Patent GB-550589-A (GB)
Title: Water softening apparatus
IPC: C02F1/42
Filed: 1941-05-12
Abstract: 550,589. Softening water; valves. GRISWOLD, D. G. May 12, 1941, No. 6130. [Class 46] [Also in Group XXIX] In a base-exchange water softening apparatus, a fluid distribution unit C comprising six diaphragm valves 1 .. 6 adapted to be opened in non-overlapping pairs, one pair being open while the remaining two pairs are closed, is controlled by a master pilot valve 66, connected through a clock mechanism 46 with a mannually operable control 54 so that the valves 1, 2 are normally open for softening, Fig. 26, and, on rotating the control through about half a turn between stops, the parts are slowly returned to effect in succession the opening of the valves 5, 6 for backwashing, Fig. 27, the valve 3, 4 for regeneration of the softener bed by brine and rinsing, Fig. 28, and, finally, the valves 1, 2 for normal operation. The unit C is connected with a supply pipe 11, service pipe 18, drain pipe 19, pipes 13, 17. leading into the softener tank A and a pipe 25 connected through a diaphragm valve 24 controlled by a float 354, with a pipe 21 extending through a bed of salt 20 into a layer of gravel 20a in a tank B. The pipe 13 extends upwardly above a bed of zeolite &c. and the pipe 17 is slotted on the underside, within the tank A. The pilot valve 66 co-operates with a seating 96, Fig. 16, having apertures 99 .. 101 communicating with corresponding apertures in a gasket 105 and a distribution plug X co-operating with a grooved cover plate P and a drain pipe 150 to supply and exhaust pressure fluid from the chambers 1c &c. of the valves 1 .. 6. The latter may be mounted on a common diaphragm G or on separate diaphragms and guided by lugs 112. A chamber 160, to which raw water is supplied continuously by the pipe 11, leads to the valves 1, 3, 5 and communicates through passages 212, 214 and a strainer plug 218 with the valve 66. A chamber 163 connects the pipe 13 with the valve 61 a chamber 166, the pipe 17 with the valves 2, 4. When the valves 3, 4 open for regeneration of the zeolite &c., water flows through an injector 185 creating suction in the pipe 25 to effect the opening of the valve 24 and draw brine from the tank B. The valve 24 comprises a packing element 280, Fig. 19, secured by a bolt 282 to a diaphragm 257a and co-operates with a seating 284. Quiet operation of the valve is obtained by providing the bolt head 283 with a tapered portion 285, connected by a curved portion with a cylindrical portion 286 and by forming the valve seat 284 with a 5 degree taper. The valves 1 .. 6 may be constructed similarly. The valve 24 is controlled by a pilot valve 296 connected to a shaft 318 operated by a lever 321 connected to a rod 350 on which the float 354 is slidable between fixed collars 353, 53a, the rod 350 being also connected to a pivoted lever 342 carrying an adjustable weight 347 adapted to counterbalance the dead weight of the lever arms and the rod 350. The suction produced in the pipe 25 is communicated through a strainer 260 to the diaphragm chamber 290 and the valve 24 is opened for the passage of brine. The float decends with the fall of liquid level in the tank B until it engages the collar 353a thereby rocking the lever 321 and actuating the valve 296 to open the chamber 290 through a tube 306 to atmosphere and so close the valve 24. After the flow of brine ceases, water continues to flow through the softener bed for rinsing and at the end of that operation, when the valves 1, 2 reopen, water flows through the pipe 25, opens the valve 24 and refills the tank B. When the float engages the collar 353, the lever 321 is operated to return the valve 296 to its original position in which fluid pressure is communicated to the chamber 290 and closes the valve 24. The volume of the brine charge may be varied by adjusting the position of the collar 353a. The stop 57 limiting the rotation of the control 54 may be adjustable for varying the period of backwashing. In a modification for remote control, the control mechanism including the master pilot valve 66 and seating 95 is located at a convenient point and connected by pipes with the distribution plug X and the unit C. In this case, pressure fluid may be supplied from a point adjacent the control and the discharge passage from the seating 95 may be led to an adjacent drain.