US1630943A - Apparatus for effecting and regulating a flow of fluid - Google Patents

Description

U. 0. HUTTON APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING AND REGULATING A mow 0F FLUID Filed Au' .10, 1925 May 31, i927.

Patented May 31 1927.

UNITED STATES- PATENT, OFFICE.

ULRIC o. BUTTON, OFYMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, 'assreivon TO THE 'GUTLEB-HAM- MEIR MFG. so, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION or WISOON8IN.,

APPARATUS FOR 'EFFECTING. AND REGULATING A'FLOW OF FJIIU'IZDL Application fi led August 10, 1925. Serial No. 49,857.

This invention relates to apparatus for. being supported. by a metallic screw or bolt efiecting and regulating a flow of fluid. More particularly, my invention relates to a thermal expansion aspirator or pump.

. In certain fluid testing devices and the like it is necessary to substantially continuously extract or supply from a given source a quantity or sample of the fluid to be tested; and one object of my invention is to 10 provide im roved apparatus for accomplishment 0 such purpose.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient thermally operated and controlled means of the character aforementioned.

Another object is to provide an improved pump or aspirator for supplying'relatively small uantities of fluid.

Anot er object is to provide novel means for utilizing the physical characteristics of thermally expansible fluids.

Another object is .to provide for .reulation of thermally operated devices 0 the above character.

Other objects and advantages of the'invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates certain embodlments of the invention which will now be described, it being understood that the embodiments illustrated are susceptible of modification without departing i a chamber or receptacle 5 of any suitable form adapted to be normally filled with an expansible fluid, such as air or gas, said chamber having a top or cover 6 sealed or otherwise tightly fitted and secured thereto.

Cover 6. preferably consists of a plate or block of insulating material and extending therethrough is a screwthreaded bolt or rod.

7, the outer end of which serves as a bindmg post or terminal; and to the inner end thereof is secured by'rivets 8 or in any other suitable manner, a thermostatic element 9 of the bimetallic t e. The free end of element 9 is provide with a contact portion 10 which is movable into and out of engagement with a stationary contactll, the latter 12 attac ed to the cover 6. One end of a heating elementor' resistor 13 is electrically connected to the bolt 12, the other end of the former being similarly connected to a screwthreaded bolt or rod 14 which extends outwardly through cover. 6 to form a second binding post or terminal. Wires 15 and 16 may lead to any suitable source, such-as a battery B, for supplying a current which is of predetermined value, but which may be varied, if desired, by means ofa suitable rheostat R, for a purpose hereinafter described;

Communicating with receptacle 5 at the lower end thereof is a pipe or conduit 17, said pipe being provided at its lower end with long and short branches-18 and 19, respectively. Branch pipe 18 extends below the level of a body of liquid 20, such as mercury, carried by a valve chamber 21. Chamber 21 has a'tight fit with pipe 18, and is also provided above the level of liquid 20 with an outlet opening or passage 22, in-

cluding a tubular pro ection or nipple 23.

The short branch pipe 19 has a tight fit. with a valve chamber 24: and opens thereinto above the level of a body of liquid 25, said chamber being also provided with an inlet opening or passage 26 including a tubular projection 2 and a tubular member 28 extending downwardly below the level of liquid 25-. The inlet openingor rojection 27 may be connected with a suita le source of gas or other fluid which is preferably at substantially atmospheric pressure, whereas the outlet opening or rojection 23- is con-' nected with a testing evice, such as acarbon dioxide or carbon monoxide recorder (not shown), to which a substantially continuous sample of the fluid is to be supplied.

The receptacle 5 may be provided exteriorly witha plurality of, fins or projections 29 to accelerate cooling of the contained fluid under conditions hereinafter described.

