U.S. patent number 3,631,877 [Application Number 05/055,888] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-04 for venting valve for hydraulic jack.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Tenneco Inc.. Invention is credited to John M. Barosko.
United States Patent |
3,631,877 |
Barosko |
January 4, 1972 |
VENTING VALVE FOR HYDRAULIC JACK
Abstract
A filler plug and venting valve assembly to regulate the
pressure in the liquid reservoirs of hydraulic jacks comprises a
housing that is mounted on the jack to open into the reservoir. It
contains a flexible valve sleeve that responds to the difference in
pressure between the reservoir and atmosphere to permit air to be
drawn into the reservoir when oil is taken from the reservoir and
air to be vented from the reservoir when oil is returned to the
reservoir and also flexes to permit oil to be added to the
reservoir through the valve.
Inventors: |
Barosko; John M. (Kenosha,
WI) |
Assignee: |
Tenneco Inc. (Racine,
WI)
|
Family
ID: |
22000822 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/055,888 |
Filed: |
July 17, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
137/102; 137/493;
137/512.4; 137/588 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B66F
3/42 (20130101); B66F 5/04 (20130101); Y10T
137/7843 (20150401); Y10T 137/86332 (20150401); Y10T
137/7771 (20150401); Y10T 137/2544 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B66F
3/42 (20060101); B66F 5/04 (20060101); B66F
3/24 (20060101); B66F 5/00 (20060101); F16k
015/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;137/102,107,218,488,493,493.7,493.8,493.9,512.15,512.4,525
;220/44R,DIG.27 ;417/560 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nilson; Robert G.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a hydraulic pumping mechanism having a housing providing a
reservoir for hydraulic liquid, a venting valve mounted on the
housing in communication with the reservoir, said valve having a
body with first and second passages opening to atmosphere, the
first passage forming means for the infeed of hydraulic liquid and
the outflow of air under pressure in the reservoir, the second
passage forming means for the inflow of air to relieve vacuum in
the reservoir, and flexible valve means closing the first and
second passages and operated by high pressure in the reservoir to
open the first passage and connect it to the reservoir and to close
the second passage and operated by vacuum in the reservoir to open
the second passage and connect it to the reservoir and to close the
first passage.
2. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means
comprises a resilient rubberlike sleeve having an inner periphery
closing the first passage and an outer periphery closing the second
passage, the inside of said sleeve communicating at all times with
said reservoir.
3. A valve as set forth in claim 2 wherein the portion of the
sleeve closing the first passage has a greater resistance to
deflection than the portion of the sleeve closing the second
passage.
4. A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means
comprises a resilient rubberlike sleeve having longitudinally
adjacent wall sections, the first of said wall sections being
thicker than the second and having an inner periphery closing the
first passage, the outer periphery of the second wall section
closing the second passage, the inside of said sleeve communicating
at all times with said reservoir.
5. A valve as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body has a chamber
containing said sleeve, said chamber having an end portion engaged
by the second wall section of the sleeve, said second passage
opening into said chamber on the outside of the sleeve, said body
having a projection in said chamber containing said first passage
and fitting inside the first wall section of the sleeve.
6. In an hydraulic pumping mechanism having a housing providing a
reservoir for hydraulic liquid, a venting valve device mounted on
the housing to communicate with the reservoir, said valve including
a valve body, a rubberlike valve element mounted in the body having
two portions of different resiliency, and a pair of gas passages in
the body for connecting the reservoir to atmosphere, said passages
being sealed by said valve element, one of said valve portions
sealing one of the passages against inflow of air but flexing to
provide venting, the other of said valve portions sealing the other
of the passages against outflow but flexing to provide for inflow
of air.
7. A device as set forth in claim 6 including means associated with
the first one of said passages for receiving hydraulic liquid to be
fed to the reservoir, the first one of said valve element portions
flexing to provide for hydraulic liquid flow through the body into
the reservoir.
8. A venting valve for attachment to a hydraulic pumping mechanism,
said mechanism having a housing providing a reservoir and a filler
hole for the reservoir, said venting valve including a valve body
having an end portion adapted to be mounted in said filler hole
whereby said valve is attached to said mechanism, said valve body
including an internal chamber having a reduced diameter end section
for opening into the filler hole, said valve body including a
reduced diameter projection extending into the chamber at the end
opposite said end section, said projection having a transverse
passage adjacent its inner end opening into said chamber, said body
having passage means providing a passage connecting the transverse
passage to the outside of the valve, said body having an opening
therein connecting the chamber to the outside of the valve, a
rubberlike transversely resilient valve sleeve element sealingly
secured to one end in the body and having a first annular wall
portion with an inner surface fitting tightly around the projection
to provide a resilient closure for the transverse passage, said
sleeve element having a second annular wall portion with an outer
surface fitting on the surface of said end section to provide a
resilient closure for the end section and chamber, said first and
second wall portions being of selected thicknesses so that the
first wall portion unseats from the cross passage at a relatively
high pressure on the inside of the sleeve element and the second
wall portion unseats from the end section at a predetermined
pressure less than atmospheric inside of the sleeve element.
9. A valve as set forth in claim 8 wherein said passage means
includes a nipple for connection to a source of liquid for filling
the reservoir.
Description
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the purpose of the invention to provide a combined filler
plug and venting valve for use in conjunction with the liquid
reservoir of an hydraulic jack or the like that is constructed in
such a way that it will regulate airflow to and from the reservoir,
and will permit filling of the reservoir but will also seal it to
prevent leakage during shipment of the jack or during unusual
handling of the jack.
