Pneumatically operated averaging relay construction and system utilizing the same

Claim 2

An averaging relay construction comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, and means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, said post means of said diaphragm members having interconnecting passages therethrough for fluidly interconnecting together the outboard chambers of the stack thereof, said post means of said diaphragm members being interconnected together by said means to define space means therebetween that fluidly interconnects said outboard chambers by way of said interconnecting passages to an intermediate chamber of said stack thereof.

Claim 3

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diaphragm members are substantially identical in construction.

Claim 4

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein each diaphragm member has one diaphragm portion that is relatively large in radial extent and another diaphragm portion that is relatively small in radial extent.

Claim 5

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein each diaphragm member has reinforcing means in said one relatively large diaphragm portion thereof.

Claim 6

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein each diaphragm member has reinforcing means in said post means thereof.

Claim 7

An averaging relay construction Comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, and means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, each diaphragm member having reinforcing means in said post means thereof, said reinforcing means of said post means of each diaphragm member having a threaded bore, said means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together comprising threaded fastening means threadedly disposed in said threaded bores of said post means.

Claim 8

An averaging relay construction Comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, and means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, each diaphragm member having reinforcing means in said post means thereof, said reinforcing means of said post means of each diaphragm member having a threaded bore, said means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together comprising threaded fastening means threadedly disposed in said threaded bores of said post means.

Claim 9

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises a plurality of housing members, one of said housing members being cup-shaped and having an open end and a closed end, the other of said housing members being disposed in said open end of said cup-shaped housing member in stacked relation.

Claim 10

An averaging relay construction as set forth in claim 7 wherein said one housing member and the outboard housing member of the other housing members are snap-fitted together to secure said housing members and diaphragm members together.

Claim 11

In a pneumatic control system having a source of pneumatic fluid, a pneumatically operated device, and pneumatic signal sending means, the improvement comprising an averaging relay construction comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, means interconnecting said pneumatic source and said pneumatically operated device to one of said chambers, said housing means having an exhaust port leading to said one chamber and being controlled by one of said diaphragm members, and means interconnecting said signal sending means to other of said chambers, said post means of said diaphragm members having interconnecting passages therethrough for fluidly interconnecting together the outboard chambers of the stack thereof, said one chamber being one of said outboard chambers, said post means of said diaphragm members being interconnected together by said means to define space means therebetween that fluidly interconnects said outboard chambers by way of said interconnecting passages to an intermediate chamber of said stack thereof.

Claim 12

In a pneumatic control system having a source of pneumatic fluid, a pneumatically operated device, and pneumatic signal sending means, the improvement comprising an averaging relay construction comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, means interconnecting said pneumatic source and said pneumatically operated device to one of said chambers, said housing means having an exhaust port leading to said one chamber and being controlled by one of said diaphragm members, and means interconnecting said signal sending means to other of said chambers, said post means of said diaphragm members having interconnecting passages therethrough for fluidly interconnecting together the outboard chambers of the stack thereof, said one chamber being one of said outboard chambers, said post means of said diaphragm members being interconnected together by said means to define space means therebetween that fluidly interconnects said outboard chambers by way of said interconnecting passages to an intermediate chamber of said stack thereof.

Claim 13

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said diaphragm members are substantially identical in construction.

Claim 14

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein each diaphragm member has one diaphragm portion that is relatively large in radial extent and another diaphragm portion that is relatively small in radial extent.

Claim 15

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 11, the further improvement wherein each diaphragm member has reinforcing means in said one relatively large diaphragm portion thereof.

Claim 16

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein each diaphragm member has reinforcing means in said post means thereof.

Claim 17

In a pneumatic control system as set forTh in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said housing means comprises a plurality of housing members, one of said housing members being cup-shaped and having an open end and a closed end, the other of said housing members being disposed in said open end of said cup-shaped housing member in stacked relation.

Claim 18

In a pneumatic control system as set forth in claim 14, the further improvement wherein said one housing member and the outboard housing member of the other housing members are snap-fitted together to secure said housing members and diaphragm members together.

Claim 19

In a pneumatic control system having a source of pneumatic fluid, a pneumatically operated device, and pneumatic signal sending means, the improvement comprising an averaging relay construction comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, means interconnecting said pneumatic source and said pneumatically operated device to one of said chambers, said housing means having an exhaust port leading to said one chamber and being controlled by one of said diaphragm members, and means interconnecting said signal sending means to other of said chambers, each diaphragm member having reinforcing means in said post means thereof, said reinforcing means of said post means of each diaphragm member having a threaded bore, said means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together comprising threaded fastening means threadedly disposed in said threaded bores of said post means.

Claim 20

In a pneumatic control system having a source of pneumatic fluid, a pneumatically operated device, and pneumatic signal sending means, the improvement comprising an averaging relay construction comprising a housing means, a plurality of diaphragm members disposed in said housing means in stacked relation and cooperating therewith to define a plurality of chambers disposed in stacked relation and separated from each other by said diaphragm members, each diaphragm member having a central post means and a plurality of integral diaphragm portions axially spaced on said post means and extending radially outwardly therefrom in substantially parallel spaced relation to each other, means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together whereby said diaphragm members are adapted to move in unison in said housing means, means interconnecting said pneumatic source and said pneumatically operated device to one of said chambers, said housing means having an exhaust port leading to said one chamber and being controlled by one of said diaphragm members, and means interconnecting said signal sending means to other of said chambers, each diaphragm member having reinforcing means in said post means thereof, said reinforcing means of said post means of each diaphragm member having a threaded bore, said means interconnecting said post means of said diaphragm members together comprising threaded fastening means threadedly disposed in said threaded bores of said post means.