Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~OS;~293
The invention relates to air cooling and cleaning ~'
apparatus for use in connection with the development of
a compressed-air supply for operating air-brakes on
automotive equipment or for use in many industrial
applications, as for instance, compressed-air operated
tools, valves and instruments, and ot'her compressed-air
operated or controlled equipment.
The compression of the air, by means of an air-
compressor, to a pressure in the customary range
10 (of 5.63 to 10.56 kilograms per square centimeter or more)
raises the temperature of the air by several hundred
degrees, as, for instance, 148C, more or less, depend-
ing on the pressure. For eficient storage and use, t'he ~ '
temperature of the compressed-air must be reduced as near
ambient temperature as possible. The compressed-air,
as it leaves t'he compressor, may also have entrained
therein some of t'he lubricant-oil used to lubricate the
compressor or an air-whipped or aerated and perhaps some-
what aqueous emulsion-like form of such oil, and may
20 also 'have entrained therein dust and other solid contami-
nants such as carbon particles resulting from the
carbonization of lubricant oil. Anot'her contaminant
and frequently the largest contaminant is the moisture
drawn into the compressor along with the atmospheric air,
T'he extent of this contaminant varies of course with t'he
degree of'humidity. However, whatever the 'humidity,
moisture and water entrained in the compressed-air leav-
ing the compressor r~presents a hazard in the operation
of air-brakes and other equipment to be operated or con-
30 trolled by the compressed-air.
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105~;293
The object of the present invention is the effi-
cient and reliable cooling of the compressed-air and the
removal therefrom of its moisture or water content and
the removal therefrom of the oil (or emulsion) dis-
charged by the compressor and dust and carbon particles
and other contaminants entrained therein, while the
compressed-air flows from the compressor to a storage-
reservoir. A further object is a construction in air
coolers and cleaners which is durable, trouble-free and
economical to manufacture.
Apparatus in accordance with the present invention
is designed for cleaning and removing moisture from a
relatively warm compressed gas and includes a housing
defining a swirl chamber and having intended upper and
lower sides, ~ contaminant drain opening formed in the
housing at the lower side of the swirl chamber, a gas
intake formed in the housing and directing incoming
gas tangentially in a swirl pattern in the swirl chamber,
and a tubular member mounted generally centrally of the
swirl chamber and above the drain opening. The tubular
member forms a gas exit passage for gas leaving the swirl
chamber and has an inlet end adjacent to the drain opening.
The incoming gas travels in a swirl pattern around the
tubular member and the gas travels a substantial distance
and moves past the drain opening before entering the gas
inlet end. The housing is pitched toward the drain opening.
Valve means are connected to the drain opening for normally
closing the drain opening and causing contaminants and
moisture to collect in the drain opening. The warm gas
moves in heat exchange relation past the drain opening -~
and prevents collected moisture and contaminants from
freezing.
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~os,,~;~93
The apparatus may further include a cooling chamber ; -
having a gas inlet thereto in communication with an outlet
of the tubular member and having a gas outlet therefrom.
The cooling chamber includes a heat exchanger for cooling
gas flowing therethrough.
The apparatus is preferably formed, in the main,
of a material, such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy,
having high thermal conductivity and high tensile strength.
The member which is mounted between the cleaning and ~
cooling chambers is preferably funnel shaped, with the -
tube of the funnel extending deep into the swirl chamber.
A filter is preferably also provided between the cooling
chamber and said air outlet.
The invention will be better understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with
the accompanying figures of the drawings, wherein:
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105Z293
Figure 1 represents a vertical cross-sectional
view of an embodiment of the air cooler and cleaner of
the present invention, s'hown-on a somewhat reduced scale.
Figure 2 represents a 'horizontal cross-sectional
view on line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a top plan view on line 3-3
of Figure 1, of the upper housing-closure and of t'he
corner ~ortions of the uppermost cooling-fin extending
outwardly beyond the housing closure.
