US1777819A - Power-actuated throttle-valve control - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1330. A. WILLIAMS 1,777,319

` POWER ACTUATED THROTTLE vALvE coNTnoL Filed sept. 22', 192e 2 sheets-sneu 1 INVENTOR. ARTHUR WILL/AMS Oct. 7, 1930.V A. WILLIAMS A 1,777,819

POWER ACTUTED THRCTTI'LE VALVE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept'. 22, 1928 ,m

INVENTOR ARTHUR WILLIAM@ A TTORNEYS..

ber 33 formed in the plate 25. A valve 34 is slidably mounted within said chamber 33 and is provided with an enlarged seat adapted to be held normally, by a spring 35, against a suitable valve seat formed on the packing plate 25, or, as shown, upon a bushing 36 held in the central bore of said plate. The valve chamber 33 communicates through a small laterally evtending` port or conduit 37 with the space defined between the front face of the plate 25, the rear of the cylinder bead`17 and the cylinder 16.

Fluid under pressure from any suitable source thereof, as, for example, the main air tank of the locomotive, is admittedV into the interior of the cylinder 16 rearwardly of the piston 15 through an inlet 38; said inlet communicatingl with a screwthreaded boss 39 into which is threaded the end of a pipe 40, leading to said pressure.

l\[ounted within a lateral extension 42 formed upon the piston 15 is a valve 43. Said valve 43, as shown, is of the poppet type, the

enlarged head of which engages with a valve 3. seat preferably formed on a bushing 44 seated within a` suitable bore provided within said lateral extension 42. The valve 43 is guided for sliding movement by a stem 45 and valve rod 46 preferably made integral with the valve. The stem 45 passes through a. central aperture in a cap 47 screwed into the end of the bore formed in the extension 42. Coiled about the stem 45 is a spring 48 the ends of which abut against the valve cap 47'and the enlarged head of the valve 43 for holding the valve normally in its closed or seated position. The space within the bore of the extension 42 and between the valve 43 and the valve cap 47 communicates through a small lateral port 49 with the interior of the cylinder 16 rearwardly of the piston 15.`

Communicating with that part of the bore of the extension 42, which forms the chamber for the valve 43, and forwardly of said valve is a lateral conduit 50, which communicates at its end through a branch conduit l (see Fi 3) with a valve chamber 52, in which is seated a check valve 53 normally held in closed or seated position by a spring 54. The check valve 53 is located adjacent to the end of a longitudinally extending conduit 55, (see Fig. 4) which passes through the piston and plate 25 and communicates at its front end with the space between the packing plate and front cylinder head 1.7. 'il ireaded upon the outer projecting rear end of the hollow rod 27 is a connecting member 56 which, as shown, is in the form of a U-shaped member, the legs of which terminate in interior-ly threaded bosses, one of which is screwed upon the rod 27 and the other upon the front end of a compensating' reach rod 57. At its rear end the latter is secured to the usual throttle lever 58 which in accordance with the usual practice is provided with a spring pressed latch 58a adapted to engage with the teeth of a toothed quadrant 59. The reach rod 57 is preferably constructed so that it will be compensating` for temperature changes, and as shown, may consist of two rod sections 57 n and 57 b, the section 57 a being connected at its front end to the member 56 and at its rear end to the pivoted lever 57C, while the section 571 is connected at its rear end to the throttle lever 58 and at its front end to said lever 57 c.

The rear end of the rod 29 projects beyond the hollow rod 27 and has screwed upon it a pair of adjusting nuts 60 which nuts, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, are seated within the space spanned by the legs of the U-shaped connecting member 56. rlhe rod 29 projects slightly beyond the nuts 60 and is of non-circular cross section for engagement with a similarly shaped bore or recess provided in the rear boss of said member 56: the purpose of this construction just described being to hold the rod 29 again st rotation when the nuts 60 are adjusted.

lt will be noted by referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings that the ends 27a and 29;L of

Vthe rods 27, 29 respectively, are seated within the counter-bore 28 of the piston 15 and that they are located between t-he front end of the valve rod 46 of the valve 43 and the rear end of the valve 34. The rods 27, 29 are arranged to move normally as an integral structure, the distance between the rear face of the end 27 a and the front face of the end 29a is adapted to be adjusted by means of the nuts 60. The nuts 60 should be so adjusted that the engaging faces of the end 27a and the end 29a with the valves 43 and 34 respectively will lie between the front end of the valve stem 46 and the rear end of the valve 34 with a slight amount of clearance as indicated in Fig. 2, the purpose of which clearance will appear more fully from the following description of operation.

