesecured'at I4 in the valve body 5, axially relative to the valve opening i0, is an electromagnet housing 15. The electromagnet I6 and armature I! are disposed within the housing I5 and are preferably enclosed by an inner shell I8. A stem I9 has one end extendin into the inlet chamber 6 and attached to the thermocouple safety valve I2 preferably in a manner to permit self-accommodation of this valve I2 to its seat. The opposite end of the stem I9 extends through the adjacent end of the shell I8 and is attached to the armature I'I, also preferably in a manner to permit self-accommodation of the armature to the pole ends of the magnet frame 20.

A coiled spring 2I, interposed between the valve I2 and a spring abutment member 22 tends yieldingly to close the valve I2 and to hold it in closed position. Suitable sealing material 23 is preferably placed around the stem I9 and be tween the member 22 and the adjacent end of the inner shell I8 to prevent the passage of dust or other foreign matter into the armature and electromagnet housing along the stem I9.

The magnet frame 20 is secured, for example, to a terminal bushing 25 in the manner more fully disclosed in Henry F. Alfery Patent No. 2,318,136, issued May 4, 1943. The coil 26 of the electromagnet is wound around the legs of the magnet frame 20. The bushing 25 is shown as externally threaded for threaded engagement with a nut 21, by means of which nut the bushing 25 is clamped to the outer'end of the electromagnet housing I5.

A thermocouple, indicated at 28, or other suitable thermoelectric generator, such as a thermopile or the like, is placed so that the hot junction 29 thereof will be heated by the pilot flame as long as the pilot flame is burning. The construction of the thermocouple may be similar to that more fully disclosed in Oscar J. Leins Patent No. 2,126,564, August 9, 1938, or the construction of the thermocouple and leads therefor may be of any other suitable or preferred form.

The thermocouple lead comprises an outer tubular lead conductor 30 joined, for example, to the outer tubular thermocouple element, and an inner lead conductor 3I joined to the inner thermocouple element, as shown and described in the Leins patent above identified. The inner lead conductor 3| is insulated from the outer lead conductor 30 by a wrapping of insulation on the inner lead conductor.

A ouick detachable or removable connection is preferably provided between the ends of the leads 30 and 3| opposite the ends which are connected to the thermocouple elements. This removable lead connection may be in the form disclosed in the Henry R. Alfery patent above identified, and 15 illustrated in that form, it being understood that this connection may be'of any other suit able or preferred form. Suffice it for purposes of this description to state that the inner lead 3I has a connector cone 32 which seats in the correspondingly recessed outer end of the terminal tip 33 and is clam ed in contact therewith by a connector sleeve 34. The adjacent end of the outer tubular lead conductor 30 is connected in circuit with one side of the coil 26 through the bushing 25, and the other side of the coil is connected to the inner lead conductor 3I through the terminal tip 32.

The heat of the pilot light on the thermocouple 28 energizes the electromagnet I6 sufficiently to hold the armature I! in attracted position against the pole ends of the magnet frame 20 and the mo uple safety valve I2 in open position, but this thermoelectric current is not capable of moving the armature I1 to attracted positiqn nd the valve I2 to open position. Reset means is therefore provided for resetting or cocking the armature I! to attracted position and the valve I2 to open position.

The reset means comprises a rest stem 36 mounted for rectilinear movement in an opening 31 in the valve body 5. The axis of the reset stem 36 is in alignment with the axis of the valve and armature stem I9. A reset button 38 is secured to the outer end of the stem 36, for example, by screwing the same thereon, as shown. The reset button 38 operates slidingly in the opening 31 in the valve body.

A guide member 40 is secured in the valve body 5 at the inner end of the opening 31. The inner end of the stem 36 extends through the guide 40 into the intermediate chamber I and is guided by the guide member 40. The opening in the guide 40 through which the stem 36 extends is sealed by suitable packing M. A packing washer is provided at 42, and a coiled reset spring 43 interposed between the washer 42 and reset button 38 yieldingly holds the reset stem in the positionshown in Figure 1, and returns the stem to this position upon release thereof, as will presently appear.

