US 4,054,399 AGranted

Hydraulic ram valve unit

OwnerAlfred Maurerinventor

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Abstract

A ram valve is connected in the supply line through which water flows at a high mass flow rate. A branch line branches off upstream of the valve and includes a check valve and a pressure vessel upstream of the check valve. The ram valve is constructed to have an elongated valve housing and a movable valve body therein, slidable axially in the direction of flow, and shaped to provide for smooth fluid flow therethrough when open and forming a smoothly continuous decreasing flow cross-sectional area. The valve body is held open by an adjustable force, such as a spring or a magnet. When the force is exceeded, the valve body closes suddenly, causing a pressure pulse to be transmitted through the then open check valve into the branch pressure vessel to build up pressure therein. A closed supply pressure vessel having an air cushion is included in the inlet supply line to the valve. The pressure vessels, the supply line, the ram valve and the check valve are a unitary assembly capable of installation and transportation as a unit, the inlet supply line preferably being formed as a spiral coil surrounding the branch pressure vessel and terminating in a tangential outflow to decrease flow turbulence to the valve.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Hydraulic ram valve unit comprising a supply line (4), a ram valve (5) in the supply line, a branch line (19) branching upstream from the valve (5), a branch pressure vessel (8) connected to the branch line (19) to supply fluid under pressure to a pressure supply riser and a check valve (7) in the branch line (7) preventing back flow from the branch pressure vessel (8) to the ram valve (5);

the ram valve (5) including
an elongated valve housing (16) and a movable valve body (15) in the housing, the valve housing being shaped to provide for smooth fluid flow therethrough, the valve body (15) being movable in a direction of its longitudinal axis,
the valve body (15) and the valve housing (16) being relatively shaped to form, between the inner surface (36) of the valve housing (16) and the outer surface (35) of the valve body (15), in the direction of flow and when the valve is open, a gradually constricting gap (32), of smoothly continuously decreasing flow cross-sectional area and, when the valve is closed, to form a valve seat downstream of said gap (32) to close fluid communication through said ram valve (5),
means (6;
20, 25, 31) coupled to the valve body (15) to adjust the relative axial travel of the valve body (15) in the housing (16) away from said valve seat and to form said gap (32),
force means (18, 27) acting on and biassing the valve (15) to open position counter the pressure exerted by fluid flow through the continuously constricting flow cross-sectional area;
and a closed supply pressure vessel (3) having an air cushion therein connected upstream of the valve (5) in the supply line (4) and between the source (1, 2) of the fluid.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.