Figure 4 represents a cross-sectional view on line
4-4 of Figure 1.
Figure 5 represents a cross-sectional view on line
5-5 of Figure 1.
Figure 6 represents an elevational view of the
empty tubular 'housing, wit'h only the air-inlet welded
thereto, suc'h air-inlet being eit'her the air-inlet s'hown
in Figures 1 & 4 or t'he air-inlet shown in Figure 11.
Figure 7 represents an elevational view of the
housing-closure and of t'he integral filter-'housing ex- '
20 tending downwardly t'herefrom, with a portion of t'he filter- ~
housing shown in section. ;
Figure 8 represents a bottom view of the upper
'housing-closure and of the filter-'housing. ;~
Figure 9 represents an elevational view of the '
lower housing-closure and valve-mounting member telescoped
into and welded to the bottom of t'he tubular housing, ;
as viewed at 90 degrees to the cross-sectional view
thereof s'hown at the bottom of Figure 1.
Figure 10 represents a bottom view of the bottom
30 closure and valve-mounting member s'hown in Figure 9.
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105'~Z93
Figure 11 represents a cross-sectional view on
line 11-11 of Figure 6. ''
Figure 12 represents a cross-sectional view on
line 12-12 of Figure 1, s'howing (among other elements)
a bottom view of t'he air-director-supporting disc. ~-~
Figure 13 represents a perspective view of the
air~director-supporting disc (shown in cross-section in
Figure 1, and whose bottom view is shown in Figure 12).
Figure 14 represents a view on line 14-14 of
10 Figure 1.
Figure 15 represents a perspective view of a spring
which urges t'he air-director downwardly.
Figure 16 represents a cross-sectional view of a
valve of an automotive embodiment of my air cooler and
cleaner.
Figure 17 represents a cross-sectional view of a
valve of a stationary embodiment of my air cooler and i.
cleaner. ,
Figure 18 represents a sc'hematic view of compressor, ~'
2b reservoir and unloader of an automotive air system in-
cluding the automotive embodiment of my air cooler and
cleaner.
In the illustrated embodiment of the present in-
vention, the air cooler and cleaner in its entirety (as
illustrated in Figure 1) is designated by the reference-
number 20. The tubular housing thereof is designated in :~
its entirety by t'he reference-number 21, and the upper
housing-closure thereof is designated by t'he reference-
30 number 22, and the bottom housing-closure member thereof
105'~293
is designated by the reference-number 23.
A funnel-like mem~er 24, hereinafter generally
referred to as the "funnel", is operatively mounted
within the tubular housing 21, in the manner indicated in
Figure 1. The funnel 24 comprises a flange including a
horizontal planar outer flange-portion 25 and a conical
- inner flange-portion 26 having a central opening
therein. The outer diameter of the outer planar flange-
portion 25 is such that it will fit neatly within the
10 inner diameter of the tubular housing 21, with a minimum
clearance required to insert flange into the housing;
suc'h clearance being sufficiently small that any upward
leakage of air between the outer periphery of t'he planar
flange-portion 25 and the inner surface of the tubular
housing 21 will be insignificant.
The outer planar flange-portion 25 rests on and is ,.
supported by t'hree or four equidistantly spaced and
'horizontally aligned rivet'heads 28 whose stems 29 pass
through 'holes 30 in t'he tubular 'housing 21 with a tight
20 fit and with the outer ends 31 t'hereof riveted over
tightly, so t'hat the rivets are in air-tight relation to
the housing 21.
The flange (25 & 26) of the funnèl 24 divides the
tubular housing 21 into a lower swirl-chamber 32 and an
upper cooling-chamber 33, the upper cooling-c'hamber
having a vertical dimension or extent substantially
greater t'han that of the lower swirl-chamber 32. ':
An air-riser-tube 34 extends downwardly from the
funnel 24, into the swirl-chamber 32 to a point a s'hort
30 distance above the bottom thereof as indicated in Figure 1.
