Three-port transfer valve with one port open continuously suitable for manned space fligh

Puccinelli, A. A.

Smith, J. R., Jr.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY TO 
ATTN OF: GP 
TO: 
FROM r 
SUBJECT : 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546 
March 29, 1971 
~ ~ ~ / ~ c i e n t i f i c  & Technical Information Division 
Attention: Miss Winnie M. Morgan 
~ ~ / ~ f f i c e  of Assistant General 
Counsel for Patent Matters 
Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U.S. Patents in STAR 
In accordance with the procedures contained in the Code GP 
to Code US1 memofandum on this subject, dated June 8, 1970, 
the attached NASA-owned U.S. patent is being forwarded for 
abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR. 
The following information is provided: 
-/--=- =. - 
-- 
U.S. Patent No. : 3,369,564 
Corporate Source : Ames Research Center 
Supplementary 
Corporate Source . 
NASA Patent Case No.: XAC-01158 
.@& Gayle Parker 
Enclosure : 
Copy of Patent 
N 
0 
LC i 
t: 
- 
.-I 
" (NASA CR OR TMX OR AD NUMBER) 2 (CATEGORY) 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710013575 2020-03-17T03:00:50+00:00Z
Feb. 20, 1968 A. A. PUCCINELLI -. ET AL 
. ??% 
3,369,564 
TRANSFER VALVE -"k, 
\4 
Filed Dec. 16, 1964 >*heets-Sheet 1 
1 NVENTORS 
ALBERT A. PUCClNELLl 
United States Patent O6ce  Patented Feb, 3,369,564 20, 3968 
ing, and that it require little or no power to hold the 
3,369,564 port controlling member in port-closing position. 
SFBR VALVE It  is an object of the present invention to provide an 
Albert A. PnccineE, Sari Jose, and Joseph Pit. Jr.9 improved transfer valve which achieves all the objectives 
Milpitas, Calif., assignors to the United States of Awaer- 5 described in the preceding paragraph. fca as represented by the Addaais&ator of the P * a a a 0 ~ ~ l  Another object of the invention is to provide a valve Aeronautics and Space AdtnirnfskaGon 
Filed Dec. 16, 1964,Ser. NO. 420,250 having an improved operating mechanism. 
1 Qaim. (Q. 137-625.9 By way of brief description a specific valve made ill 
accordance with the invention comprises a casing forming 
an internal chamber. The casing is provided with three- 
A B $ m @ T  OF THE DESCLOB- ports in communication with the chamber, and two of 
the ports are positioned opposite each other. A valve mem- 
A three-port transfer valve having One ber is located between the opposite ports, and support 
open main port witlh the fluid flow to the main Port being means guide the valve member for linear movement be- 
selectively transferable from one to the other of the re- 15 tween the opposite ports. Closure members are provided 
maining two ports which are positioned in opposed cp. on opposite sides of the valve member so that when the 
aixal relationship. A hollow valve member, guided for valve member is moved toward one of the two opposite 
linear movement between these two opposed valves, has a ports, the closure member will close the port toward 
cam surface formed on the inside wall thereof. A cam which it is moved. The center portion of the valve mem- driver is rotatably supported in engagement with the cam 20 ber is hollow with the inside wall thereof formed in the 
surface so that when the cam driver is rotated it will shape of a cam surface. A cam driver is rotatably sup- 
force the valve member toward either of the two OP- ported in engagement with the cam surface so that when 
posed ports, thereby closing one and opening the other. the cam driver is rotated it will force the valve member 
When in this position, the valve member is locked by the toward either of the two opposite ports thereby closing 
cam driver against movement in response to fluid Pres- z5 one and opening the other. The third port of the valve is 
sure in the closed port. The cam driver is driven by re- always open and the flow to the main open port is tnans- 
mote control, with little o r  no power being required to ferred by the valve from one to the other of said two 
hold the valve member in the locked position, even when opposite ports. 
subjected to substantial acceleration forces. The various objects and features of advantage of the 
30 invention wall be more apparent from the following de- 
tailed description wherein reference is made to the ac- 
The invention described herein may be manufactured companying- drawings in which: 
and used by or for the Government of the United States FIGURE 1 is a top view of a transfer valve according 
of America for governmental purposes without the pay- to  the invention; 
ment of any royalties thereon or therefor. 35 FIGURE 2 is a side view of the valve; This invention relates to  valves and more particularly FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view through the valve 
to  three-port valves having a valve member for control- taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1; 
ling two of the ports so  that when one of the two ports FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged 
is closed the other is open. More specifically the invention scale taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 and showing 
relates to a three-port transfer valve which is so named 40 one of the two opposite ports closed; and 
because it has one continuously open main port, and the FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG- 
fluid flow through the valve to the main port is selectively URE 4 but showing the other of the two opposite ports 
transferred from one to the other of the two controlled closed. 