Operation of the device illustratedin Fig. 1 is'as follows: With the parts 23 and 27 connected as aforedescribed, the heater circuit is closed by means of a suitable switch S, whereupon the expansible fluid contained within the receptacle 5 is gradually heated to effect expansion thereof. The resulting increase in pressure of thefluid efi'ects discharge of a quantity of fluid through the branch pipe 18,val've chamber 21 and outlet no charge of a quantity passage 22,-mercury valve 20 acting to prevent reverse flow of fluid through branch pipe 18. Upon attainment of a given temperature within receptacle 5, the thermostatic element 9 is adapted to act in the well known manner to effect disengagement of contacts 10 and 11, thereby interrupting the energizing circuit of heater 13. The fluld contained within receptacle 5 gradually cools, and the cooling action is accelerated by the radiating fins orprojections 29 in an obvious manner. Reduction in pressure or contraction of the fluid due to cooling thereof creates a partial vacuum within the receptacle 5, and a quantity of the fluid to be tested is drawn from the source into. and through the valve chamber 24. When the interior of receptacle 5 has cooled to a predetermined'temperature thermostat 9 effects re-engagement of contacts 10 and 11 thereby closing the circuit of heater 13 to again cause expansion of the contained fluid and disof fluid through outlet passage 22.v The foregoing cycle of operation is repeated continuously, thus providin an intermittent intake of the test fluid an discharge thereof at the desired point. q

By suitably proportioning the heating element 13 and the cooling area of the receptacle 5 the pump or asplr'ator may be made to operate at anyone of a wide range of speeds,such as once a second or as slow as once in five minutes. Similar variations in the rate of operation of the device mafi be obtained by adjustment of .the rheostat By the arrangement aforedescribed I am able to utilize the pulsating effect of the alternately heated and cooled fluid in a novel manner. If desired the partia-llyclosed receptacle or container 5 may be initially filled with a quantity of the fluid to be tested; but i this is not necessary, inasmuch as the body of fluid therein acts largely as a piston or diaphragm to effect passage of the test fluid through the ,one-way valves, as. shown; whereas any contamination or dilution of the test fluid with the fluid in the receptacle is practically negligible.

.Inthe modification illustrated in Fig. 2 the numeral 30 designates a receptacle or container having a pipe or conduit leading from the upper end thereof. Said pipe is provided with one or more convolutions or corrugations 31, 32 below the upper horizontal portion 33 thereof, for a purpose hereinafter described, whereas the other end of said pipe leads into a valve chamber 34. Valve chamber 34 is provided with upper and lower inwardly extending annular flanges 35 and 36 forming seats for the ball or check valves 3] and-38, respectively. As shown, the flanges 35 and 36 are downwardly inclined to act as ides for seating the valves. The ball va ve 37 normally closes the outlet opening 39 of chamber 34, whereas ball 38 normally closes the inlet opening 40 of said chamber. Registering with the inlet opening 40 is a tubular projection or nipple 41 for connection with a suitable source of fluid supply; Whereas a'similar nipple 42 provides for connection of the outlet end-of the valve with a suitable fluid testing device or the like.

Located at a suitable point within the receptacle 30 is. a fluid thermostatic device comprising a container 43 for air or other gaseous fluid, having a conduit or pipe 44 leading therefrom to a fluid pressure operated valve. Said valve preferably comprises a U-tube 45 having at one side an enlarge portion 46 and'communicating at the other side with a plurality of branch pipes or tubes 47 and 48. 3 Pipe 47 is connected with a suitable source of combustible fluid, such as gas; whereas in the full line position of the body of mercury or other liquid'49, the pipe 47 is in direct communication with pipe 48. Pipe 48 in turn leads to a suitable gas burner or heating device 50 located under the chamber 30, said burner having associated therewith a pilot burner or tube 51, connected to pipe 47. The flame 52 of the the supply of gas from pipe 47 to burner 50.

