Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PILOT OPERATED COOLANT CONTROL VALVES
Back~round of the Inventio
Technical Field:
Tllis invention relates to coolant control valves for rolling
mills that are used for the reduction of metals and require
coolant to be supplied during use.
Descri~tion of the Prior Art:
Prior art devices of this type have generally relied on
a plurality of remotely positioned pilot control valves requiring
a large number of inter-connecting controlled conduits extending
from the pilot valves to the coolant control valves at the point
of us. Prior art patents relating to pilot operated control
valves include U.S. Patents 3,145,967 to Gardner of Aug., 1964,
3,159,374 to Kroffke of Dec., 1964, 4,391,296 to Abbott of July,
1~83, 3,880,358 to Schaming of April, 1975, 4,360,037 to Kendall
of Nov., 1982, 4,387,739 to Schaming of June, 1983, 4,247,047
to Schaming of Jan., 1982 and 4,568,026 to Baun, Feb., 1986.
In U.S. Patent 3,145,967 an elastic sleeve is arranged in
relation to a core positioned in a fluid passageway and by
the introduction of air pressure will distort the plastic
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sleeve inwardly against the core closing the fluid passage-
way. The air pressure is controlled by a solenoid operated
valve.
In U.S. Patent 3,159,374 a flexible diaphragm is arranged
to intercept a fluid passageway through the valve when
fluid pressure is applied to one side of the diaphragm to
distort same, closing the passageway. The fluid pressure for
operating the diaphragm is controlled by a solenoid valve.
In U.S. Patent 4,391,296 a valve having a valve plug
which moves in and out of closing relation respect to a fluid
passageway between an inlet and an outlet port is shown wherein
the valve plug is urgedclosed by a spring and moved to open
position by a solenoid.
In U.S. Patent 3,880,358 a coolant control valve is dis-
lS closed which utilizes a spring urged valve element for closedposition and a control fluid, such as air, to urge the valve
element to open position.
In U.S. Patent 4,360,037 a self-cleaning filter assembly
for a solenoid actuated valve is disclosed which uses fluid
pressure to operate a diaphram to control the opening and
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closing of the valve.
In U.S. Patent 4,387,739 a valve module for a digital
coolant control system is disclosed which utilizes a solenoid
urged valve element with a spring return to control the fluid
coolant through the passageway defined.
In U.S. Patent 4,247,047 a zoned digital coolant system
is disclosed which shows a plurality of valves in a multiple
manifold configuration with each of the valve elements being
activated by a solenoid and spring return for the supply of
coolant to a spray nozzle.
Finally, in applicant's U.S. Patent 4,568,026 a pilot
operated coolant control valve in a manifold assembly is
disclosed which defines the combination of a cartridge valve
system having a spring urged valve element for control of
coolant to a spray nozzle activated by an encased adjacent~
pilot control valve which is activated by a solenoid,and
spring return. The patent allows for multiple positioning
of easily replaced cartridge valve assemblies within a multiple
manifold configuration including the electrical connections
in a totallyenclosed-anvironment.
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Applicant's present invention allows for positioning
point of use control of coolant valves reducing the cost
and complexity of installation and repair time normally
required due to the length of the pilot air supply lines
from the pilot valves which are normally remotely located to
the coolant control valves as normally found in standard rolling
mill environments.
SummarY of the Invention
A pilot operated multiple coolant control valve assembly
for use in rolling mills provides for a series of coolant
control valves and associated pilot controls to be positioned
in a single assembly at the point of use. Each of the coolant
control valves is controlled independently via a solenoid
operated pilot control valve encapsulated adjacent each of
the coolant control valves. The valve assemblies provide
safe reliable operation in a difficult and dirty environment
by isolating the pilot controls and control valves in a
multiple segmented housing manifold.
Descri~tion of the Drawin~s
Figure 1 is cross-sectional elevation of a manifold
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assembly and associated coolant control valves;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on lines 2-2 of
Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view on lines 3-3 of
Figure 1.
Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodim~nt
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings a pilot operated
coolant control valve assembly 10 can be seen comprising a
multiple housing configuration 11 with oppositely disposed
closed ends 12 defining a pilot air supply chamber 13, a
electrical control chamber 14 and a coolant supply chamber
15. Coolant inlet ports 16 are positioned in the housing
configuration 11 adjacent to and communicating with the
coolant supply chamber 15. A plurality of body members 17
are sealingly attached to an open side of the housing 11 and
carry a plurality of coolant control valves 18 in spaced
apertures 19 therein. Each of the coolant control valves 18
is comprised of a cylindrical valve body 20 having several
openings 21 within. The openings 21 in each cylindrical
valve body 20 define coolant passageways to the valves 18.
