US 3,994,311 AGranted

Pneumatic amplifier

AssigneeTangen Drives, Inc.

InventorL. Irwin Walle

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Abstract

A pneumatic amplifier is disclosed having a body, the body with two opposed heads, a sensor head, and a valve head. An air direction chamber is defined interiorly of the two heads and body, and is separated from the sensing chamber by means of a sealed piston. The piston is actuated at one side by means of back pressure on a jet orifice which is connected to a sensor supply, and the back pressure is translated into a movement of the flexible piston. In the valve chamber, a dart valve is actuated on one end by the piston, and its cone at the other end seats in a valve seat in pneumatic connection with the valve head. The valve head has a signal supply which, when not by-passed through the dart and its associated valve, passes out through a signal tube to actuate a signal device, whether ultimately pneumatic, electric, hydraulic, or other source of power. Optionally a diaphragm type piston is employed. The dart is formed of plastic having three or more vanes, the same seating within an air direction chamber but in loose fit pneumatically suspendable relationship thereto. The valve body also optionally has a manifold which diverts the signal supply to the signal tube responsive to the operation of the dart.

Claims9

Dependent claims

In a pneumatic amplifier having a body, means for supply sensing air, means for supply operating air, a flexible piston member interiorly of the body dividing the same into a sensing chamber and a valve chamber, and having a valve closure and cooperating seat actuated by the flexing of the piston member responsive to the pressure differentials between the sensing chamber and the valve chamber, an improvement comprising

a pneumatically floating and centered dart having a shaft, a plurality of vanes extending radially from the shaft, a valve closure at one end of the shaft, and piston engaging means at the end of the shaft opposite said closure,
a tubular air direction chamber for the dart in loose fitting relationship with the vane portions of the dart having an inlet,
restriction means to the inlet of the dart,
output signal means in pneumatic communication with the inlet and the dart,
a pneumatic sensing probe in pneumatic communication with the sensing chamber,
and air means passing through the sensing chamber,
said air means being controlled by a control valve determining the amount passing through the sensing chamber into the pneumatic probe, which, upon sensing a pressure differential in view of proximity to a stop block, will transmit the pressure differential to the diaphragm means and thereby operate the dart valve and the air control.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 05/583,059Filed 2 Jun 1975 · continuation
Priority: 15 Oct 1973
Granted: 30 Nov 1976
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G05B 11/52
With auxiliary power: in which the output signal represents a discontinuous function of the deviation from the desired value, i.e. discontinuous…
F15C 3/04
Circuit elements having moving parts: using diaphragms
Y10T 137/2278
Fluid handling: pressure modulating relays or followers
Y10T 137/2365
Pressure modulating relays or followers: plural series units