US2546852A - Pumping means - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1951 E. R. CORNEIL PUMPING MEANS Filed Jan. 2'7, 1947 FIG. 1.

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PUMPING MEANS Ernest Ruckle Corneil, Niagara Falls, N. Y.

Application January 27, 1947, Serial No. 724,666

My invention relates to improvements in machines for the transfer of fluids through flexible tubing at known and easily adjusted rates. Pumps for such purposes necessitate a careful choice of materials of construction compatible with the fluids to be moved and in some cases it has been necessary to coat all surfaces contacting the fluid with rubber, glass, or other resistant materials which likewise form other parts of the fluid system. Such specially designed pumps are expensive to fabricate and all require unusual and careful techniques to apply them into'the system of piping or tubing forming the fluid system. With such apparatus speed changing devices are necessary to readily adjust the rate of flow or in their absence, service interruptions are unavoidable while a mechanic changes the driving means. A very few machines are applicable to fluids carrying solid particles which interfere with-the valve action or clog the close clearances of moving parts used to impel the fluids. Failure of any link of the mechanical system has required opening the fluid system while a replacement is being made. Neither can the same simple machine handle a number of different fluids independent of each other at the same time.

My invention which I have called a Sigmamotor is a machine for pulsing a flexible tube so as to create a positive unidirectional movement of fluids at rates which vary with the dimensions of the tubing and the frequency of the pulsation. It is not a pump but a mechanism. to convert a standard flexible tube forming a part of a. fluid system into pumping means. It is easily applied to one or more sections of tubing to form a fluid transfer system having a capacity adjusted by the addition of sections of tubing or by changing the tubes to those of different section, or by combining the tubing so that the flow of the smaller unit is subtracted from the flow from one of larger capacity to give an intermediate rate. Without machine adjustment, it permits the use of tubing ranging in internal diameter over comparatively wide limits and one or more wall thicknesses. It permits machine repair or replacement without opening the fluid transfer system. It allows the use of one machine to create a flow in a number of completely isolated systems or proportions two or more fluids to the same or different systems. I Y Still another feature not previously available in tube flexing machines assures unidirectional flow without the use of check valves. It measures a uniform amount of liquid. for each cycle of operation.

The flexing of tubing to cause displacement previously has caused excessive wear since the force has been applied in a Way that caused undue internal stresses in the walls of the tubing. In

most cases one side wall of a section of tubing is displaced along the length of the section a greater distance than the opposing side wall resulting in rapid deterioration and early failures. Again the side walls of the pumping section are not continuously supported requiring thickness and strength in the tube walls both of which adversely affect flexibility.

Friction losses normally occurring in valve operation reduces the efficiency of other pumping means and the lack of streamlined flows provides opportunity for the accumulation of solids in addition to lower efficiency. Special valve mechanism and pumping means have been required to handle fluids containing solid particles or some form of filter to remove such solids must be installed to protect the pump mechanism.

The objects of my invention are, therefore, to provide a simple machine which permits the substitution of a commercial type of flexible tube for normal pumping means, to simplify the rate changing means, to reducelthe number of pump and drive mechanims for any given system, to provide more efficient pumping means ata lower cost to reduce wear and increase life of flexible tubing involved in the transmission of pressure to a fluid system andto transfer solid particles without displacement from their fluid medium.

These objects for improvements in tube flexing machines for the transfer of fluids are attained by the machine illustrated in the accompanying showing two pieces of tubing in position one of which is in section.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in each vlew.

Supported in a base i is a shaft 2 passing through journals 3 of a series of presser bars 4,

each of which have contact faces 5 and 5 moved in the arc of a circle by yokes i disposed to engage cams 8 fixed with their major axis 9, a uniform angular distance apart. This shaft it is journalled in I and extends to support the drive pulley i l. Fixed to l by screws is are supports l3 and I4 which in turn have fixed thereto by screws l5 cross arms l6 and H. The cross arm I6 is drilled to position bolts I8 and I9 and I1 is likewise drilled to position bolts 29 and 2!. These four bolts l8, l9, 2! and 2| have their heads countersunk in support plates 22 and a similar group in support plate 23. These plates, 22 and 23 are held against the heads of I8, i9, and 2i by springs 24 which are restrained by nuts 25, bearing on [6 and H. The tube positioning plates 26 and 2'! are supported on the ends of it and il (right) and i5 and I! (left) by screws 3?. A series of holes such as 28, and 33 are spaced on the left side of 4 and a second: series such as 3|, 32 and 33' are spaced on the right side of e and all a specific distance from 3. Identification numbers 34 on 26 specify the size of tubing to be used in the various holes. inserted to illustrate the relative position of machine parts.

