US1466342A - Valve mechanism for dump cars - Google Patents

Description

J. B. RHODES VALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1918 Aug, 28, 1923@ Y n i 2 Aug. 28, 1923. y M4634@ I J. B. RHODES VALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS Filed March so, 191e 2 shwtsnt 2 f i; g3

Patented Aug. 28, 1923. Y

uit 'aras ma Parar "rra- J'AY B. RHODES, OF KALAIMLAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR -'.IJO WESTERN WHEELEID SCRAPER COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR DUMP CARS.

*Application filed March 30, 1918. Serial No. 225,845.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAY B. RHODES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kalamazoo` in the lcounty of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Dump Cars, of which the following is a specification, reference being 'had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to dump cars of the type in which the car bed is dumped and restored toA operative position by means of compressed air, and it has particularly to do with the valve mechanism by which the admission of compressed air to the dumping cylinders and its l exhaustion therefrom is controlled. 'My present invention has more especially to do with valve mechanism in which the further admission of compressed air to the dumping cylinders is cut off by the direct action of the pistons therein, as they approach the end of their operating stroke. A construction of this kind is shown and described in Letters Patent, No. 1,361,- 904, dated December 14, 1920, granted upon my application, and the object of my present invention is to provide certain improvements upon the construction shown and described lin my said patent. The specic features of improvement which form the subject mat-ter of this application will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section, illustrating part of a dump car cylinder and piston and the valve mechanism associated therewith, the parts being shown in the position they occupy while airunder pressure is being supplied to the cylinder and just before the valve mechanism operates to cut off such air pressure; f

.Fig 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4--4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the upper end of one member of vthe cut-01T valve.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates one of the dumping cylinders, two of which are usually employed, one at each side of the car near the longitudinal center thereof, as shown for example in Letters Patent No,

1,103,314. 7 indicates the bottom of the cylinder, and 8 the head thereof, through which works a tubular plunger 9, to which 1s attached the piston head 10. The bottom 7 of thecylinder is provided with a'duct 11 for the passage of air in the usual Way, so that by the admission of compressed air to said cylinder, 4the piston 10 may be forced )toward the head 8 to dump the car bed or to restore it to its normal position after it has been dumped.

12 indicates a valve body, or casing, which is mounted upon the cylinder head 8, preferably near the margin thereof, and is secured thereto by bolts 13, as shown in Fig. 1. 14 indicates a main valve chamber in the casing 12, which is provided with a lateral passage 14a, leading to an air pipe 15, through which air under pressure is supplied to said valve chamber. The pipe 15 is provided with a cock 16, similar to an ordinary stop-and-waste cock, interposed between the pipe 15 and a pipe 17 which connects with a train pipe in the usual way.

v 18 indicates an annular channel in the upper port-ion of the main valve chamber 14', and 19 indicates a sleeve which fits closely in the main valve chamber 14 and forms a lining therefor. -The sleeve 19 is provided withperforations 20 opposite the channel 18 to permit' air to pass from the valve chamber 14 into said channel. 21 indicates acuto'l chamber which is parallel with the main valve chamber 14, and is connected therewith by a transverse passage 22 which connects with the annular channel 18, as shown in Fig. 1. 23 indicates a plunger mounted in the main valve chamber 14 and extending through the lower end thereof to a seat 24 in the valve casing. Said seat extends around an exhaust port 25, as shown in Fig. 1. At its lower end the lunger 23 carries a Washer 26 to provide a tight closure at the lower end of the plunger 23 is oit-tq the seat 24 and the exhaust port 25 is open. The upper end of the main valve chamber 14 is closed by screw plug 30 which carries a depending stop'31 arranged to overlie the upper end of the plunger 23 and limit its upward movement.

32 indicates a duct in the form of a transverse passage which connects intermediately with the cut-off chamber 21 and extends between the lower end of the main valve chamber 14 and the exhaust port 25. Said transverse passage connects at its outer end with the operating cylinder, the supply ot compressed air to which is controlled' by the valve mechanism. Tn the construction shown this connection is made by a pipe 33 which leads to the duct 11 at the lower end of the cylinder 6, as shown in Fig. 1.