A gasket or additional packing may be provided at 44, and the inner headed end of the reset stem 36 may have rib means at 45 which cooperates with the gasket or packing 44 to press the same tightly about the stem additionally to pre vent the escape of gas when the reset stem is in the position shown in Figure 1. A kerf or slot 46 may be provided in the inner end of the stem 36 for screwing the stem into the button 38.

The shutoff or control valve is in the form of a truncated conical plug 48 seated in a conical bore 49 in the valve body 5 to turn to open, closed, and pilot positions as shown in Figure 3; also to intermediate open and closed positions. The plug 48 is disposed laterally of the intermediate chamber 1 with its axis parallel with the axis of the valve and armature stem I9, and has laterally opening port means 50 for placing the inlet chamber I in communication with the outlet passage 8 for delivery of fuel to burner I also an outlet 5| opening from its inner end for sup plying fuel to a tube 52 for delivery to the pilot burner I3 when the valve plug 48 is in the position shown in Figure 3. By reference to Figure 3 it will be apparent that turning of the plug 48 a quarter of a turn, or 90, counterclockwise from the position shown will place the port means 50 in position for the supply of fuel to the main burner I and for simultaneously supplying fuel to the pilot burner I3. Another quarter or 90 turn of the valve plug in th same direction will shut off all fuel to both the main burner and the pilot burner.

The pilot tube 52, connected to the pilot outlet of the valve body 5 by a compression sleeve 53 and compression nut 54, leads to the pilot burner I3 for the purpose of supplying fuel thereto when the valve plug 48 is in pilot position as shown in Figure 3, or in on position as shown in Figure 1.

A sleeve 55 is mounted in a cylindrical opening in the valve body 5 at the outer end of the conical bore 49. This sleeve 55 is secured to the valve body, for example, by a set screw 56. The

outer end of the sleeve 55 has an inturned annular flange 51.

The valve plug 48 has a stem 59 which extends outwardly from the valve body 5. The valve plug 48 has an abutment 50, and adjacent this abutment 60 the valve plug 48 is splayed at 6|. A

combined abutment and stop member 82 has an opening which fits over the plug 48 and is shaped to cooperate with the splayed portion 6| to prevent rotation of the combined abutment and stop member 62 relative to the valve plug. A coiled spring 64, interposed between the abutment and stop member 82 and fiange 5?, maintains the conical surface of the plug 48 resiliently and, at the same time, tightly seated in the bore 49.

Rotation of the plug 48 in a counterclockwise direction (Figure 3) is stopped when the valve plug is in full closed position, and rotation of the plug in the opposite direction is stopped when it reaches full pilot position, by cooperation of a radially extending finger 55 on the abutment and stop member 52 with stops 5? formed by the ends of an opening .68- in the sleeve 55.

Turning of the valve plug 48 and resetting of the armature 28 to attracted position and valve 24 to open position is accomplished by means of an operating handle E8. The handle "HE has a here or cavity H which fits slidingly over the adjacent end of the stem 59. The handle '78 is connected to turn the stem 55;, and thereby valve plug 48, with turning movement of the handle by means of the cavity in the handle 18 which is mated to the stem 59 to connect stem 59 and thereby valve plug 48 for turning movement with handle 18. A cross pin 12, fixed in stem 59, limits the outward movement of handle i5 rela tive to stem 59.

A finger 13, which extends radially from handle '18 and is turned inwardly, is adapted to register with the reset button 38 when the plug 48 is in pilot position. In Figure 2 the finger 13 is shown in full lines out of register with the reset button 38, and in Figures 1 and 2 the finger I3 is shown in dotted lines in register with the reset button 38. The longitudinal slots 14 in the handle I8 permit longitudinal movement of the handle 10 relative to valve plug 48 inwardly from the position shown in Figure 1.

