US2394911A - Automatic vacuum breaker - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 12, 1946. D. G. GRlswoLD AUTOMATIC VACUUM BlEAKER Filed Sept. 9, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 alald @Palm/ald Patented Feb. 12, 1946 j s of the' present :dia-

phrag'm'i's that it includes a button integrally formed therewith o'f such 'shapeand configuration if'nitrating into and through the phrag'm and causing leakage.`

` Donald G. GriSwoldjAlhambra, Calif.;l a'ssgnorftov 'l 4 Clayton@ Manufacturing- Company, Alharnbla,rv`v

Calin, a corporation of'fCalifornia Afppiieeinen september 9, '194 :i,"seiria1n9.501,701 i, '4 claims.VJ (ci. 1er-'153) *i The present' invention relates to novel'vmeided diaphragm' s triuture. adapted` ,for general'use in y One of the novel featur' as tojcooperate` with an annular seat'to effect quiet l sealing and thus eliminate" tlre' `usua1- noise and cl'iatteringv commonly encountered with conventionalidiaphragm structures;

Anotherjfeature of the,A diaphragm is that' the body and button may' be .reinforced kwith` fabric,

if desired; and madeof rubber or neoprene having a prec ietermineci,` desired Shore scler'o'scope lharclness.v In certain' instances, the jmainy body portion of the diaphra'gmmaybe ymade of neoprene or Arubber of onehardness and the fbutton vof another hardness. l

A'For the purpose of illust of thevpresent diaphragm for yvarious uses','the same'is disclosed herein in connectionwith an 'automaticcheck valve landf'with an automatic vacuum orssiphon breaker. Oneof the'principal "advantagesof the lpresent diaphragm in "valve structures isthat it eliminates" the usual' valve stem; clampingplates, valve stern guides, etc.; and,

' being devoid oftheusual valve'stem opening, it Y eliminates the diiiiculties encountered inconvenvtional valves when lused with, for example, high air pressures,y because it prevents the air from'nbody o f the` dia The principal object" of iheiiiveritigon 'is tiefpregeneral use vin valves, etc.;V wherein' the diaphragm 4 l includes a portion which directly engages a seat dv the opening and cooperates with" said seat-,fan

therein 'to-produce quiet operation;- Another object of theinvention is to provide ari improved automatic vacuum :or siphonfbreaker embodying'the novel diaphragm'of the 4lziresentinvvention adapted to prevent contamination orjp'ollution of water supply systems.' 1 Otherobjects and advantages of theinvention A will be apparcnt'fromtheffollowinjdescription.

taken in conjunction'with"-the accompanying drawingain which: J v a Figure 1 is an enlarged'elevatinal view of a principlessof-theinventioni1 .e v-

Figure 2 is alongitudinal section'alvewfthrough I diaphragm constructed in accor-dane'el `Wim-11th@ lanautomatic checkA valve containing'a diaphragm vsuch as A shown in Figure 1; x v

Figures 3-, 4- andy5 are: diagrammatic vievifsil-mv l Y lustrating `the novel coaction r between the dia#- fitting]'dieadaptability 2o i on the une 1+i of Figure 6; 1o

i phianr l-lnitton andy -anmannular seat during the ydcwriward ilexingvoif the diaphragmjand where- ,by chattering, squealing` andother; noises incident toclosingare eliminated;

,Figure v6 is an elevational viewpf an automatic Siphon breaker including a diaphragm embodying the principles of the present invention; i.'

Figure 7 is a `transverse sectional view taken Figure 28 isa diagrammatic jView` illustrating o the manner in "which the siphonbreaker shown in Figures and' may be installed in a ppesystem "isiphonving: vand i5' a house or Vother building t o prevent .back- Fi'gure 9v isa view similar to Figure but )showingf QI'nQdied pipingr installation.