.
lOS;~Z93
A boss-like fitting 35 is welded to the outer
surface of the housing 21, in operative alignment wit'h
an inlet opening 36 in the housing 21, by means of the
annular fillet-weld 37. The outer end-portion of the
boss-like fitting 35 is pipe-threaded to receive a
suitable T-fitting 38 whose outer end 39 is connected
with the pipe-line whic'h delivers the compressed-air to
t'he air cooler and cleaner, and to the rig'ht-angular
branc'h 40 of which any suitable pressure-release-valve
10 or safety-valve is operatively mounted, The inner end-
portion of the bore of the fitting 35 may be pipe-
t'hreaded as indicated in Figure 1, and into such inner .'
threaded portion a 45 angled fitting 42 is operatively
secured, as indicated in Figures 1 & 4; with the inner
angled portion 43 thereof formed into a t'hreadless nozzle
(as indicated in Figure 43 for delivering the incoming ;
compressed-air tangentially of the inner surface of the
swirl-chamber 32, so as to impart a rapidly spinning or . :
swirling motion to t'he air descending downwardly t'hrough
20 the swirl-c'hamber,
Instead of providing a separate inner 45-angled .
fitting 42 (as in Figures 1 & 4), the boss-like fitting
35 may 'have a coaxial inward extension 44 (Figure 11)
formed integrally t'herewith, whose inner end may be closed,
and in the side of which a round hole or a slot 45 may
be provided with its median plane generally 'horizontally
disposed, the hole or slot 45 being suitably angled so as
to dlsc'harge the incoming compressed-air generally
tangentially of t'he inner surface of t'he swirl-c'hamber
30 32, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 11.
lOSZ293
The bottom housing-closure 23 (Figures 1,5, 9 &
lO) is preferably cast or forged of aluminum or an
aluminum alloy, but may otherwise be formed of aluminum
or of an aluminum alloy. The bottom 'housing-closure 23
includes a cylindrical flange 46 whose outer surface
fits snugly within the inner cylindrical surface of
the tubular 'housing 21, and a conical bottom-wall 47
which is preferably coaxial with the cylindrical flange
46. An oblong drain-boss 48 extends downwardly from the
10 conical bottom-wall 47 as shown in Figures 9 & 10. The
oblong boss 48 has a vertical discharge passageway or
sump 49 therethrough, which also extends through the
conical bottom-wall 47, the discharge passageway 49 being :~
offcenter in relation to the axis of the cylindrical
flange 46, as indicated particularly in Figures 1, 5 & 10.
A lateral threaded hole 50 extends from the vertical drain-
passageway or sump 49, into which hole 50 a threaded pipe-
end or nipple 51 of an automatic drain-valve 52 i5
threaded. ~'~
20 A closure-plug 53 is threaded into t'he lowermost end .
of the vertical drain-passageway of sump 49, so that its .
upper end is at or in close proximity to the hole through
the nipple 51, so that when the drain-valve 52 is periodic-
ally opened, substantially all the water, oil and solid
particles which have accumulated in the sump 49 (and in
the conical cavity 54 t'hereabove) will be flushed out and
aischarged or "dumped" through the discharge outlet 55 of
the automatic drain-valve 52 by the force of the compressed-
air within the housing 21 and within air-director 62
30 (Figure l).
105'~Z93
The plug 53 in t'he bottom of t'he drain-sump 49
may be removed for access to the sump 49 and to the
interior of t'he swirl-c'hamber for inspection or clean-
out, if needed.
A lateral cylindrical bore or chamber 56 is pro-
vided in the oblong drain-boss 48, coaxial wit'h the
lateral opening 50 t'herein, in which bore or c'hamber 56 '
t'he innermost cylindrical portion 99 of the drain-valve
52 may be snugly nested as indicated in Figure 1, so
10 t'hat any vibration of t'he air cooler and cleaner result-
ing from t'he vibration of the vehicle on which it is
mounted will not tend to break off t'he nipple 51 nor
otherwise adversely effect the attac'hment of the drain-
valve 52 to the lateral drain-opening 50. Alternatively, ~-
the innermost portion 99 of t'he housing of the drain- ':
valve 52 may be screw-threaded into the bore 56, as in~
dicated in Figures 16 & 17, or it may be formed int~gral-
ly wit'h the drain-boss 48.