An abutment surface, for cooperation with the finger 13 when handle 18 is pressed inwardly on stem 59, is formed by an abutment or interlock member 16 having an integral cup-shaped part 11 fitting within the cylindrical opening or bore 18 in the valve body 5. The member 16 has a flange extending outwardly from the cup-shaped part, which flange prevents the handle from being depressed except in pilot [position where a suitable slot or notch 79 is provided in the flange. The finger 13 is of a shape and size to pass through the slot 19; also into the opening 31 to engage and move reset button 33 inwardly when the handle is turned to pilot position and depressed.

If the handle is depressed while in position other than pilot position, the finger 13 will engage the member !6, which permits the handle to be turned with finger 13 in cooperation with member 76. This permits self-locating of the reset position, or locating of this position by feel, i. e., by turning the handle with finger 13 in cooperation with member 76 until the finger moves into the slot or notch 19. In this way the operator of the device is apprised that the handle is in pilot position. This permits the device to be concealed to the eye, for example, in floor furnace installations and the like.

With the arrangement described, the reset button 38 is concealed within the valve body 5 with its outer end disposed inwardly of the plane of the outer surface of the member 15. This prevents the reset button from being damaged during handling and operation, and prevents the imposition of side thrusts causing means to jam or look.

The handle 10 is supported or positioned as shown in Figure 1 by a coiled spring 88 interthe reset posed between the handle and the inner end of the cup-shaped part 1! of the member 16. In this way, when handle 18 is depressed, no additional pressure is exerted on the tapered valve plug 48 which might otherwise cause it to jam.

To start the operation of the system shown in the drawing, the following sequence is followed:

Assuming that the valve plug 48 is in closed or oil position, the handle 18 is grasped and turned to turn the valve plug to the pilot position as shown, for example, in Figure 3. In this position. The opening of valve i2 with the valve plug 48 in pilot position sets up a flow of fuel to the pilot burner I3 through inlet chamber 8, valve opening l8, intermediate chamber 1, the inner end of passageway 8, port 50, pilot outlet 5|, and pilot tube 52.

ure 1 by the spring8ll.

Upon ignition of the pilot burner l3, for example, by applying a lighted match or otherwise as desired, the pilot flame, by heating the hot junction 29 of the thermocouple '28 or other thermoelectric generator, energizes the electromagnet 18 sufliciently to hold the armature H in attracted position and the valve l2 open. When the inward pressure on handle 18 is released, the handle is returned to the position shown in Fig- The spring 43 returns the reset button 38 to its outwardly projected position.

After the pilot has been ignited and the thermocouple operates to hold the thermoelectric safety valve [2 in open position, gas will flow to the main burner I if the valve plug 48 is turned to open position as shown in broken lines in Figure 3. By turning the valve plug to closed position as indicated by dot and dash lines in Figure 3, gas is shut off to both the main burner and the pilot burner and the thermo-electric safety valve I2 will then, of course, close. Intermediate positions of the valve plug 48 between open and closed positions will provide intermediate supplies of fuel to the main burner.

In the modification shown fragmentarily in Figure 4, the member 16 of the previous embodiment of the invention is omitted. The spring 89' in this case is supported by the sleeve which corresponds with the sleeve 55 of the previous embodiment of the invention. The abutment surface for cooperation with the finger 13' on handle 18' is formed directly on valve body 5. The other parts are indicated by primed reference characters corresponding with the reference characters applied to similar parts in Figure 1.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be expressly understood that the drawing and the accompanying specification are not to be construed as a definition of the limits or scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1. In a valve mechanism of the class wherein there is a valve body having a fuel inlet, an outlet for supplying fuel to a burner, a pilot outlet, a

