Pneumatic relay

Claim 2

For use in process and energy control instrumentation, a pneumatic relay wherein a diaphragm valve is operable by a pilot pressure to pass a fluid power stream through the relay; said relay comprising a housing, a fluid power stream passage through said housing, a valve in said power stream passage, a diaphragm chamber in said housing, a diaphragm in said chamber forming two subchambers therein, a stem of said valve secured to said diaphragm for movement therewith to operate said valve, the inner one of said subchambers being open to said power stream passage downstream of said valve, a vent to atmosphere from said inner subchamber, a restricted pneumatic supply inlet to the outer one of said subchambers, and a restrictable outlet from said outer subchamber, whereby restriction of said outlet results in diaphragm pressure in said outer subchamber and consequent opening of said valve, said diaphragm comprising a flexible metal plate with relieving slots therethrough, sandwiched with a sheet of fluid sealing means closing said slots; and wherein said diaphragm metal plate is a thin flat sheet with said relieving slots radially arcuate essential from the center of said sheet.

Claim 3

For use in process and energy control instrumentation, a pneumatic relay wherein a diaphragm valve is operable by a pilot pressure to pass a fluid power stream through the relay; said relay comprising a housing, a fluid power stream passage through said housing, a valve in said power stream passage, a diaphragm chamber in said housing, a diaphragm in said chamber forming two subchambers therein, a stem of said valve secured to said diaphragm for movement therewith to operate said valve, the inner one of said subchambers being open to said power stream passage downstream of said valve, a vent to atmosphere from said inner subchamber, a restricted pneumatic supply inlet to the outer one of said subchambers, and a restrictable outlet from said outer subchamber, whereby restriction of said outlet results in diaphragm pressure in said outer subchamber and consequent opening of said valve, said diaphragm comprising a flexible metal plate with relieving slots therethrough, sandwiched with a sheet of fluid sealing means closing said slots; and said relay including a leaf-spring generally in the form of an H, with a tongue between each set of H legs, from the crossbar of the H, with each of the H legs grounded at its end, one of said tongues adjustable transversely of the plane of the H by grounded adjustment means, and the other of said tongues applied to said valve as adjustable operating zero pressure biasing means therefor.

Claim 4

For use in process and energy control instrumentation, a pneumatic relay wherein a diaphragm valve is operable by a pilot pressure to pass a fluid power stream through the relay; said relay comprising a housing, a fluid power stream passage through said housing, a valve in said power stream passage, a diaphragm chamber in said housing, a diaphragm in said chamber forming two subchambers therein, a stem of said valve secured to said diaphragm for movement therewith to operate said valve, the inner one of said subchambers being open to said power stream passage downstream of said valve, a vent to atmosphere from said inner subchamber, a restricted pneumatic supply inlet to the outer one of said subchambers, and a restrictable outlet from said outer subchamber, whereby restriction of said outlet results in diaphragm pressure in said outer subchamber and consequent opening of said valve, said diaphragm comprising a flexible metal plate with relieving slots therethrough, sandwiched with a sheet of fluid sealing means closing said slots; and said relay including a leaf-spring generally in the form of an H, with a tongue between each set of H legs, from the crossbar of the H, with each of the H legs grounded at its end, one of said tongues adjustable transversely of the plane of the H by grounded adjustment means, and the other of said tongues applied to said valve as adjustable operating zero pressure biasing means therefor.

Claim 5

In a fluid pressure instrumentation device wherein a signal pressure is used to actuate an operations pressure system and wherein a diaphragm structure is used to isolate said signal pressure, a diaphragm structure comprising a flexible sheet having slots therethrough from a central area to a peripheral area in terms of the operative area of said sheet which is exposed to said signal and operating pressures on opposite sides thereof, said slots being restrictive to isolate said pressures on said opposite sides of said sheet, the total planar solid area of one side of said sheet being substantially larger than the slot area in the same planar consideration, wherein valve means is operable by said signal pressure through said diaphragm, and including H form leaf-spring is used to provide a bias on said valve means, said H spring being grounded at its extremities and having tongue formations from the H crossbar, one tongue being adjustable by grounded adjustment means and the other tongue providing the application of said bias.

Claim 6

In a fluid pressure instrumentation device wherein a signal pressure is used to actuate an operations pressure system and wherein a diaphragm structure is used to isolate said signal pressure, a diaphragm structure comprising a flexible sheet having slots therethrough from a central area to a peripheral area in terms of the operative area of said sheet which is exposed to said signal and operating pressures on opposite sides thereof, said slots being restrictive to isolate said pressures on said opposite sides of said sheet, the total planar solid area of one side of said sheet being substantially larger than the slot area in the same planar consideration, wherein valve means is operable by said signal pressure through said diaphragm, and including H form leaf-spring is used to provide a bias on said valve means, said H spring being grounded at its extremities and having tongue formations from the H crossbar, one tongue being adjustable by grounded adjustment means and the other tongue providing the application of said bias.