The manner in which the device operates is as follows: Let it be assumed that air or other iiuid under pressure is delivered through the pipe 40 and port 38 to the interior of the cylinder 16 and to the rear of the piston 15. Let it also be assumed thatthe throttle lever is set in the throttle closed position. If now the engineman wishes to open the throttle, the latch 58El is unlatched and the throttle lever is pulled rearwardly in the usual manner. This movement of the throttle lever is communicated through the compensating lever reach rod 57 and connecting member 56 to the rods 27, 29, both of which are therefore also moved rearwardly or from right to left, as Vshown in Fig. 2. After but a very slight movement of the rods 27, 29 in the direction described, the engage-ment of the enlarged head 27 with the front end of the valve rod 46, will canse the valve 43 to be moved rearwardly against tlieaction of the spring s `The :valve 43' obviously will move off-its seatand the fluid underypressurewithin thecylinder 4lo will flowfithr'ougll the conduit `49 past` thewalve L3 and. through the conduits 50: and 5l.` IThe check valveV 52 will be raisedofi'` its seatgand the `fluid `will flow. througlithe `conduit `55 to the space atthe front end of the cylinder 16 between `thefront `cylinder headl 11-7 and the packing retaining plate 25. The pressure of `lsuch flnid' obviously will cansethe 'piston to move ,rearwardly or from rightltofleft `andasthepistorfiis connected throughmits vlever l ll l secured `to `the throttle"-valvegshaft 10;,--thesaidshaft-Hl()will be :actuated in direction such1 as tofopenftjhe throttle valve.A thefpist-'jon lo-moves rearwardly, its move. ment is -followe'd bythe enginemanwith la similaremovement"lof the throttle lever-58 untilqtheydesired` ainountjof throttle valve' opening securedi During this opening movement of` the throttle valveabove de` scribed .it` will be"` lnecessaryuforf the engineman to `exert a force upon the `throttle lever suflcien't 1 `only toy4 overcome the slightly frictional resistancesofthe ireaclirod 57 and;`

i pressure ofltheil1ead2Wupon the endof the ve stel e tso to:hold{itliefgvalve43 `olf seat.. When thedesiredextent `lof. throttle valve opening hasbeen secured, the latch 58'? is engaged withoneof the teethof theV quadrant", 59to hold the4 throttle,.lever in' adjusted position. i l..ififter `the throttle lever` has been .-fset as `alcove described, l the ...construction @fof Y the `parts is such that the throttle valve Will :be i maintained,in` position ,andpractically no` twill Shouldytherebe a e leakvpastithe `valve 43 and to build uplinlthe chang-e in its said `position is permitted. tendency of the fluid [to i space in .frontof theretaining plate 25,1ob5 .f viously this will cause the pistonlo to move rearwardly..l .Owing` tofthefaotthat there",r isabutaslight amount ofclearance between the` enlarged-ends, 27a.and2s9?L and the ends..

`of ,thevalvesiltl `and ,34C respectively but a `veryyslight` amount of movement of `the piston` rearwardly can occur afterthethrottle lever` has been latchedin adjusted position l berm-@nie @ne Vof the musei Win dented with the front end` 29?L offt'l'if-rrfody end "29.