valve plug having port means and rotatable in said valve body in cooperation with said inlet, said outlet and said pilot outlet to open, closed, and pilot positions, and wherein said valve. body has a plane outer surface, the combination with said valve mechanism of an electromagnet mounted on said valve body in position spaced laterally from the axis of said valve plug, a safety valve and connected armature structure having reciprocatory movement in said valve body in position spaced laterally from the axis of said valve plug and with the armature in alignment with the electromagnet, said safety valve and connected armature structure having one position in which the safety valve is closed and said armature is retracted from said electromagnet and another position in which the safety valve is open and said armature is attracted to the electromagnet, said valve body having a bore formed therein in position spaced laterally from the axis of said valve plug and coaxial with said safety valve and armature, said bore opening at its outer end through the plane surface on the valve body, a handle fixed on the valve plug outwardly of said plane surface to turn the valve plug to closed, open, and pilot positions and slidable on said valve plug in pilot position thereof, a reset finger extending laterally from said handle and turned inwardly at its outer end, the inward- V ly turned outer end of said finger being adapted to engage and slide over said plane surface with the turning movement of said handle and for self-entry into the outer end of said bor in pilot position of said handle, and reset means mounted for reciprocatory movement in the bore in the valve body and having its outer end exposed to the inwardly turned end of said reset finger when the valve plug is in pilot position, said reset means having its entire length at all times confined within the length of said bore, said reset finger being adapted to enter and move inwardly in the bore in the valve body and to actuate said reset means inwardly upon inward sliding movement of the handle on the valve plug in pilot position thereof, said safety valve and armature structure being positioned to be engaged and actuated to open the safety valve and to move the armature to attracted position by the inward movement imparted to said reset means.

2. Valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the reset means comprises a reset button slidable in the bore in the valve body, with its outer end disposed inwardly of the plane surface on the valve body when the reset means is projecte'i outwardly from its resetting position.

3. Valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plane surface on the valve body is formed by a flange extending outwardly from a cup-shaped member fitting within a second bore formed in the valve body coaxial with the valve plug, and wherein there is an opening in said flange registering with the outer end of the bore in which the reset means is mounted and 8 through which said reset finger has access to said reset means in the pilot position of the valve plug.

4. Valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plane surface on the valve body is formed by a flange extending outwardly from a cup-shaped member fitting within a second bore formed in the valve body coaxial with the valve plug, and wherein there is an opening in said flange registering with the outer end of the bore in which the reset means is mounted and through which said reset finger has access to said reset means in the pilot position of the valve plug; also wherein the reset means comprises a reset button slidable in the bore in the valve body with its outer end disposed inwardly of the plane surface on the valve body when the reset means is projected outwardly from its resetting position.

5. Valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the plane surface on the valve body is formed by a flange extending outwardly from a cup-shaped member fitting within a second bore formed in the valve body coaxial with the valve plug, and wherein there is an opening in said flange registering with the outer end of the bore in which the reset means is mounted and through which said reset finger has access to said reset means in the pilot position of the valve plug; also wherein there is an abutment sleeve secured in said second bore in the valve body and a coiled spring interposed between said sleeve and an abutment on the valve plug.

6. Valve mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the reset means comprises a guide secured in the valve body at the inner end of the bore in which the reset means is mounted, a reset stem slidable in said guide, and a reset button secured on the outer end of said reset stem and slidable in the aforesaid bore in the valve body.

JOHN H. THO-RNBERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,160,486 Allen Nov. 16, 1915 2,046,920 Meacham July 7, 1936 2,198,896 Wetzel Apr. 30, 1940 2,257,024 Ray Sept. 23, 1941 2,318,136 Alfery May 4, 1943 2,318,823 Wantz May 11, 1943 2,372,537 Wantz Mar. 27, 1945 2,403,611 Ray July 9, 1946 2,409,947 Mantz Oct. 22, 1946 2,477,078 Mueller July 26, 1949 2,481,265 Van Denberg et al. Sept. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,099 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1912

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