Pneumatic control system and pneumatically operated reversing relay construction therefor or the like

Claim 2

A pneumatic control device comprising a housing means carrying a one-piece diaphragm member having an axial body portion provided with opposed ends and provided with axially spaced diaphragm portions that cooperate with said housing means to define first, second and third chambers in stacked relation with said first and third chambers respectively being outboard of said ends of said body portion, said diaphragm member having opening means passing through said body portion at said ends thereof and defining a resilient valve seat at one of said ends of said body portion for interconnecting said first and third chambers together and defining a spring receiving recess at the other end of said body portion, said housing means having a stationary valve seat being adapted to interconnect said fourth chamber and said third chamber together, and a valve member disposed in said fourth chamber for opening and closing said stationary valve seat and projecting through said stationary valve seat into said third chamber to control and be engageable by said resilient valve seat of said diaphragm member.

Claim 3

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diaphragm portions of said diaphragm member define an intermediate chamber with said housing means between said second and third chambers, said housing means having means for fluidly interconnecting said intermediate chamber to the atmosphere to eliminate a dashpot effect of said intermediate chamber upon movement of said diaphragm member.

Claim 4

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said diaphragm member has three axially spaced diaphragm portions.

Claim 5

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing means carries spring means engaging said diaphragm member to tend to move said diaphragm member in a direction to cause said diaphragm member to open said valve member away from said stationary valve seat.

Claim 6

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said housing means carries adjusting means for adjusting the biasing force of said spring means acting on said diaphragm member.

Claim 7

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing means is formed from a plurality of housing members disposed in stacked relation, the two outboard housing members having means snap-fitted together to secure said housing members and said diaphragm member together.

Claim 8

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said two outboard housing members are cup-shaped and respectively have their open ends snap-fitted together.

Claim 9

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 7 wherein one of said cup-shaped housing members has its open end telescoped within the open end of the other cup-shaped housing member.

Claim 10

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a spring means is carried by said housing means and has one end received in said recess to tend to move said diaphrAgm member in a direction to cause said diaphragm member to move said valve member away from said stationary valve seat.

Claim 11

A pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said diaphragm member carries a reinforcing member that lines said spring receiving recess thereof and internally reinforces said body portion.

Claim 12

In a pneumatic control system having a pneumatic source, a pneumatically operated device to be controlled, and signal means for directing a pilot pneumatic signal in relation to a desired output of said device, the improvement comprising a pneumatic reversing relay comprising a housing means carrying a one-piece diaphragm member having an axial body portion provided with opposed ends and provided with axially spaced diaphragm portions that cooperate with said housing means to define an exhaust chamber, a pilot chamber and a branch pressure chamber in stacked relation with said exhaust and branch chambers respectively being outboard of said ends of said body portion, said diaphragm member having opening means passing through said body portion at said ends thereof and defining a resilient valve seat at one of said ends of said body portion for interconnecting said exhaust and branch chambers together and defining a spring receiving recess at the other end of said body portion, said housing means having a stationary valve seat and a main pressure chamber with said stationary valve seat being adapted to interconnect said main chamber and said branch chamber together, means fluidly interconnecting said main chamber to said pneumatic source, means fluidly interconnecting said branch pressure chamber to pneumatically operated device, means fluidly interconnecting said pilot pressure chamber to said signal means, means fluidly interconnecting said exhaust chamber to the atmosphere, and a valve member disposed in said main chamber for opening and closing said stationary valve seat and projecting through said stationary valve seat into said branch chamber to control and be engageable by said resilient valve seat of said diaphragm member.

Claim 13

In a pneumatic control system having a pneumatic source, a pneumatically operated device to be controlled, and signal means for directing a pilot pneumatic signal in relation to a desired output of said device, the improvement comprising a pneumatic reversing relay comprising a housing means carrying a one-piece diaphragm member having an axial body portion provided with opposed ends and provided with axially spaced diaphragm portions that cooperate with said housing means to define an exhaust chamber, a pilot chamber and a branch pressure chamber in stacked relation with said exhaust and branch chambers respectively being outboard of said ends of said body portion, said diaphragm member having opening means passing through said body portion at said ends thereof and defining a resilient valve seat at one of said ends of said body portion for interconnecting said exhaust and branch chambers together and defining a spring receiving recess at the other end of said body portion, said housing means having a stationary valve seat and a main pressure chamber with said stationary valve seat being adapted to interconnect said main chamber and said branch chamber together, means fluidly interconnecting said main chamber to said pneumatic source, means fluidly interconnecting said branch pressure chamber to pneumatically operated device, means fluidly interconnecting said pilot pressure chamber to said signal means, means fluidly interconnecting said exhaust chamber to the atmosphere, and a valve member disposed in said main chamber for opening and closing said stationary valve seat and projecting through said stationary valve seat into said branch chamber to control and be engageable by said resilient valve seat of said diaphragm member.

Claim 14

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein said diaphragm portions of said diaphragm member define an intermediate chamber with said housing means between said pilot and branch chambers, said housing means having means for fluidly interconnecting said intermediate chamber to the atmosphere to eliminate a dashpot effect of said intermediate chamber upon movement of said diaphragm member.

Claim 15

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said diaphragm member has three axially spaced diaphragm portions.

Claim 16

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein said housing means carries spring means engaging said diaphragm member to tend to move said diaphragm member in a direction to cause said diaphragm member to open said valve member away from said stationary valve seat.

Claim 17

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 14, the further improvement wherein said housing means carries adjusting means for adjusting the biasing force of said spring means acting on said diaphragm member.

Claim 18

In a pneumatic control device as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein said housing means is formed from a plurality of housing members disposed in stacked relation, the two outboard housing members having means snap-fitted together to secure said housing members and said diaphragm member together.

Claim 19

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 16, the further improvement wherein said two outboard housing members are cup-shaped and respectively have their open ends snap-fitted together.

Claim 20

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 17, the further improvement wherein one of said cup-shaped housing members has its open end telescoped within the open end of the other cup-shaped housing member.

Claim 21

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein a spring means is carried by said housing means and has one end received in said recess to tend to move said diaphragm member in a direction to cause said diaphragm member to move said valve member away from said stationary valve seat.

Claim 22

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 19, the further improvement wherein said diaphragm member carries a reinforcing member that lines said spring receiving recess thereof and internally reinforces said body portion.