A vertical clearance-'hole 57 is provided in t'he
20 bottom of the oblong drain-boss 48, through which t'he
drain-valve 52 may discharge the contents of the sump-
'hole 49 and of the conical cavity 54 thereabove. A pipe-
nipple 58 may extend t'hrough the hole 57 and be threaded
into the drain-'hole 55 of t'he drain-valve 52 for dis-
c'harging the contents of the sump 49 and of the conical
cavity 54 as indicated in Figure 1, or t'he bottom of the
oblong drain-boss 48 may be cut away beyond t'he bore or -:
chamber 56 thereof.
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lOS;~Z93
A recess 59 is provided at t'he bottom of the 'housing
21, as indicated particularly in Figures 1 & 6, for clear-
ing the outer portion of the drain-valve 52.
The lower 'housing-closure 23 is secured to t'he .'
tubular housing 21 in air-tight relationship thereto, by
means of an annular fillet-weld 60 between its flange 46 ~ -
and the housing 21.
The hollow cylindrical air-director 62 is prefer- - : '
ably formed of suitable plastic or hard pressed fibre
10 or impregnated fibre material having very low heat con-
ductivity, and having an upper closure 63 of the sa~e or
similar material. The lower portion 64 of the closure
63 is press-fitted and/or cemented into or otherwise
secured to the top of t'he cylindrical body of the air-
director 62, and its upper portion 65 has a flange 66 ~,
extending outwardly and overlapping the upper end of
t'he tubular body of the air-director 62. At three or
four circumferentially distributed points thereof, center-
ing projections 94 (Figure 14) extend outwardly from the
20 flange 66 into close proximity of the inner wall-surface
of the cooling-chamber 33 (as indicated in Figures 1, 2
& 14), for centering t'he upper end of the air-director 62 .
in relation to t'he cooling-chamber 33.
, The lower open end of the tubular body of the air-
director 62 is supported on a multi-diametered and per-
forated director-supporting disc 67 s'hown in Figure 13.
The smaller diametered upper portion 68 of the disc 67
is press-fitted into the lower end of the tubular body
of t'he air-director 62, as indicated in Figure 1, with ,
30 the lower end of suc'h tubular body resting on the ~'
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~OS'~Z93
horizontal shoulder 69 of the disc 67 (Figures 13 & 1).
Three or four circumferentially distributed integral air-
director-centering elements 70 extend laterally outward-
ly from the disc 67 into close proximity of t'he inner
wall-surface of t'he tubular housing 21, so as to center
the lower end of the air-director in relation thereto.
Integral spacers 71 extend downwardly from the center-
ing elements 70 and rest on the outer flange-portion 25
of the funnel 24, as indicated in Figures 1, 13 & 12, so
10 as to space t'he air-director-supporting disc 67 at a
distance above the funnel 24 just sufficiently to
permit t'he free passage of the compressed-air between
the disc 67 and t'he funnel-flange (25 & 26) in a laterally
outward direction towards an annular air-passage space
72 between t'he air-director 62 and the inner surface of
the cooling-,chamber 33, as indicated by the arrows in
Figure 1.
Instead of the downwardly extending vertical spacer
71, vertical spacers of corresponding height may be
20 provided on t'he planar flange-portion 25 of the funnel 24,
by being formed integrally therewith or by being riveted ~ . '
or spot-welded thereto or by being otherwise secured there-
to, suc'h alternative vertical spacers preferablv extending
upwardly to t'he l~wer horizontal annular surfaces 73 of
the disc 67, so as to space the disc 67 from the flange
25 of the funnel 24 at the same distance as the spacing
provided by the vertical spacers 71. Alternatively, a
short upstanding peripheral cylindrical spacer-flange may
be provided on the funnel-flange (25 & 26) beneath the
30 radial centering-projections 70 of the air-director-
- 12 -
.
lOS;~93
supporting disc 67 for supporting the latter and the air-
director 62.
