US3614352A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pressure control assembly with two switch housings and an open space between the pressure source and contacts
Assignee: Graco Inc
•
Filing: 1970-03-31
•
Granted: 1971-10-19
•
Expires: 1990-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A pressure control unit includes a housing having spaced wall portions defining a switch chamber and a separate pressure responsive actuator chamber. Cooperating switch actuating and pressure responsive actuator plungers in the walls of the respective chambers are aligned with each other for operation of the switch in response to pressure responsive movement of the actuator plunger. An adjusting knob is carried by one of the plungers in the space between the chambers where such knob is accessible for manual adjustment of the switch operating pressure. The pressure chamber includes a special construction involving a spring housing portion and a cooperating plunger guide, in which the plunger guide provides a variety of functions including means for connection to a source of control pressure, a pressure chamber in which the actuator plunger may be exposed to such pressure, a guide for the actuator plunger, and a means for retaining the plunger and a suitable compression spring within the spring housing portion. The construction provides an explosion proof chamber for the switch which is separated and isolated from the pressure chamber in which the fluid whose pressure is to be controlled, or used for control, might have flammability characteristics which would represent a hazard in the presence of the electric switch contacts.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard V Wiese
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 18:59
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H35/00; H01H35/24; H01H35/38; H01H9/00; H01H9/02; H01H9/04; H01H9/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
275 words
A pressure control assembly comprising a body member having a switch housing and a separate pressure actuator housing thereon, the switch housing providing a closed switch chamber separated from the pressure actuator housing, the switch housing having a first wall portion with a first opening therethrough and a switch actuating plunger member aligned with said first opening and reciprocally movable along the axis of said opening between first and second switch controlling positions, a second housing enclosed within said switch housing, switch means having an actuator member, said switch means being supported and enclosed in said second housing and operated by movement of said actuator member in response to movement of said plunger member from one of said controlling positions to another, said pressure actuator housing having a second wall portion spaced a predetermined fixed distance from said first wall portion of the switch housing and having a second opening therethrough generally coaxial with the axis of the first opening, said first and second wall portions being separated by an open space between said housings, said pressure actuator housing having means for connection to a source of control pressure, and a pressure responsive actuator plunger member having one end aligned with said second opening and reciprocally movable along the axis of said second opening in response to changes in said control pressure, and an adjusting member axially adjustably mOunted on the end of one of said switch actuating and pressure responsive actuator plunger members and having a portion adapted to engage the end of the other of said plunger members for moving said switch plunger in response to movement of the pressure responsive actuator plunger.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
275 words
A pressure control assembly comprising a body member having a switch housing and a separate pressure actuator housing thereon, the switch housing providing a closed switch chamber separated from the pressure actuator housing, the switch housing having a first wall portion with a first opening therethrough and a switch actuating plunger member aligned with said first opening and reciprocally movable along the axis of said opening between first and second switch controlling positions, a second housing enclosed within said switch housing, switch means having an actuator member, said switch means being supported and enclosed in said second housing and operated by movement of said actuator member in response to movement of said plunger member from one of said controlling positions to another, said pressure actuator housing having a second wall portion spaced a predetermined fixed distance from said first wall portion of the switch housing and having a second opening therethrough generally coaxial with the axis of the first opening, said first and second wall portions being separated by an open space between said housings, said pressure actuator housing having means for connection to a source of control pressure, and a pressure responsive actuator plunger member having one end aligned with said second opening and reciprocally movable along the axis of said second opening in response to changes in said control pressure, and an adjusting member axially adjustably mOunted on the end of one of said switch actuating and pressure responsive actuator plunger members and having a portion adapted to engage the end of the other of said plunger members for moving said switch plunger in response to movement of the pressure responsive actuator plunger.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 1 in which the body member and first and second wall portions are parts of a single casting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 1 in which the adjusting member is threaded on the end of said one plunger member and has an adjusting knob portion manually accessible in the open space between said first and second wall portions for convenient manual engagement by an operator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 3 in which the total length of said adjusting member along said axis is less than the corresponding axial distance between said first and second wall portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 1 in which said adjusting member is axially threaded to one end of the pressure responsive actuator plunger and has a diameter greater than said first opening, and in which said switch actuating plunger, in one of its switch controlling positions, has an end projecting through said first opening a predetermined distance beyond said first wall portion toward said second wall portion, said pressure responsive plunger and adjusting member being movable axially toward said first wall portion in response to a predetermined pressure increase, until said adjusting member has moved said switch actuating plunger end from said one of its switch controlling positions to another of its switch controlling positions, said adjusting member then engaging said first wall portion and thereby preventing further axial movement of the pressure responsive actuator plunger toward said switch regardless of further pressure increase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 5 in which said first wall portion has reinforcing means adjacent said first opening in the area of engagement by said adjustable member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 6 in which said reinforcing means includes a part of said first wall portion of greater axial thickness adjacent said first opening than the thickness of other parts of said first wall portion spaced from said first opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
155 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 1 in which said pressure actuator housing includes a cylindrical spring-enclosing bore with its central longitudinal axis extending coaxially with the axis of said second opening in a direction away from said first and second wall portions, said means for connection to a source of control pressure includes a removable end closure member for said bore, said closure member having a cylindrical plunger guide portion therein extending toward and coaxially with said spring-enclosing bore and said second opening, and in which said pressure responsive actuator plunger reciprocates axially within the cylindrical plunger guide portion in response to changes in pressure, the end closure member having coupling means for attachment to a source of control pressure and also providing a connecting passage therein between said coupling means and said cylindrical plunger guide portion at a location exposing the remaining end of said actuator plunger to pressure in said passage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 8 in which said connecting passage extends laterally all the way through said end closure member generally perpendicular to the axis of said plunger guide portion and in which said coupling means includes threaded portions in the surfaces of the end closure member at each end of said connecting passage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
115 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 8 having an axially compressible resilient spring member supported in said spring-enclosing bore between said second wall portion and said end closure member, said actuator plunger having a portion engaged by said spring Between the spring and end closure member, said spring member normally urging said pressure responsive plunger axially away from said first wall portion until the pressure in said passage acting on the actuator plunger reaches a predetermined level at which it overcomes the urging of said spring member and forces the actuator plunger toward said first wall portion, thereby engaging said switch actuating plunger and moving the latter from one switch controlling position to another.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 10 having means for calibrating the initial compression of said spring member, said calibrating means including at least one removable shim of predetermined axial thickness supported in said cylindrical bore axially adjacent said resilient spring member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A pressure control assembly according to claim 1 in which the opening in the first wall portion is substantially closed by one of said movable plunger and adjusting members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2292546A
Cited
US2432312A
Cited
US2759061A
Cited
US3211878A
Cited
US3232182A
Cited
US3306999A
Cited
US3326089A
Cited
US3422845A
Cited
CH471458A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-18 | 1975-04-19 | 1975-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-18 | 1979-04-19 | 1979-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-18 | 1983-04-19 | 1983-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |