Abstract: A system for decontaminating compressed gas having twin particulate desiccant-containing towers and a two-stage coalescer-containing precoalescer upstream of and connected to the towers by an inlet manifold, each tower having a pneumatically actuated inlet valve and a solenoid valve in the inlet manifold and an outlet valve in a common outlet manifold, the towers and precoalescer each having a drain valve and containing in a lower part an upwardly acting compactor for respectively compacting the desiccant and preventing oil leakage, the towers above a predetermined pressure of gas from the precoalescer and under control of the solenoid valves and a timer each alternating between decontaminating and regenerating cycles and together alternating in decontaminating cycles for continuously supplying decontaminated gas to the outlet manifold, and the outlet manifold in turn supplying decontaminated gas as actuating gas to each of the valves and compactors.

Abstract: Dump valve assembly for a cooling system in which the coolant is water without antifreeze, the system having a compressed air-operated dump valve supplied with operating air from a special reservoir charged through a check valve with compressed air from an associated compressed air system and, under emergency conditions when the associated compressed air system is shut down, automatically operating the dump valve by discharging compressed air thereto under control of a temperature responsive solenoid-actuated valve.

Abstract: Two-stage precoalescer unit for filtering, coalescing and separating from contaminated compressed gas loose oil and water in a first stage and oil and water aerosol or vapor in a second stage, the coalescers of the first and second stages being mounted in tandem in a perforate-walled canister contained in a housing within an imperforate tube, the first-stage coalescer relatively permanently for periodic purging by gravity and a reverse flow of gas and the second-stage coalescer removably, for purging over an extended period by a reverse flow of purge gas and thereafter removal and replacement on detachment of a lower from an upper part of the housing, and a spring-pressed floating follower in the housing above and acting downwardly on the canister for compensating for manufacturing tolerances in components of the precoalescer unit.

Abstract: A pressure gauge assembly for gauging and having an open-fronted casing connectable through check valving to one or more pressure lines, the valving being front-ported for receiving and normally held open by a plug inserted in each such port, the gauge of the assembly being so connected to the casing as to be removable therefrom only after removal of the one or more plugs and consequent closing of the check valving without either dismounting or uncoupling the casing from any pressure line.

Abstract: A gas-actuated relay valve having an outlet port alternately connectable through opposed inlet and exhaust valve seats to inlet and exhaust ports, a lower downwardly opening valve head spring-urged for normally closing the seat to the inlet port, an upper upwardly opening normally unseated valve head for closing the seat to the exhaust port, and coaxial inner and floating outer pistons respectively connected to the lower valve head and mounting the upper valve head, the outer piston presenting a larger area than the inner piston to actuating gas received in a common actuating gas chamber for preventing loss through the exhaust port of operating gas introduced through the inlet port by closing the upper exhaust valve seat before opening of the inlet valve seat.

Abstract: A precoalescer unit for a twin tower assembly for decontaminating compressed gas the towers of which each contain a desiccant and under timer control of individual solenoid valves alternately receive contaminated gas and individually cycle between decontaminating and regenerating cycles, the precoalescer unit being interposed in the path of flow of contaminated gas from a source to the towers' inlet ports and having a casing and a double-seated drain valve on the casing and connected for actuation to an actuating gas line of one of the towers, the casing containing an open-ended in-out tubular coalescer and a valve in and normally closing a lower end of the coalescer and opening under differential pressure on opening of the drain valve for enabling the precoalescer unit, in response to cycling of the towers, to be purged cyclically of coalesced oil drained by gravity from the outside and contaminants washed from the inside of the tubular coalescer by compressed gas received from the source.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for indicating on a pressure differential gauge whether air leakage in a compressed air line is within a predetermined acceptable level, the gauge has pressure-responsive and manually shiftable pointers and is connectable in the air line across a first restriction in the line for indicating by the pressure-responsive pointer pressure differentials across the first restriction, and a second restriction temporarily insertable in the line downstream of the first restriction for passing air at a rate equal to the permissible air leakage from the line, and discharging air through the second restriction and indicating by the manually shiftable pointer the position of the pressure-responsive pointer during such discharge, the manually shiftable pointer after removal of the temporary restriction indicating by the relative position of the pressure-responsive pointer on charging of the line whether leakage therefrom is within acceptable limits.

Abstract: A twin tower assembly for decontaminating compressed gas, each tower having inlet, outlet, drain and solenoid valves of which the inlet and drain valves are separately connected directly to the solenoid valve and actuated respectively to close and open by actuating gas supplied and exhausted through the tower's solenoid valve, the towers by alternate energizing of their solenoid valves under timer control and actuation of their inlet and drain valves each normally alternating between decontaminating and regenerating cycles and together alternating in their decontaminating cycles for supplying a continuous output of decontaminated gas, the inlet and drain valves of each tower being so relatively constructed that actuating gas supplied at the same pressure at the solenoid valve exerts a greater force differential for closing the inlet valve than for opening the drain valve and ensures that in cycling the inlet valve will close before opening and open after closing of the drain valve.

