US1576687A - Automatic-control heating plant - Google Patents

Description

March 16 Q 1926.

1,576,687 R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL HEATING PLANT Filed March 9. 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 1 l l I I t l 1:; VB; IE5

March 16 1926. 1,576,687

" R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL IIELATINC: PLANT Filed March 9 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. H. THOMAS AUTOMATIC CONTROL HEATING PLANT March 16 Filed March 9, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES RICHARD H. THOMAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' AUTOMATIC-CONTROL HEATING PLANT.

Application filed March 9, 1925. Serial No. 14,033.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD H. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Automatic-Control Heating Plant; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the'same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s and to the numerals of reference marked t ereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a condensing and vacuum producing apparatus to be incorporated in steam ieating systems to maintain the steam pressure in the radiators below atmospheric pressure to assure more rapid steam circulation. It is an objectof this invention to simultaneously remove the water of condensation and any air that may have leaked into the heating system and to periodically return the water to the boiler at a higher pressure than exists in the boiler, so that the possibility of back flow from the boiler into the device of this invention will be eliminated. 'At the same time the entrained air is intended to be separated from the water and discharged to the atmosphere.

It is another'object of this invention to provide an intermittently operated device wherein an increase in the level of the Water in the tank closes an air relief valve and builds up the required pressure in the tank to open a discharge valve leading to the boiler. g}

It is a further object of this invention to provide a quick-closing air valve which will be accelerated in action by the energy and im act of the air discharging through said va ve.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an easily removed sediment trap and screen on the vacuum line from the radiators whereby scale and the like will be separated from the water of condensation.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and accompanyin drawings.

his invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Fi re 1 is a side elevation of a device em= bodymg features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partly sectional view corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a reduced section of the tank details not sectionalized in Fi 3.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the removable screen.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section of the air valve.

As shown on the drawings:

A return pipe from a system of steam radiators is indicated by the numeral 10 which leads into a sediment trap 11 formed in one end of a rectangular vacuum tank 12, which is mounted on a sub-base 13, and which serves in turn to support a cylindrical pressure tank 14. The sediment trap 11 is provided with a hand hole cover 15 and a blow off valve 16, the hand hole being provided for access to a cup-shaped removable screen 17 extending through the partition 18 into the vacuum tank 12. A pipe 19 leads from the vacuum tank to the suction chamber 20 of an injector or parallel injectors 21, which discharge into the pressure tank below the normal water level therein. A check valve 22 is provided in the pipe 19 to prevent backflow.

A motor driven centrifugal ump 23 draws water from the pressure tank through theconnection 24 and normally discharges through a connection 25 and manifold 26 leading to the pressure nozzle 27 of the injector 21 back into the pressure tank through the suction nozzle 28. A branch pipe 29 on the discharge side of the centrifugal pump has a diaphragm type regulating valve 30 therein which is controlled bythe pressure within the tank 14 communicated through a pipe 31, an increase in pressure upyto a predetermined point serving to. open the valve 30 against springl pressure whlch normally holds the valve 0 osed at pressures below the desired point.

The pressure tank is provided with an air relief valve operated by a float 32., The air valve comprises a cylindrical body 33 seating in a suitable aperture in the tank and having a depending yoke 34 to serve as a valve stem guide. A tubular valve seat 35 is adjustably mounted in the top of the body 33 and can be screwed in and out thereof to vary the closing point of the valve relative to the water level within the until the tank. The valve itself com rises-a disc 36 preferably of rubber or the ike, adapted to contact the end of the seat 35 and therefore of reater diameter than the clear diameter of t e valve outlet, and a backing piece 36 secured on a. valve stem 37 between nuts 38 to allow further adjustment of the closing positionof the valve. The lower end of the valve stem 37 terminates in a yoke having an oblong slot 38 through which a pin 39 on the float lever engages. The purpose of the oblong slot is to provide a take-up or lost motionv between the float and valve. As the float rises, it lifts the valve with the pin engaging at the top of the slot. As the valve approaches its seat the rush of air past the valve, because of its lncreased diameter and the restricted passage about the periphery of the valve disc, causes the valve to close suddenly in advance of the float movement. Conversely, the valve is held closed by the pressure within the tank until the water level has fallen suflicientl to bring the pin 39 to the bottom of the s 0t 38, thus causlng the discharge of conslderable fluid at each cycle of operation and eliminating hunting troubles due to rapid fluctuation of the valve with slight changes of water level.

A control box is illustrated at 40 together with a vacuum gauge 41. This box contains a vacuum motor control switch of well known form which serves to maintain the vacuum within the tank 12 between predetermined limits by shutting off the motor and pump when the degree of vacuum reaches a desired figure and starting the motor again when the degree of v vacuum falls below a limiting figure.

