US 5,141,405 AGranted

Leak proof, preloaded, high-biasing force float-operated over-center valve actuating mechanism

OwnerArmand Francart, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

A snap-over toggle linkage valve actuating mechanism for alternately opening and closing a gas inlet valve and a gas outlet valve, has a pair of spring preload arms pivotably mounted to a fixed mainframe within a sealed pressure vessel for pivoting about a first pivot axis. A first toggle link is pivoted at a first end to the mainframe about the pivot axis A. A second toggle link preferably a compression coil spring under precompression is pivoted at one end about a second pivot axis C parallel to the first pivot axis A on said pair of spring preload arms. The second end of the first toggle link is pivoted to a second end of the second toggle link for pivoting about a third axis B parallel to axes A and C. The second toggle link constantly applies a compressive force on the pivot connection between the first and second toggle links such that a float within the vessel as a result of rise and fall of the liquid pivots the spring preload arms toward a position of longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of the spring preload arms with an increasing compressive force applied to the first toggle link to maintain the first toggle link stationary in one of two oblique, over-center positions with respect to a center line Y extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the spring preload arms with the second toggle link pivoting about the axis B and being axially compressed until the first and second links move across the center line Y. At that time, both toggle links instantly snap over into oppositely oblique, over-counter positions. The compressive force of the second toggle link may be variably adjusted.

Claims24

Dependent claims

An automatic liquid pump comprising:

a sealed pressure vessel having a bottom and a top, the bottom including a liquid inlet opening and a liquid outlet opening, said top having a gas inlet adapted to be connected to a compressed gas source, a gas outlet, an inlet valve controlling the gas inlet, and an outlet valve controlling the gas outlet, a float within the housing, a snap-over toggle linkage valve actuating mechanism to alternately open and close the valves, first opening the gas outlet valve and second closing the gas inlet valve and then closing the gas outlet valve and opening the gas inlet valve, the improvement wherein said snap-over toggle valve actuating mechanism comprises a relatively fixed mainframe supported internally by said vessel, at least one compression force preload arm pivotably mounted to said fixed mainframe for pivoting about a first pivot axis A, a first toggle link pivoted at a first end to said mainframe about said first pivot axis A, a second toggle link pivoted at a first end to said compression force preload arm at a point on said arm remote from said first pivot axis for pivoting about a second pivot axis C parallel to said first pivot axis A, pivot means pivoting a second end of said first toggle link to a second end of said second toggle link for pivoting about a third axis B, coupling means for operatively coupling said float to said compressive force preload arm at a point remote from said first axis A, and said second toggle link comprising compressible and expandable means for constantly applying a compressive force on said pivot connection between said first and second toggle links such that, upon pivoting of said at least one compressive force preload arm by rise and fall of liquid within said vessel about said first pivot axis A toward a position of longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of the at least one compression force preload arm, an increasing compressive force is applied to said first toggle link to maintain said first toggle link stationary in one of two oblique, over-center positions with respect to a center line Y extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one compression force preload arm, and said second toggle link pivots about said axis B and axially compresses until said first and second links become longitudinally aligned, and move across the center line Y, whereupon, both toggle links instantly snap over into oppositely oblique over-center positions and said second toggle link compressible and expansible means expands to dissipate the energy of compression.

The liquid pump as claimed in clim 2, wherein a pair of end caps are respectively mounted on opposite ends of said compression coil spring, and said end caps are pivotably coupled, respectively, to the second end of said first link at pivot axis B, and to said at least one compressive force preload arm at said pivot axis C, remote from said first pivot axis A.

A leak-proof, preloaded, high-biasing force float-operated over-center valve actuating mechanism for use in a sealed pressure vessel having a bottom and a top, the bottom including a liquid inlet opening and liquid outlet opening, said top having a gas inlet adapted to be connected to a compress gas source, gas outlet, an inlet valve controlling the gas inlet, an outlet valve controlling the gas outlet, said valve actuating mechanism alternately opening and closing the valves by first opening the gas outlet valve and second closing the gas inlet valve and, under reverse snap-over toggle valve actuation closing the outlet valve and the opening the gas inlet valve, said snap-over toggle valve actuating menchanism comprising:

a relatively fixed mainframe supported internally of said vessel, at least one compression force preload arm pivotably mounted to said fixed mainframe for pivoting about a first pivot axis A, a first toggle link pivoted at a first end to said mainframe about said first pivot axis A, a second toggle link pivoted at a first end to said compression force preload arm at a point on said arm remote from said first pivot axis, for pivoting about a second pivot axis C, parallel to said first pivot axis A, pivot means pivoting a second end of said first toggle link to a second end of said second toggle link for pivoting about a third axis B, parallel to said first and second pivot axes A, C, coupling means for operatively coupling said float to said compressive force preload arm at a point remote from said first axis A, and said second toggle link comprising compressible and expandable means for constantly applying a compressive force on said pivot connection between said first and second toggle links such that, upon pivoting of said at least one compressive force preload arm by rise and fall of liquid within said vessel about said first pivot axis A toward a position of longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of the at least one compression force preload arm, an increasing compressive force is applied to said first toggle link to maintain said first toggle link stationary in one of two oblique, over-center poositions with respect to a center line Y extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one compression force preload arm, and said second toggle link pivots about said axis B and axially compresses until said first and second links become longitudinally aligned, and move across the center line Y, whereupon, both toggle links instantly snap over into oppositely oblique, over-center positions and said second toggle link compressible and expansible means expands to dissipate the energy of compression.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.