i e When tlris"occurs, the valve 34` obviously `sure ofthe spring will: be lifted "od its seatagainst `the presf for example, asfmight "be fcausedby air leal:- age past the `gasket 23, the piston 15 would obvionslyube *permitted tov move forwardly herein disclosed provides an the mits lGO'in because of the `pressure exertedyoirthefrear i' wall thereof. `Only a? very sl'ghtmovement of `the pistoni forwardly cani occur before the end ofthevalverodlot will cont-abt with f d' the rear `Wafllvof the enlargement273,1itbe-` ing' remembered that therods 527, 29 are held stationary byl engagement ofthe latch 58a of the throttle lever 358. The valve 2&3 would therefore be lifted olf itsseataethereby. perf mitting thewfluid pressure within the space again-v to" be built up.` u

in yfront @of the packing l retaining plate It will thus be seenthat ltheconstruotion e automatic compensatlon for changes 1n .the lluidprlessure 1 7 and thepiston whether *such 'changest in pressurefare brought `about byfwleakage to,

or leakage from, such space.. Thisautomatic compensation is accomplished by `a creeping Of hthe. piston,

43, .34 respectively. Inworder tofa'djustthe extent of this clearance spacej within jsmall limits, the rods? l 27, 29 and theirrespective ends 27?, 29j?t may be adjustedibymeansof device thet-wo rods 127, "29 [andi their ends 27?;

29erespectively, function neffect asbuta single member, the` two part v.o'onstruction e, which creeping is ylimited thy, `the "amount `of clearance provided @between the vends 27a, 29.at and the endsof thevalves I a manner which 'will be eadily understood. In :the normal operation Vofthe being merely for: the purpose of ,adjustment ofthe clearancespace abovereferred to, and` said rods being moved relatively to leachother only `at"such tmesna's may be: necessary to `adjustithe.extentfof;saidclearance,space.. i l

\ Vhen `it is `desired toclose` the throttle, the V throttle lever '58 is `moved ffomvfardly in the usualmannerl This will cause `theends 2"?"L 291 to :move forwardly .in unison, thus kleringing the front face ofthe end 29intoengage-- ment with-the :rear @end ofthe valve :S4-and .lifting the latterfagainst thepressure ofthe spring A35, olf fitle:` seat."

The liftingy of the valve Btolf its seat will,

as above described,

`permit the' 4"fluid to *escape fromthe space .in

front of the'fpiston `l5 andlretainig .plate 25.

As the space `to the `rear of' :the piston `l5` is always `under pressure,fthe piston willthere' forwardly, its movement is followedby a forward 'movement ofthe `"throttle 'lever and,

y as `with the opening movement ofthe throttle,

it is necessary for 4the engineman fto `exert merely suilicient pressure to' hold'fthe valve 34 offfitsseatmf: q il l 1 1 :Should the device fail to function to oper! ate fthe throttle valve by powerbecause of "a failure of `the -fluid pressure supply `toV the cylinder 16, or fory any otherr cause, the com struction permits the manialoprationi of the` piston `15 and therefore offthe throttle valve. It willfbe `notedthatthe head Welisof-.quite substantialiconstuctionfand thatbii-t a slight a 1n the spacebetween"theyfront cylinder head U5 fore travel forwardly. "Asthepistonmovcs amount of rearward movement thereof can occur within the space defined between the inner end of the counterbore 28 and the rear wall of said head before the latter will engage the inner end of the counterbore 28. lVhile when the throttle lever is moved forwardly the small clearance between the forward end of the connecting member 56 and the end of the piston rod 14 will permit but a slight amount of forward movement .before the front face of said member 56 will engage with the rear end of the piston rod 14. yIf therefore the fluid pressure is ineffective and the desired movement of the piston is not brought about by the unseating of either the valve 43 or the valve 34, as the case may be, it will be seen that the engineman may, by exerting sufficient force, open or close the throttle valve solely by manual effort.

It will be noted that the effective area presented by the rear face of the piston 15 is less than the effective area furnished by the front face of the retaining plate 25. Conse` quently when the piston is at rest, the pres` sure per unit of area exerted aga-inst tlie latter surface will necessarily be less than that exerted upon the former surface.

