US2342356A - Deformable or elastic accumulator - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1944. J. MERCIER DEFORMABLE OR ELASTIC ACCUMULATOR Original Filed Sept. 13, 1938 INVENTOR JEAN MERCI ER BYCZI TORNEY Patented Feb. 22,1944

UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE DEFORMABLE R ELASTIC ACOUMULATOR Jean Mercier, New York, N. Y. I

Original application September 13, 1938, Serial l lo.- 229,641, now Patent No. 2,817,395, dated April 27, 1943.

December 10, 1931*" In my co-pending application 229,641, filed able or elastic accumulator and retained claims in that application that are generic to that inodl- 5 ilcation. This application has. been drawn to comply with the original requirement for division andthe claims herein are drawn to the modification shown in the drawing of this application.

The present invention pertains to liquid storage devices and more particularly to a container in which'a source of pressure is applied to the liquid being stored. I

Storage devices of this type generally consist of September 13, 1938, I have described a deform a container to be filled with the liquid and of a rubber bag or the like inserted'in said container and filled with a gas under pressure. When liquid is supplied to the container by a suitable source of liquid under pressure the bag will be compressed until the pressure of the gas inside said bag reaches the value of the pressure under which the liquid is supplied. Thereafter, liquid can be withdrawn from the storage device under progressively decreasing pressure. a

When functioning'with a liquid operated system or unit the storage device will generally not be used to its full capacity, .that is, the bag will generally not be required to expand so as'to expel all the liquid from the container. However, when storage devices are installed on vehicles or aircraft it is of great interest that, at least in an emergency, the greatest possible amount of liquid can be expelled from the container so as to be available for the operation of the hydraulic devices. Moreover; it is generally required that the last portions of liquid leaving the container be available under considerable pressure, as. for instance, 1400 lb. per square inch or more. Consequently, the bag must be filled with a gas under high pressure.

On the other hand, the bag must possess great flexibility so that it can follow without appremum and this application July 25, 1842, Serial No.

scnm'lmiss-m 452,364. In France liquid is admitted to or discharged from the con- It is the object of the present invention to pro-- vide a storage device in which the bag isprotected against injury resulting from excessive expansion and therefore is prevented from being forced in-- to the passage, provided in the container for admission and discharge of liquid. To that end, the

bag is attached to one end of the container and a This structure closes the container when a predetermined expansion of the bag takes place and precludes all possibility of injury to the bag.

Further features of the present invention may be gathered from the following description of an embodiment ofthe present invention given by-.

way of example and illustrated in the-accompanying drawing:

ciable resistance the frequent compressions and expansions required for the normaloperation of the storage device. The bag must, consequently, be made of a material which is incapable of re- I sisting the compression and expansion due to the gas-pressure.

It is a shortcoming of storage devices of this type.

that the bag, as soon as it fails to be completely supported by the liquid orby the wall of the container, is liable to be torn. Whenever it is "attempted to expel substantially all liquid from the container, this shortcoming will cause injury to the bag. In most cases the bag is injured because it is forced into the e through-which In the drawing there is a container l, anda bag 8 attached to one end of the container I at a point 8. At the opposite end of said container a passage I8 is provided for the admission and discharge of liquid. Passage It extends to a valve seat ll formed in the inner wall of container I. On the outside of the container-pas sage member it there is a chamber 2i connected by a pipe to a source of liquid under pressure and a utilization circuit. The bag I carries a movable valve element comprising a poppet shaped valve head it inside container i, a stop member 2! inside chamber II and a connecting rod is extending through passage II, in addition there are.

provided passages 23 in the stop member 22.

'When liquid is supplied to chamber 2! .it will lift the movable valve element and the liquid may progressively illl the container and compress the bag. When liquid is withdrawn from chamber Ii the bag will progressively expand and the.

movable valve element will be lowered. when the bag has reached its maximum expansion, portion II will engage valve seat l'l thus closing the container. 9

In order to facilitate the admission of liquid into the container, when stop member 22 is anpassage member when enplied to the outer wall of container l passages 23 permit a flow through member 22. A spring 29 may be provided in chamber 2| to urge member 22 against the wall of container I. The addition of this spring, will prevent a premature closing of passage it before all liquid is expelled from the container. The strength of spring 20 should be computed in proportion to the gas-pressure prevailing inside bag 5 when the latter is fully expanded, and must not exceed a value which will permit the pressure inside bag 5 to force member l6 firmly against valve seat I! when there is a negative pressure exerted on member It by the liquid in chamber 2|.

The present application is a division of the copending application Serial No. 229,641, filed September 13, 1938, which has matured into Patent,

No. 2,317,395, granted April 27, 1943.

The foregoing description is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which does not depart from, but rather extends to all changes, modifications and equivalents comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An accumulator for the storage of a liquid in a rigid container provided with ans inflow and outflow orifice at one end thereof'for said liquid and another orifice at the other end thereof to which a flexible deformable bag is afilxed in said containen'said bag being filled with gas under pressure, and valve means for controlling said liquid flow orifice, said valve means including two cooperating valve elements, one rigid with said container and the other carried by said bag, said valve means being adapted normally to afford communication through said liquid flow orifice in both directions and to close said liquid fiow orifice so as to prevent further outflow from said container when substantially all liquid is expelled from the same.

2. An accumulator for the storage of a liquid in a rigid container provided with an inflow and outflow orifice at one end thereof for said liquid, and another orifice at the other end thereof to which a flexible deformable bag is affixed in said container, said bag being filled with gas under pressure, and valve means for controlling said liquid fiow orifice, said valve means including two cooperating valve elements, one rigid with said container and the other carried by said bag, said valve elements being slidable with respect to each other so as to guide the displacements of said bag with respect to said container, said valve means being adapted normally to afford communication through said liquid flow orifice in both directions and to close said liquid flow orifice so as to prevent further outflow from said container when substantially all liquid is expelled from the same.

3. an accumulator for the storage of a liquid in a rigid container provided with an inflow and outflow orifice at one end thereof for said liquid, and another orifice at the other end thereof to which a flexible deformable bag is amxed in said container, said bag being filled with gas under pressure, and valve means for, controlling said liquid flow orifice of the rigid'container, said valve means including two cooperating valve elements. to wit, a valve seat rigid with said container and surrounding said orifice, and a valve head carried by the other end of said bag, said valve means being adapted normally to afford communication through said liquid flow orifice in both directions and to close said liquid flow orifice so as to prevent further outflow from said container when substantially all liquid is expelled from the same.

4. An accumulator for the storage of a liquid in a rigid container provided with an inflow and outflow orifice for said liquid at one end of said container, another orifice at the other end thereof to which a flexible deformable bag is afiixed, in said container, said bag being filled with gas under pressure, and valve means for controlling said liquid fiow orifice of the rigid container, said valve means including two cooperating valve elements, to wit, a valve seat rigid with said container and surrounding said orifice, and a valve head adapted to be applied against said seat, carried by the other end of said bag, a stop-member outside said container, and a rod traversing said orifice and connecting said valve head to said stop-member.

5. An accumulator according to claim 4, and comprising resilient means to urge said stopmember against the wall of said container.

JEAN MERCIER

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