Patent GB-730589-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to fluid pressure relays
IPC: G05B6/05
Filed: 1952-06-23
Abstract: 730,589. Fluid-pressure servomotor-control systems; electrically-actuated valves. BAILEY METERS & CONTROLS, Ltd. June 23, 1952 [June 21, 1951], No. 15752/52. Class 135. [Also in Group XXXVII] A fluid-pressure relay comprises a first power means, e.g. diaphragm 19, responsive to an input fluid pressure and imposing a force on a force balance member 41 position ing a pilot valve 50 to establish an output pressure acting on a second power means 47 which imposes a balancing force on the member 41, and an outlet 21 leading the output pressure to a further presence sensitive device, either one of the power means being adapted to act on the member 41 through a cam 40 varying a spring 43 loading the member 41. Fig. 1 shows the relay applied to control the combustion of a forced draught furnace 1. The load on the furnace is measured by the pressure drop across an orifice in the fuel pipe 6 which, through a meter 7, positions the pilot valve 8, e.g. as disclosed in Specification 425,507, [Group XII], to establish a fluid pressure in the pipe 9 which, after passing a manual-automatic selector valve 14, splits into two branches 10 and 11. The pipe 10 passes through a relay 15, e.g. of the type described in Specification 461,389, and leads to the diaphragm 19 of a characterizing relay 12, while the pipe 11 leads to a diaphragm 20 of a characterizing relay 13. A device 16 on the relay 12 gives a loading air pressure through pipe 21 which acts through solenoid operated valves 24, 25, 26 and pipe 29 on a power device 5 actuating a damper 4 while devices 17, 18 on the relay 13 give loading pressures which act respectively in pipes 22, 23 which also act on the power device. A fan 3 in the furnace stack 2 has three speeds and at its low speed the fan electric motor control circuit energizes the solenoid valve 24 so that the pressure in pipe 21 acts to control the damper. At a certain load, the pressure to the power device 5 acts on a pressureoperated switch 30 to give the fan its intermediate speed and at the same time de-energizes solenoid valve 24 and energizes the valve 25, so that the pressure in pipe 22 controls the damper to give a continuous control of the draught at the intermediate fan speed. At a given load, the pressure in the power device operates the switch 30 again to put the fan into high speed, de-energizes valve 25 and energizes valve 26, so that the pressure in pipe 23 now operates the damper to give continuous draught control at the high speed. When the load at high speed decreases a given amount below the previous given load, the pressure-operated switch 31 reduces the fan speed to its intermediate value, closes valve 26 and opens valve 25. Again, when the load at intermediate speed decreases a given amount below the previous certain load, the pressure-operated switch 32 puts the fan in its low speed, closes the valve 25 and opens the valve 24. Since the fan takes time to slow down, electric time-delay relays delay the opening of the valve 24, the pressure in pipe 21 being supplied through a bleed 35 to the power device. The relays 16, 17, 18 are such as to produce an output pressure bearing a desirable functional relation to the input pressure in pipes 101 and 11, e.g. a linear relationship which relationship is determined by the shape of a cam 40, Fig. 5. The loading pressure on the diaphragm 19 acts through a spring-loaded member 37, link 38 and lever 39 to position the cam 40 which adjusts through a bell crank 44, 46 the loading of a spring 43 on a lever 41 pivoted at 42. The lever operates a pilot valve 50 supplied with compressed air at S to give an output pressure in the pipes 49, 21, which pressure is led by a pipe 48 to a bellows 47 which acts on the lever 41 to recentre the pilot valve 50. The loading pressure may be supplied to the bellows 47, in which case the output pressure in the pipes 49, 21 acts on the diaphragm 19 to recentre the pilot valve. In the case of the relay 13, a single loading pressure on the diaphragm 20 positions the cams of two relays 17, 18. The solenoid-actuated valves 24, 25, 26 comprise a solenoid 55<SP>1</SP>, Fig. 7, which when energized moves a lever 56 clockwise about pivot 56<SP>1</SP> to close valve 58 and open valve 57 allowing communication between inlet 21 and outlet 27.