valve ports. Referring in more detail to the drawings the valve com- 
The particular environment for which the valve of the prises a casing 6 mounted on a U-shaped support frame 
present invention was developed is in the field of space 7 and operated by an electrical rotary solenoid or  motor 
travel. The valves are used both in test apparatus and in 8. The casing 6 is preferably made of a transparent plastic 
actual flight conditions. The test apparatus, which does material such as "Lucite" so that any foreign matter can 
not form any part of this invention, is designed to deter- be easily observed. 
mine the effects of vehicle acceleration on the pilot's 50 In one convenient construction the casing 6 is 
ability to perform control tasks under simulated flight with two flat end plates I@ and 31 and an intermediate 
conditions. In both the simulated and actual flight aypara- hollow four sided frame 92. Plate I@ is permanently 
tus the gas transfer valve is employed to switch the Aow bonded to the frame 12 and plate 12 is removably at- 
of gases, for example, air and oxygen, to the various parts tached by screws 13 to provide for assembly of the in- 
of the respiratory system. 55 ternal parts of the valve. The assembled parts 98, 19 and 
The objectives which are met by the present invention 12 form an internal valve chamber 14. Three short tubes 
are as follows. In most instances the valves must be ca- are attached to three sides of the frame 12 to provide a 
pable of remote control. The valves must be fail safe; that constantly open main port 16 and two coaxial ports 17 
is, if there is a failure in the mechanism for operating and I8 disposed opposite each other. 
the valve, one or both of the two ports will 60 A valve member 21 is positioned in chamber 14 to con- 
trol the ports 17 and 18 so that when one port is closed always be open so  that the pilot's air supply will never 
the other is open. In a preferred embodiment the valve be cut off. Since both the test and actual flight conditions 
member 21 is made of metal. The valve member 21 car- involve substantial acceleration forces, it is necessary that 
ries a resilient circular closure member 22 on one side the transfer valve be able to withstand such forces without 65 and a similar closure member 23 on the other side, each 
any effect' For a made in closure member being preferably made of silicon rubber. 
accordance with the has been tested UP to 20 g In order to keep the weight down the closure elements 
acceleration force in all directions while still holding off 2% and 23 are attached to the valve member by small 
a pressure differential of five pounds per square inch. It metal pins 24 and Z5 which carry thin metal backing 
is important that the valve not offer high resistance to disks 26 and 27. Closure member 22 abuts a seat 28 to 
breathing and that it be capable of changing porting close port 18, and closure member 23 abuts a seat 29 t o  
rapidly. It is also important that the valve be quick act- close port 17. 
3,369,564 
3 4 
Valve member 21 is guided for linear movement be- right end of cam driver 39 to move downwardly against 
tween the opposite ports 17 and 18 by means of upper the cam surface 37. It will be seen that the surfaces 36 
and lower guide slots 35 and 31, respectively. Slot 30 is and 37 are substantially sloped from vertical adjacent 
formed in a plastic member 32 which is permanently their upper ends and are more nearly vertical adjacent 
bonded to the top and side walls of the intermediate 5 their lower ends. As a result, the initial clockwise move- 
frame 22. In order to be able to install the guide member ment of the cam driver 39 will cause the valve member 
21 in the guide slots, the lower slot 31 is formed by a 2.1 to move quickly to the right as the right end of the 
two piece construction. More specifically the slot 31 is driver moves downwardly along the sharply sloping por- 
formed by a first member 34 which is permanently tion of surface 34. Then as the right end of driver 39 
bonded to the bottom and side walls of the intermediate engages the substantially vertical portion of surface 37 
frame 12 and by a removable second member 33 which the valve member will move more slowly into final closed 
is attached to the member 34 by screws 35. position, but substantially more force will be exerted to 
The valve member 21 is hollowed out to form a cam close the valve. When the valve member is moved fully 
surface having side portions 36 and 37 adjacent the ports to the right to close port 17 it will be noted from FIG- 
18 and 17, respectively. The side cam portions are inter- 15 URE 5 that the right edge of cam driver 39 engages the 
connected by an intermediate connecting portion 38. It cam surface 37 at a point below the axis of the cam 
will be noted that the valve member 21 is hollowed out drive shaft 40, and that the upper edge of the driver 
intermediate the cam-forming section and the edges re- engages the cam surface 39 so that the valve member 
ceived in the guide slots in order to reduce the weight. is locked in closed position. Thus, fluid pressure in port 
A Cahn driver 38 is positioned in the valve member for 20 14 acting against the closure element 23 will be unable 
sqagement with the cam surfaces 36-38. to move the valve member to the left as viewed in FIG- 
The cam driver 39 is mounted on a shaft 190 for rota- URE 5. Such axial movement of the valve member to 
tion therewith. One end of the shaft is journalled in a the left can be accomplished only when the electric drive 
plastic bearing plug $1 in the wall 10. The other end of mechanism 8 is energized to rotate shaft 45 counterclock- 
shaft 40 is rotatably received in a plastic bearing plug 25 wise. 