It will be noted that the construction herein disclosed has veryimportant advantages in that only two packing cups are required. No spring is required for returning the piston to the throttle closed position. The number of moving parts are but few and such parts are of compact, sturdy construction. The device is therefore of small compact. durable construction capable of being manufactured at a .low cost and furthermore maintenance costs due to breakage, etc., are reduced to a minimum. It will be perfectly obvious that the two part construction of the rods 27, 29 may, if desired, be dispensed with and a rod of one part construction be substituted therefor. The two part rod construction shown however, permits the clearance space .4 hereinbefore referred to, to be adjusted from the exterior of the cylinder. Similarly the compensating reach rod construction shown, may be replaced without any change whatsoever in the construction of the other parts, by a single rod, such as shown in the co-pending McKee application. The use of the former is preferred, because increase or decrease in the length of the rod sections 57a, 57b due to temperature changes will merely result in producing a rotation of the lever 57C upon its pivot without causing any movement of the throttle valve. It will likewise be understood Vthat many other changes, variations and modifications may be vresorted'to without departing from the spirit of the invention, for example; while I have described the apparatus as being in the throttle closed position when thek parts are as shown in the drawings or in other words, when the piston 15 is at the right hand end of the cylinder it will be obvious that the closed throttle position could be effected when the piston is at the left hand end of the cylinder such a change being` effected merely by changing the position of the arm 11 on the shaft 10. In such case it will be understood that then the piston would move from right to left for closing and from left to right for opening the throttle.

I claim 1. The combination with a throttle valve of a locomotive, of a differential piston operatively associated with lsaid valve, a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, means for connecting one end of said cylinder to a source of fluid under pressure, a pair of valves carried by said piston, one for permitting the passage of said fluid from one end of said cylinder to the other end thereof and the other for permitting escape of said fluid from said other end of said cylinder, a manually operable device having a portion located between said valves with a small clearance, and means for locking said device in a stationary position.

2. The combination with a throttle valve of a locomotive, of a differential piston operatively associated with said valve, a. cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, means forV maintaining a supply of fiuid under pressure in one section of said cylinder to act upon one face of said piston normally to urge the same in one direction and man'- ually operable valve means for admitting Huid under pressure from said one section of the cylinder to another section thereof to act upon another face of said piston and to force it in an opposite direction.

3.v In a locomotive throttle valve operating means, a cylinder having a differential piston slidably mounted therein, connections from said piston to the throttle valve, means for admitting and maintaining fluid under pressure to one end of said cylinder to act upon a smaller face of said piston and normally urge the same in one direction, valve means for admitting fiuid under pressure from said one end of the cylinder to the other end of said cylinder to act upon a larger face of said piston and urge it in the opposite direction and a manually operable control for said valve means.

4. In a locomotive throttle valve operating means. a cylinder having a differential piston slidably mounted therein, connections from said piston to the throttle valve, means for admitting and maintaining fluid under pressure to one end of said cylinder to act upon a smaller face of said piston and normally urge the same in one direction, and manually operable valve means carried by said piston for placing the other end of said cylinder in communication with said one end thereof to cause said fiuid to act upon a larger face of 55 cylindeifte atmosphere `land arnormally said piston and urge it in -an oppositedirec#` .5. In a, locomotive throttle valveoperating means, a cylinder having adierential pis- `tonslidablyr mounted therein, connections from saidxpistoiito thefthrottle valve, means for admitting and lmaintainingViluid under pressure to one end o'said` cylinder toact upon a smaller face ofsaid piston and normally `urge the same in oneidirection, said piston beiiigprovided with a'conduit having communication vvitlibothiendslof said cy'lin` der, valvemeans Vfor controlling the passage of fluid` through` said conduit and a manually operable control foractuating said valve y means. i

6. In `alocomotive throttle valve operating means,l"a cylinder having a differential pis` ton lslidablyfmounted, therein, vconnections from said piston to thetthrottlevalve, means for admitting andvmaintaining fluid under pressure tofone enduoi said cylinderfto` act upon a `smaller `face of said piston and norlmally urge the same-in one direction, valve means carriedrby saidfpiston for placing the other end of said cylinder in communication with saidrone endthereorand a manual control orsaid valve means movable with said piston.` 1

" i 7.1 In a, locomotive throttlervalve operating means, a zwcylinder` having a differential` pis-v ton "slidahly" mounted therein,J connections t from nsaid piston tothe throttle valve, means` t for admitting .andVmaintainingv iuid under pressureftoonefendiof said cylinder to act upon asmaller faceof saidpiston andnormally `urgethe `same in onedirection, valve means "carriedfby saidV piston i'orl placing the `other end offsaidcylinder in lCommunication with said uone ehdi'aiid including valve `for venting said other end ofsaidcylinder and ai manually operable-control having; lost motion connectionwithsaid valve means;

