Gas valve

C. C. LAMAR

GAS VALVE

March 24, 1953

Filed Aug. 30, 1947

2,632,467

SHEETS—SHEET 1

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C. C. LAMAR

GAS VALVE

March 24, 1953

Filed Aug. 30, 1947

2,632,467

SHEETS—SHEET 2

<img file="US2632467A_D0002.tif" />

<img file="US2632467A_D0003.tif" />

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Patented Mar. 24, 1953

2,632,467

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,632,467

GAS VALVE

Charles C. Lamar, Chicago, Hl., assignor to Harper-Wyman Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois

Application August 30,1947, Serial No. 771,460

Claims. (Cl.

.1

The present invention relates to gas valves and has for its primary object the provision of a new and improved broiler valve of the highlow type.

Another object of the present invention is to 5 provide a new and improved high-low gas valve including also means for supplying gas to a pilot burner.

A further object of the present invention is to provide, a new and improved combined high- 10 low and pilot burner valve wherein gas is supplied to the pilot burner at a substantially constant rate, and pressure in all operative positions of the valve, and also wherein gas is supplied first to the pilot burner when the valve is turned 15 toward an operative position and the supply of gas to the pilot burner is cut off last when the valve is turned toward its off position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved high-low valve 20 of the stem adjustment type and, furthermore, a valve of this character combined with means for providing gas to a pilot burner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved two position gas 25 valve which will supply gas at two different rates to the same burner and having means for adjusting the flow in a first and low position located in the stem of the valve where it is readily accessible to the user for adjustment. go

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved high-low valve as well as a combined high-low and pilot valve which does hot require any auxiliary drilling in the valve body, which auxiliary drilling in past ₃g constructions has been of a complicated and devious, angular nature and, furthermore, to provide a construction using a rotatable valve plug of shorter bearing surface than would otherwise be necessary. 40

A further object of the present invention is to combine a high-low and pilot burner valve having a constant pilot which does not require any slot milling on the plug bearing surface, which in the past has been difficult and has reduced 45 the. maximum bearing surface.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved combined highlow and pilot burner valve enabling use of parts now utilized in other types of valves,, and, fur- 50 thermore, wherein the valve body is symmetrical and thus made the same for either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the valve plug from its off to on positions.

.., Other objects, and advantages of the . present 55

137—599.2) invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an embodiment thereof, in the course of which reference is had to the accompanying drawings; in which:

Fig. 1 is an axial cross sectional view of a combined high-low and pilot burner valve constructed in accordance with the present invention, the valve being shown in its high position;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the valve shown in Fig. 1, but in its off position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary axial cross sectional view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the valve plug in its low position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along the broken line 4—4 of Fig. 3, illustrating the valve in its off position;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 4, illustrating the valve in its low and high positions, respectively; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary developed view of the adjoining surfaces of the rotatable valve plug and the plug receiving chamber in the valve body, illustrating the valve substantially at its high position.

Referring now to the drawings and first to Figs. 1 and 2, it may be noted that the valve as a whole is indicated by the reference character 10. It includes a valve body 12 and a movable control element in the form of a rotatable valve plug 14. The valve plug has an outer tapered surface 16 at one end adapted to be received in a tapered valve receiving chamber 18 formed in the valve body.

Gas is supplied to the valve through an inlet passageway 20 illustrated as being located at the lower side of the valve arid provided with external threads 22 by means, of which it can be readily secured to a gas supply manifold, not shown.

The valve of the present invention, as already indicated, is a combined high-low and pilot valve especially designed for use with broiler burners. Gas is supplied to the broiler burner through an outlet passageway 24 illustrated as being located above and generally parallel to the axis of the valve plug 14. The valve body is provided with external threads 26 adjacent the outer end of passageway 24, whereby it may be secured to a suitable conduit leading to the broiler burner. The passageway 24 has a radial portion 28 at its inner end leading to the plug receiving chamber 18 and to the valve plug. It should be noted that the portion 28 is diametrically opposite the inlet passageway 20 so that the two can be drilled in one operation. . . . .. ...

2,632,467

Gas is supplied to the pilot burner associated with the broiler burner through a fitting 30, which may contain an orifice determining the rate of flow to the pilot burner and which is threaded into an internally threaded boss 32 in the valve body, the inner end of which communicates with an outlet chamber 34. at.the inner end of the plug receiving chamber ! 8; and, in effect, forming an extension of the latter.

