Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Air or other Fluid to Reservoirs Containing Fluid under Pressure and for Relieving the Compressing or Pumping Machines of Work.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 11th May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 15th June, 1888
Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Air or other
Fluid to Reservoirs Containing Fluid under Pressure and for
Relieving the Compressing or Pumping Machines of Work.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM CROSSLEY of Openshaw, Manchester, in the County of
Lancashire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to apparatus for automatically regulating the supply of air or
other fluid to reservoirs of fluid under pressure, whereby the suction valve of the air
compressor cylinder or fluid pump is automatically kept open when the pressure in
the reservoir or delivery pipe has attained the required maximum degree, thus relieving
the compressing or pumping engine of work until the pressure in the reservoir or pipe
has sunk slightly below such maximum.
For this purpose I impart to the suction valve of the cylinder a timed motion by
means of a lever actuated by the engine, which effects the opening of the valve, while
a spring acting on the valve spindle effects the closing of the valve when released by
the lever. A small cylinder which is in constant communication with the air vessel
or reservoir, contains a piston, the rod of which is acted upon by a spring in
opposition to the air pressure in the cylinder, and which carries a collar against
which rests the vertical arm of an elbow lever, the other, weighted, arın of which is
in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position.
When the pressure in the air reservoir below the normal, the spring of the small
piston moves this lever through the collar on its rod, so as to hold the horizontal arm
of the elbow lever out of the path of a collar on the rod of a suction valve, and this
can consequently open and close freely as described.
When the maximum pressure is attained in the air reservoir, the piston of the small

page_text: cylinder is forced out against the action of the spring, and the collar on its rod
allowing the weighted arm of the elbow lever to fall, the horizontal arm will move
over so as to come against the collar on the valve rod when opened by the cam or
eccentric on the shaft and thus prevent the valve from closing, whereupon the piston
of the air compressor cylinder will be relieved of work so long as the pressure in the
reservoir remains at the maximum. This arrangement secures the full opening of the
suction valve and not a merely partial opening of it, when the pressure is above
the required degree.
The th
C A 1007

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Air or other
Fluid to Reservoirs Containing Fluid under Pressure and for
Relieving the Compressing or Pumping Machines of Work.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM CROSSLEY, of Openshaw, Manchester, in the County of
Lancashire, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
My invention relates to apparatus for automatically regulating the supply of air
or other fluid to reservoirs of fluid under pressure, whereby the suction valve of the air
compressor cylinder or fluid pump is automatically kept open when the pressure in the
reservoir or delivery pipe has attained the required maximum degree, thus relieving
the compressing or pumping engine of work until the pressure in the reservoir has
sunk slightly below such maximum.
I arrange apparatus for this purpose as I will describe referring to the accompanying
drawing which is a vertical section.
I impart to the suction valve A of the cylinder a timed reciprocating motion by
means of a lever H actuated by the engine, which effects the opening of the valve A,
whilst a spring S acting on a collar Con the valve stem effects the closing of the valve
at the back stroke of the lever H. A small cylinder E which is in constant com-
munication with the air vessel or reservoir beyond the delivery valve D is fitted with
a plunger F which may be grooved, as shewn, to prevent leakage past it and lubricated
from an oil pipe. The plunger F is linked to one arm of an elbow lever K the other
arm of which is loaded sufficiently to overbalance the pressure on the plunger F. The
lever K has a nose J which acts as a stop to prevent it from moving too far. It also
carries a setting screw G the point of which bears against one arm of another elbow
lever B, having at the end of its other arm a hook L.
When the pressure in the air reservoir is below the normal, the plunger F is not
pushed outwards, and consequently the hook L is kept clear from the collar C, on the
stem of the suction valve A, and this valve is therefore free to open and close.
When the maximum pressure is attained, the piston F is forced out in opposition
to the load on the lever K, the hook end of the lever B descends so that the hook L
catches the collar O and prevents the valve from closing. The piston of the air
compressor is thus relieved of work so long as the pressure in the reservoir remains
at the maximum.
The hook L and collar C are relatively arranged so that the suction valve A gives
full passage for air when it is thus held open.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The construction and use of apparatus for regulating the supply of air or other fluid
to reservoirs containing fluid under pressure, and for relieving the compressing or
pumping machines of work when the required pressure is attained, substantially as
herein described and illustrated by the drawing.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.