US2650610A - Graduated universal valve for gas appliances with ported sleeve - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 1, 1953 1. v. BRUMBAUGH GRADUATED UNIVERSAL VALVE FOR GAS APPLIANCES WITH PORTED SLEEVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 6, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUGH Sept. 1, 1953 l. v. BRUMBAUGH 2,650,610

GRADUATED UNIVERSAL VALVE FOR GAS APPLIANCES WITH PORTED SLEEVE Filed Feb. 6. 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 h A I a a 8 Bl I? a a) w I n E J 8 I E ii v.0 m G w o 5% a a: a n a: a: E; 5; o I I I I I I I bi] I- ---l'- A $5 INVENTOR.

ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUGH- Sept. 1, 1953 1. v. BRUMBAUGH GRADUATED UNIVERSAL VALVE FOR GAS APPLIANCES WITH PORTED SLEEVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Feb. 6. 1948 w R. Uv w m 1 m m V c m. m2 E A 2 2E Q E m2 m8 N2 in 2 E N A/A m: 3: wt 2 E EH 2% a Q m2 W3 84 B m mm.

TTURNE) Patented Sept. 1, 1953 GRADUATED UNIVERSAL VALVE FOR GAS APPLIANCES WITH PORTED SLEEVE Isaac Vernon Brumbaugh, Clayton, Mo.

Application February 6, 1948, Serial No. 6,719

6 Claims.

The invention described in this application relates to valves. The valve disclosed and described herein in illustration of the invention is especially designed for use in controlling a cooking top burner of a kitchen range but it is to be understood that the inventions involved clearly have other uses. Thus the inventions involved are also useful in the control of gas oven burners. They may be used for control of gas outside of the cooking field. They may even be used for the control of other fluids.

The valve illustrated is designed so that not only may the gas be turned on and oil? but also the size of the flame may be varied as the valve is rotated from the on position to the oif position or from the ofi position to the on position or from the on position to the simmer position, etc. For example as illustratedthe size of the gas flame may be decreased in a uniform gradual manner from an on or maximum flow position down to a condition in which I the flame will provide only enough heat to cause the material being cooked to boil gently or simmer and then to the closed or off position. On the other hand if desired I may of course modify the design in an obvious manner to provide similar valves in which the valve may be turned from the "ofF position directly to the on position and then turned gradually from the on position decreasing gradually through an infinite number of positions to the simmer position.

Prior hereto the large majority of gas valves (especially valves for controlling the cooking top burners of gas ranges) have been produced with a single port which may be opened or closed so that in the open position there is substantially a full flow of gas and in the closed position there is no flow of gas. As the ports are brought from exact registration to the closed position there is a decrease in the size of the flames produced with such prior art valves but inasmuch as the control is not usually accurate nordeflnite with f such prior art valves, the operator has to be very careful to prevent turning the gas completely off or to such a loW position that the flame will go out. In order to obviate this difliculty designers have designed valves with a plurality of different sized ports through which gas may flow. These are usually complicated and expensive to manufacture and some are very difllcult to control.

My inventions are especially important where used in connection with a gas having a high heating value (i. e. high B. t. u. rating) such as the liquid petroleum gases (e. g. butane and propane), and also the natural gases. With such 2 gases it is especially diflicult with a single port to obtain a simmer flame without inadvertently extinguishing the flame entirely. The prior art valves heretofore referred to, which are formed with a plurality of ports, are not always satisfactory with all types of gases because of their wide range in heating values, specific gravities and distribution pressures. The table given in my co-pending application, Serial No. 776,687, filed September 29, 1947, gives the approximate statistics for various types of gas and illustrates the wide differences in these important characteristics thereof. Not only the B. t. u. value of the gas, but also the specific gravity thereof and the distribution pressure under which the gas is supplied, affect the adjustment of the valve. Wherever used hereafter in this specification and claims I intend the words heating value or heat value to be construed to mean heating value, specific gravity of gas and/or distribution pressure thereof, etc.

Another disadvantage of the prior art valves employing a plurality of ports is that rotation of the valve produces a series of flames of diiferent sizes by steps while by the operation of my valve disclosed herein I may produce a slowly varying gradual uniform turn down flame.