In accordance with one of the features of the present invention, gas is supplied to the pilot burner through an axial passageway 36 formed' in the valve plug 14. The arrangement is such, as will be brought out shortly; that gas is supplied at substantially a constant rate and frill' pressure to the pilot burner in the various operative positions of the valve and both before and after gas is supplied to the broiler burner. The arrangement is such, therefore, as to insure safe operation.

Gas'is supplied to the axial passageway 36 in the- valve plug through a pair of angularly displaced inlet passageways in the valve plug, one of which may be somewhat smaller than the other. The larger of the two plug inlet passageways, which is indicated by the reference character: 40, is in effect a “high” inlet and the smaller one,,indicated by the reference character 42, is a “low” inlet. Both of these inlets lead from the outside of the valve plug to the axial passageway 36. As a result, gas is supplied to the pilot burneiwhen'either of the inlet passageways is in registration with, the gas inlet passageway 20 in the valve body. Furthermore, the angular spacing of the two' is' such that gas is continuously supplied to the axial passageway 36 as the valve plug is. moved from a position substantially aligning one of the inlet passageways in the valve plug with passageway 20 to a position aligning the other therewith.

Tn the high position of the valve, gas is supplied, also to. the broiler burner through a radially disposed “high” outlet passageway 44 which is diametrically opposite the high inlet passageway 40, as clearly apparent, particularly, from Figs, l and 6. The arrangement is thus such that passageways 20; 28, 40 and 44 can be drilled in one operation.

In the low position of the valve, gas is supplied to the pilot burner through the axial passageway 36 and the low inlet passageway 42. At the same time, gas is supplied at a low and adjustable rate through.an auxiliary valve unit 46, providing a controllable effective area passageway and located between.the axial passageway 36 and a low outlet passageway 48 leading, from the auxiliary-valve Unit to the. surface of the valve: plug at a point where it can be brought into registry with passageway 28. The passageway 48 includes an axially inclined portion. 48A and a generally radial portion 48B which is somewhat smaller than the portion 28 of the burner outlet passageway but which is so disposed axially of the valve plug as to register with the passageway 28 in the low position of the valve, as best indicated in Fig. 3 .

The construction is such, in accordance with another feature of the present invention, that gas is-supplied first to the pilot burner when the valve is turned from its off toward its on position and that the gas supply to the pilot burner is cut off last as the valve plug is moved in the opposite direction; This advantageous result is obtained very simply in accordance with the present invention by so locating the low inlet passageway relative to the inlet passageway 20 that they register before the plug outlet passageway 48 registers with the main burner outlet passageway portion 28.

The extent to which the plug has to be rotated to move it to its full on position is reduced by spacing, passageway 48B axially from passageway 44. This spacing reduces the angular, distance between the high and low positions but does not reduce the plug sealing surface between the two passageways.

The auxiliary valve unit 46, as indicated, is adjustable to regulate the quantity of gas supplied to the burner in the low position of the valve. It may take various forms and that illustrated includes features of construction disclosed and claimed-in.the. copending applications of Philip S. Harper,.Serial No. 576,673, filed February 7, 1945, now Patent No. 2,590,535, issued March 25, 1952, and of Vincent C. Peterson, Serial No. 600,795, filed- June 21, 1945, now Patent No. 2-590,569, issued March 25, 1952, both of which are assigned to the assignee of this application.

The auxiliary valve unit 46 comprises an adjustable member 50 rotatable to regulate the effective area of: an orifice defined by the apertures 52 and 54, the former of which provides communication between an axial passageway 56 in the rotatable member (which communicates with plug passageway 36) and the exterior of the rotatable member and the latter of which is adapted to register more or less with the former and to provide communication therefrom to a peripheral passageway 58 communicating, with the plug passageway 48. The rotatable member 50 is mounted in an insert 60 fixedly secured within the valve plug in a passageway 62-communicating with the axial passageway 36 add with a passageway 64 in the valve stem 66 which may be, as illustrated, a two-part stem including a first part 68 secured to and preferably an integral part of the valve plug and a second part 70 movable axially relative to the first part for the purpose of unlocking the valve plug. Stem part 70 has a flat side 71 for receiving a valve handle, not shown.

The rotatable valve member 50 is accessible through the stem for adjustment. It has a slot 72 at its outer end so that it can readily be rotated, as by a screw driver insertable into the slot through passageway 64 in valve stem part 68 through the passageways 74 and 76 in the valve stem part .70,.

