HAND OPERABLE SELECTOR VALVE

• US 3,678,959 A
• Filed: 07/30/1970
• Issued: 07/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Richard B. Liposky
• Original Assignee: Richard B. Liposky
• Inventors: Liposky, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/059,468
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.11,625.4,625.48,607,609,610,625.68 251/319,282,325
• US Class Current: 137/625.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/224 of the slide-valve type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/223 Multiway valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0655 with flat slides
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86501 Sequential distributor or collector type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86815 Multiple inlet with single outlet

Abstract

A tubular casing having a longitudinally extending passageway therein receives a valving member. Three inlet ports are formed along one side of the casing. An identical number of orifices are formed in a confronting face of the valving member. The spacing between orifices is such that only one of the inlet ports communicates with a respective orifice in any particular position. The central portion of the valving member includes a chamber which communicates with the orifices. A plurality of orifices are formed along an oppositely disposed face of the valving member in relation to an outlet port. Thus, in any particular position of the valving member selective communication between one of the inlet ports and the outlet port can be effected.

Claims

1. A hand operable selector valve comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passageway therethrough and a plurality of ports including two longitudinally displaced inlet ports and one outlet port each communicating with the longitudinal passageway;

and an elongated valving member in sliding and sealing engagement with the surface of the longitudinal passageway, said valving member being provided with a common longitudinal central chamber and with a plurality of transverse passageways each communicating with the central chamber including two longitudinally displaced transverse passageways, said valving member being provided with stops to limit the travel of the valving member in either longitudinal direction, the longitudinal spacing of the inlet ports and the two longitudinally displaced transverse passageways being such that only a first of said inlet ports and a first of said transverse passageways will be in alignment to complete a path between the first inlet port and the central chamber when the valving member is in its first limit position, and only the second inlet port and the second transverse passageway are in alignment to complete the path between the second inlet port and the central chamber when the valving member is in the second limit position, said outlet port being in alignment with a transverse passageway to complete a path between the central chamber and the outlet port for each limit position of the valving member whereby a positive selection of a path between a selected one of the inlet ports and the outlet port can be made by sliding the valving member to the selected limit position.

2. The selector valve of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal passageway in the casing is of uniform cross-section substantially throughout its length and the valving member is of corresponding uniform cross-section substantially throughout its length with the length of said valving member exceeding that of said longitudinal passageway such that the valving member extends beyond the ends of the casing for all valving positions, and wherein the limit means include transverse projections on the valving member on either side of the casing which strike the casing to limit the travel of the valving member at the limit positions.

3. The selector valve of claim 1 including a third inlet port and a third longitudinally displaced transverse passageway, the spacing of said third port and transverse passageway being such that for an intermediate position of the valving member only the third inlet port and the third longitudinally displaced transverse passageway are in alignment to form a path between the third inlet port and the central chamber, said outlet port being aligned with a transverse passageway to complete the path between the third inlet port and the outlet port when the valving member is in said intermediate position.

4. The selector valve of claim 3 including detent means for locating and locking the valving member in said intermediate position.

5. The selector valve of claim 1 wherein the confronting orifices of the inlet ports and the cooperating transverse passageways are of corresponding cross-section and wherein the difference in the longitudinal spacing of the inlet ports and the longitudinal spacing of the coOperating transverse passageways is between one end two times the longitudinal dimension of said orifices.

6. A selector valve comprising an elongated casing having a longitudinal passageway therethrough and a plurality of ports including three longitudinally aligned inlet ports and an outlet port each communicating with the longitudinal passageway;

said selector valve also comprising an elongated valving member in sliding and sealing engagement with the surface of the longitudinal passageway in the casing, said valving member being provided with a common longitudinal central chamber and a plurality of transverse passageways each communicating with the central chamber, said transverse passageways including three longitudinally aligned inlet passageways for cooperating with the inlet ports, the longitudinal spacing of the three inlet passageways being less than the longitudinal spacing of the three inlet ports by an amount equal to between one-half and one times the sum of the longitudinal dimension of an inlet port plus the longitudinal dimension of an inlet passageway such that one and only one inlet passageway will be fully aligned with its corresponding inlet port at a time, yet for all positions of the valving member there will always be at least partial communication between an inlet port and the central chamber through one of the inlet passageways, said outlet port being in at least partial alignment with a transverse passageway for all positions of the sliding valving member to complete a flow path between the outlet port and the inlet ports through the central chamber, and locating means for locating the three positions of the valving means at which each of the three inlet passageways is fully aligned with its corresponding inlet port.

7. The selector valve of claim 6 wherein the confronting orifices of the inlet ports and the inlet passageways are all of equal circular cross-section such that the longitudinal spacing of the three inlet passageways is less than that of the inlet ports by an amount equal to one to two times the common diameter.

8. The selector valve of claim 7 wherein the outlet port is longitudinally aligned between the end inlet ports on the opposite side of the casing from the inlet ports and wherein the ends of the longitudinal central chamber in the valving member converge toward the outlet port thereby minimizing the volume of the central chamber and smoothing the flow from the inlet ports to the outlet port.

9. The selector valve of claim 8 wherein the plurality of transverse passageways includes three longitudinally aligned outlet passageways of circular cross-section for cooperating with the outlet port, the longitudinal spacing between centers of said outlet passageways being less than twice the diameter of said outlet passageways.

10. The selector valve of claim 9 wherein the longitudinal passageway in the casing and the valving member are quadrilateral in cross-section and wherein the inlet ports and passageways are on opposite faces of the quadrilaterals from the outlet port and outlet passageways.