In the valve described and shown in this application in illustration of my invention, instead of providing a plurality of ports each controlled by a separate valve member I provide a valve plug with a tapered port and a cup like sleeve which has a relatively large opening and also a gradually tapering slot. This sleeve and the plug may be rotated relative to each other so that either the relatively large opening or portions of the tapered slot will register with the tapered port of the plug valve. Thus gas may flow through the port of the plug valve and then depending on the setting of the valve either through a selected portion of the tapered slot or the large opening of the sleeve into the interior of the sleeve and thence to the burner. I provide means for rotating the plug valve so that different portions of the slot'of the sleeve register with the port thereof and so that the amount of gas supplied to the burner may be infinitely varied. I also provide means by which the longitudinal position of the sleeve may be varied relative to the plug valve so that the simmer position flame and the other position flames may all be adjusted to compensate for gases of different heating values, specific gravities and distribution pressures. The means for changing the longitudinal position of the sleeve differs in the two wise farther than the off" position or counter clockwise farther, than the .-on" position. A spring 90 bearing at its forward end on the sleeve 81 maintains the plug in the casing 62. The casing 63 is also formed with a-cut out portion or opening 9I through which access may be obtained for the purpose of adjusting the screw 14 as desired. It is to be noted in this connection that the opening 9| is arranged in such position that the screw is in position for adjustment through the slot 9| when and only when the plug 10 and the sleeve cooperate to allow a minimum flow of gas (i. e. the simmer set position).

Relatively large screw 92 and relatively small screw 93 are provided to hold the cover 63 to the main casing 62; the screws being of difierent size so that improper assembly is impossible.

As shown in Fig. 2 the valve may be assembled, if desired, with a range having a front plate 93. Primary air adjustment in the mixing tube 68 may be obtained by the adjustment -of a plate In Figures 9, 10 and 11 another valve illustrating my invention is shown. Therein the casing I62 is joined to the cover I63 and has a tapered bore into which the tapered plug I10 extends. It is provided with an inlet boss I66. The nozzle I64 is provided with an orifice cap I65 which extends into a mixing tube I68. In the central recess I1I is a sleeve I15. Onto the forwardly extending stem I12 is an operating knob I13. Threaded concentrically through the stem I12 and through the sleeve I15 is an adjusting screw I14 on the rear end of which is a nut I16 which bears on a hardened washer H61) in turn bearing on the base of the sleeve I15. Surrounding the screw I14 within the recess I1I is a spring I11 which bears on a hardened washer I14a and maintains the sleeve I15 in contact with the washer I16b in turn bearing on the nut I16. A spring I98 bears on the plug I10 and on the stop sleeve I81. The projection I88 on the stop sleeve I81 cooperates with stop I89 to limit rotation of the plug. A tubular member I80 with a pair of keys I83 and I84 is press fitted into nozzle I64 so that the keys I83 and I84 fit into slots I85 and I86 formed in the end of the sleeve I15 and prevent rotation of the sleeve I15. Because of the difference in'the size of the keys I83 and I84 they also prevent improper assembly.

Otherwise the sleeve' I15 is like the sleeve 15 being formed with a large slot I8I and a tapered slot I82 which both cooperate with the tapered port I19 and the groove I18 formed in the plug I10.

Operation The operation of the valves described above are as follows:

The valve 6| is installed with a range a shown in Fig. 2. The knob 13 is turned to the full on position. The orifice cap 65 is adjusted on the nozzle extension 64 to allow the passage of the proper amount of gas for the type of burner used (about 9000 B. t. u. per hour for a regular burner and 12,000 B. t. u. per hour for a giant burner). Then the air shutter 84 is adjusted on the mixing tube 68 to obtain the proper type of flame for most eflicient operation. The knob 13 is then turned so that the indication sim (i. e. simmer) is brought into registration with the pointer 96 (i. e. the position illustrated). This brings the screw 14 into registration with the cut out portion 9|. The knob is removed'and the screw 14 is then adjusted to move the sleeve 15 longitudinally and to secure a correct simmer flame (i. e. about 1500 B. t. u. per hour for a regular burner and about 2000 B. t. u. per hour for a giant burner). This gives the exactly correct adjustments for both the full on position and the simmer position. The intermediate positions are thus automatically adjusted. It will be noted that an infinitely variable flame of any desired size may be obtained between on and sim, it not being necessary to move to the exact positions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. These indications are helpful in adjusting the flame for cooking but obviously any desired number of intermediate positions could be indicated. Even if no intermediate numbered positions were indicated, the operation of the burner would be the same. In cooking operations, the valve is turned from the oil position to any desired on position. It is to be especially noted that rotation of the knob 13 turns the plug 10 but does not turn the sleeve 15 which is held against rotation by the projections 83 and 84. Preferably it is turned to the position indicated on. When the valve is in the off position (i. e. about 45 clockwise from the positions shown in Figs, L and 8) the groove 18 does not register with the bore 66. Thus no gas may flow from the bore 88 (which is connected with the inlet gas manifold) into the valve. If the valve plug is then turned counterclockwise to the on position, a full flow of gas flows from the manifold through the bore 80, the registering port 1'9 and large opening 8i into the interior of the sleeve 15 and thence through the nozzle 64, the orifice cap 65, the mixing tube 68 and to the burner. In this open position of the valve, the gas is automatically lighted, where flash tube lighting is provided, or it may be lighted in any other convenient manner. The valve may be left in such position to secure a maximum flame or may then be turned clockwise to the simmer sim position or to any intermediate position to secure any other desired flame. It should be noted that the size of the flame is infinitely variable between the simmer flame and the full flame. As the flame is turned down the supply of gas is restricted not only by the continuously smaller width of the slot 82 but also by the continuously smaller width (lengthwise of the slot 82) of the tapered portion of the port 19 (see Fig. 3).