34-35 indicate the upper and lower members of a plunger mounted in the cut-od chamber 21, as best shown in Fig. 1. The member 35 is provided with a tubular stem 36 which screws into the member 34, and the latter member is provided at its upper end with a marginal flange 37 which rests upon a shoulder 38 provided in the upper portion of the cut-ofi" chamberon a level with the transverse passage 22. 39-40 indicate oppositely-disposed cupped leather washers which are mounted between the members 34-35 and lit closely in the bore of the cutod chamber, as shown in Fig. 1. lTt will be noted that the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the plunger composed of the members. 34-35 occupies that portion of the cut-od' chamber which lies between the transverse passages 22--32, and consequently compressed air admitted to the main valve chamber 14, may flow through the transverse passage 22, down through the stem 36 to the transverse passage 32, and then through pipe 33 to the cylinder 6 below the piston therein.

41 indicates a pin provided with' a hea 42 which rests in the lower portion of the cut-od' chamber 21. Said pin passes through a verticalpassage 43 in the cylinder head 8 and extends down into the cylinder in position to be engaged by the piston 10 shortly before it reaches the upper end of its stroke,

so that as said piston completes its stroke, it will. move said pin upward for a short distance. When the piston again descends, said pin will drop by gravityv to its normal position. 44 indicates a plunger fitted in the lower portion of the cut-od chamber 21 and normally resting upon the head 42 of. the pin 41. Said plunger is provided with a cupped leather washer 44@L which fits closely in the bore of the cut-od chamber, and its upper end is provided with a socket in which is fitted a'plug 45 carrying at its upper end a leather washer 46. This leather washer is adapted to engage the lower face neeaeaa of the member 35, which overlies it, and in the construction shownis normally held in contact therewith by a spring 47, disposed between the plug 45 and the plunger 44, as shown in Fig. 1. Tn said figure the plug 45 is shown down out of operative position, which is the position it occupies when air under pressure is passing through the stem 36 and the transverse passage 32 to the cylinder, since the pressure of the air then operates to move the plug 45 down out'of contact with the member 35. When the pressure is cut off, however, the tension of the spring 47 at once moves said plug up into engagement with the member 35, thereby closing the lower end of the passage through the stem 36.

48 indicates a valve member in the form of a spider, which is mounted in the upper portion of the cut-oil2r chamber 21 above the member 34, as shown in Fig. 1. Said spider is provided with a central boss 49 which is Sil adapted to tit into a recess 50 ina plug or cap 51, screwed into the valve casing 12, over the cut-oill chamber, forming a closure for the upper end of said chamber. A spring 52 is mounted upon the boss 49 and bears in the socket 50, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the spring 52 holds the valve member 48 down yieldingly on its seat and provides a yielding stop which limits the upward movement of the kplunger members 34-35. The valve member 48 is provided centrally with a washer, preferably of leather, which is adapted to se'at over the upper end of the stem 36 when the members 34-35 are moved upward far enough, thereby closing said stem against indow of compressed air from the passage 22 under certain conditions, as hereinafter explained.