Leakage of gas through the auxiliary valve is prevented by a sea! comprising a groove 78 in the rotatable valve member 50 and an annular depressed portion 80 of the.insert 60 which extends into the groove 78.

It should be noted, particularly, that in the low position the gas flows to the axial passageway 36' in the valve plug and: thence through the stem adjustment valve 46 and passageway 48 into the burner outlet passageway 28, 24. The flow of gas in this manner eliminates the necessity of providing any auxiliary inlets in the valve body with the result that all the passageways in the valve body, except for the pilot burner outlet passageway and portion 28 of the main burner outlet passageway are in the same radial plane. This construction enables a short plug to be used because the plug length need be no greater than needed for the main burner outlet passageway 28 and the inlet passageway.

The plug is held in place by a spring 82, one end of which abuts against a shoulder 84 formed

2,632,467 at the end of the tapered portion of the valve plug. The other end of the spring exerts a force against an end cap 86 secured to the valve by a pair of screws 87, see Fig. 2. Actually, this other end of the spring bears against a locking and indicating washer 88 forming part of a positioning and indicating means including also a locking plate 90 and a driving plate 92 secured to the inner end of valve stem portion 70 and splined to the valve stem portion 68. The valve is locked in its off position but can be unlocked by pushing the outer valve stem portion 70 inwardly to move washer 80. The particular construction of the valve stem and the positioning and indicating means does not form a part of the present invention, it being disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Koch and Lamar, Serial No. 771,484, filed August 30, 1947, now Patent No. 2,597,874, issued May 27, 1952; As a matter of fact, it should perhaps be noted that an integral, single piece, hollow valve stem could be used if locking in off position were not desired.

It is believed that the operation of the valve will be apparent from the foregoing description, but it will be reviewed briefly. Assuming the gas valve to be installed upon a gas stove for the purpose of supplying gas to a broiler burner and to a pilot burner associated therewith, then with the valve in its off position, as indicated inFigs. 2 and 4, no gas is supplied to either of the burners. To move the valve to an operative position the valve is turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed from the stem end and in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. As it is turned, the low inlet passageway 42 first communicates with the inlet passageway 20 with the result that gas is supplied to the pilot burner. Then upon continued rotation in a counterclockwise direction the low outlet passageway 48 registers with the burner outlet passageway 28, as shown in Fig. 5. In this position gas flows at a low and preadjusted rate through the low inlet passageway 42, axial passageway 36, the axial passageway 56 in the auxiliary valve unit 46, the more or less aligned radial openings 52 and 54 in the rotatable and fixed portions of the auxiliary valve unit, and passageway 48. At the same time gas is continued to be supplied to the pilot burner at a constant rate.

: To supply a high quantity of gas to the burner the valve plug is rotated further in a counterclockwise direction to align the high inlet passageway 40 with the inlet passageway 20. During this movement, gas continues to be supplied to the pilot burner because the inlet passageway 40 starts to register with the inlet passageway 20 in the valve body before inlet passageway 42 moves out of registry therewith. In the high position the gas flows to the burner outlet passageway 28 directly through the inlet and outlet passages 40 and 44 in the valve plug, both of which open to the axial passageway 36. The developed view of Fig. 7 illustrates the valve substantially at its high position.

In the movement of the valve from its high to its off position, the passageway 40 is moved out of registry with the passageway 20 but before this occurs the passageway 42 registers with passageway 20 so that, as before, gas continues to be supplied to the pilot burner in the resulting low position of the valve. From the low position, the valve plug is turned to the off position and, as described earlier, the location of passageways 42 and 48 is such that gas is supplied to the β

axial passageway 36 and thus to the pilot burner after passageway 48 has moved out of registry with the burner outlet passageway 28.

From the foregoing detailed description of the present invention it may be noted that it has a number of advantages. All of the ports open in the plane of the main inlet and outlet passageways with the result that the plug is not lengthened by reason of the addition of the stem adjustment means. Furthermore, no slot milling is required on the exterior surface of the valve plug. Also, the location of the portion 48B of the low outlet passageway off center with respect to the main outlet passageway 44 in the valve plug reduces the extent to which the valve plug is to be rotated to move it to its high position. The valve body construction is symmetrical and no auxiliary drilling in it is required. No slot with its reduction of bearing surface in the plug is required and parts of existing valve structures can be used to provide greater standardization.