US3216617A

US3216617A - Pumping device

Info

Publication number: US3216617A
Application number: US319069A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sr Oscar C Blomgren; Jr Oscar C Blomgren
Original assignee: Diamond Alkali Co
Current assignee: Diamond Shamrock Corp
Priority date: 1963-10-25
Filing date: 1963-10-25
Publication date: 1965-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1982-11-09

Description

Nov. 9, 1965 o. c. BLOMGREN, SR, ETAL 3,

PUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS OSCAR C. BLOMGREMSR. OSCAR C. BLOMGREN, JR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1965 o. c. BLOMGREN, sR.. ETAL 3,

PUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1965 o. c. BLOMGREN, SR. ETAL 3,216,617

PUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Fl G 4 OSCAR C. BLOMGREMSR. OSCAR C. BLOMGREN, JR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 9, 1965 o. c. BLOMGREN, sR.. ETAL. 3, ,6

PUMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 25, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS OSCAR C. BLOMGREN, SR. 5;; OSCAR C. BLOMGREN, JR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi Fice 3,215,617 Patented Nov. 9, 1965 3,216,617 PUMPING DEVIQE Oscar C. Blomgren, Sn, and ()scar C. Blomgren, In, Lake Biulf, IIL, assignors to Diamond Alkali Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Get. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 319,969 7 \Claims. (Cl. 22264) This invention relates to a device wherein a pumpable fluid may be temporarily stored preceding or subsequent to pumping of fluid through such device, and more particularly relates to a novel fluid-storage, fluid-pumping device wherein provision is made for interrupting the flow of fluid therethrough intermittently as desired, and still more particularly relates to such a device having fail-safe features whereby the pumping device functions to pump fluid in response to means disposed within the fluid storage compartment and positively responsive to pumpable fluid therein to actuate valving means permitting passage of such fluid to the pumping device in communication therewith.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which a pumpable fluid may be temporarily or momentarily stored, and from which such fluid may be removed on demand by suitable coacting valving and pumping means.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a device having an axially reciprocable valve means which is brought into open position by an instrumentality positively responsive to the level of a pumpable fluid within the containing vessel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fluid-storage, fluid-pumping, device suitable for application of fluid pesticides, fluid fertilizers, and the like fluid materials from land, water and air vehicles. including suspensions of finely divided solids in gases such as air, and providing intermittent passage of a fluid through such device, by a combination including valving means which is brought into open position by an instrumentality positively responsive to pumpable fluid within the containing vessel and which forces pumpable fluid toward a pump in fluid communication with the containing vessel, and is brought into closed position by means exerting a force upon the valving means less than that exerted by said positively responsive means in the fluid within the containing vessel, the various coacting means being arranged so that in the event there is a failure to supply pumpable fluid to the vessel in amounts sufficient to actuate the positively responsive valve-opening instrumentality, or in the event of mechanical failure of the positively responsive valve-opening instrumentality to hold the valve in open position, the device will fail safe, i.e., the valve will quickly close and remain closed until such time as a sufiicient amount of the pumpable fluid is supplied to the containing vessel, or the mechanical failure is remedied, to reopen the valving mechanism.

A still further obiect of the invention is to provide a fluid spraying device possessing the attributes of the above enumerated objects and further adapted to supply fluid sprayable material to either rotating spray heads or stationary spray heads.

Pursuant to the above objects, the present invention is directed to a fluid-storage, fluid-pumping, device permitting intermittent passage of such a pumpable fluid therethrough, comprising the combination of (l) a vessel for containing pumpable fluid material, said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(2) axially reciprocable valve means mounted within said vessel in valving relation with said outlet port,

(3) means for reciprocally transposing said valve to open and closed positions and including means positively responsive to pumpable fluid with said vessel and asso ciated with said valve means for transposing said valve means within said vessel to open said outlet port,

(4) said inlet port opening into said vessel so as to provide a body of fluid suflicient for actuating said positively responsive means,

(5) and pumping means adjacent said outlet port and in fluid communication therewith for withdrawing fluid from said vessel when said valve is in open position.

In order that those skilled in the art may better understand the manner in which the various elements of the device of the invention coact as described, reference is made to the drawings. attached hereto and made a part hereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a partial vertical section of a fluid-storage, fluid-pumping device within the scope of the present invention showing the relationship of the various parts;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of a valving means and instrumentalities for moving the valving means axially;

FIG. 3 is a plan View of the valve body, in the direction of lines 33 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section of the valve body along the lines 44 of FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic isometric view of a device embodying the present invention mounted on an aircraft of the helicopter type for the application of pesticides over relatively large land or Water areas.