8; Inaflocomotive throttle valve operating means, "a cylinder having a` differentiali piston ""slid'ahly mounted therein, connections from said piston :to lthe throttle valve, means e for adihitting and maintaining: Huid under i pressure to oneend 'or saidcylinder to act upon` ai: smaller face ofsaidfpiston and:nor-` mally urge `,the same in, one,` direction, anda pair off valves carried by said piston, one for Y i placingfthe other endofsaidcyhnder communication vvithi said onerend thereof, and another lforI ventingfsai'd other end of said y penna `esami `for se eaiviy `operaties i @ber of Sadsifaljvesaiterza limited predeteru 9: In locomotive throttlevalve V operating mea-ns, a cylinder having a differential piston' t sliclably "Ino'uiitedl therein, Y connections" from said piston* to the throttle valve",` mieansiorladmitting andiriaintainingfuid 'under pressure `to one endfof saidcylindertofactmpon1 a smaller facel of saidpiston and normally urge' the same in one direction to close `the throttle Q valve, a pair of valves carried by said piston, one for placing the other end of said cylinder iii communication with said one endthereof, andanother `for ventingsaidother endof said cylinder to atmosphere, and a` normally operable control for selectively operating either of said valves aiter1 a limited predetermined amount oflostmotion, sajlid oontrolincludmg means for permitting thefamount of lostmotion to be adjusted;

l0. In a locomotive-throttlevalve operate` ing means, a cylinderha-viiig a differential"` piston slidablyniounted therein, connections fromsaid piston to the throttle valve, means for .admitting and maintaining fluid under pressure toone end of1sfaid cylinder to act upon a smaller iaceof saidpiston and nor#` mally urgethe same in onedirectio'n, a pairof: valves carried by said piston, one:for placing the other endf of saidcylinder inscommunicaL ytion with said one endfthereohand:another for venting said other end .ofsaid cylinder to atmosphere, and normally operable control for selectively operatingleit'her oisaid valves after a' limited predetermined iainount of,"

lost motiomsaid control including meansrlot cated eisteriorly` of Vsaid cylinder for:` permit# i i153 erningfthe admission anddischarge off fluid t :from the othertend of saidcylinder.. 'i f i t l2; `In a locomotive"throttlelvalveoperatf' ing means,` afluid pressure operated cylinder and i piston, connections between said i piston and said throttle valve foi'gcausing movement yof'said piston `to aetuate said valve, meansfio admitting 4and maintaining lliiid Funder t pressureto" one fend of said cylinder to Iurge said y piston 'normally in one direction, valve means 1 X carriednby saidpiston for governingfthewatlmission and discharge of fluid lirom the other end of said cylinder',"saidvalve means come prising an admissionvalve` an exhaust valve', and a mirniallly` :inactiveirnai-inal con?A y trolliaving a` pdrtion interposedbetiveen; said admissiony and exhaust valves Witlr a` clearancetspace tlierebetiveenf' i A and piston, connections1` between i said" 'piston' and d' throttle valve' forcausi'ng movement orsaidpiston to'actuate'said valve, means for admitting. maintainingfluid imder pres; sure to@ one endof saiidlcylinder `to urgesaid Inwa' locomotivetlirottl-e valve' operat` inggmcaiis, a: fiuidpressure .operated `cylinder Y I iso piston normally in one direction, valve means carried by said piston for governing the admission and discharge of fluid from the other end of said cylinder, said valve means comprising an admission valve and an exhaust valve, and a normally inactive manual control having a portion interposed between said admission and exhaust valves with a clearance space therebetween, said control being movable with said piston to different positions corresponding to different amounts of throttle opening, and means for locking said control in said difl'erent positions.