- The operation of the valve mechanism described is as follows: When the valve is not subjected to pressure from the train pipe, the plunger 23 will be in its uppermost position against the stop 31, and the perforations 2() will be closed by the packing 27; also the' exhaust' port 25 will be open and 'the several parts of t-he cult-ofi' valve mechanism will be in the position shown in Fig. A1, except that the plug 45 Will be in engagement with the member 35, and the member 34 will be in engagement with the valve member 48. Assuming that the cock 16 is ope-ned to admit air under pressure from the train pipe, the pressure of the air in the main valve chamber 14 will move the plunger 23 down to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby opening the perforations 20 yand closing the exhaust port 25. This will permit air under pressure to pass through passage 22 to the upper portion of the cut-ofi' chamber 21, above the member 34, which will therebyr be forced downward out of engagement withy the valve member through the tubular stem 36 to passage 32 through which it will flow to pipe 33, and thence to the lower portion of cylinder 6. The pressure of the air in the stem 36 at this time will move the plug45 down ofi' its seat, against the action of spring 47. rlhe pressure of the air admitted to the. cylinder 6 will move the piston 10 up until it strikes the lower end of the pin 41, which will be moved upward until the piston reaches the upper end of its stroke. This upward movement of the pin 41 will lift the plunger 44 and plug 45 until its washer 46 is seated against the lower face of the plunger member 35, thereby closing the lower end of the passage through tubular stem 36 and cutting off further supply of compressed air to the cylinder 6. The upward move-4 ment of the plunger 44 will also carry the plunger members 3%35 up in the cut-oft' chamber until member 34 strikes the washer carried by the spider 48, thereby closing the upper end of the stem 36, the spring 52 being compresse-d to a greater or less extent by `this operation. Thus both ends of the passage through the stem 36 are closed, insuring the complete cu-tting ofi' of further compressed air. The parts will remain in this condition, with thepassage through the stem 36 closed at both ends, until the pressure is released from the inlet side of the valve by the engineer in the cab, or by turning the cock 16 to exhausting position. Until this is done, the pressure in the cylinder v6 may be maintained, as the plunger 23 will remain in position to close the exhaust po-rt since the pressure in the main valve chamber and the connecting passages will remain substantially constant, owing to the action of valves 48 and 45 which prevent flow of air in either direction. As soon as the pressure in the main valve chamber 14 is released, however, the spring 29 will move the plunger 23 up against the stop 31 and close the perforations 20, at the same time opening the exhaust port 25. This will permit the air in the cylinder 6 to be exhausted through said exhaust port, and with the ensuing downward movement of the pisto-n 10, the pin 41 and the plunger 44 will move down -to the position shown in Fig. 1 by gravity, aided by the action of springs 52v and 47. When the plunger 44. moves down as described, th'e plug 45 will be held up inengagement with the lower end of the member 35 by the action of the spring 47, and the member 34 will be held up in engagement with the member 48, so that the passage through the stem 36 will remain closed at both ends. The members 34, 35 and 45 will, however, be moved down to the positions shown in Fig. 1 as soon as air under pressure is aga-in admitted to the main valve chamber 14.

Although, as has'been suggested, my iinproved valve mechanism is designed primarily for use on dump cars, it may also be used for other purposes, and therefore I do not limit myself to using such valve on dump cars, and the claims hereinafter made should be construed accordingly.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters atent, is,

1. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-ott' chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in said valve chamber for controlling the admission of air to said passage and for opening or closing said exhaust port, a plunger movable endwise in said cut-otf chamber for cut-ting off the admission of air from said passage to said cut-off chamber, and a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with said cut-oil' chamber and leading to an operating cylinder.

2. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-off chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in said valve chamber for controlling the tdinission of air to said passage and for opening or closing said exhaust port, endwise movable means for cutting 0H the admission of air from said passage to said cut-off cham ber, a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with said cut otf chamber andy leading to an operating cylinder, and means for cutting off communication between said duct and said cut-oil' chamber.

3 A valve comprising a casing having a mam valve chamber, a cut-0H chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in sa id valve chamber for controlling the admission of air to said passage and for openlng o r closing said exhaust port, a plunger in said cut-oli' chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough, means for cutting ofi' the admission of air from said first-mentloned passage to the passage through said plunger, and a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with the opposite end of the passage through said plunger and leading to an operating cylinder. u

4. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cutof chamber and in said cut-ofi' chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough, means for cutting oft' the admission of air from said first-mentioned passage to the passage through said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port andwith the opposite end of the passage through' said plunger and lead,- ing to an operating cylinder, and means for of air to said passage and for opening orclosing said exhaust port, a plunger in said exhaust port and with the opposite end of.

the passage through said plunger and leading to an operating cylinder, and a cut-ofi device normally operating to cut 0H communication between said duct and the lat'- ter passage and movable out of operative position by air pressure.