pon cessation of the heating. efi'ect of burner 50, the fluid within receptacle 30 tends to cool down, and I preferably provide for acceleration of the cooling action by means of a water or other liquid cooling jacket 53 for said receptacle; said 'jacket having inlet and outletopenings 54 and 55', respectively, to be connected with a continuous supply of cooling. liquid as desired. During cooling, the fluid within receptacle 30 condenses or contracts, thus creating a partial vacuum which effects opening of inletvalve 38 and withdrawal of a quantity of fluid from the source, which is preferably at substantially atmospheric pressure.v The pipe leading from the upper end' of container 30 is preferably of such lengthv between the horizontal portion 33 thereof and valve chamber 34 as to accommodate the entire charge of fluid drawn through inlet openin 40. This arangement prevents the fresh 0 arge of fluid from being drawn into chamber 30. 7 During the aforementioned cooling operation the fluid within container d so 43, is likewise cooled and the pressure thereof trated; The combustible fluid is then again permitted to flow to the burner 50, and the .h

same is'ignited by the pilot burner 51, in an obvious manner. Thereafter the fluid in receptacle 3O expands and forces a charge of the test fluid through the outlet opening 39 to the desired point-of use. At the same,

' time, the thermally expansible fluid in container 4.3 is again heated to effect cutting off of the supply of gas to burner as aforedescribed, and the cycle of operation is repeated. 7

As will be apparent the device illustrated in Fig. 2 may also be employed to pump a liquid, instead of a gas, inasmuch as the arrangement of the intake pipe 31 will prevent passage of'the normal charge of fluid into the receptacle 30. Moreover, either type of cooling means disclosed may be employed. with the respective devices illustrated. Instead of employing the thermoelectric circuit making and breaking device 9, as shown in Fig. 1, I may employ any other r itable means for this purpose, such as a motor operated contact device or a common form of light flashing device. Similarly other types of check valvesor oneway valves may be substituted for those illustrated in the drawing.

If desired,the rate of heating of the fluid,

and consequently the rate of operation ,of

the device as a whole, may be, changed by adjustment of a suitable 'cbntrol valve 56 in the pipe 48, Fig. 2.

What I claim and Letters Patent is: v

1. In a device for effecting a flow of gaseous fluid, the combination with a source of such fluid at substantially atmospheric pressure, of means for intermittently withdrawing a predetermined quantity of fluid from eration of said inlet valve.

said source and alternately discharging the same at a given point, said means oompris- 7 ing a suction operated inlet valve and a pressure' operated outlet valve, a gaseous, fluid chamber associated with said valves, adjustable meansfor heatin said chamber to effect discharge of fluid through said outlet valve, thermallyvresponsive means for periodically interrupting the supply of heat to said chamber, and means, for thereafter 'cooling said chamber tocreate a suction for. op-

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a receptacle, a thermally expan- .,sible gaseous'fluid' normally filling said re-- I desire to secure by ing a receptacle, a quantity of thermally exceptacle, adjustable means for intermittently eating said fluid, said means comprising a thermostatic device responsive to glven temperature conditions of said fluid, and meansfor utilizing the expansion and contraction of said fluid under the aforementioned conditions to effect a flow of another fluid, said meanscQm rising a plurality of one-way valves to be subjected respectively to pressure and suction conditions in said receptacle.

' 3. A thermal expansion aspirator comprising a receptacle, expansible gaseous fluid filling said recepta'cle, means for heating said fluid to effect expansion thereof, thermally responsive means for interrupting the supply of heat to said fluid to permit cooling thereof, and a source of gaseous fluid at substantially atmospheric pressure adapted to be subjected to pressure and suction conditions in said receptacle for effecting a flow thereof.

4;. A thermal expansion aspirator comprising a receptacle, a quantity ofthermallyex pansible gaseous fluid in said rece tacle, electrical means for heating said flllld to effect expansion thereof, bimetallic thermostatic insane for interrupting the supply of heat to said fluid to permit cooling thereof, and

a plurality of one-way valves responsive re-' pansible gaseous fluid within said receptacle, an electric heating element located within said receptacle, means for varying at will thevalue of current supplied to said element,

a quantity of thermally a bimetallic thermostatic element also located within said receptacle and adapted to make and break the energizing circuit of said heat ing element under given temperature con.- ditions within said receptacle, and means for relieving the pressure within said receptacle under conditions of alternate heating and cooling of the fluid contained therein, said means comprising a-source of gaseous fluid at substantiallyatmospheric pressure and j a plurality of one way mercury valves for controlling the intake andexhaust of said fluid to and from, said receptacle.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

; ULRIYQ o. HUTTON.

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