Referring now'to Fig. 1, thediaphragm isgenerally indicatedfby the letter D and includes a circular body-portion [provided with a relative- "ly thick, integral, central button .2 consisting of circular` boss Sand a 'circular protuberance or mound ,4 formed upon said boss. 'Ihethickness of fthe body portion` lj is' indicated by the letter K and the thickness ef the, bess a is indie-atei; by 'the csi dimension 3K'inas`much as said boss. is approximately three tunes as thiekasthe bodypprtien i. Theperipherypfthe boss 3 visinerged.with Ithe 'iF-"body portionjl alongan arc'defindby @radius R whiclrisfequal to 3K, the vaxial thickness offsaid 30 boss: The protuberanceor mound 4 is'i'ndicated as having ath'iekness 2K; that is, ,aboutitwiee as the mounds; indicated bythejdimension Kgcenvide a moldedfdiaphragm structure- 'adaptedior stituts a cylindrical portion`v 5, whereas ,th remainder o fiheperipneryef the mound 4 is curved *upon an arc C yhaving aradius Rf equal to the dimensionA The lower sidejof the mound 'l is' nat-asJ indicated atj, butin'stead of. being `rfxzuide i A iiat,y certain advantages AinV ow canib obtained if the arcR' at thecorner ofthe vmound is'mer'ged to the horizontal as indicated by the vdomandidesir 'I linesfsothat the mound then takes theiirnrof a f `rfiat vcorie-'I v'having aroundedpeak Vstruckgon a ls'cleroscope hardness f 6'0 .t o [892 "Neoprene is if preferred toy rubberY becauseit Wll not kstick.. to

a' brassfse'at; whereas ri 1i; l:hery as itfages, has a -tendeneytefdo ser The body] Lend the" button 2 I 55 t0.. For certain. Smau-Valves; the; body portion ness of 60, as measured by the Shore scleroscope.

For larger types of valves, the' body I will have' a hardness of about 60 and the button 2 will have a. hardness of about80. f course, the body I may be made of a hardness rangingfrom 60 to.80, as may also thevbutton 2. The foregoing range of Shore scleroscope hardness of 60 to 80 provides a diaphragm structure ofV the desired ilexibilityconducive to the mode of coaction with a cooperating seat described hereinafter.

Figure 2 shows the manner in which the dia phragm D may be incorporated in an automatic check valve. lIhe check valve is 'generally indicated by the numeral 9 and includes a body III having an inlet opening Il and an outlet opening l2 separated by a partition wall including a vertical portion I3 and an inclined wall portion I4 which are merged to provide a circular opening I5 between the chambers II and l2. 'I'he opening I5 is surrounded by an upwardly projecting flange I6, the upper annular surface I1 of which forms a seat cooperable with the button 2 of the diaphragm D. The surface I1 may be made flat, but better results are obtained if the same is slightly inclinedv downwardly and outwhat dished contour indicated at 28 in Fig. 4. The mound 4 enters the opening vI5 and the lower face of the boss 3 is caused to assume a slight angle to the horizontal, the portions defined by the arcs C being flexed slightly outwardly into closer proximity with the inner surface of the opening I 5l The curvature of the arcs 'C gradually constricts the flow-between the inlet and outlet chambers II and I2 of the valve as the mound 4 further enters the opening I5. At the same time, the surface 25 is approaching the inclined face I1 of the valve seat so that, while there is a constriction of flow at this point, all objectionable eddying is avoided. One of the peculiar characteristics of the present diaphragm construction is that, as the annular face 25 of i the boss 3 approaches the seat I1, it does not wardly on an angle-of about 5 tothe horizontal,

as shown in Fig. 3.

The diaphragm D is disposed between lthe valve body` I0 and a cover plate I8 secured to the body by a suitable number of machine screws I9. The cover I3 is dished to provide a pressure chamber 20 above the diaphragm I. Communication between the outlet opening I2 and the diaphragm pressure chamber20 is established by a passageway 2l in the valve body I0, which communicates with a passageway 22 in the cover I8 opening into the pressure chamber 20. It will be apparent that, as the pressure builds up on the outlet side I2 of the` valve 9, such pressure will be communicated through the passageways 2| and 22 tothe pressure chamber 20 and cause downward flexing of the diaphragm I to cut oi gagement.

simultaneously form a line-contact with all portions of the edge of said seat, but on the other hand will first engage said edge at a -point '21 proaching the seat I1 and upon engagement flow between the chambers II and I2. In this'- pressure chamber 20 to be forced out of said chamber through the passageways 22 and 2| back into the outlet chamber I2, to eventually permit full opening of the valve.

The mound 4 has a diameter indicated by the letter B, which for a 11/2" valve is about 0.02 to 0.03 of an inch less than the diameter of the seat opening I5. The diameter of the lower face 25 of the boss 43 is indicated by the dimension A and preferably is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the seat I1.