The upper 'housing-closure 22, preferably cast or
forged of aluminum or aluminum alloy, has a downwardly
extending filter-housing 74, preferably formed integral-
ly therewith, in whic'h the filter 75, confined between
upper and lower perforated metallic discs 76 & 77, is
operatively mounted, as indicated in Figure 1. An
annular retainer-ring 78 is mounted in the ring-receiving
10 groove 79 (Figure 7) near the bottom of the filter- -
housing 74, and supports the lower perforated disc 77 of
t'he filter-assembly as s'hown in Figure 1. A suitable
helical compression-spring 80 is operatively mounted '~
between the bottom surface of the upper 'housing-closure
22 and t'he upper perforated disc 76, so as to press the
discs 76 & 77 to t'he filter 75 and to keep the filter-
assemblage seated on the retainer-ring 78. '~
As the compressed-air is cooled during its upward
passage through the annulus-shaped air-passageway 72
20 ~between the wall-surface of the cooling-chamber 33 and ~ -
the air-director 62) most, if not all, of the moisture
content thereof is condensed and flows downwardly as a
thin film on the wall-surface of the cooling-chamber 33
and drops OlltO t'he funnel-flange ~25 & 26) and drains
from there into the bottom of the swirl-chamber 32 along
the inner wall-surface of the air-riser-tube 3~.
For the removal of any traces of moisture which may
be still left in the compressed-air after it has risen
above the air-director 62, I may operatively mount an
30 air-permeable descicator cartridge (not shown) between
- 13 -
lOS'~Zg3
filter-assemblage (75, 76 & 77) and the inner surface of
the upper housing-closure 22.
T'he upper housing-closure 22 is provided wit'h an
outer boss 81 through which the outlet-opening 82 ex-
tends. The outer end of the opening has a check-valve
83 operatively mounted thereto, with the downstream end
84 of the c'heck-valve 83 being connected to the com-
pressed-air reservoir by any suitable piping or tubing
85, as indicated in Figure 18.
To t'he upper end of the tubular housing 21, an
aluminum or aluminum alloy ring or collar 86 is secured
by being press-fitted over and welded thereto by the
fillet-weld 87 whic'h may be a continuous annular weld
or may be comprised of several circumferentially spaced
fillet-welds. The collar 86 is provided with a suitable
number of circumferentially distributed tapped holes 88,
into which t'he headed bolts 89 (extending through
corrresponding 'holes in t'he housing-closure 22) are firm-
ly threaded, thereby securing t'he upper 'housing-closure
20 22 to the upper end of the housing 21, as indicated in
Figures l, 3, 7 & 8. A suitable sealing gasket 97 is
interposed between the upper housing-closure 22 and the
upper end of t'he housing 21, so as to form an air-tight
seal therebetween, as indicated in Figure 1.
A spring designated generally by the numeral 90
(shown in Figures 1, 14 ~ 15) 'has four upper inwardly-
inclining V-shaped spring-prongs 91 and rests on top of
the upper closure 63 of the air-director 62, wit'h its
outermost elbow-like bends 92 in close proximity to the
30 inner surface of t'he tubular housing 21, so as to be
- 14 -
los'~Z93 : ~
centered thereby, and having the points 93 of its four
prongs 91 bearing against the lower annular end of the
filter-'housing 74 (as indicated in Figure 1), thereby to .
