Diaphragm valve apparatus and control systems employing such valve apparatus

• US 3,892,254 A
• Filed: 10/12/1973
• Issued: 07/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson Service Company
• Original Assignee: Adolph J. Hilgert
• Inventors: Hilgert, Adolph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US05/405,847
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 137/116.3,508
• US Class Current: 137/116.3
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 17/085 with diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2544 Supply and exhaust type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2607 With pressure reducing inlet valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7834 Valve seat or external sleeve moves to open valve

Abstract

A unit ventilator system includes a number of special diaphragm valves, each of which has a pair of chambers separated by a common diaphragm with a control passage interconnecting the chambers. A spring loaded valve operatively opens and closes an inlet passageway to one chamber. As an on-off valve, the control passageway is connected to the output passageway downstream of an orifice. The second chamber has a sealing wall engaged by the valve to reduce the effective area, so the incoming pressure must decrease below the opening pressure. An exhaust passageway extends from the second chamber sealing wall. A second valve apparatus has a second valve in the control passageway, with a mechanical actuator engaged after the diaphragm has moved a selected amount. The diaphragm unit moves with pressure increase until the second valve opens to transmit the pressure through the first chambers to the outlet. A regulating zero differential diaphragm pressure relief valve apparatus includes the inlet passageway normally closed by a valve unit. The first chamber is connected to an exhaust and by the control passageway to the second chamber to dampen the movement of the valve disc and in particular eliminates the chatter associated with the Bernoulli effect.

Claims

1. A diaphragm valve apparatus comprising a valve body having a pair of chambers separated by a common flexible diaphragm member, an inlet passageway means terminating in a first of said pair of chambers, control passageway means connecting said first chamber to said second chamber, said diaphragm member having a first valve means associated with said inlet passageway means and adapted to open and close said inlet passageway means, said diaphragm member resiliently holding the first valve means to close said inlet passageway means and responsive to a preselected inlet pressure in said inlet passageway means to move said diaphragm member and said valve means to transmit pressure to said first chamber and through said control passageway means between the first and the second of said pair of chambers, said second chamber includes an exhaust passageway means aligned with the valve means and spaced outwardly thereof, a secondary valve means closing said control passageway means, said secondary valve means including operating means to sequentially close said exhaust passageway means and to open said secondary valve means in response to predetermined movement of said first valve means to open said inlet passageway means, and an outlet passageway means interconnected to the second chamber.

2. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein said exhaust passageway means includes an exhaust orifice with a valve seat aligned with the said valve means and spaced outwardly thereof, said secondary valve means being coupled to said valve means and moving therewith, a resiliently mounted valve stem secured to the valve means and extending outwardly with the outer end aligned with the valve seat of said exhaust orifice, and said valve stem being coupled to said secondary valve means and responsive to engagement of said valve stem with said valve seat to open the secondary valve means in response to further opening movement of the first valve means.

3. The diaphragm valve apparaatus of claim 2 wherein said valve seata is a conical recess, said valve stem having an end adapted to engage said recess to seal said orifice, and selected initial movement of said valve means causing said outer end of said first valve stem to move into sealing engagement with the conical recess.

4. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 3 having a by-pass passageway interconnecting the inlet passage to the first chamber to maintain communication between the first chamber and the inlet passageway independently of the position of the valve means.

5. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first valve means includes a tubular valve disc having said control passageway means extending therethrough for connecting said first chamber to said second chamber, a valve control element slidably mounted in said valve disc and having a valve element of said secondary valve means, resilient means biasing said control element to close the secondary valve means and to move with said first valve means, and stop means engaged by said valve control element in response to a preselected movement of said valve disc to open the secondary valve means and transmit pressure through said control passageway means to the second of said pair of chambers.

6. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 5 wherein said exhaust passageway means includes an inlet means aligned with said control element and said inlet means complementing the aligned end of the control element of said secondary valve means for sealing said exhaust passageway means prior to opening of said secondary valve means.

7. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 6 wherein said exhaust passageway means is an adjustable member adapted to be adjustably spaced with respect to said valve control element.

8. The diaphragm valve apparatus of claim 1 including a valve body member forming a part of said valve means and secured coaxially to said diaphragm member, said valve member having an axial opening aligned with said inlet passageway, said valve member extending radially beyond said passageway, a coil spring secured to said valve member and extending coaxially through said inlet passageway, an anchor means secured to the lower end of said coil spring, a locating nut threadedly positioned within said inlet passageway for axial positioning therein, said anchor means being rotatably disposed within said locating nut with an interacting bearing surface engaging said locating nut to provide for corresponding axial positioning of the anchor means in response to rotation of the nut without rotation of the anchor means, said second chamber having an exhaust orifice with a conical input coaxially aligned with the passage in said valve member and spaced outwardly thereof, said valve passageway having a reduced opening defining a seating lip within the passageway, a valve stem journaled in said reduced opening and including a conical shaped valve seat located within the passageway, a spring means urging said valve seat into engagement with said opening to close the valve passageway, said valve stem extending upwardly with the outer end aligned with and located within the conical inlet to said exhaust orifice, said valve stem being spaced from said conical inlet with the coil spring holding the valve member in a retracted position toward the inlet passageway, a by-pass passageway interconnecting the inlet passage to the first chamber to maintain communication between the first chamber and the inlet passageway independently of the position of the valve member, said valve member moving into said second chamber in response to increasing pressure in the inlet passageway, selected initial movement of said valve member causing said outer end of said valve stem to move into sealing engagement with the conical inlet portion of the exhaust orifice and further movement of the valve member moving the valve member from the valve seat to provide a communication of the second chamber to the inlet passageway of the first chamber.