Pneumatically controlled liquid transfer system

• US 3,932,065 A
• Filed: 11/08/1974
• Issued: 01/13/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Coulter Electronics, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Coulter Electronics, Inc. (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Ginsberg, Guenter, Simpson, Ronald Olin, Godin, Thomas John
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, C. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gluck, Richard E.
• Application Number:
  US05/522,012
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 417/149, 417/384, 417/388, 417/389, 417/479, 417/317, 417/392, 417/393, 417/399, 417/401, 128/214 B, 251/5, 251/7, 137/627.5
• US Class Current: 417/317
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 7/0275 and being deformable, e.g. membranes
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 9/12 the fluid being elastic, e.g. steam or air
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/06 by means of a screw-spindle, cam, or other mechanical means F16K7/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/021 of the piston type G01F11/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/005 Valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/1097 characterised by the valves valves in general F16K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86919 Sequentially closing and opening alternately seating flow controllers

Abstract

A pneumatically controlled liquid transfer system for delivering a liquid from a source to a delivery location, said liquid source being provided with a pneumatic cylinder for driving the liquid from said source, a pneumatically operated pinch valve of the make-before-break type and flexible conduit paths leading through the valve to the delivery location. The make-before-break pinch valve comprises a valve shell having two pistons movable laterally therein. The shell has a window. One piston has a yoke, each arm thereof having a passageway, one aligned with the other. A stop extends between the arms of the yoke. One of the flexible conduits is arranged through the window between the first piston and the yoke and the other flexible conduit is arranged also through the window but within the aligned passageways and between the piston and post. The second piston is spring biased to bear against the second conduit to place same in a normally closed condition. The first conduit is normally open. The first piston is acted upon by an external force such as air pressure to move same to a first condition wherein the piston pinches the first flexible conduit against the yoke, closing said conduit without overcoming the bias of the second piston to open the second conduit. Continued force exercised upon said first piston causes the same to move laterally within the housing to a second condition overcoming the spring bias of the second piston, to open the second conduit while the first conduit is retained in closed position. The second piston by virtue of its spring bias, will force the yoke back into its first position once the pressure on the first piston is laxed. A manual override is provided operative upon the second piston to lock the same in open condition so that both conduits are open. This last mentioned position is utilized during down time of the apparatus concerned.

Claims

1. A pneumatically controlled liquid transfer system comprising a source of vacuum and pressure, first and second chambers, each chamber having a port, a tube connecting the source of vacuum and pressure to the port of one of said chambers, first and second flexible conduit paths coupled to a delivery location and a source of liquid respectively, said first and second flexible conduit paths connected to the port of the other of said chambers, a make-before-break pinch valve including actuating means therefor interposed in said respective flexible conduit paths for sequentially controlling liquid flow in said paths, the drive means of said one chamber being driven by said source of vacuum and pressure and driving the drive means in said other chamber, the drive means in said other chamber drawing liquid into said other chamber from said source of liquid and further delivering said liquid to said delivery location, and means coupling said vacuum and pressure source to said actuating means for said pinch valve for operation thereof, said pinch valve comprising a pair of pistons sequentially operable within a housing, said pair of flexible conduit paths being disposed respectively in the path of said pistons, one of said conduit paths being normally opened and the other of said conduit paths being normally closed, said actuating means causing one of said pistons to move in a first direction, and means biasing the other of said pistons in a second direction opposed to the first direction, pressure being applied from said source of vacuum and pressure to said actuating means driving said one piston in said first direction whereby to close the open one of said conduit paths while maintaining the other of said conduit paths in its normally closed condition, thereafter further to move said one piston in said first direction overcoming the bias of said other piston to open said normally closed other of said conduit paths.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which said drive means comprises a piston reciprocably movable within each respective chamber.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which said chambers are cylindrical and said drive means comprises a piston reciprocable within each respective chamber.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which there is a pivotal coupling linkage between said drive means.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 in which said source of vacuum and pressure constitute separate sources and second pinch valve means interposed between said separate sources and both of said one chamber and said actuating means.

6. A pneumatically controlled liquid transfer system comprising a source of vacuum and pressure, first and second chambers, each chamber having a port, a tube connecting the source of vacuum and pressure to the port of one of said chambers, first and second pneumatically operated drive means associated with said first and second chambers respectively, first and second flexible conduit paths coupled to a delivery location and a source of liquid respectively, said first and second flexible conduit paths connected to the port of the other of said chambers, a make-before-break pinch valve including actuating means therefor interposed in said respective flexible conduit paths for sequentially controlling liquid flow in said paths, the drive means of said one chamber being driven by said source of vacuum and pressure and driving the drive means in said other chamber, the drive means in said other chamber drawing liquid into said other chamber from said source of liquid and further delivering said liquid to said delivery location, and means coupling said vacuum and pressure source to said actuating means for said pinch valve for operation thereof, said pinch valve comprising a pair of pistons sequentially operable within a housing, said pair of flexible conduit paths being disposed respectively in the path of said pistons, one of said conduit paths being normally opened and the other of said conduit paths being normally closed, said actuating means moving in a first direction causing one of said pistons to move in a first direction, and means biasing the other of said pistons in a second direction opposed to the first direction, pressure being applied from said source, of vacuum and pressure to said actuating means driving said one piston in said first direction whereby to close the open one of said conduit paths while maintaining the other of said conduit paths in its normally closed condition, thereafter further to move said actuating means in said first direction counteracting the bias on said other piston to open said normally closed other of said conduit paths.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which said drive means comprises a piston reciprocably movable within each respective chamber.

8. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which said chambers are cylindrical and said drive means comprises a piston reciprocable within each respective chamber.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6 in which said source of vacuum and pressure constitute separate sources and a second make-before-break pinch valve interposed between said separate sources and both of said one chamber and said actuating means.

10. A pneumatically controlled liquid transfer system comprising a source of vacuum and pressure, a cylinder including a port and a plunger reciprocable within said cylinder, first and second flexible conduit paths connected to said port and communicatively coupling said port to a source of liquid and to a delivery location respectively, means operably connected to said source of vacuum and pressure for drivingly reciprocating said plunger within said cylinder alternately for drawing of liquid from said source to said cylinder and delivery of liquid to said delivery location, a make-before-break pinch valve including actuating means therefor, interposed in both said flexible conduit paths for sequentially controlling liquid flow in said paths, means coupling said source of vacuum and pressure to said actuating means for said pinch valve for operation thereof, said pinch valve comprising a pair of pistons sequentially operable within a housing, said pair of flexible conduit paths being disposed respectively in the path of said pistons, one of said conduit paths being normally opened and the other of said conduit paths being normally closed, said actuating means moving in a first direction causing one of said pistons to move in a first direction, and means biasing the other of said pistons in a second direction opposed to the first direction, pressure being applied from said source of vacuum and pressure to said actuating means driving said one piston in said first direction whereby to close the open one of said conduit paths while maintaining the other of said conduit paths in its normally closed condition, thereafter further to move said actuating means in said first direction counteracting the bias on said other piston to open said normally closed other of said conduit paths.