Patents Examined by James R. Shay
  • Patent number: 4462567
    Abstract: A discharge valve for granular materials is disclosed which includes a valve body and a disc pivotally supported within the body. The arrangement is such that the disc rests against the body when the valve is closed to provide a seal therewith, and is pivoted by a resiliently biased handle to a plurality of open positions for controlling the flow of material through the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1984
    Inventor: Helmut Habicht
  • Patent number: 4461313
    Abstract: A quick release valve for a vehicle braking system has an inlet port, an outlet port for connection to a brake actuator, and an exhaust port closed during operation of the actuator by a working area of a diaphragm. A support area of the diaphragm surrounding the area has peripheral indents with re-entrant edge portions. Reduction of the support area by formation of the indents lessens noise produced by the valve during exhausting after operation of the brake actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1984
    Assignee: Girling Midland-Ross Air Actuation Limited
    Inventor: Paul Beaumont
  • Patent number: 4460008
    Abstract: A control system and method of controlling the cycling of water in a cooling tower system having a course of make-up water of variable conductivity.The control system apparatus includes respective probes for sensing tower water conductivity and make-up water conductivity. The probes provide signals to a controller unit. Desired cooling system water conductivity parameters an input into the controller unit. The controller unit serves to proportionately adjust the trip point at which dumping of the cooling tower water occurs based upon the sensed water conductivities and the input parameters to maintain a predetermined Langelier's number(s). Means are provided to display system conditions and to effect calibrations of the system.The method entails establishing an indexing factor based upon the cooling water parameters and the desired Langelier's number(s) and using that indexing factor for adjusting the trip point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Inventors: Richard P. O'Leary, Robert V. Morris
  • Patent number: 4460157
    Abstract: A valve is disclosed having a generally cylindrical body having an inlet and an outlet opening and a lateral opening. The valve body is received in a cylindrical collar which is heat shrunk onto the cylindrical body of the valve to provide a prestressed condition in the valve body thereby substantially increasing the strength of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 17, 1984
    Assignee: Skinner Engine Company
    Inventor: Francis V. Marchal
  • Patent number: 4458708
    Abstract: A water distribution apparatus employs a self-positioning water flow actuated rotor for serially channeling water flow into each of a plurality of outlet conduits from a common source of water under pressure. The rotor, housed within an encapsulating cavity, includes a hollow hub closed at an end and having the other end in fluid communication with the source of water under pressure. A plurality of jets eject water from within the hub intermediate a pair of hub mounted discs and provide motive power for rotating the rotor. Opposed apertures in the discs provide fluid communication between the jets and serially with a selected pair of opposed outlets connected with one of the outlet conduits; the rotational positioning of the rotor corresponding with a pair of outlets is regulated by a timed solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 10, 1984
    Assignee: James L. Leonard
    Inventors: James L. Leonard, James D. Butts
  • Patent number: 4457491
    Abstract: An extreme-temperature annular sealing element and a sealing device using such a sealing element is provided herein. The annular sealing element (10) is composed of a flexible expanded graphite body (14) with a protective metallic sheath (12) over a portion of the outer surface of said flexible expanded graphite body. One end surface (24) of the flexible expanded graphite body is exposed so that the annular sealing element can resiliently respond under repetitive loading and unloading pressures. The metallic sheath is thick enough to be durable yet thin enough to permit the flexible graphite body to resiliently yield and conform to a rotatable opposed member, such as a ball valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: EGC Enterprises Incorp.