Rotation of the pulley ii and. shaft iii causescam 8 to push the yoke l and swing 43 about its journal 3 on 2 through the limited arc era-circleadvancing face 5 towards 23 and then withdrawing; it. in each revolution. Likewise cam 8a pushes yoke Ia and swings ta about its axis but since the major axis. 9 and id of 8 and 8a. are an angular distance apart, the faces 5 and 5c of i-and 4a are not in the samephase relative to 23 but follow each othe a uniform interval apart and progres sively press the side walls of 35 together and against 23: When 4a reaches theillustrated position. of 3, i in turn hasbegunto move away from 35.. Likewise iicv is moving away from 23 and the fluid enclosed between t and ik is being for ed along 35 in the direction of ife. In the mean.- time t has begun to move away from 23 permitting; the side Walls-of 35 to spring apart and receive fluid.

In. operation the tubing, 35, forming part of a closed'system isdrawn through the proper oper ing, say 39,. in tube positioning plate 26 and 2? and. between 23: and contact faces 5' of i. Rotation of pulley i 6 causes all p-resser bars to move in phase with each other causing faces to ad'- vanceand: compress 35 and then to retract and permitit to dilae. Fluids. are forced ahead or" presser-bars 4- which are in the phase" of advancingwhile additional fluid flows in behind the bars 4 that are'recedin'g. As resser bars" 3 are adjacent to each. other. they form. continuous support on that portion of the o'utside'of 35'whichis under pressure. As the opening of the tubing, to permit the entrance of the fluid to the pumping section'is progressively larger as the chamh'er'in' creases involume there is no friction loss and no tendencyto collapse the tubing by creating a reducedpressure. Solids hrth'e fluid do not collect since there is no cl'iange in direction of flow nor anystationary surfaces to accommodate their accumulation,

Since the moti'on-oith'e' presser bar's Ll to ife is inthe form of a uniform wave and the tubing is completely col-lapsed byt least one presserbar at all times, it is evident that the volume displaced byone'revolutioncycle alwaysthe same. Therefore, given a specific size of tubing the volume delivered per unit of time: is proportional. tothe number of revolutions-l Using a machine driven at a fixed rate; a lenownvolume will be delivered. Inserting; one or more addi= tional tubes'throughtheir proper openings and connecting them into the fluid system in parallel permits increasing the rate of new propoption. al'to the size and number of tubes. By connecting' thersuct'ion endof'a smaller section to the'di'scharge-end of a larger section. an. intermediate rate equal. to the difference in: capacity of. the two sizes" is' obtainedl Figure 1 illustrates two Tubes 35 and 35am tubes connected in parallel as could be used to proportion two fluids into a common line.

As the tube support plates 22 and 23 are supported in planes parallel to the faces 6 and 5 respectively of bars 4 when at the limits of their travel the reaction to displace the tubing away from the journal 3 is small and by placing the journal 3 below the tube position, the weight of the tube and contents is permitted to counteract thereaction. I have rcundtnat; by'limiting the angularity of the presser bar displacement to about one-inch at a distance of eight inches from the journal 3, the force of gravity is counterbalanced and that a section of tubing does not tend to creep either up or down but remains approximately horizontal'between the supports 26 and 21. Again the presser bars ii are moved at right angles to the axis of the tubing and have no movement along this axis. Longitudinal strains in the resilient walls, normal to other tube flexing machines, are eliminated and-the reactionof the liquid pressure is" directly born by the presser bars i. I have found that this arrangement elim inates all appreciable external wear on com-mew cial grades of resilient tubing.