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A pilot air passage 22 and a vent air passage 23 extend
from the interior of the cylindrical valve body 20 to
openings 24 and 25 respectively having annular sealing
o-rings 26 around the opening 24.- A closure 27 is secured -
in sealing relation by an o-ring 28 in an open end of the -
cylindrical valve body 20 opposite said openings 24 and 25 and
defines a pilot air activation chamber 29. An area of
reduced interior diameter at 30 in the pilot air activation
chamber 29 has a movable valve element 31 positioned partially
therein The valve element 31 has a conical end 32 with a
annular groove and a annular sealing member 33 in the
area of reduced diameter 30 with a larger opposite end portion
34 within the pilot air activation chamber 29. A secondary
annular sealing member 35 is positioned in the larger
opposite end portion 34 dividing the pilot air activation
chamber 29 between a pilot air inlet 36 and a vent outlet .
at 37. An annular reduction fitting 38 is threadably secured
in the opposite open end of the cylindrical valve body 20
and has a sealing member 39 adjacent one end. The reduction
fitting 38 defines a coolant passageway 40 and a portion of a
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valve seat 41 most of which is in the adjacent valve body 20.
Referring now to the pilot air supply chamber 13 an outlet
42 is formed in the body member 17 and communicates with a
pilot air conduit 42'in a pilot valve mounting body 43
which is in sealirrg relation with the body member 17 as best
seen in Figure 2 of the drawings. The pilot valve mounting
body 43 also has a wire way 44 extending in parallel spaced
relation to said pilot air conduit 42'. A pair of spaced
longitudinally aligned cavities 45 extend into the pilot valve
mounting body mernber 43 intersecting said wire way 44 and
each of the pilot valve chambers 46 thereof. A passageway
47 establishes communication between the pilot valve chamber
46 and the pilot air passage 22 in the cylindrical valve
body 20 as hereinbefore described. Pilot valves 48 are
positioned within the pilot valve chambers 46 and each
comprises a solenoid plunger 49 which is movably poæitioned
in a sleeve 50 which defines part of the pilot valve chamber
46 and which sleeve 50 is positioned within a solenoid coil
51 which is encapsulated by a suitable resin 52 which holds
the solenoid coil 51 in the cavity 45 intersectingthepilot
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air conduit 42.' The sleeve 50 has a passageway 53 positioned
on the end thereof opposite the pilot valve chamber 46 and
communicates with the atmosphere.
Still referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, it will
be seen that the plunger 49 moves to the right responsive
to energization of the coil 51. A seal in the opposite end
of the plunger 49 engages and closes an opening in the pilot
valve seat 54 when the coil 51 is de-energized and a spring
55 moves the plunger 49 to the left as is illustrated in
Figure 2 on the lower of the two pilot valves illustrated.
In operation, when this occurs, the fluid air pressure
extends through the pilot valve chamber 46, the passageway
47 and the air passageway 22 through the inlet 36 into the
pilot air activation chamber 29 forcing the valve element
31 forward overcoming the coolant pressure through the
openlngs 21 in the cylindrical valve body 20 shutting off
the flow of coolant to a nozzle 56 in a nozzle plate assembly
57 via a coolant passageway 59 within the body member 43.
The nozzle plate assembly is secured to the pilot valve
mounting body member 43 by fasteners 58.
An 0-ring 60 is positioned around each of the spray
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nozzles 57 sealing the nozzle plate assembly 58 thereto.
Upon de-energization of the solenoid coil 51 the plunger 49
urged by the spring 55 seals against the pilot valve seat
54 as hereinbefore described shutting off the pilot fluid
pressure against the valve element 31. The differential of
coolant pressure forces the valve element 31 back within the
pilot air activation chamber 29 allowing the coolant to flow
out through the spray nozzles 56. The solenoid coil 51 is
activated by an electrical control circuit via control wires
61 extending from a multiple electrical plug 62 seen in both
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings extending by cable 63 through
the electrical control chamber 14. The control wire passage-
way 44 has an area of increased interior diameter at 64 that
intersects with a right angularly positioned secondary contro].
passageway 65 in the pilot valve mounting plate 43 into which
extends the hereinbefore described multiple electrical plug
62. Each of the pilot control valves 48 and associated wire
ways 44 are filled with epoxy resin R encapsulating the
components and wires within the pilot valve mounting plate
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Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, the cavities45 have adjacent vent extending passageways 66 that align with
said vent passageways 23.
The solenoid coils 51 being sealed and held in place
by the epoxy resin are protected from damage which might
occur from the contaminated environment in which the valve
assembly is placed. The solenoid coils 51 are designed to
operated at 24 volts DC and draw a maximum of .30 amps. The
plungers 49 and coils 51 are so designed that the same are
fully operational at 85% of indicated voltage and thus
evidence small power requirements which substantially improve
the device, both with respect to automatic and manual input
signals fcr operation.
Thus, it will be seen that coolant control valves in
a manifold assembly have been illustrated and described and
that it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various changes and modifications may be made therein without
departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore I claim:
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