The device of the present invention may be more specifically described with reference to the drawings, wherein there is provided a vessel 2 for containing a pumpable fluid material, such as a solution of a substance in water or oil, a dispersion such as an emulsion of oil and water, either of the Water-in-oil type, or the oil-in-water type, thixotropic dispersions of solids or hydrated solids in water or thixotropic emulsions of waterin-oil aerated powders, or other suitable pumpable fluid.

The vessel 2 has an inlet port 4, and spaced-apart therefrom, an outlet port 6, with suitable means for introducing a pumpable fluid into vessel 2 through inlet port 4, which means may include a pump (not shown) or other device for withdrawing liquid from a reservoir in fluid communication with vessel 2, or a suitably mounted vessel from which fluid is introduced into vessel 2, by gravity alone. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings, axially reciprocable valve means 8 mounted within said vessel 2 in valving relation with the outlet port 6, is associated with means for reciprocally transposing said valve to open and closed positions, including means such as screw propeller (or impeller) 10 which is positively responsive to a pumpable fluid within the vessel 2 for transposing' valve 8 to open the outlet port 6 when the screw propeller 10 is rotated Within the pumpable fluid. It is, of course, understood from fundamental principles of aerodynamics as well as hydrodynamics, that the thrust of screw propeller 10 is in the direction of outlet port 6 in order that the screw propeller may lift valve means 8 and open the outlet port 6.

In order to effect the above-described relationship, there is provided within the vessel 2 a centrally vertically disposed rotatable shaft 12 extending through said vessel 2 and outlet port 6, a tubular member 14 mounted on shaft 12 in longitudinally axially reciprocable relationship and coaxially rotatable with shaft 12, the tubular member 14 extending along shaft 12, preferably from beyond outlet port 6 to substantially less than the extent of shaft 12 within vessel 2. Tubular member 14 carries valve means 8 adjacent the lower end thereof closing outlet port 6, and, preferably adjacent the upper end, the screw propeller (or impeller) 10, the blades of which provide a thrust in the direction of the outlet port. The valve means 8 preferably includes a bulbous closure body encompassing bushing and sleeve 16 rotatably mounted on and supported by tubular member 14, in such relationship that the valve means 8 is free to rotate with the tubular member when the valve is in open position, while also providing for little or no rotational movement when the closure body is seated in closed position. Appropriate sealing means may be provided in association with valve means 8 or shaft 12 to prevent loss of fluid from chamber 2 to outlet port 6 when valve 8 is in closed position, as is well understood in mechanical design principles.

In order that tubular member 14 may longitudinally axially reciprocate and rotate with shaft 12, a pin-andguide-slot arrangement is provided on shaft 12 and tubular member 14. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the mechanical arts that the pin 18 may be mounted either on tubular member 14 or on shaft 12 and the slot which guides pin member 18 in its longitudinal axial movement would then be a part of the other instrumentality. As shown in the drawings it is preferred generally to have the slot 20 cut in tubular member 14, such slot being arranged substantially either vertically as shown by slot 20 in FIG. 1, or it may take the form of a helical slot 22 in tubular member 14, as shown in FIG. 2, especially when comparatively dense, highly viscous, pumpable liquids such as emulsions are to be contained in and pumped through vessel 2 to a spraying device.

The substantially vertical slot arrangement 20 provides for very rapid movement of tubular member 14, which in turn causes rapid movement of the valve 8 and screw propeller 10 vertically along shaft 12, whereas the helical slot 22 shown in FIG. 2 will cause valve 8 to open and close somewhat less rapidly upon rotation of shaft 12 in comparatively dense or highly viscous pumpable liquids. Whether the substantially vertically disposed guide slot 20, or the helical guide slot 22, in tubular member 14 is employed, the guide slot should be sufliciently extended along the tubular member 14 so as to provide movement of said tubular member 14 a sufficient distance to effect longitudinal axial movement of valve 8 to open position when the screw propeller 10 is rotated in the fluid in the vessel 2.