The operation is as follows:

Assuming that the apparatus 1s connected into the heating system as hereinbefore described, the pressure tank is first filled wlth water, through the air valve, to a point several inches above the level of the injectors, in fact, the tank may be filled to the point where the air valve is automatically closed by the float. On starting up the motor and pump, the latter, which has been primed by filling the tank, draws water from the pressure tank through the connection (24;) and delivers it to the pressure nozzle 27 of the injector which creates a suction on the line 19 leading to the vacuum tank and draws a mixture of condensed water, steam, and air therethrou h from the radiator return pipe, discharging into the pressure tank where the steam is condensed and the air separated from the water, the air discharging to the atmosphere until the water level rises to a point where the air valve is closed, thereafter a pressure is built up in the tank diaphragm valve is opened thereby, when the pump discharges to the boiler until such time as the air valve opens again and releases the pressure in the tank as chec and fecte ing of the injectors during the time the pump is discharging to the boiler, so that a continuous vacuum is maintained on the return pipe from the radiators.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the atent granted otherwise than necessitated y the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a p p ng system, a tank, a return from said piping system to said tank, a second tank, a power driven pump, a jet pump, connections whereby said power pump receives water from said second tank and delivers it to either the jet pump or the piping system,

a connection between said first tank and the jet pump, a float controlled air relief in said second tank and an automatic pressure valve 1n the connection from the power driven pump to the piping system adapted to open in response to the pressure created in the second tank when the air relief valve is closed.

2. In a device of the class described, a piping system, a tank, a return from said piplng system to said tank, a second tank, a power driven pump, a jet-pump, connections whereby said power pump receives water from said second tank and delivers it to either the jet pump or the piping system, a connection between said first tank and the jet pump, a float controlled air relief in said second tank, an automatic pressure valve in the connection from the power driven pump to the piping system adapted to open in response to the pressure created in the second tank When the air relief valve is closed, a motor connected to said power driven pump, and an automatic control therefor responsive to the degree of vacuum created in said first tank by said jet pump.

3. In a device of the class described, two tanks, a pump receiving water from one of said tanks and normally delivering it to the same, means controlled by the pressure in said last mentioned tank for diverting a portion of the delivery of said pump from said tank, and means operated by the stream created by said pump for movingthe contents of the first tank into the second tank.

4. In a device of the class described, a tank, a jet pump in said tank below the usual level of water therein, a power pump and connections whereby the water in said tank is circulated through said jet pump, and an air relief valve in the upper side of said tank comprising a valve mechanism, a float valve, and a lost motion connection therebetween, whereby the rush of air past said valve willaccelerate the final stage of the closure of said valve.

5. A water tank, a jet pump therein, a ower driven pump for circulating the water m said tank through said jet pump, a float controlled air valve closed by a high water level in said' tank, a branch connection from said power driven pump to an outside receiver, a pressure controlled valve in said last. mentioned connection, anda connection from said tank to said last mentioned valve whereby saidyalve is opened when the pressure in said tank reaches a desired figure.

6. In a device of the class described, a

' closed tank, a power pump, a connection tank, a second tem of plping.

from the delivery side of said tank, a valve in said second connection, means controlled by the pressure within said tank for opening said valve, an air relief valve for said tank and means whereby said relief valve will be intermittently closed to build up a pressure within the tank sufiicient to open said first mentioned valve.

7. In a device of the class described, a system of piping, a motor, a pump driven t ereby, connect ons whereby the pump intermittently delivers water to the system of piping and withdraws water and air therefrom, means governed by the degree. of vacuum in the system for controlling the motor, and means governed jointly by the water level and pressure for controlling the delivery pfwater from the pump to the sys- 8. In a device of pressure from said pressure tankto a heating system, a return pipe from 'said heating system to the vacuum tank, pumps in series adapted to generate pressure in one tank and create vacuum in t the'fclass'deseribed, a

pump to said, connection from the delivery side of said pump to a point outside the.

tank, a vacuum tank, a. supply pipe e other tank means for transiferring a portion of the contents of the pressure tank to the heating system upon the" pressure therein reaching a mined value. a

J; 9. In a device of the class described, a pressure tank, a vacuum tank, a supply pipe from said pressure tank to a heating system,

a return pipe from said heating system to the vacuum tank, pumps in series adapted .to generate vacuum in t tank and create e other tank, means for transferring a portion of the contents of the pressure 11]. 0116 pressure tank to the heating system upon' the pressure therein reaching a predetermined value,and means for relieving the pressure in saidsecond tank after the delivery f f a portion of the contents thereof.

10.'In a device of the class described, a pressure tank, a vacuum tank, a sediment chamber adapted to receive the condensate from-a heating system, and a removable screen between the sediment chamber and the vacuum tank.

11. In a device of the class described, a

pressure tank, a float therein, an air relief valve stem having a lost motion connection to the float, a valve disc adjustably mounted on said stem, and a valve cage and a valve seat adjustably mounted therein of smaller diameter than said disc whereby the rush of air past said 'disc as it approaches its seat will suddenly complete the closure of said vave.

12. a deviceo'f the class described, a

power driven pump, a jet pumpoperated thereby,

situated,

sure within said tankto intermittently divert a portion of the delivery of said power driven pump from said tank to an external point;

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name;

' RICHARD H. THOMAS.

a tank in which said jet pump is and means controlled by the pres-- predeter-

Images