Air operated diaphragm pump

Claim 2

In combination, a fluid driven reciprocating pump having at least one motor chamber and an actuating valve for directing actuating fluid to said motor chamber to cause said reciprocating pump to reciprocate, and a governor for controlling the speed of said reciprocating pump, said governor comprising an auxiliary pump, means for driving said auxiliary pump from said reciprocating pump, a source of separate fluid to be pumped by said auxiliary pump, adjustable discharge valve means in the discharge line of said auxiliary pump for producing changes in the pressure of the separate fluid therein in response to changes in the rate of operation of said auxiliary pump, a control valve responsive to changes in the pressure of the separate fluid in said discharge line for varying the rate at which fluid is supplied to said reciprocating pump, and means comprising the auxiliary pump and the driving means therefor for operating said actuating valve.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said auxiliary pump is a piston and cylinder pump supported for pivotal movement about one end thereof, and further comprising means defining a track for the opposite end of said pump, said track having a central portion extending toward said pump, said piston being extended from said cylinder when said other end of said pump is at either end of said track and being retracted within said cylinder when passing said central portion, whereby pumping action is produced as said pump travels from one to the other end of said track.

Claim 4

The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for changing the position of said actuating valve includes a shaft coupled to said track defining means, said track defining means being rockable about said shaft and being transferred from one to another position as said auxiliary pump is transferred from one to another position, and an arm coupled to said shaft for moving said actuator valve from one to the other of its positions, said auxiliary pump acting as over center means for snapping said actuator valve from one to the other of its positions.

Claim 5

The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fluid driven pump includes a reciprocating shaft and wherein said means for operating said auxiliary pump comprises a yoke slidably supported on said reciprocating shaft and adapted to contact said auxiliary pump, and a collar carried by said reciprocating shaft engageable with portions of said yoke to slide said yoke from one position to another and thereby transfer said auxiliary pump from one to the other end of said track.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein said yoke and said collar are normally positioned with respect to said auxiliary pump to provide a lost motion connection.

Claim 7

An air-operated diaphragm pump having two diaphragm chambers and an intermediate housing between said diaphragm chambers, a diaphragm in each diaphragm chamber, a connecting rod connecting the diaphragms and reciprocating with the diaphragms and extending through said intermediate housing, an actuating valve for alternately connecting the inner sides of said diaphragm chambers to a source of air under pressure to cause said diaphragms and said connecting rod to reciprocate in unison, said actuating valve in one position admitting air under pressure to the inner side of one diaphragm chamber while permitting air to exhaust from the inner side of the other chamber and in another position permitting air to exhaust from the inner side of said one chamber and while admitting air under pressure to the inner side of said other chamber, and means for quickly moving said actuating valve from one position to the other at the end of each reciprocation of said connecting rod to cause said pump to operate, said moving means comprising an operating lever mounted on a rock shaft supported by said intermediate housing, said operating lever engaging said actuating valve whereby rocking of said rock shaft causes said operating lever to shift said actuating valve from one position to the other, a rocker fixed to said rock shaft and having a track thereon, a member pivotally mounted in said housing at a point spaced from said rocker, said member having a portion engaging the track on the rocker, said member having resilient means biasing said portion that engages said track away from said pivotal mounting, said track being V-shaped and having ramp portions and a central apex between said ramp portions whereby when the track engaging portion of said member is moved from engagement with one of said ramps over said apex into engagement with the other of said ramps the rocker and rock shaft are quickly rocked, said operating lever is moved and said actuating valve is shifted from one position to the other, and operative connections between said connecting rod and said pivotally mounted member whereby said member is swung about its pivot to cause said track engaging portion thereof to move across the apex of said track near the end of each reciprocation of said connecting rod, thereby rocking said rocker and said rock shaft and causing said operating lever to shift said actuating valve from one position to the other, said pivotally mounted member comprising an auxiliary pump having a cylinder and a piston reciprocated within said cylinder as the member is swung about its pivot, said housing containing a supply of separate fluid to be pumped by said auxiliary pump, means defining an orifice in the discharge line of said auxiliary pump whereby for a given setting of said orifice the pressure in said discharge line varies with the rate of operation of said auxiliary pump, and a control valve responsive to changes in the pressure of separate fluid in said discharge line for varying the rate at which air is supplied to said air-operated diaphragm pump to thereby control the speed thereof.

Claim 8

An air-operated diaphragm pump having two diaphragm chambers and an intermediate housing between said diaphragm chambers, a diaphragm in each diaphragm chamber, a connecting rod connecting the diaphragms and reciprocating with the diaphragms and extending through said intermediate housing, an actuating valve for alternately connecting the inner sides of said diaphragm chambers to a source of air under pressure to cause said diaphragms and said connecting rod to reciprocate in unison, said actuating valve in one position admitting air under pressure to the inner side of one diaphragm chamber while permitting air to exhaust from the inner side of the other chamber and in another position permitting air to exhaust from the inner side of said one chamber and while admitting air under pressure to the inner side of said other chamber, and means for quickly moving said actuating valve from one position to the other at the end of each reciprocation of said connecting rod to cause said pump to operate, said moving means comprising an operating lever mounted on a rock shaft supported by said intermediate housing, said operating lever engaging said actuating valve whereby rocking of said rock shaft causes said operating lever to shift said actuating valve from one position to the other, a rocker fixed to said rock shaft and having a track thereon, a member pivotally mounted in said housing at a point spaced from said rocker, said member having a portion engaging the track on the rocker, said member having resilient means biasing said portion that engages said track away from said pivotal mounting, said track being V-shaped and having ramp portions and a central apex between said ramp portions whereby when the track engaging portion of said member is moved from engagement with one of said ramps over said apex into engagement with the other of said ramps the rocker and rock shaft are quickly rocked, said operating lever is moved and said actuating valve is shifted from one position to the other, and operative connections between said connecting rod and said pivotally mounted member whereby said member is swung about its pivot to cause said track engaging portion thereof to move across the apex of said track near the end of each reciprocation of said connecting rod, thereby rocking said rocker and said rock shaft and causing said operating lever to shift said actuating valve from one position to the other, said pivotally mounted member comprising an auxiliary pump having a cylinder and a piston reciprocated within said cylinder as the member is swung about its pivot, said housing containing a supply of separate fluid to be pumped by said auxiliary pump, means defining an orifice in the discharge line of said auxiliary pump whereby for a given setting of said orifice the pressure in said discharge line varies with the rate of operation of said auxiliary pump, and a control valve responsive to changes in the pressure of separate fluid in said discharge line for varying the rate at which air is supplied to said air-operated diaphragm pump to thereby control the speed thereof.