Patent GB-801551-A (GB)
Title: Measuring valves and systems
IPC: F16N25/02
Filed: 1956-03-21
Abstract: 801,551. Force-feed lubricating. FARVAL CORPORATION. March 21, 1956 [Feb. 1, 1956], No. 8867/56. Class 12 (3). [Also in Group XXIX] In a lubricating system a pump 1, Fig. 1, driven by an electric motor 2, draws lubricating oil from a sump 3 and passes it via a reversing valve 6 to a series of sequentially operated feeder valves 12, 13, 14 the successively opened outlets 53 of which lead to bearings to be lubricated. The reversing valve 6, Fig. 3, comprises two parallel bores 15, 16 containing pistons 17, 18 respectively. Two high-pressure outlet ports 25, 26 lead from the bore 16 to lines 8, 9 which are connected to opposite ends of the chain of feeder valves. Similarly two low-pressure ports 27, 28 lead from the bore 15 to the return lines 10, 11 which are also connected to opposite ends of the chain of feeder valves. Two ports 29, 30 lead from the bore 15 to the sump 3 and each end of the bore communicates with a pressure accumulator 32, 34 and 33, 35 respectively. In operation with the piston 18 in the position shown in Fig. 3, oil from the line 4 is directed to the line 9. The piston 18 is retained in this position by fluid passing from line 4 via passages 5, 54 to the left-hand end of the bore 16 the right-hand end of which is connected to the relief line 31 via the passage 55 and the outlet 29. When the last feeder valve has operated, as described later, the pressure in the return line 10 rises sufficiently to cause the pilot piston 17 to move to the left and the accumulator pistons 34, 35 to rise. The left-hand end of the bore 16 is now connected to relief via the passage 54 and the port 30 whereas the right-hand end of the bore is connected to pump pressure line 4 via passage 55 so that the piston 18 moves to the left and oil now flows through the port 25 to the pressure line 8 and the return line 10 is connected to relief through the port 29. A check valve 58 prevents flow of oil into the line 8 until the piston 18 has moved and a check valve 59 serves a similar purpose in the ensuing cycle of operation of the feeder valves in the sequence 14, 13, 12, Fig. 1. The feeder valve 12 comprises bore 36, Fig. 2, containing a main piston 37 reciprocable between end members 38, 39 and an auxiliary piston 40 reciprocable in bores in the piston 37 and in the members 38, 39. The piston 40 has a longitudinal bore 43 connected within the piston 37 by a passage 44 to a chamber 41 connected by an annular passage 42 to the bore 36. The piston 40 has at its ends annular bores 45, 46 which are connected to the longitudinal bore 43 and which co-operate respectively with passages 47, 48 which lead from the bores 49, 51 of the members 38, 39 to the bore 36. The bore 49 is connected via a port A to the pipe line 9 and the bore 51 is connected via port D to a line 50 which leads to the succeeding feeder valve 13. Intermediate the ports A and D are ports B and C which are respectively connected to the succeeding feeder valve and to the return line 11. Intermediate the ports B and-C are the lubricant outlets 53. In operation with the pistons of valve 12 in the position of Fig. 4, as oil enters port A the piston 40 is moved to the right to connect the bore 49 with the bore 36 via the passage 47 so that the oil forces the piston 37 to the right. As the piston 37 moves oil is expelled from the right-hand end of the bore 36 out of the ports 53 in succession left to right via passages 48, 46, 43, 44, chamber 41 and passage 42. When the piston 37 reaches the end of its travel to the right the port B is opened so that oil is passed to the succeeding feeder valve 13 which operates in the same way and finally the valve 14 is operated. A switch 7, Fig. 3, is connected in the pump discharge line and is responsive (a) to rise in pressure due to a blockage, (b) to pump failure or too low a level of oil in the sump, and (c) to a supply line break. A modified form of feeder valve, Fig. 10, comprises a body 60 having two parallel bores 61, 62 respectively containing a main piston 63 and a pilot piston 64. The pilot piston 64 is movable between two end positions in accordance with which of the two inlets 67, 72 to the bore 62 is receiving oil under pressure and its position determines the direction of movement of the main piston 63 so that two lubricant outlets 84, 86 are successively opened to oil expelled from the bore 61. The bore 61 has two ports 73, 68 which correspond to the ports B and C of the preceding embodiment. When a number of such feeder valves are assembled in side-by-side relation to form a chain the interposed spacer plates have channels serving to connect the appropriate ports of adjacent valves. An indicator stem 80 connected to the piston 63 shows whether or not the valve is operating properly. Specification 701,722 is referred to.