Associated with tubular member 14, carrying screw propeller 10, and valve 8, there is a coil spring 24 mounted upon shaft 12 so as to exert a force upon tubular member 14 in the direction of outlet port 6. Coil spring 24 is of such a type as to have a maximum magnitude of force in the direction of outlet port 6 not greater than the lifting force of the screw propeller 10 rotating in the pumpable fluid in vessel 2, while at the same time maintaining valve 8 extended in open position. Downstream from outlet port 6 there is located a pump 26 in fluid communication with outlet port 6 for withdrawing pumpable fluid from vessel 2. The type of pump employed will, of course, depend upon the desired disposition of the pumpable fluid outside the device of the present invention. By way of example in applying a water-in-oil emulsion of a herbicide, or the like, such emulsion having the consistency of mayonnaise for example, a centrifugal pump is preferably employed which breaks the emulsion upon into droplets on expulsion from the centrifugal pump.

In this regard, it may be pointed out that the screw propeller 10 has a multiple function, particularly with regard to emulsions in vessel 2, in that propeller 10 opens valving means 8, while simultaneously mixing and blending the components of the emulsion exerting shearing forces on the continuous and discontinuous phases thereby effecting a higher degree of dispersion of one phase in the other, as well as withdrawing fluid from the inlet port 4 and forcing fluid toward outlet port 6 into the suction side of pump 26.

Additional items of construction of the device of the present invention include means for rotating shaft 12, including, for example, a motor 28 having a pulley 30 mounted on its drive shaft 32 and engaging a flexible belt 34 which in turn drives pulley 36 mounted upon shaft 12 at its upper end. Motor 28 is conveniently mounted upon vessel 2 by suitable mounting means 38, although it will be appreciated that motor 28, or other driving means may be placed otherwise in driving relationship to shaft 12.

Vessel 2 is preferably fitted with a cover plate 40 in which may be mounted bearings 42 for shaft 12 as well as means 44 for venting the interior of vessel 2, particularly when the pumpable fluid within vessel 2 is a liquid, and the presence of air or other gas within vessel 2 could cause cavitation or otherwise prevent adequate amounts of liquid from entering vessel 2 through inlet 4 and thereby prevent screw propeller 10 and associated instrumentalities from adequately lifting valve 8. Vessel 2 may also carry additional bearings 46, mounted in a spider or similarly perforated plate 47, for adequately securing shaft 12 and tubular member 14 in proper position for effectively opening and closing valve 8. Further, there is provided a cone or dish-shaped bottom portion 48 secured to vessel 2 by suitable means such as bolts 49, to insure that all of the fluid material, particularly in the case of liquids, drains toward outlet port 6. In this regard, valve 8 is preferably shaped in its lower portion to conform to the contours of bottom portion 48 is vessel 2 as shown at 50 in FIGS. 3 and 4, for proper seating of the valve and assuring minimum leakage of material from vessel 2 past valve 8 when in closed position. The cover plate 64 shown in FIG. 5 may be used to seal an observation port on the side of vessel 2, in which case maintenance or repair of the internal workings of the present invention may be made when the plate is removed, or this latter port may also be used as an additional inlet port.

By way of illustration, one especially effective use of the device of the present invention is in the spray application of an agricultural pesticide to be applied over relatively large land or water areas. In this regard reference may be had to FIG. 5 herein where the device of the present invention is shown mounted on a helicopter 52, which in addition may carry two tanks 54 (only one of which is shown) for containing a water-in-oil emulsion of a herbicidal material such as an ester of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, or 2,4,S-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid in a suitable solvent, the supply tanks 54 being in fluid communication with the device of the present invention by means of pipes 56 which converge to a single supply line 58.

In FIG. 5 the lower portion 60 of the device of the present invention is adapted to rotate with shaft 12 to throw a spray of the water-in-oil emulsion through a series of ports 62, and internally of lower portion 60 is the equivalent of the pump 26 of FIG. 1, which is of the centrifugal type also adapted to rotate with shaft 12 so as to form a circular spray pattern.