In the valve shown in Figs. 9-11, the operation is the same except as follows: The position of sleeve I15 longitudinally of the plug I16 is adjusted (after the knob I13 is brought to the simmer position and removed), by rotation of the screw I14 during which operation and at all other times the sleeve I15 is held against rotation by the keys I83 and I84.

The embodiments of the valve disclosed herein are also disclosed and are claimed broadly in application Serial No. 66,710, filed December 22, 1948, which is intended to include claims generic to the inventions disclosed herein. Said application Serial No. 66,710 also discloses embodiments of my invention disclosed in my application Serial No. 776,687, filed September 29, 194.6, and in my application Serial No. 27,167 filed May 15, 1948.

It is to be understood that the above described embodiments of my invention are for the purpose of illustration only and various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim;

' 1. A valve comprising a hollow valve casing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a stationary member positioned in said hollow and a rotative member also positioned in said hollow and associated with the stationary member, the rotative member being formed with a tapered port and the stationary member being formed with an elongated sloping surface which at times lies contiguous to and cooperates with said port to effect a gradual adjustment of the flow of fluid through said valve, said stationary member and said rotative member comprising means for metering the amount of liquid flowing from said inlet port to said outlet port and said gradual adjustment of the flow being effected by the position of said tapering port relative to said elongated sloping surface.

2. A valve comprising a casing formed with an inlet port and an outlet port; a hollow rotatable plug fitted for rotation in said casing, formed with an external groove registering at times with said inlet port, and formed with a tapered port connected to said groove and extending through the wall of said plug from the hollow to the other circumferential surface thereof; and a hollow sleeve open at one end, positioned within the hollow of said plug, and formed with an elongated sloping slot extending through a wall of said sleeve and registering at times with said tapered port; and means for holding said sleeve against rotation so that rotation of said plug moves said tapered port and said slot into and out of registration.

3. A valve comprising a hollow casing formed with an inlet port and an outlet port; a hollow stationary valve member positioned in said casing and formed with a port extending through a side wall thereof; and a hollow rotative valve member associated with said stationary valve member and also formed with a port extending through a side wall thereof, and movable into and out of partial and full registration with the port in said stationary valve member, the port of the hollow rotative valve member having tapered arcual sides, and the port of the hollow stationary valve member comprising a slot having a sloping surface, which slot at times registers with, is contiguous to, and cooperates with the port in the hollow rotative valve member to effect a gradual adjustment of the flow of gas through said valve,

4. A valve comprising a hollow casing formed with an inlet port and an outlet port; a hollow stationary valve member positioned in said casing and formed with a port extending through a side wall thereof; a hollow rotative valve member associated with said stationary valve member and also formed with a port extending through a sidewall thereof, and movable into and out of partial and full registration with the port in said stationary valve member, the port of the hollow rotative valve member having tapered arcualsides, and the port of the hollow stationary valve member comprising a slot having a sloping surface, which slot at times registers and cooperates with the port in the hollow rotative valve member to effect a gradual adjustment of the flow of gas through said valve; and additional means for adjusting said valve members relative to each other along a line substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rotative member.

5. A valve comprising a casing formed with an inlet opening andlan outlet opening, a hollow rotatable plug positioned therein and formed with a concentric recess'at its rearward end and with a full sized port extending from the circumferential surface thereof through the side wall to the recess, a hollow sleeve open at its rearward end positioned in said recess and formed with a slot with a sloping side and with a full sized oblong port extending through a side wall thereof nonrestrictive to the flow of fluid and registering at times with the port in the plug and means for moving said ports into and out of registration.

6. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a hollow tapered rotatable plug positioned therein and formed with a concentric bore and with a recess and formed with a port extending through a side wall thereof from the outer circumferential surface to said recess, a sleeve positioned in said recess and formed with a port extending through a wall thereof and moving at times into and out of partial and full registration with the port in said plug, a spring resiliently urging said sleeve longitudinally of said recess and means, comprising a screw threaded through said bore and bearing on said sleeve, for moving said sleeve longitudinally against the urging of said spring.

ISAAC VERNON BRUMBAUGH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,707,007 Harper Mar. 26, 1929 1,766,674 Moore June 24, 1930 1,898,952 Gray Feb. 21, 1933 1,916,616 Boyd July 25, 1933 1,952,683 Resek Mar. 27, 1934 2,120,864 Kagi Jan. 14, 1938 2,140,292 Jensen Dec. 13, 1938 2,259,592 Suvak Oct. 21, 1941

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