Abstract: A solenoid-actuated drain valve for a compressed gas reservoir of a diesel locomotive in which the valve element is a differential piston exposed on opposite faces to reservoir pressure for normally holding the valve closed and minimizing the opening force required to be exerted by the solenoid, a temperature-responsive heating element protects the valve against freezing, a sensing element senses accumulations of water from the compressed gas in the reservoir, and actuation of the heater and energizing of the solenoid for opening the valve are both controlled by a solid state circuit which prevents opening of the valve except when the sensing element senses accumulated water.

Abstract: A canister-compactor assembly insertible as a unit in a housing of a compressed gas filter, the assembly including a canister loadable with a particulate desiccant and a pneumatic compactor mounted in an outlet end of the canister and chargeable with compressed gas for compacting the desiccant, the compactor being chargeable and dischargeable outside the filter housing and in the housing being exposed to filtered compressed gas for maintaining the desiccant compacted.

Abstract: A canister assembly for containing a particulate desiccant in a housing of a compressed gas filter assembly having for the feed end of a canister a resiliently compressible closure formed of normally spring-spaced inner and outer parts connected for limited relative axial movement, the closure in operative position being contained and releasably locked in the canister with its inner part yieldably engaging an adjoining end of a charge of particulate desiccant.

Abstract: A three-way normally closed or open solenoid-actuated valve having the solenoid coil wound on a spool and therewith inserted uncoated through a side into a solenoid housing and in place encapsulated in an epoxy resin for protecting the coil and by wedging the spool against relative movement in the housing, enabling its cylindrical bore to act as a fixed guideway for receiving and guiding a reciprocable solenoid plunger. Upper and lower O-rings, the lower encapsulated with the spool and coil, seal against leakage of fluid from the solenoid housing.

Abstract: A compressed gas filter assembly having dual filter units each containing an adsorbent and alternating between filtering and regenerating cycles, the units alternately receiving compressed gas from a source for adsorbing a contaminant therefrom and having the adsorbent regenerated by reverse flow therethrough of filtered gas from the other unit and together providing an uninterrupted output of filtered gas from the assembly, and a regenerating line connecting filtered gas outlets of the units and having in each unit a restricted orifice centered on and directed toward a downstream end of a canister therein containing the adsorbent, each orifice alternately passing a metered flow of filtered gas under substantially constant pressure to the other unit and discharging filtered gas from the other unit as a substantially constant flow of gas at reduced pressure for regenerating and cooling the adsorbent in its unit.

Abstract: Assembly for filtering compressed gas having dual desiccant-containing filter units each equipped with pneumatically opened and closed inlet and outlet check valves and a pneumatically opened drain valve so connected to each other and a control valve for alternately receiving and exhausting actuating gas as to cause the inlet and outlet valves to close before opening and open after closing of the drain valve. Normally, one unit filters while the other is being regenerated in timed cycles under control of the control valve for maintaining an uninterrupted output of filtered gas, but a regulator valve in the actuating gas supply to the control valve prevents the units from cycling and forces both to filter when the pressure upstream or downstream of the assembly is below a predetermined level.

Abstract: Assembly for filtering compressed gas having a pair of desiccant type filter units each alternating between filtering and regenerating cycles and one filtering while the other is being regenerated and vice versa for maintaining an uninterrupted supply of filtered gas. The filter units are adjacently or remotely mountable and so valved and controlled as to prevent substantial loss of input compressed gas during shifting of filtering from one unit to the other. Filtered gas outlets of the units are connected to opposite ends of a cylindrical purge reservoir containing intermediate those ends a floating piston for diverting to and storing on one side of the piston for subsequent purging part of the output filtered gas from each unit during the unit's filtering cycle and at the same time applying substantially constant pressure for driving gas on the opposite side of the piston from the purge cylinder's opposite end for reverse flow regeneration of the desiccant in the other unit.

Abstract: Method for decontaminating compressed gas, including in the apparatus for performing the method a separator - dryer unit responsive to the pressure of a compressed gas injected thereinto for centrifugally separating contaminants from and cooling the gas, and depending on cooling of the gas for holding a desiccant in the unit within a temperature range of substantially optimum adsorption efficiency. On periodic interruption of the injection, accumulated contaminants are discharged through a quick-opening drain port by the residual pressure in the unit, the reduction of which admits from a separate regenerating tank through a restricted orifice a reverse flow to the drain port of expanded, decontaminated gas for regenerating the desiccant.

Abstract: Solenoid-actuated valve adapted for heavy duty use by having the coil of the solenoid divided into high and low power windings connected in and automatically energized in succession by a solid state control circuit for providing in sequence high power of predetermined short duration for opening the valve and low power of usually longer duration for holding the valve in open position.

Abstract: An assembly connectable between a compressor and reservoir, having a filter unit capable of centrifugally cooling and separating condensed moisture and other contaminants from compressed air and discharging clean air in saturated condition at the outlet temperature and pressure, the unit being connected to the compressor through an inlet valve opening when the compressor begins pumping and to the reservoir through a pressure regulator valve adjustable to open only when the air in the unit reaches a predetermined pressure, which, for minimizing the absolute moisture content of the clean air passed to the reservoir, usually will be substantially maximum reservoir pressure.