With the device in place on the helicopter as shown in FIG. 5, and with the supply tanks 54 filled with the water-in-oil emulsion to their capacity, the helicopter may then take off and by means of simple on-off electrical controls within the cockpit, the motor 28 is activated at the appropriate time in flight for the application of the emulsion to undesired vegetation with no further require ment for attention on the part of the pilot until such time as the tanks 54 and vessel 2 are emptied, whereupon the fail-safe features of the device of the present invention take over and because of no further supply of the emulsion within the vessel 2, and hence an inadequate amount of fluid medium is present within the vessel 2 against which the screw propeller 10 may work, the spring 24 forces propeller 10 and associated instrumentalities, including valve 8 in a downward direction to close outlet port 6. Because of the coaction of the screw propeller 10 working against the liquid contained in vessel 2 to lift the valve 8 to open position, and further to force additional quantity of liquid in the direction of outlet port 6 and pump 26, there is provided by the present invention a device insuring a minimum of cavitation within the body of 5 fluid entering the suction side of pump 26, and affording efiicient utilization of the mechanical energy supplied by motor 28.

While there have been described various embodiments of the invention, the methods and apparatus described are not intended to be understood as limiting the scope of the invention as it is reaized that changes therewithin are possible and it is further intended that each element recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to all equivalent elements for accomplishing substantially the same results in substantially the same or equivalent manner, it being intended to cover the invention broadly in whatever form its principle may be utilized.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid-storage, fluid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a pumpable fluid therethrough to maintain a desired level therein, the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing pumpable fluid material,

said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) means for introducing a pumpable fluid into said vessel through said inlet port,

(c) axially reciprocable valve means mounted at the bottom of said vessel in valving relation with said outlet port,

(d) means for reciprocally transposing said valve to open and closed positions including means at said level positively responsive to pumpable fluid within said vessel and associated with said valve means for transposing said valve means within said vessel to open said outlet port,

(e) said inlet port opening into said vessel so as to provide a body of fluid suflicient for actuating said means positively responsive to pumpable fluid within said vessel,

(f) and pumping means adjacent said outlet port in fluid communication therewith for withdrawing fluid from said vessel when said valve is in open position.

2. In a fluid-storage, fluid-pumping device providing intermittent passage of a fluid therethrough to maintain a desired level therein the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing a pumpable fluid material,

said vessel having spaced apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) means for introducing a suitable fluid into said vessel through said inlet port,

(c) axially reciprocable valve means at the bottom of said vessel in valving relation with said outlet port and attached to a rotatable component positively responsive to said fluid within said vessel to transpose said valve means from closed position to open position upon rotation of said component in said fluid,

(d) means forcing said valve to closed position when said component is in a state not responsive to said fluid in said vessel to transpose said valve means to open position,

(e) said inlet means being positioned so as to supply a body of said fluid sufficient to actuate said rotatable component upon rotation thereof to transpose said valve means,

(f) and pumping means in fluid communication with said outlet port.

3. In a liquid-storage, liquid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a liquid therethrough to maintain a desired level therein the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing a pumpable liquid material, said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) axially reciprocable valve means mounted at the bottom of said vessel in valving relation with said outlet port,

(c) a rotatable screw propeller mounted within said vessel and associated with said valve means so as to force said liquid in said vessel generally in the 6 direction of said valve means and to transpose said valve means from closed position to open position,

(d) means for rotating said screw propeller,

(e) means for introducing said liquid through said inlet port into said vessel,

(f) and pumping means communicating with said outlet port for withdrawing said liquid from said vessel when said valve is in open position.

4. In a liquid-storage, liquid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a liquid there-through, the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing a purnpable liquid material,

said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) means for introducing said liquid into said vessel through said inlet port,

(c) a rotatable shaft mounted within said vessel and being coaxial with said outlet port,

(d) a tubular member mounted on said shaft in longitudinally axially reciprocable relationship and coaxially rotatable therewith,

(e) said tubular member having mounted thereon a valve means adjacent one end and positioned to close said outlet port, and adjacent the other end a screwpropeller having a thrust toward said outlet port,

(f) pin and guide means integral with said shaft and said tubular member providing rotational and longi tudinal axial movement of said tubular member upon rotation of said shaft, and engagement of said screw propeller in said liquid in said vessel,

(g) means providing a force upon said tubular member having a component in the direction of said outlet port,

(h) a centrifugal pump mounted on said shaft and fluidly communicating with said outlet port so as to withdraw said liquid therefrom when said valve is in open position,

(i) and means associated with said said liquid outside said vessel.