    Inventor: Richard L. Dudman
  • Patent number: 4457331
    Abstract: A pulse hydraulic monitor comprises two barrels for alternately directing a pulsating jet of liquid onto a target, a valve means for dividing the flow of liquid, having an inlet for a hydraulic liquid, and two outlets for delivering the same into the barrels, and pulse-forming means. The pulse-forming means includes a through hollow enclosure, a separating member, two limit stops of the separating member, means for retarding the motion of the separating member. The through hollow enclosure is in hydraulical relationship with the barrels and the separating member is movable between two end positions relative the barrels so as to take one of these two end positions for forming a pulse when the pressure of the hydraulic liquid flowing in the corresponding barrel assumes a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Inventors: Grigory M. Timoshenko, Vladimir G. Kravets, Vladimir G. Timoshenko, Petr F. Zima, Alexandr Z. Astrakhan, Valentin M. Overko, Vasily S. Isadchenko, Stanislav A. Lenenko, Gennady G. Goldynsky, Karo A. Osmanian, Evgeny G. Aralov, Georgy V. Maleev, Igor A. Kuzmich, Boris Y. Ekber, Nikolai A. Kreschenko
  • Patent number: 4457490
    Abstract: A valve seat for use in a fluid control valve employing a pivotable valve closure element to open and close the valve, the seat comprising an annular polymeric member provided with a seating surface which sealingly engages the valve element when the valve is in the closed position, the seat further including a multiplicity of circumferential windings of strands of material wrapped around said annular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Keystone International, Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Scobie
  • Patent number: 4456025
    Abstract: A regulator is provided for controlling air flow at high volume at either low vacuum or low pressure levels. The regulator includes an accumulator chamber having a first opening for providing flow of air from the accumulator chamber to a plenum and a second opening to facilitate air flow from either a positive pressure pump or a vacuum pump to the accumulator chamber. A regulator chamber is provided adjacent to the accumulator chamber for controlling pressure in the accumulator chamber, the two chambers being separated by a piston which moves in response to relative pressure changes in the chambers. This movement is controlled by means of a pressure transducer connected to the regulator chamber which controls air pressure to the regulator chamber through a valve by means of a comparison circuit which senses any difference between the pressure in the accumulator chamber and the desired pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Inventor: Willard D. Childs
  • Patent number: 4452265
    Abstract: A substantially constant viscosity of the liquid mixture at a given temperature is maintained in mixing two liquids with different viscosities, especially diesel oil and heavy fuel oil for supply to an engine. The liquid mixture constantly being prepared in a mixer (12) is taken through a heater (23). The viscosity of the heated mixture is measured in a viscosimeter (30) adapted for controlling the heating such that a substantially constant viscosity is maintained. Furthermore, the temperature of the heated mixture is measured, and the mixing ratio between both liquids is controlled in response to the temperature so that the temperature is maintained substantially constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Inventor: Arne Lonnebring
  • Patent number: 4452422
    Abstract: An electrohydraulic actuating drive for a valve is constructed as a compact drive block which is mounted on the housing of the valve. The drive block includes a support structure which supports other components of the actuating drive on the valve housing and which consists of two plate-shaped end walls one of which is secured to the valve housing, and at least two carrier members which interconnect the end walls and keep the other end wall at an axial distance from the one end wall. One of the other components of the actuating drive is a non-carrying removable tubular circumferential wall which surrounds the support structure and is in sealing contact with the end walls to form a storage receptacle for a low-pressure hydraulic fluid therewith. The remaining components of the actuating drive are a hydraulic pump, an electric motor driving the pump, a pressure storage, a hydraulic actuating cylinder-and-piston unit, a force storage spring and an electro-hydraulic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Kraftwerk Union
    Inventor: Werner Trassl
  • Patent number: 4452269
    Abstract: An electrohydraulic actuating drive for a valve is constructed as a compact drive block which is mounted on the housing of the valve. The drive block includes a support structure which supports other components of the actuating drive on the valve housing and which includes a storage receptacle for a low-pressure hydraulic fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Assignee: Kraftwerk Union
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kindermann
  • Patent number: 4450852
    Abstract: A gas switching device for use with a gas supply system in which two gases, for example, oxygen and air are supplied to a medical unit comprises a manifold 106 to which are attached two identical valve assemblies 108, 110. The manifold has a first inlet 1 and outlet 5 for the passage therethrough of the oxygen and a second inlet 2 and outlet 6 for the air. Each valve assembly 108, 110 includes a spool valve 122 movable from a first to a second position under the influence of the pressure of its associated gas. At least one valve assembly 110 has an inlet 18' communicating with a passageway 15 in the manifold which, in turn, communicates with the inlet 1 for the oxygen and an outlet 22 communicating with a further passageway 16 in the manifold which in turn communicates with the outlet 6 in the manifold for the air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: The Medishield Corporation Limited
    Inventor: Raymond S. Gregory
  • Patent number: 4449694
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a ball valve having a housing with an axial passage way through the housing providing fluid communication between first and second ends of the housing. A rotatable ball is arranged within the axial passageway for selectively opening and closing the axial passageway. A seal is arranged within the axial passageway near the first end of the housing such that the seal is adapted to abut a surface on the rotatable ball. A blocking member is provided for selectively preventing axial movement of the seal towards the first end and for permitting axial movement of the seal towards the surface of the rotatable ball independently of the blocking member. In a preferred embodiment, the seal is arranged on a seal carrier which has an annular groove in an outer peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Assignee: Nibco, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph J. Hobart, Robert D. Rupp, Paul F. Mastro