14. In a locomotive throttle valve operating means, a fluid pressure operated cylinder and piston, connections between said piston and said throttle valve for causing'movement of said piston to actuate said valve, means for admitting and maintainingfluid under pressure to one end of said cylinder to urge said piston normally in one direction, valve means carried by said piston for governing the admission and discharge of fluid from the other end of Vsaid cylinder, a manually operable control for said valve means, and means for locking it in different set positions corresponding to different amounts of throttle valve opening, said control including means for automatically actuating said valve means to compensate for leakage of fluid to or from said other end of said cylinder and thereby preventing change in the extent of said throttle valve opening for every adjusted position of said control.

15. In a locomotive throttle valve operating means, a fluid pressure operated cylinder and piston, connections between said piston and said throttle valve for causing movement of said piston to actuate said valve, means for admitting and maintaining fluid vunder pressure to one end of said cylinder to urge said piston normally in one direction, valve Vmeans carried by said piston for governing the admission and discharge of fluid from the other end of saidcylinder, said valve means comprising an admission valve and an exhaust valve and a normally inactive manual control havinga portion interposed between said admission and exhaust valves with a clearance space therebetween and means for adjusting the extent of said clearance space.

V16. The combination with the throttle valve of'a locomotive, of a piston, and connections from it to said throttle valve, a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, means for maintaining a supply of fluid under pressure upon one end of said piston, valve means carried by said piston including a pair of valves one for controlling the admission and the other the exhaust of fluid under pressure for acting upon the other end of said piston, and a manually operable control having a portion located between a pair of rigid abutments of said piston and between said pair of valves, said portion of said control being operative upon an initial movement of said control in one direction to actuate one of said valves and upon further movement thereof to engage one of said abutments. f

17. The combination with' the throttle valve of a locomotive, of a piston, and connections from it to said throttle valve, a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, means for maintaining a supply of fluid under pressure upon one end of said pist-on, valve means carried by said piston including a pair of valves one for controlling the admission and the other the exhaust of fluid under pressure for acting upon the other end ofsaid piston, and a manually operable control having' a portion located between said pair ofvalves, there beinga limited amount of clearance between said portion andfsaid valves, and means for locking said control in. adjusted position whereby relative movement between said piston and control in'one direction will cause said admission valve to be actuated automatically and movement in the opposite direction will cause'said exhaust valve to be actuated automatically. c

18. In a locomotive throttle valve operating means, a piston adapted to be operatively connected with said throttle valve, a cylinder in which said piston is slidably mounted, said piston being provided with a rigid abutment, means for maintaining a supply of fluid undei pressure upon one end of said piston and means for selectively producing movement of said piston in either of two directions, including` a pair of valves, one for admitting fluid under pressure to said cylinder to act upon the other end of said piston thereby to produce a movement of said piston against the action of said supply of fluid to actuate said throttle valve in one direction and the other of said pair ofvalves establishing a communication to atmosphere of the fluid acting upon said other end of said piston, thereby to permit said supply of fluid to move said piston and throttle valve in the opposite direction and a manually .operable control having a portion normally located substantially midway between and spaced from the members of said pair of valves and said control also having an abutment adapted to engage a second abutmentA of said piston, there being a greater clearance between said abutments than between said portion of said control and valves, thereby after a limited amount of relative'movement between said control and piston in one-direction, one of said valves will first be actuated and after a further amount of such movement, said portion will engage one of said abutments or upon relative movement in the .other direction, the abutment of saidcontrol will engage said second abutment, the engagement of said control with either of said abutments permitting said piston to be actuated manually by said control.

p 19. A locomotive throttle valve operating means as set forth in claim 18 in which the manually operable control includes means for i adjusting the'amount of clearance between said control and said pair of `valves and loetween said control and said abutments.

`20. The combination with the throttle V valve of a locomotive, of fluid pressure actuoperationof said iuid pressure means, means Y ated means and connections therefrom to said valve, a manually operable lever and valve means actuatedv thereby forcontrollingthe for locking said lever in diierent adjusted i positions corresponding to diiferent set posip Jfor automatically preventing change in the extent of throttle opening as a resultof leal@V tions ofthrot'tle valve opening, and means age offluidto or from said fluid pressure means Whenjsaid lever is locked in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set `my hand. i ARTHUR WILLIAMS.

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