The novel manner in which the diaphragm D cooperates with the seat I1 during closing of the valve is diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3 to 5, the clearances being exaggerated to Afacilitate illustration. Figure 3 showsthe body I of the diaphragm D substantially flat and when in this condition the lower face 25 of the boss 3 lies in a horizontal plane parallel with that of the plane of the body 2. As the diaphragm D is flexed downwardly due to the increasing @pressure in the chamber 20, the central portion of said diaphragm is flexed downwardly out of a horizontal plane and is caused to assume the sometherewith gradually cuts off flow circumferentially through the opening I5. It is such gradual constriction and cutting off of ow through the ,opening I5 (due to the gradual axial and circumferential restriction of flow through said opening l5), which results in the unusual quiet' v and the specic shape of the button 2 which' permit such coaction.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '1, a modified diaphragm D', similar to the diaphragm D, exceptl that it is provided with a -central passageway 3l, is incorporated in a siphon breaker generally indicated by the numeral 30. The siphon breaker 30 includes a hollow cylindrical mounting element 32, and a body comprising a hood 33 and a cover plate 34. The diaphragm D' is clamped between the cover 34 and a horizontal ilange35 on the hood 33, said hood and cover being secured together by a suitable number of screws 36. The mounting member 32 includes a cylindrical portion 31 projecting upwardly into the hood 33 and terminating at its upper end in an inclined face 38 adapted to serve as an annular seat for a boss 3' on the Vdiaphragm D'. The mounting member 32 includes an intermediate hexagonal flange 40 against which a lower reduced'end 4I of the hood 33 is adapted to engage. The inner surface of the portion 4I snugly engages the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 31 and the hood 33 is preferably mounted on the mounting member 32 by sweating the portion 4I onto the portion 31, although it will be understood that other means of securing the hood to the portion 31 can be employed. The hood 33 has an enlarged portion 4,2 adjacent the reduced end 4I provided witha series of vent openings 43, the total area of which is at least as great as the area of the opening surrounded by the annular seat 38. The cover 34 is dished as indicated at 44 to Drovide a pressure chamber above the diaphragm D'.

' acogen .Flg.' 8diagrammatically lllustratesthe'manner in` which the vacuumbreaker v30 shown in Figs'.'6 and 7. maybe installed in af-'pipin'g system'associated with-adwelling'cr other ylriuildiiig, It' will be understood that'- the `rvacuu'in -'breaker -30 may be mountedjaeachplumbing ilxture,` but forfthe lxturesfin thebluildingisuch 'as lwash basinsi5, toilet I, `and a'istationary tubI 52; Ashut oir valve 53 vis rcolnnectedi`n`the service line 41.

In operation, so long as there is any pressure in the line 45, iluid will ow through the passageway 3l in the diaphragm D' into the chamber 44, and as the pressure in said chamber builds up, the diaphragm D will be ilexed downwardly to engage the seat 33 (in the same vmanner described in connection with the valve of Fig. 2v) to auto-- matically seal off the upper end of the mounting member 32 from the atmosphere. The siphon breaker 30 will remain closed so long as the pressure in the line 45 is above atmospheric pressure. However, if the pressure in the line 45 drops below atmospheric pressure for any reason, the iluid from the chamber 44 willow back through the passageway 3l in the diaphragm D' into the pipe line 45, through the vent openings 43 will act upon the lower side of the diaphragm D' and ilex it upwardly out-of contact with the seat 38 and thus vent the pipe 45 to the atmosphere and prevent the formation of any vacuum therein which would tend to cause back-siphoning of liquid from the basin 50, toilet 5| and tub 52. In this manner, all possible contaminationof the water in the line 45, supply pipe 41 and any main connected with said supply pipe is avoided, as is also any damage that might result by water rushing back into the line 45 if the vacuum were not broken.

