Patent GB-506217-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in controlling apparatus for the displaceable elements of water-gas manufacturing plant and other plant involving cyclical changes
IPC: C10J3/24
Filed: 1938-03-30
Abstract: 506,217. Valve-actuating mechanism. DAVISON & PARTNER, Ltd., and SMYTHSON, M. W. C. March 30, 1938, No. 9658. [Class 135] In a control arrangement for cyclicallyoperated plants, such as water gas manufacturing plants, in which a constantly reciprocating or oscillating part 1 is coupled to the displace able members 8 of the plant by latches 18, 18a under the control of rotary cams 25, each displaceable member 8 has a lever 5 pivoted to it and each lever 5 carries a pin 6 which when engaged by a corresponding latch 18, or 18a operates a yoke 14 to unlock the displaceable element 8 and permits its movement by the lever 5 which then turns about the pin 6. As shown in Fig. 1, a reciprocating link 1 is connected to a shaft 2 which carries arms 3 each connected by a link 4 to a lever 5 pivoted on an element 8 adapted to control the stack valve, the steam valve, the air valve, or other valves of a water gas manufacturing plant, or other elements of a cyclically operating plant. The elements 8 are guided by rollers 33 and have notches 9, 10 for engagement by locking pins 11, 11a respectively guided in bars 12 and connected to spring-pressed links 12a having a certain lost-motion with respect to yokes 14 loose on a shaft 15. Each yoke 14 has an arm 16 to which are pivoted hooked latch levers 18, 18a, each engageable with the pin 6 on the corresponding lever 5. Each latch lever is pivoted to a lifting rod 19 moving in a guide 20 and having a notch towards its upper end whereby it may be locked in position by a pin 22 urged away from the rod 19 by a lever 23. The levers 23 each carry a follower 24 which contacts an edge cam 25 on a shaft 26 rotated step-by-step by pawl-and-ratchet mechanism 27, 28 connected to the link 1. The element 8 is shown locked in position with the pin 11 in the notch 10. When the recess 31 with which each cam is provided comes opposite the corresponding follower 24, the pin 22 is released from the lifting rod 19 and the latch lever 18 falls and in a certain angular position of the lever 5 engages the pin 6. Thereupon, the yoke 14 is rocked anticlockwise until it meets a stop 32, and removes the pin 11 from the notch 10. The lever 5 then rocks about the pin 6 to move the element 8 to the right as shown. The movement of the element 8 is terminated by the pin 11a engaging the recess 9, this being possible because the yoke is meanwhile centralized by springs 50 on a rod 49. The lever 5 now rocks about the point 7a and the element 8 remains stationary until the follower 24 corresponding to the latch 18a engages the corresponding cam recess 31. The latches 18, 18a are operative in one direction only so that on the return movement of the lever 5, the pin 6 raises the latch 18 and hence the rod 19. Thus the return of the yoke to its central position is permitted and the rod 19 is locked again in its raised position. When the latch 18a is coupled to the pin 6, it rocks the yoke 14 clockwise to release the pin 11a and then supports the pin 6 whilst the lever 5 turns thereabout to move the member 8 to the left. The curved tail at the end of the latch 18a permits it to be raised on the reverse stroke of the lever 5. Each lever 23 is constantly pressed against an abutment 41 by a spring 39. The abutments are adjustable so that the cam followers may be moved to a position in which the cams 25 are ineffective. The rods 22 may be manually withdrawn from engagement with the rods 19 by knobs 35. For this purpose each rod 22 has a nut 36 at one side of the lever 23 and a spring-pressed washer 37 loose on its other side. The cam-shaft 26 may be reduced to half speed by disengaging one of the pawls 28, 28a, or manual control alone may be adopted if both pawls are disengaged.