exert a resilien-t downward pressure upon the air-director
62
The generally rectangular sheet-aluminum ~or alumi~
num alloy) cooling-fins 95, have rounded corners (as
indicated in Figures 2, 3, 12 & 14) and have central open-
ings therein and have generally cylindrical short integral
flanges 96 at t'heir inner diameters, with the inner
diameters of such flanges tightly fitting the outer
diameter of t'he tubular housing 21~ T'he inner diameters '~
of the cylindrical flanges 96 of the coollng-fins 95 are
preferably made slightly less than the outer diameter of '
the tubular housing 21, and such flanged fins are' -
telescoped over the tubular housing 21 by being first
heated to and maintained at a temperature sufficiently
hig'h to increase the inner diameter of the flange 96 t'here- : -
of to an extent permitting suc'h flanges to be *elescoped .' -
20 over the tubular housing 21 and thereafter cooled so as ..
to s'hrink t'he flange 96 tightly onto the outer surface
of the tubular housing 21 in firm thermally-conductive ..
contact with the outer surface of the tubular 'housing. '~
Instead of heating the fins 95 and flanges 96 to
sufficiently'hig'h temperature (above ambient temperature) ~
to expand t'he inner diameter of t'he flanges 96 sufficient- :
ly to be telescoped over the tubular 'housing 21 at
ambient temperature, I may, alternatively, chill the
tubular 'housing 21 sufficiently below ambient temperature
to reduce its outer diameter sufficiently to fit into the
- 15 -
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105'~Z93
flanges 96 while t'he later are at ambient temperature.
I may both heat the fins 95 (and their flanges 96) and
chill the 'housing 21 so as concurrently to enlarge the
inner diameter of the flanges 96 and reduce outer
diameter of t'he housing 21, and then telescope the fins
95 (and flanges 96) and the housing 21 in relation to
each other while t'hey are maintained at their elevated
and lowered temperatures, respectively. As used in the
following claims thereof, the term "heat-shrunk" is in-
10 tended to cover the firm thermally-conductive contact
between the flanges 96 and t'he housing 21 obtained by
any of these t'hree methods.
The flanged fins 95 may instead be press-fitted
onto the outer surface of the tubular housing 21, as well
as any of these t'hree heat-s'hrinkings.
The flanged-fins 95'and the housing 21 are so
telescoped in relation to each ot'her either before the
collar 86 is applied to the tubular 'housing 21 or before
the air-inlet fitting 35 and the rivets ~28 & 29) are
20 applied to the tubular housing; preferably before the
latter are applied t'hereto. Several s'hort circumferen-
tially distributed fillet-welds 98 (Figure 1) are applied
to the lowermost fin 95 and the adjacent outer wall
surface of the tubular housing 21, so as to maintain the
fins against the separation of the flanges thereof from
the next adjacent fin. T'he uppermost fin 95 is abutted
against the fillet-weld 87, whic'h serves as an upper
abuttment for the fins.
- 16 -
lOS'~Z93
While in t'he embodiment of my invention shown in
t'he drawings, the fins 95 are provided only on the
portion of the tubular~housing 21 which is generally
above the flange (25 & 26) of the funnel 24 (namely,
t'hat part of the tubular housing which constitutes t'he
cooling-chamber and the portion thereof immediately above
the cooling-chamber), yet for use in warm or hot climates
I may also provide similar cooling-fins on the portion of
the tubular 'housing 21 between t'he inlet-fitting 35 and
10 the valve-clearing recess 59 in the lower end of thè
housing 21.
For use of my air cooler and drier in extremely cold
climate, I may encase or envelope the lower portion of t'he
tubular housing 21, namely, the portion t'hereof below
flange 25-26 of the funnel 24, or t'he lowermost portion
thereof in w'hic'h t'he lowe,r 'housing-closure 23 is mounted , .. .
(including the bottom thereof across t'he lower end oi~ t'he
tubular housing 21), in a thermally insulating boot or
jacket (not shown), in order to prevent any possible freez-
20 ing of t'he water in the swirl-c'hamber 32 or in the conical -'
cavity 54 or in t'he drain-sump 49 therebeneat'h or to pre-
vent any possible freezing of the drain-valve 52.