Fig9 illustrates a modied piping system including the siphon breaker 30 in which said siphon breaker is not connected in the system at the highest point thereof. Thus, the siphon breaker 30 is shown connected directly in a supply line 54. A check valve 55, which may be of conventional construction, is connected on. the building side of the Siphon breaker 30 and a conventional globe or gate s hut olf valve 56 is connected in the line".i4 on the inlet side of the check valve 55. Water from the supply pipe 54 is supplied to the various fixtures in the building through a riser 51. In this system. if the presand atmospheric pressure eifective It will" also ,be apparent thatlvariou'schanges may be madein certain details'of construction of the valve and siphon breakerper'se, without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the annexed claims. 1

I claim:

f '1.'An autdntic vacuumbreaker comprising: a substantially cylindrical hollow member" terminating at its upper end irian annular seatga hood mountedfupon-said'cylindrical meinber a cover having' achambe'r' for fluid under pressure; anda flexible "diaphragn'iv betweensfald hood and cover, said diaphragm having a central circular `jboss* arranged to" engage said "annular seat; said v boss ,having a diameter slightly greater than that 'of said annular seat, said boss havingza central protubera'nce ,arranged to]v rbe received` within the opening* of 'said annular seat, said' protuberance including a portion of a diameter only slightly less than that of the opening of said annular seat, said hood having vent openings for establishing comvmunication between the atmosphere and said seat opening when the pressure in said cylindrical hollow member is less than atmospheric pressure, said diaphragm having a central passageway extending through said body, boss and protuberance, whereby fluid under pressure greater than y atmospheric pressure may pass through said diaphragm to the upper side thereof and into said chamber in said cover to cause said diaphragm to i be flexed downwardly into engagement with said annular seat.

' phragm against said hood, said cover having a 2. An automatic vacuum breaker comprising: a hollow cylindrical member terminating at 'its upper end in an annular seat; a hood surrounding said cylindrical member and having its lower end secured to said cylindrical member, said hood including a cylindrical portion arranged above said lowerend, said cylindrical portion having a series of vent openings extending therethrough and terminating at its upper end in a horizontal ilange; a diaphragm above said flange arranged to be flexed downwardly into engagement with said annular seat; a cover overlying said diaphragm;

means securing said cover to said horizontal ange for clamping the marginal portion of said diachamber formed therein above said diaphragm, said diaphragm having a passageway opening into said chamber, said' passageway serving in the normal operation of said vacuum breaker as the sole means for introducing uid into and exhausting iiuid from said chamber. v

3. An automatic siphon breaker comprising: a

. member having a lsubstantially cylindrical body sure should fail in the supply pipe 54, the siphon breaker 30 will automatically open and connect the supply line 54 with the'atmosphere in the same manner described in connection with Fig. 8. Moreover, the check valve 55 will vprevent the Water inI the riser 51 and other piping in the dwelling from ilowing back into supply line 54. The check valve 55 alone would prevent objectionable back-siphoning, but would not relieve any vacuum condition that might be created in the service line 54. On the other hand, the si phon breaker 30 avoids all possibility .of producing a vacuum in the supply line 54 and the dangers incident thereto.

It will be understood that the diaphragm disclosed herein is not limited to use in valves and portion, said body portion terminating at itsupper 'end'in an annular seat; a hood surrounding said cylindrical' portion and including a lower end portion secured to said' cylindrical portion and a radial flange of relatively greater diameter than said lower end portion at its upper end portion extending substantially perpendicular to said cylindrical portion; a diaphragm engaging the upper side of said radial flange; a dished cover member overlying said diaphragm, said diaphragm including a portion movable toward said annular seat and having a central opening through which fluid normally passes into the dished portion of said cover to eiect downward flexing of said diaphragm toward said annular seat when the pressure in said cylindrical portion is greater than atmospheric, said hood being provided with vent openings for venting said cylindrical portion to the atmosphere when the uid -atmospheric to effect opening of said siphon breaker.

4. An automatic vacuum breaker comprising: a mounting member having a hollow cylindrical portion terminating at its upper end in an annular seat and having a radially extending peripheral iiange substantiallyl medially of its length; a hood surrounding said cylindrical portion having areduced lowerend portion engaging said ilange and sweated onto said cylindrical porportion above said reduced lower end portion, said enlarged portion having a series of vent openings extending therethroug and terminating at its upper end in a horizon al flange; a flexible diaphragm engaging said flange; a cover member overlying said diaphragm; means securing said cover to said horizontal :dangeior clamping the marginal portion of said diaphragm against said hood, said cover member having a chamber formed therein above said diaphragm for operating fluid, said diaphragm having an opening for lestablishing communication between the interior o1' said hollow cylindrical portion and said chamber, whereby uid from said hollow cylindrical portion can pass through said opening'in said diaphragm and enter said chamber to automatically eiect closing of said vacuum breaker.

DONTALD G. GRISWOLD.

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