FLUID FLOW REGULATOR AND PRESSURE INDICATOR

• US 3,851,661 A
• Filed: 02/14/1973
• Issued: 12/03/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John J. Fernandez
• Original Assignee: John J. Fernandez
• Inventors: Fernandez, John J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/332,308
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 137/557,568 138/26,30,44,45,46 123/139AV 73/406 417/540
• US Class Current: 137/558
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0008 Mechanical means F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/02 with tubular diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/05 Buffers therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0113 the sensing element acting as a valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A fluid flow regulator and indicator device includes a housing connected between a source of fluid under pressure, such as a fuel pump, and a device to which fuel is supplied, such as a carburetor. The housing includes a pair of flexible diaphragms providing opposite movable walls of a sealed fluid flow passage through the housing. Separate biasing springs between each diaphragm and the housing adjust the position of the diaphragms in response to fluid flow through the passage to dampen fluid pulses entering the passage and provide a steady flow of fluid through the outlet of the passage. The biasing force of one spring is greater than that of the other spring, so that one diaphragm responds to a range of low fluid pressures existing in the system, and the other diaphragm responds to a range of high pressures in the system. Separate movable indicator arms connected to the diaphragms extend through opposite side walls of the housing. Each indicator arm responds to movement of its corresponding diaphragm and biasing spring to move away from the housing as fluid pressure in the passage increases to provide a reading of the fluid pressure in the system.

Claims

1. A fluid flow regulating device including a housing having a hollow interior, and an inlet and outlet to the hollow interior, the inlet being adapted for connection to source of fluid under pressure to be delivered to the interior of the housing, the outlet being adapted to conduct the fluid from the interior of the housing;

a pair of laterally spaced apart flexible diaphragms in the housing providing opposite movable walls of a fluid flow passage for conducting fluid through the housing from the inlet to the outlet;

separate biasing springs extending between the housing and each diaphragm to adjust the position of the respective diaphragms in response to fluid flow through the passage to dampen fluid pulses entering through the inlet and produce a substantially steady fluid flow through the outlet; and

separate indicator arms extending in opposite directions from each diaphragm to the exterior of the housing, the indicator arms being movable away from the exterior of the housing by movement of their associated diaphragms in response to increasing fluid pressure in the passage, the indicator arms being movable away from the housing through a distance of travel proportional to the amount of fluid pressure in the passage to indicate the instantaneous amount of said fluid pressure, one biasing spring having a greater biasing force than the other biasing spring so that the travel of one indicator arm will provide an indication of lower fluid pressure levels than the travel of the other indicator arm.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including separate indexing means on each indicator arm to indicate the instantaneous amount of fluid pressure in the passage, the indexing means on one indicator arm providing a reading of lower fluid pressure levels than the indexing means of the other indicator arm.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the biasing force of one spring is of such value that it will produce a maximum scale reading on one indicator arm equal to a fraction of the maximum fluid pressure in the passage, and the biasing force of the other spring is of such value that it will produce a scale reading of the balance of the fluid pressure in the passage.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the biasing force of one spring will produce a maximum scale reading on the indicator arm of about one-half the maximum fluid pressure of the passage, and the other biasing spring will produce a maximum scale reading of the maximum fluid pressure of the passage.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each biasing spring is a tapered coil spring, and in which each indicator arm extends through its corresponding spring.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each diaphragm has its periphery sealed to the housing to define a pair of opposed cavities in the hollow interior on opposite sides of the fluid flow passage, each biasing spring being in a corresponding cavity and extending between its corresponding diaphragm and the inner wall of the cavity.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the biasing force of one spring is of such value that it will produce a maximum scale reading on one indicator arm equal to a fraction of the maximum fluid pressure in the passage, and the biasing force on the other spring is of such value that it will produce a scale reading of the balance of the fluid pressure in the passage.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which each biasing spring is normally in tension between the inner wall of its respective cavity and its corresponding disphragm when there is an absence of fluid flow through the passage, the spring force of each tensioned biasing spring forcing the central portion of its corresponding diaphragm to be bowed inwardly to produce a fluid flow passage which tapers narrower toward the central portion of the passage.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each biasing spring is normally in tension between the inner wall of its respective cavity and its corresponding diaphragm when there is an absence of fluid flow through the passage, the spring force of each tensioned biasing spring forcing the central portion of its corresponding diaphragm to be bowed inwardly to produce a fluid flow passage which tapers narrower toward the central portion of the passage.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including separate indexing means on each indicator arm to indicate the instantaneous amount of fluid pressure iN the passage, the indexing means on one indicator arm providing a reading of lower fluid pressure levels than the indexing means on the other indicator arm.