42, and carries a connecting member 43 having teeth Although specific details of the present invention are 
which inter-engage with teeth on a connecting member shown and described herein, it is to be understood that 
$4 which is attached to the rotary drive shaft from the modifications may be made therein without departing 
electrical drive mechanism 8. from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth 
The U-shaped support frame 7 comprises an upright 30 in the appended claim. 
leg 46 which is provided with holes 47 for mounting the Having thus described the invention what is claimed 
unit on associated apparatus. The valve casing 6 is mount- as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is as 
ed on the base 48 of the U-shaped member by means follows: 
of screws 49. The second upright leg 50 of the support 1. A vaIve comprising a casing forming a chamber 
member is arranged to carry the electric drive mechanism 35 therein, said valve having three ports in communication 
8. More specifically the upright leg 50 is provided with with said chamber, two of said ports being positioned 
a circular bore to engage the circular casing of the drive opposite each other, a valve member positioned between 
mechanism 8. The peripheral wall of the circular bore said opposite ports, guide means supporting said valve 
is cut at $1 so that a holding screw 52 can lock the drive member for linear movement between said opposite ports, 
mechanism 8 in place. 40 closure elements on opposite sides of said valve mem- 
~h~ electric drive mechanism can be any conven- be' for closing the one of said opposite ports toward 
tional type of rotary drive arrangement. For example, which said valve member is moved, said valve member 
the drive mechanism can be a rotary solenoid which is having a hollow center portion with the inside wall 
electrO-magnetically driven to rotate in one direction and forming a cam surface, a cam driver rotatably 
is spring driven to rotate in the opposite direction. 45 supported in engagement with said cam surface for forc- 
Alternatively the drive mechanism can be a conventional ing said member either of said opposite 
rotary solenoid is electro-magnetically driven to Ports, said cam surface comprising two opposite side 
rotate in both directions, or a conventional reversible portions each sloping toward and away from the adja- 
cent one of said opposite ports, said cam surface further 
motor may be used in some In any event 50 comprising an intermediate portion connecting the side the cam arrangement is such that little or no power is portions at the ends of the side which slope required to maintain the valve in closed position. Thus toward their adjacent ports, said cam driver being ar- in order to conserve power the drive mechanism 8 and 
ranged to engage one of said side and said in- associated circuitry can be arranged so that the power termediate portions when said valve member is moved is off Or 
reduced after the cam 39 has 55 to close one of said ports, and said engagement between been turned to close either of ports 17 and 18. In other the cam driver and said side portion being on the oppo- 
words, power from the electric drive mechanism is re- site side of the axis of rotation of said cam driver from @red to move the valve member 21 into closed PO- 
said intermediate portion when said valve member is 
sition but is not required to  hold it in such position. The positioned to close one of said opposite ports. 
way in which the self locking feature is obtained is as 
follows: Referring to FIGURE 4 it will be seen that the References Cited 
lower left edge of cam driver 39 engages the cam sur- 
face 36 below the axis of the drive shaft 4O. Thus the UNITED STATES PATENTS 
force of any fluid pressure in port I8 tending to open 17228,453 611917 Lehnert -------- 137-625.5 X 
the closure member 22 will tend to force the cam driver 297389450 3/1956 Matthews -------- 251-138 X 
39 to rotate counterclockwise. However, it will be seen G5 39134,569 511964 Skienbender et al. -- 251-259 X 
that such counterclockwise rotation is prevented in a 31219~312 11/1965 KOehler et ---- 251-259 X 
positive manner by abutment of the upper edge of cam FOREIGN PATENTS 
driver 39 against the cam surface 38. 1,053,060 9/1953 France. 
When it is desired to change from the condition shown 70 592,607 9/1947 G~~~~ ~ i ~ ~ i ~ .  
in FIGURE 4 to the condition shown in FIGURE 5, 21 1,7 10 1/ 1941 Switzerland. 
the electric drive mechanism is operated to turn the 
shaft 4O clockwise as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5. Such M. Primary 
clockwise rotation will cause the left end of cam driver MICHAEL 0 .  STURM, E. K. FEIN, 
39 to move upwardly against the cam surface 36 and the 75 Assistant Exutnilrers. 


Transfer valve Patent

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server