  • Patent number: 4449544
    Abstract: A ball valve is provided for cleaning out piping systems between steam boilers and turbine generators of electrical power generating plants prior to start up operations. The valve is designed to minimize impingement between foreign substances trapped in the pipelines and the internal valve passages, and to reduce thermal shock to the piping systems when the valve is opened to atmosphere to rid the system of said foreign substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Assignee: Crosby Valve & Gage Company
    Inventor: Roy E. Soderberg
  • Patent number: 4446890
    Abstract: A hydraulic isolation valve (10) will not open if leaks are present in the associated utility subsystem (15). The continuity of the hydraulic fluid circuit actuates the valve (10) to the open position by an energized solenoid operated pilot valve (21) sending a small flow through a fuse (23) and one-way restrictor (24) to the utility function (15). If no leaks are present, the utility function (15) begins to actuate sending return flow through a two-way restrictor (31) and moving a continuity actuation piston (28) to push the shut off spool (16) to the open position so that full flow is admitted to actuate the utility function (15). If the continuity of the hydraulic circuit is broken by leaks, the return flow does not reach the continuity actuation piston and the shut off spool (16) remains in the shut off position, the fuse (23) closing to block further flow and then resetting by spring action when the solenoid operated pilot valve (21) is deenergized so that actuation may be attempted again, if desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1984
    Assignee: Lockheed Corporation
    Inventor: William E. Simpson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4445528
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve without an independent casing is provided. The electromagnetic valve includes the housing of a hydraulic control system in which the electromagnetic valve is functionally and physically incorporated. The housing has perpendicularly intersecting first and second wall surfaces and includes a cylindrical cavity bored into the second wall surface with the central longitudinal axis of the cavity being disposed parallel to the first wall surface. A linear groove is formed into the first wall surface perpendicularly to the center axis of the cylindrical cavity and communicates with the cylindrical cavity. A valve port, directly in the housing or in a valve seat member fitted into the housing in alignment with the central longitudinal axis of the cavity, communicates with a fluid conduit in the housing. Valve components are located in the cavity and externally of the cavity is a retainer which engages the components in compression making contact through the linear groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Aisin Warner Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuaki Miki, Shoji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 4445526
    Abstract: A system and method for continuously maintaining the specific gravity and viscosity of the slurry applied to a television picture tube includes a container for dispensing slurry to the faceplate of such a tube and for receiving excess slurry from the faceplate. The level of slurry in the container is held constant by the addition of materials to the container. The first added material has a specific gravity greater than that of the material dispensed to the faceplate. The second material has a viscosity which is greater than that of the material dispensed to the faceplate. The quantity of the third material is determined by the specific gravity and viscosity corrections required to bring the parameters of the slurry in the first container to the preselected values. By adding the three materials to the dispenser in accordance with error signals representative of the three parameters, the specific gravity, viscosity and level are continuously held within specified limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: John W. Woestman
  • Patent number: 4445540
    Abstract: A fluid flow diverter includes a housing and a rotatable sleeve mounted for rotation on an axle and spaced inwardly from the housing walls. The sleeve and housing include ports which are selectively positioned in registered or unregistered relationship, depending upon which of two operative positions the sleeve assumes. The sleeve forms a single internal chamber through which fluid always flows in the same direction in both operative positions of the sleeve. The space between the sleeve and housing also forms a single chamber through which fluid always flows in the same direction in both operative positions of the sleeve. The unidirectional fluid flow through the sleeve itself is opposite to the unidirectional fluid flow through the external chamber between the housing and sleeve. The supporting connection between the cylindrical sleeve and housing walls occurs adjacent the registered sleeve and housing ports by means of mating peripheral supporting surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1981
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1984
    Assignee: Water Services of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter J. Baron, Laird C. Cleaver
  • Patent number: 4444216
    Abstract: A pressure reducing and regulating valve having a container with a plurality of openings for moving between first and second flow plates having a plurality of inlet ports and a plurality of outlet ports for providing multiple flow paths through the valve for providing maximum flow with a short regulating stroke. The valve may be actuated by a combination of a manual screw adjustment and/or a powered operated overdrive which utilize drive gear to provide a failsafe operation as the power overdrive maintains the regulated pressure even if the pilot source fails. Valve means and stop means control the extent of travel of the adjustment screw. An integral pilot operated bypass valve may be utilized for remotely controlling the actuation of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: Koomey, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald L. Loup