6. A valve comprising a casing having a.

main valve chamber, a cut-off chamber and an exhaust port, a p assage connecting sald chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in said valve chamber for controlling the admission of air to said passage and for opening or closing said exhaust port, a plunger in said cut-off chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough, means for cutting off the admission of air from said first-mentioned passage to the passage through said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with the opposite end of the passage through said plunger and leading to an operating cylinder, a cut-0E device normally operating to cut o' communication between sa-id duct and the latter passage and movable out of operative position by air pressure, and means whereby said cut-off device may be held in operative position notwithstanding such air pressure.

7 A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-off' chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in said valve chamber controlling the admission cut-ofll chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough, a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plungerto cut 0H the admission of air from said first-mentioned passage to the passage through said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with the latter passage andleading to an operating cylinder, and means for holding said valve member and said plunger in operative engagement with each other notwithstanding pressure in said first-mentioned passage.

8. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber, a cut-off chamber and an exhaust port, a passage connecting said chambers, fluid pressure controlled means in messa-a said valve chamber for controlling the admission of air to said passage and for opening or closing said exhaust port, a plunger in said cut-ofi' chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough, a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plunger to cut oli' the admission of air from said firstmentioned passage to the passage through said plunger, a duct communicating with said exhaust port and with the latter passage and leading to an operating cylinder, a cut-0H device for cutting oil the latter passage from said duct, and means for holding said valve member and said cut-off' device in operative relation to said plunger notwithstanding pressure in said first-mentioned passage.

9. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-ofi' chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valve chamber for opening and closing said passage, a tubular member in said cut-olil chamber forming an air duct, a cut-off device movable into engagement with said tubular member to prevent the flow of air therethrough, and means whereby said cut-od device may be held in operative position against pressure in said main valve chamber.

10. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, a tubular plunger in said cut-oill chamber and movable longitudinally .y therein, a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plunger when the latter is moved longitudinally in one direction, and a cut-oil' device movable into engagement with said plunger to prevent the How of air therethrough.

l1. valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valve chamber for opening and closing said passage, a tubular plunger in said cut-off chamber, a cut-off device movableA into engagement with said tubular plunger,- said cut-off device comprising a plunger, a plug carried thereby, and a sprin for projecting said plug and normally hol ing it in operative engagement with said plunger.

12. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and cut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valve chamber for openingand closing said passage, a tubular plunger in said cut-off chamber, a cut-off device movable into y engagement with said tubular plunger, said cut-off device comprising a plunger, a plug carried thereby, a spring for projecting said plug'and normally holding it in operative engagement with said plunger, and means whereby said cut-off device may be held in operative engagement with said plunger against the pressure of air in said main valve chamber.

13. A valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valve chamber for opening and closing said passage, an endwise movable tubular plunger in said cut-off chamber, a cut-off device movable into engagement with said tubular plunger, said cut-off device comprising a plunger, a plug carried thereby, a spring for projecting said plug and normally holding it in operative engagement with said plunger, means whereby said cutoff device may be held in operative engagement with said plunger against the pressure of air in said main valve chamber, and a valve member adapted to be engaged by said tubular plunger by endwise movement thereof.

14. The combination with a cylinder and a piston operating therein, of a valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-off chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said main valve chamber for opening and closing said passage, an exhaust port, a duct connecting said cut-off chamber with said cylinder and with said exhaust port, a tubular plunger in said cut-oil:` chamber, a cu't-oi' device comprising a plunger, a plug carried thereby, and a spring for projecting said plug and normally holding it in operative engagement with said tubular plunger, and means operated by movement of said piston for holding said cut-off device in operative engagement with said tubular plunger against the pressure of air in said main valve chamber.

15. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling the admission lof compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber having a longitudinally-extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and means adapted to cooperate with said plunger to close the passage therethrough against the admission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage.

16. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling the admission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber `having a longitudinally-extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plunger to close the passage therethrough against the admission of yiuid thereto from said inlet passage, and means for moving said plunger into operative engagement with said valve member.

17. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-oil' chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling the admission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber having a longitudinally-extending passage for connecting vsaid inlet passage with said outlet passage,

a valve member adapted to cooperate with said plunge-r to close the passage therethrough against the admission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage, and Huid pressure operated means adapted to operate to hold said plunger in operative engagement with said valve member against the pressure of fluid in said inlet passage.

18. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet and outlet pas.- sages communicating therewith, means for con rolling the admission of compressed air inlet passage, an endwise movab-le plunger in said chamber having a lo-ngitudinall -extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and means adapted to cooperate with said plunger tocut-oi' the passage therein from said outlet passage. y

19. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controllin the admission of compressed air to said in et passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber having a longitudinally extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage and fluid pressure operated means adapte to operate to cut-ofi' the passage in said plunger from said outlet passage.

20. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-ofi' chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling the admission of com ressed air to said inlet passage, a valve mem erin said chamber having a passage therethrough for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and devices cooperating with. said valve member to close both ends of the passage therethrough.

21. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controllin the admission of compressed air to said in et passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber and having a longitudinally extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, and devices adapted to cooperate with said plunger to close both ends of the passage therethrough.

22. A valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, means for controlling the admission of compressed air to said inlet passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber having a longisaid inlet passage With said outlet passage, a valvemember at the inlet end of the passage through said plunger and cooperating with said plunger to close said passage When said plunger is moved longitudinally in. one direction, a valve member cooperating with the outlet end of the passage through said plunger for closing the same, and means for moving said plunger and the latter valve member to close both ends of the passage through the plunger against pressure in said inlet passage.

23. rlhe combination With a cylinder and a piston operating therein, of a valve comprising a casing having a cut-off chamber and inlet and outlet passages communicating therewith, said outlet passage communicating with said cylinder, means for controlling the admission of compressed air to said inet passage, an endwise movable plunger in said chamber having a longitudinally-extending passage for connecting said inlet passage with said outlet passage, means adapted to coo-perate with said plunger to close the passage therethroughy against the admission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage, and means operated by said piston for actuating said plunger to close the passage therethrough against the admission of fluid thereto from said inlet passage.

24. The combination With a cylinder and a piston operating therein, of aI valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-oli' chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said valve chamber operated by air pressure to control the admission of air to said passage, a passage through said cut-oft' chamber adapted to communicate at one end with said firstmentioned passage, a duct connecting the releases opposite end of the passage through said cutoil chamber With said cylinder, and means operated by movement of said piston for closing the passage through said cut-ofi' chamber at both ends.

25. rThe combination with a cylinder and a piston operating therein, of a valve comprising a casing having a main valve chamber and a cut-ofi' chamber, a passage connecting said chambers, means in said valve chamber operated by air pressure to control the admission of air to said passage, a. plunger in said cut-ofi chamber, said plunger having a passage therethrough adapted to communicate at one end With said first-mentioned passage, a duct ycommunicating with the other end of the passage through said plunger and With said cylinder, and means operated by movementof said piston for cutting ofil communication between said firstmentioned passage and the passage through said plunger.

26. The combination with a cylinder and aI piston operating therein, of a valve comprising a casing having a main valvechamber and a cut-oli' chamber, a passage eonnecting said chambers, means in said valve chamber operated by air pressure to control4 the admission of air to said passage, a plunger in said cut-oli chamber, said plunger havinga passage therethrough adapted to communicate at one end With said'irst-mentioned passage, a duct communicating With. the other end of the passage through said plunger and with.` said cylinder, and means operated by the movement of the piston for closing the passage through said plunger at both ends.

,mr B. Rrionns.

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