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US 9,915,237 B2Granted
Combination shuttle and lubricator valve for an air starter
AssigneeIngersoll-Rand Company
InventorMichael R. Borkowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for starting an engine is disclosed herein. The system includes a combination valve to control compressed fluid flow and lubricant flow to an air starter. The combination valve includes a housing having a shuttle valve and a lubricator valve disposed therein. The shuttle valve controls a compressed fluid flow and the lubricator valve controls a lubricant flow to the air starter.
Claims29
A system comprising:
- a source of compressed working fluid;
- a combination valve in fluid communication with the compressed working fluid, the combination valve including:
- a housing;
- a shuttle valve positioned within the housing;
- the shuttle valve comprises a signal fluid inlet port in fluid communication with a cylinder cavity formed within the housing;
- a lubricator valve positioned within the housing, the lubricator valve being in selective fluid communication with the shuttle valve;
- and
- a lubricant reservoir positioned within the housing, the lubricant reservoir being in selective fluid communication with the lubricator valve;
- a lubricant inlet passageway formed through a first wall of the housing between the lubricator valve and the lubricant reservoir;
- and
- a lubricant injection port formed through a second wall of the housing between the lubricator valve and the shuttle valve.
8 more elements
A combination valve comprising:
- a housing having shuttle valve and a lubricator valve disposed therein;
- a fluid working cavity passageway formed through a first wall of the housing between the lubricator valve and the shuttle valve;
- a lubricant injection port formed through the first wall of the housing between the lubricator valve and the shuttle valve;
- a lubricator valve piston having a stem extending between first and second ends, a piston head positioned adjacent the first end and a stem passageway extending from the second end toward the first end, and a lubricant outlet port fluidly connected to the stem passageway;
- a fluid working cavity located in the lubricator valve between the head of the lubricator valve piston and a second wall of the housing;
- a lubricant holding cavity located between the second end of the stem and a third wall of the housing;
- and
- a shuttle valve piston positioned between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet of the shuttle valve.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- flowing compressed fluid to a compressed fluid inlet of a shuttle valve;
- moving a shuttle valve piston from a first position to a second position;
- flowing compressed fluid past the shuttle valve piston in the second position to a compressed fluid outlet;
- bleeding off a portion of the compressed fluid at the compressed fluid outlet, wherein the bleeding includes transporting a portion of the compressed fluid to a working cavity within a lubricator valve through a fluid working cavity passage formed in a wall between the shuttle valve and the lubricator valve;
- moving a lubricator valve piston from a first position to a second position;
- injecting lubricant from a holding cavity within the lubricator valve into the compressed fluid flowing through the compressed fluid outlet when the lubricator valve piston is moved to the second position;
- and
- re-supplying lubricant to the lubricant holding cavity from a lubricant reservoir when the lubricator valve is moved from the second position to the first position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.