The invention accomplishes this by means of a valve device which
includes a housing containing a flexible sleeve valve that responds
to pressure differentials between the atmosphere and the oil
reservoir and will deflect to permit oil to flow through the valve
mechanism and enter the reservoir. The wall thicknesses of
different portions of the flexible sleeve are controlled to provide
a means for determining the maximum and minimum pressures in the
reservoir.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive type service jack
having a hydraulic operating mechanism which includes the valve
assembly of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale showing a portion
of the hydraulic mechanism for the jack in FIG. 1 including the
valve assembly of this invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section through the valve assembly of
this invention;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross section similar to FIG. 3 but showing
the flexible valve element in a position that permits the intake of
air; and
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the flexible
valve in a position to permit the expulsion of air.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The service jack 1 of FIG. 1 has a hydraulic-type operating
mechanism 3 which is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No.
2,447,650. The jack 1 and the mechanism 3 are disclosed as typical
environments for the valve assembly of this invention and it will
be apparent that the valve assembly can be used with the hydraulic
liquid reservoirs of other specific hydraulic mechanisms.
The hydraulic mechanism 3 includes a base 5 that contains a pump
chamber in which a pump piston 7 reciprocates as the handle 8 is
pumped up and down by an operator. The pressure generated by the
pump 7 causes flow of hydraulic oil through suitable valved
passages 9 to the pressure side of a ram chamber 11 so as to force
the ram 13 upwardly or to the right in FIG. 2. The oil which is
moved by pump 7 is stored in an annular oil reservoir 15 that is
provided between the walls of the ram cylinder 17 and the reservoir
cylinder 19. A release valve 21 may be manually operated so that
when it is seated movement of the pump 7 will apply pressure to the
ram 13 and when it is unseated pressure on the pressure face of the
ram 13 will be relieved so that the jack is lowered and the system
is at reservoir pressure. During operation of the pump 7 oil is
removed from reservoir 15 and forced into cylinder 11 and the
reverse flow occurs when the pressure is released.
In accordance with this invention, a valve assembly 23 is threaded
into the filler hole 24 for the reservoir 15. The assembly 23
includes a nipple 25 to receive a hydraulic line or connection
whereby hydraulic oil may be fed into the reservoir 15 through the
valve assembly 23. In addition, as will be described, the valve
assembly 23 includes a flexible valve sleeve that not only permits
filling, as just mentioned, but automatically deflects to permit
air to be drawn through the nipple 25 as oil is removed from
reservoir 15 and expelled from the reservoir as oil is returned to
the reservoir during operation of the mechanism 3.
As seen in FIG. 3, the valve assembly 23 comprises a tubular valve
housing or body 27 which includes a valve retainer member 29 that
provides the nipple 25 at its outer end. The nipple 25 includes a
central passage 31 in retainer 29 that terminates in the cross
passage 33 opening out of opposite sides of a reduced diameter
section 35 of the retainer 29. The valve body 27 has an annular
shoulder 37 on which is seated the enlarged flange 39 of a
rubberlike flexible tubular valve member 41. The retainer 29 has a
press fit in the body 27 and holds the flange compressed against
seat 37 to produce a fluidtight seal.
Extending away from the flange 39 the valve member 41 has a lengthy
sleeve section 43 with a portion 43a of a thicker wall section and
a portion 43b of a thinner wall section. The thicker portion 43a
preferably coincides in length with the retainer portion 35 and the
inner diameter 44 of the valve 41 fits snugly on the reduced
diameter section 35 of the retainer 29. The valve sleeve 43 passes
through a valve chamber 45 in the body 27 which is substantially
larger in diameter than the section 43 to give the portion 43a room
to expand or flex outwardly and uncover the opposite ends of the
cross opening 33 (FIG. 5). The terminal end of the portion 43b fits
snugly in and is supported on a reduced diameter section 47 of the
valve body 27. This portion of the valve body is exteriorly
threaded at 49 so that the valve assembly 23 can be screwed into
the filler plug hole 24. Atmospheric air pressure reaches chamber
45 on the outside of sleeve section 43 by way of transverse
aperture 51 which contains a filter 53.
Referring to FIG. 4, during operation when oil is being drawn from
the reservoir 15, pressure in the reservoir drops below
atmospheric. As a result, the pressure in chamber 45 on the outside
of sleeve portion 43b is higher than that inside the sleeve and the
sleeve deflects or collapses off the diameter 47. Air can then pass
from passage 51 through the chamber 45 and diameter 47 to reach the
reservoir 15 and reduce the vacuum in it. By controlling the wall
thickness of the rubber in portion 43b the pressure differential
required to cause it to leave seat 47 can be controlled, thereby
controlling the maximum vacuum (minimum pressure) in the reservoir
15.
Referring to FIG. 5, during operation when oil is being returned to
the reservoir, pressure is built up producing a seal of portion 43b
on surface 47 and expanding portion 43a to connect inner diameter
44 with the ends of cross passage 33. Air from the reservoir 15 is
therefore expelled to atmosphere through passage 31 and the maximum
pressure that the reservoir will hold is controlled by the fit or
squeeze of bore 44 on diameter 35 and the wall thickness of valve
portion 43a.
It will therefore be seen that by adjusting the wall thicknesses
43a and 43b in accordance with the limits determined by functioning
of the jack 1 and by the atmospheric conditions where the jack is
used, the maximum and minimum pressures in reservoir 15 can be
controlled as desired.
It is apparent that the reservoir 15 can be filled with oil simply
by attaching a hose or other suitable connection to nipple 25, the
pressure of the oil deflecting the section 43a, as in FIG. 5, to
enable the oil to reach the reservoir. Conversely, the valve is
normally in the static position of FIG. 3 where it will prevent
leakage or escape of oil during shipment of the jack, eliminating
the need for a special seal, and in the event of unusual handling
of the jack.
* * * * *