5. In a liquid-storage, liquid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a liquid therethrough, the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing a pumpable liquid material,

said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) means for introducing said liquid into said vessel through said inlet port,

(e) said tubular member having mounted thereon a valve means adjacent one end and positioned to close said outlet port, and adjacent the other end a screw-propeller having a thrust toward said outlet p (f) a pin integral with said shaft and engaging a helical guide-slot in said tubular member thereby providing longitudinal axial movement of said tubular member upon rotation of said shaft and said screw propeller in said liquid in said vessel,

(g) means exerting a variable force upon said tubular member in the direction of said outlet port with a maximum magnitude equal to that exerted by said screw-propeller rotating in said liquid while maintaining said valve in open position,

(i) and means associated with said pump for distributing said liquid outside said vessel.

6. In a liquid-storage, liquid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a liquid therethrough to maintain a desired level therein the combination comprising:

(a) a vessel for containing a pumpable liquid material,

pump for dispersing said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports,

(b) means for introducing said liquid into said vessel through said inlet port,

() a rotatable shaft mounted within said vessel and being coaxial with said outlet port,

(e) said tubular member having mounted thereon a valve means adjacent one end and positioned to close said outlet port and adjacent the other end a screwpropeller having a thrust toward said outlet port,

(f) said valve means comprising a sleeve rotatably mounted on said tubular member, and a closure member for said outlet port fixedly attached to said sleeve, said tubular member having a flange supporting said sleeve and said closure member when said valve is in open position,

(g) a pin integral with said shaft and engaging a helical guide-slot in said tubular member thereby providing longitudinal axial movement of said tubular member upon rotation of said screw propeller in said liquid in said vessel,

(i) and distributing means associated with said pump comprising a plurality of tubularly shaped channels arranged about the periphery of the impeller of said pump so as to receive liquid impelled therefrom and disperse said liquid outside said vessel.

7. In a liquid-storage, liquid-pumping, device providing intermittent passage of a liquid therethrough, the combination comprising:

(a) a cylindrical vessel for containing a pumpable liquid material, said vessel having spaced-apart inlet and outlet ports, means for introducing said liquid into said vessel through said inlet port,

(b) a vertically disposed rotatable shaft extending through said vessel and said outlet port,

(0) a tubular member mounted on said shaft in longitudinally axially reciprocable relationship and coaxially rotatable therewith, said tubular member extending along said shaft from beyond said outlet port to substantially less than the extent of said shaft within said vessel,

(d) said tubular member having mounted thereon a valving means adjacent the lower end positioned to close said outlet port, and a screw-propeller having a thrust toward said outlet port, adjacent the upper end,

(e) said valving means comprising a closure member encompassing a sleeve rotatably mounted on and supported by said tubular member,

(f) a pin extending transversely from said shaft and engaging a guide-slot in said tubular member, said guide-slot extending along said tubular member a distance sufiicient to effect longitudinal axial movement of said valve means to open position when said screw propeller is rotated in said liquid,

(g) a spring mounted upon said shaft so as to exert a force upon said tubular member in the direction of said outlet port with a maximum magnitude not greater than the lifting force of said screw propeller rotating in said liquid while maintaining said valve means extended in open position,

(h) a centrifugal pump mounted on said shaft and in fluid communication with said outlet port so as to withdraw liquid therefrom when said valve means is in open position,

(i) and liquid distributing means attached to and rotatable coaxially with the impeller of said pump, comprising a plurality of tubular-shaped channels in register with the channels of the impeller of said pump so as to receive liquid centrifugally impelled therefrom and to distribute said liquid outside said vessel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,263,515 11/41 Pezzillo 10387 2,306,301 12/42 Curtis 10388 2,686,618 8/54 Mateer 222-333 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A FLUID-STORAGE, FLUID-PUMPING, DEVICE PROVIDING INTERMITTENT PASSAGE OF A PUMPABLE FLUID THERETHROUGH TO MAINTAIN A DESIRED LEVEL THEREIN, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A VESSEL FOR CONTAINING PUMPABLE FLUID MATERIAL, SAID VESSEL HAVING SPACED-APART INLET AND OUTLET PORTS, (B) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A PUMPABLE FLUID INTO SAID VESSEL THROUGH SAID INLET PORT, (C) AXIALLY RECIPROCABLE VALVE MEANS MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID VESSEL IN VALVING RELATION WITH SAID OUTLET PORT, (D) MEANS FOR RECIPROCALLY TRANSPOSING SAID VALVE TO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS INCLUDING MEANS AT SAID LEVEL POSITIVELY RESPONSIVE TO PUMPABLE FLUID WITHIN SAID VESSEL AND ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VLVE MEANS FOR