Fluid pressure magnetically operated switch with improved flow-responsive actuator means

Claim 2

A flow-switch assembly having a pair of mutually attracting magnetic elements with one element being a magnet and the other being of magnetically permeable material comprising, in combination, a body with a part for mounting the assembly to a fluid-carrying line, an actuator including a first of the magnetic elements having an inactive position and movable linearly along a path to an active position and a stem connected to said first magnetic element with a cam follower disc thereon, a second of the magnetic elements movably mounted on a part of said body whereby movement of said first element to active position causes attraction and movement of said second magnetic element, switch means actuated in response to movement of said second magnetic element, a vane carried by said body for positioning in said line transverse to the path of fluid flow in said line, a pivot connection offset from said path for pivotally mounting the vane to the body, and a cam movable with said vane and engageable with the surface of said cam follower disC whereby a predetermined rate of flow in said line will pivot said vane and cam with resulting movement of the cam follower disc and first magnetic element to active position while further movement of the vane to a position substantially longitudinal of fluid flow in said line is permitted with only slight additional movement of said first magnetic element along said path.

Claim 3

A flow switch assembly as defined in claim 1 including a coil spring acting on said first magnetic element to resist movement of said first magnetic element along said path to active position, and means accessible from the exterior of the body for adjusting said spring to vary said resistance to movement and thereby vary the magnitude of said predetermined rate of flow.

Claim 4

A flow switch assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said accessible means includes an adjusting screw carrying a sealing O-ring.

Claim 5

A flow-switch assembly having a pair of mutually attracting magnetic elements with one element being a magnet and the other being of magnetically permeable material comprising, in combination, a body with a part for mounting the assembly to a fluid-carrying line, an actuator including a first of the magnetic elements having an inactive position and movable linearly along a path to an active position and a stem connected to said first magnetic element with a cam follower disc thereon, a spring urging said actuator toward the inactive position, a second of the magnetic elements movably mounted on a part of said body whereby movement of said first element to active position causes attraction and movement of said second magnetic element, switch means actuated in response to movement of said second magnetic element, a vane pivotally carried by said body for positioning in said line transverse to the path of fluid flow in said line, a cam movable with said vane and engageable with the surface of said cam follower disc whereby a predetermined rate of flow in said line will pivot said vane to a predetermined angle relative to fluid flow and the cam will cause resulting movement of the cam follower disc and first magnetic element to active position against the action of the spring while further movement of the vane to a position substantially longitudinal of fluid flow in said line is permitted by slight additional movement of said first magnetic element along said path, and means accessible from the exterior of the assembly for varying the urging force of the spring to vary the magnitude of said predetermined flow.

Claim 6

A flow-switch assembly having a pair of mutually attracting magnetic elements with one element being a magnet and the other being of magnetically permeable material comprising, in combination, a body with a part for mounting the assembly to a fluid-carrying line, an actuator including a first of the magnetic elements having an inactive position and movable linearly along a path to an active position and a stem connected to said first magnetic element with a cam follower disc thereon, a spring urging said actuator toward the inactive position, a second of the magnetic elements movably mounted on a part of said body whereby movement of said first element to active position causes attraction and movement of said second magnetic element, switch means actuated in response to movement of said second magnetic element, a vane pivotally carried by said body for positioning in said line transverse to the path of fluid flow in said line, a cam movable with said vane and engageable with the surface of said cam follower disc whereby a predetermined rate of flow in said line will pivot said vane to a predetermined angle relative to fluid flow and the cam will cause resulting movement of the cam follower disc and first magnetic element to active position against the action of the spring while further movement of the vane to a position substantially longitudinal of fluid flow in said line is permitted by slight additional movement of said first magnetic element along said path, and means accessible from the exterior of the assembly for varying the urging force of the spring to vary the magnitude of said predetermined flow.

Claim 7

A flow-switch assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein a pivot connection pivotally mounts said vane to the body with the pivot connection offset to one side of an extension of said path, said cam having an operative surface at a distance from said pivot connection and at the opposite side of said path therefrom whereby said cam surface acts on the cam follower disc through a substantial moment arm through the entire range of vane movement.