The method of attaining the advantage of using a single machine to create the pumping means for a number of different fluids at one time is self evident. I have used a sing-Ioniachineto-produce vacuum, to compress air, to cir= culate cooling water and to meter a, fluid feed, all at the same time. It is also evidentthat two or more separate processes can be served by a unit by bringing through it "flexible tubing connected into those systems.

The wave motion of presser liars l perm-its one bar to completely collapse the tubing against either of the tube support plates 22 or 23- and thereby prevents the reverseflow of liquid and eliminates the necessity for a valve system; These support plates 22 and are resiliently supported on springs 2:: to allow for slight d'e viations in wall thicknesses normally occurringin' commercial sizes of flexible tubing and topre= vent undue compression of the tubematerial should solid materials betrapped at that section under the presser bar. Tlie'rnotion-ot the-b'ars, however, is such that the velocity in the fluid is greatest just as the side walls are about to touch each other and this instantaneouslocal high ve= locity tends to" sweep out solid particles in the di rection of flow. chine in combination with a flexible tubeefii= cient and economical means iorthepumping of slurries'anj solid contaminated fluids.

practice it'has been found expedient to sp'ac'e the support plates 22' and 23 at different dis aces 6 and 5' respectively so that erentwa-llthic'kne's'se's r eican'i'ple,in latlior'a to'r'y machines the on on side permits the use of tubing having a on Qgl'ith inch w ll thickness while on opposite side the spacing its the use of three-sixteenth inch wall k-nes's;

I az aware that previous terry inve'iifiloff fiuids exible tubing by the the rate of the res flow has been Va ed by changing the frequency of the pulsations; I', therefore, not claim broadly m'acl iihc'for this purpose, but:

1. Pumpingrec-ans comprising a having a pair of spaced walls, a shaft supported 'inthe tances from st These features make theme frame, a series of presser bars journalled on the shaft to provide a common pivotal axis therefor, each said bar having a tube-engaging arm extending upwardly between said walls and a laterally extending cam engaging arm, a second shaft journalled in the frame, a series of cams fixed to the second shaft, each cam engaging one of said cam-engaging arms, a plate having a tube-supporting surface mounted in the frame between said walls in opposed relation to said tube-engaging arms, said presser bars being sucessively oscillatable about the first shaft through a common arc in response to rotation of said cam shaft to swing said tube-engaging arms towards said tube-supporting surface, resilient means engaging the opposite surface of the plate and normally maintaining said tube-supporting surface in a plane parallel to the adjacent faces of said tubeen a i arms when at the limit of their approach to the plate, said walls having a pair of aligned tube-receiving and positioning openings therein located between said tube-engaging arms and said plate, and a flexible tube extending through said pair of openings between said presser bars and tube support plates.

2. Pumping means as defined in claim 1 wherein said common are has a magnitude of approximately one inch and a distance of approximately eight inches from said common pivotal axis.

3. Pumping means comprising a frame having a pair of spaced walls, a shaft supported in the frame, a series of presser bars journalled on the shaft to provide a common pivotal axis therefor, each said bar having a tube-engaging arm extending upwardly between said walls and a laterally extending cam-engaging arm, a second shaft journalled in the frame, a series of cams fixed to the second shaft, each cam engaging one of the cam-engaging arms, a pair of tube support plates resiliently mounted in the frame between said walls, one of the plates being positioned forwardly of the tube-engaging arms and the other of the plates being positioned rearwardly of the tube-engaging arms, said walls having a plurality of pairs of aligned tube receiving and positioning openings located between said support plates, said presser bars being oscillatable in consecutive order through a common are in response to rotation of the cam shaft to swing the tube-engaging arms towards and away from the support plates, and a flexible tube extending through each pair of openings between said presser bars and tube support plates.

4. Pumping means as defined in claim 3, the degree of forward or rearward movement of each tube-engaging arm being slightly greater than the internal diameter of each tube.

ERNEST BUCKLE CORNEIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,933,196 Butler Aug. 15, 1933 1,988,337 Santiago Jan. 15, 1935 2,105,200 Phelps Jan. 11, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,834 Germany Mar. 3, 1932

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