Fluid control valve and electromagnetic operator therefor

Jan. 6, 1942. w. _{A RAY} 2,268,960

FLUID CONTROL VALVE AND ELECTROMAGNETIC OPERATOR THEREFOR

Filed April 15, 1940

<img file="US2268960A_D0001.tif" />

Patented Jan. 6, 1942

2,268,960

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,268,960

FLUID CONTROL VALVE AND ELECTRO* MAGNETIC OPERATOR THEREFOR

William A. Ray, Glendale, Calif.

Application April 15, 1940, Serial No. 329,719 burner control system embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the electromagnetically operated valve shown in Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electric and magnetic circuits of the operator shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the numeral I I indicates a fluid control valve, shown in detail in Fig. 2, and connected'by a conduit 12 to a main burner 13. A pilot burner ί 4 for the main burner, connected by a pipe (5 to an upper part of the valve, serves also to heat a thermopile 16 electrically connected to the valve by wires 17. The thermopile is also connected to the valve through a limit control or thermostat 18:

In Fig. 2, a ported partition 19, separating the inlet and the outlet of a valve casing 20 of nonmagnetic material, is provided with an annular valve seat 21 with which a valve member, generally indicated at 22, cooperates. The valve member comprises a disk 23, of resilient material such as artificial rubber, secured between a magnetic member or armature 24 and a vaned valve guide 25 by a bolt 26. A contractile spring 27, connected to the lower end of bolt 26, urges the valve member downward to closed position, the lower straight portion of the spring extending through an opening in a boss 28 formed on the bottom wall of the casing and being held by a cross pin 29. A cap 30 prevents fluid escape through the boss opening.

Secured to the valve casing is a housing 31, of non-magnetic material, having a horizontal medial partition or wall 32 and a top cover plate 33. Threaded at its upper end in the partition 32 is an inverted cup-shaped core member 34 of magnetic material. Secured in a concentric opening in the top wall of the member 34 is a tube 35 of non-magnetic material within which a cylindrical core 36 is reciprocable. Threaded on the upper end portion of the cylindrical core is another inverted cup-shaped core 37, between the flange 38 of which and the upper surface of core 34, a spring 39 is compressed.

A rod 40, threaded in the upper end of the cylindrical core and extending through a hollow boss 41 formed on the cover plate, carries on its outer end a push-button 42. Secured to the top of the cylindrical core by the enlarged portion 43 of rod 40, is an arm 44. A spring 45, supplementary to the spring 39 and compressed between button 42 and the cover plate, urges the cylindrical core, and the parts carried by it, upward. Sealing washers 46 are provided

My present invention relates to fluid control valves and to electromagnetic operators therefor.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel valve having a plurality of fluid controlling 5 means whereby, for example, fuel supply to a main burner and to a pilot burner therefor may be controlled. Another object is the provision of a novel electromagnetic operator which, while not so limited, has particular utility in the con- 10 trol of such a valve.

In a gas burning system employing an intermittently burning main burner and a continuously burning pilot burner therefor, it is desirable to provide electrically operated safety means 15 for stopping fuel supply to both of the burners in the event of the extinction of the pilot burner flame. Such safety means may include a thermoelectric generating device heated by the pilot burner flame, or a thermal cut-out responsive 20 to the flame and controlling any suitable source of electric energy. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a valve having manually operable means for supplying fuel to the pilot burner, and electromagnetic means responsive to 25 the pilot burner flame for retaining the supply means in its open position against a bias; and automatic electromagnetically operated means for controlling fuel supply to the main burner, the automatic means being effective only when the pilot burner supply means is in the open position.

Another object is the provision of an automatically operated electromagnetic device which, when energized, may be rendered operable or in- 35 operable by mechanical movement of its core member. A further object is the provision of supplemental electromagnetic means for maintaining the core member in the position wherein the automatic device is operable. 40

Another object is the provision of an electromagnet comprising a fixed core and a mechanically movable core, and means for providing a localized magnetic flux for retaining the movable core in a predetermined position with re- 45 spect to the fixed core against a force urging it to another position.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be found in the description, the drawing, and the appended claims. 50

For complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a partly diagrammatic view of a 55

2,268,960 to prevent leakage around the rod 40. Means for energizing the cores is provided by a coil 47, mounted in the cup-shaped core 34, and another coil 48, mounted on the tube 35. The coil leads 49 are brought through openings in the walls of 5 core 34 to three terminals 50, insulatingly mounted in the side wall of the housing. The circuit connections of the coils are diagrammatically shown in Fig. 3.

Provided in an enlarged portion of the parti- iq tion 32 is a supplemental valve port 51 communicating by a branch passageway 52 with the pilot burner tube 15. Controlling fuel flow through this port is a valve member 53 formed on the lower end of a rod 54, the reduced up- 15 per end portion of which extends through an opening in the outer end of arm 44. The valve member is normally held in closed position by the force of a light spring 55 compressed between the arm and a nut 58 threaded on the upper 20 end of the rod. When the push-button 42 is depressed, the arm 44 engages the shoulder 57 of rod 54 and moves the valve member to open position.

When the valve structure is in its normal con- 25 dition, with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 2, fuel flow to both the main and the pilot burner is obstructed by the valve members 22 and 53. To initiate operation of the burner system, the push-button 42 is depressed, moving the core 30 37 so that its bottom surface is in engagement with the upper surface of core 34, and the supplemental valve in open position. While holding the push-button depressed, the pilot burner is lighted. After a short space of time the ther- 35 mocQupIe 18 will be sufficiently heated to cause the generated current to flow in the coil 48 (to which it is directly connected) in an amount sufficient to energize the core 37 and the adjacent portion of core 34 so that they are mag- 40 netically retained in engagement against the force of springs 39 and 45. The push-button may now be released. The coil 48 is designed to have relatively high resistance and therefore the flux produced by it is weak and only locally ef- 45 fective. So the armature 24 is not attracted, even although the bottom surface of the cylindrical core 36 is now in the same plane with the bottom surface of the cup-shaped core 34, adjacent the armature. 50

As is shown in the diagrammatic view of Fig. 3, the coil 47 is in parallel with coil 48 (through thermostat 18) across the source. So, if the thermostat is now in circuit closing position, current will also flow in coil 47. This coil is designed to 55 have relatively low resistance and so flux will be produced by it in an amount sufficient to energize the cores 34 and 36 to attract the armature and open the main valve. If the circuit through coil 47 is opened, the armature will fall, aided co by spring 27, as the local flux produced by current flow in coil 48 is insufficient to retain the armature in its attracted position.

If the pilot burner is extinguished, the resultant cessation of current in both coils permits C5 the armature to fall and the core 37 to be moved upward by its bias out of engagement with core 34, the system remaining inoperative until operation is again initiated as hereinabove described.

With the limited electric power avalable in the 70 system shown, the gap between the armature and the core faces is arranged to be relatively small and may be adjusted by threading the core 34 in or out in the partition 32.

If desired, a separate source of current may be 75 provided for the main coil 47, the same safety features being retained if the holding coil 48 is energized by means responsive to the pilot burner flame. If the pilot burner is extinguished, upon the cessation of the holding current the cylindrical core is lifted to its normal position wherein the cores are ineffective to attract or hold the armature with current flow in coil 47.

While I have herein shown and described the electromagnetic operator of my invention in connection with the control of valve means, it is obviously not so limited, as other means, such as, for example, switching means, could likewise be controlled by it. Further modifications may likewise be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. I intend therefore that my invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 318,521, filed February 12, 1940.