FLUID FLOW CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 3,809,116 A
• Filed: 01/10/1973
• Issued: 05/07/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1965
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George E. Sanner
• Original Assignee: George E. Sanner
• Inventors: Sanner, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews, David R.
• Application Number:
  US05/322,384
• Time in Patent Office: 482 Days
• Field of Search: 137/78,386,389,390,391,392,393,558 200/61.05,200 307/118 239/65,70,63 73/336.5 4/172,172.17
• US Class Current: 137/391
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/26 Drying gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/241 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 9/12 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/04 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7303 Control of both inflow and outflow of tank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A system for controlling the flow of fluid to and/or from a receptacle or reservoir which has a timed mode of operation and manual and demand modes, one or more level responsive controls, and at least one control for overriding the level responsive control or controls.

Claims

1. The combination of a receptacle and means for controlling the level of fluid in said receptacle, which comprises:

a fluid conduit means communicating with said receptacle;

valve means for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit means; and

means for actuating said valve means upon a change in the level of fluid in the receptacle which includes a planimetric switch means located in said receptacle, said conduit means comprising an inflow conduit and an outflow conduit, said valve means comprising a first valve for controlling the flow of fluid into the receptacle through the inflow conduit and a second valve for controlling the flow of fluid from the receptacle through the outflow conduit, said planimetric switch means including first and second planimetric switches disposed in the receptacle, whereby fluid can be caused to so flow into and out of the receptacle as to maintain the level oF fluid in the vessel at a level between those at which the planimetric switches are disposed, and said valve actuating means comprising at least one further component responsive to a change in a condition other than the level of fluid in the vessel and capable, when actuated, of modifying the pattern of control over the operation of the valve actuating means exercised by said planimetric switch means.

2. The combination of claim 1, together with means for selectively disabling either one or both of said planimetric switches so that the flow of liquid into or out of the receptacle or both can be made independent of the level of liquid in the receptacle.

3. The combination of a receptacle and means for controlling the level of liquid in said receptacle, comprising:

a fluid conduit means communicating with said receptacle;

valve means for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit means, and means operable to actuate said valve means upon a change of the level of fluid in the receptacle, said conduit means including an outflow conduit and the means for controlling the flow of fluid including a first means for terminating the outflow of fluid from the receptacle when the fluid therein has decreased to a selected level and a second means for overriding the first means and causing the flow of fluid from the receptacle through the outflow means to continue despite the reaching of said selected level.

4. The combination of claim 3, wherein said second means is manually operable.

5. The combination of claim 3, wherein said second means operates automatically in response to a change in a condition other than the level of the liquid in the receptacle.

6. The combination of a receptacle and means for controlling the level of the liquid in said receptacle which comprises means for effecting a flow of liquid out of said receptacle and control means for controlling the operation of said flow effecting means which comprises a first means responsive to the level of liquid in said receptacle for actuating the control means and a second means for actuating said control means independently of said liquid level responsive means.

7. The combination of claim 6, wherein the means for effecting the flow of liquid out of the receptacle is electrically operated and wherein the second means for actuating the control means comprises a switch which can be manually closed to complete a circuit around said liquid level responsive means.

8. The combination of claim 6, wherein the means for effecting the flow of the liquid out of the receptacle is electrically operated and wherein the second means for actuating the control means includes a planimetric switch which is responsive to variations in a parameter other than the level of the liquid in the receptacle.

9. The combination of a receptacle and means for controlling the flow of a liquid into and out of said receptacle which comprises:

a timer means for effecting a flow of liquid into said receptacle for a period determined by said timer means and means for overriding said timer means and interrupting the flow of liquid into the receptacle if the liquid therein rises to a selected level prior to the expiration of the period determined by the timer means, and means for overriding said timer means comprising a first planimetric switch located in said receptacle at said selected level and a second planimetric switch located to sense the presence of a liquid other than the fluid in the receptacle.

10. The combination of a receptacle and means for controlling the level of liquid in said receptacle, comprising:

a fluid conduit means communicating with said receptacle;

valve means for controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit means; and

means operable to actuate said valve means upon a change of the level of fluid in the receptacle or upon a change of the fluid level within a selected time period, said conduit means including an inflow conduit and an outflow conduit, said valve means including a fiRst valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said inflow conduit and a second valve for controlling the flow of fluid through said outflow conduit, and said actuating means including first and second level responsive means in said receptacle, a first control means responsive to the contact of fluid in said receptacle with said first level responsive means to cause an actuation of said first valve which will effect an inflow of fluid into said receptacle through said inflow conduit, a second control means responsive to the contact of fluid in said receptacle with said second level responsive means to cause an actuation of said second valve which will cause a flow of fluid from said receptacle through said outflow conduit, the operators of the first and second valves being electrically actuated and said actuating means further including means for bypassing at least one of the control means so that the valve associated therewith can be actuated irrespective of the level of fluid in the receptacle, each such means for bypassing a control means comprising a selectively operable switch means for connecting the associated valve operator to an electrical power source around the associated level responsive means.