Instead of the rivets (28-29) for supporting the
funnel 24 and t'he air-director 62, I may provide a spacer
between the upper annular shoulder 100 of the lower hous-
ing-closure 23 and the lower surface of the flange-portion ~,
25 of the funnel 24~ Suc'h spacer may be in the form of
a thin-walled aluminum tube snugly fitting into t'he inner
diameter of tubular housing 21 and having a cut-out or hole
30 to clear the inlet-nozzle 42 in Figures 1 & 4 or the inlet-
-- 17 --
,
lOS'~293
nozzle 44 (in Figure 11).
T'he automatic drain-valve 52 may be of the normally
closed type illustrated in Figure 16 or it may be of the
normally open type illustrated in Figure 17. ~ :~
In t'he embodiment of my air cooler and cleaner 20
for use in connection wit'h air-compressors (116) and their
storage-reservoirs (117) on automotive equipment, such as
trucks, tractors and the like (Figures 16 & 18) whose
compressor 116 is continuously driven by t'he engine t'here-
10 of, the drain-valve 52 is of t'he normally closed type
illustrated in Figure 16 whose innermost housing portion
99 may be screw-threadedly mounted to (or formed integral-
ly with) the drain-boss 48 of the lower 'housing-closure
23 of t'he air cooler and cleaner 20.
The normally-closed drain-valve 52 shown in Figure
16 includes a conical valve-seat 101 facing aownstream,
and a corresponding conical valve-disc 102 facing up-
stream, carried by a valve-rod 103 whose downstream end
is slideably supported in t'he central hole 104 of the web
20 105 having t'hrough-holes 106 therein, and whose upstream
end is slideably supported in the co-axial 'hole 107 of
a similarly apertured web 108. The outer end of the valve-
rod àbuts against the piston 109. A helical compression
spring 110 returns t'he piston 109 to its retracted position
shown in Figure 16 when compressed-air from t'he governor
unloader valve 115 is not applied t'hereto, while (under
the same condition) the helical compression spring 111
ureges the valve-disc 102 into its seating or closed
position shown in Figure 16. The seating of the valve-
30 disc 102 is also augmented by the pressure of the compress-
- 18 -
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~05'~Z93
ed-air upstream thereof. The flange 113 on the valve-rOd
103 serves to limit t'he downstream unseating movement of
the valve-disc 102. The pipe or tubing 61 from t'he
control-air-port 112 of the drain-valve 52 shown in
Figure 16 is connected to t'he pipe-line 114 between the
governor unloader valve 115 and the air-compressor 116 '
- s'hown schematically in Figure 18. Such governor unloader
valve 115 is generally mounted between the compressed air-
storage-reservoir 117 and the air-compressor 116, so t'hat
10 when the pressure in the storage-reservoir 117 reaches
t'he upper pressure-limit for which it is set, the com- ~' ''
pressed-air from the storage-reservoir 117 will activate
the unloader-valve 115 so t'hat its control-valve is
thereby opened to admit compressed-air from the storage-
reservoir 117 to t'he valve de-activator of the air
compressor, which t'hereby-keeps the air-intake valve of
t'he compressor open even though the compressor continues
to turn over. So long as t'he air-intake-valve of t'he air-
compressor is t'hus kept open, the compressor does not
deliver compressed-air to the air cooler & cleaner 2G
and 'hence does not deliver compressed-air to the storage- ' '
reservoir 117 t'herebeyond.
When t'he pressure of t'he air in the storage-
reservoir 117 drops to the lower pressure-limit for whic'h
the governor unloader-valve 115 is set, then its control-
valve closes, so that compressed-air from the reservoir
117 is not delivered to the pipe-line 114 leading to
aforementioned valve de-activator of the compressor and
so t'hat the line 114 is vented to the atmosphere whereby
-- 19 --
-
~OS;~Z93
the air-intake valve of the compressor again closes cycli-
cally during the compression stroke of t'he piston of the
compressor, so that the compressor delivers compressed-
air to'the air cooler and cleaner 20 and to t'he storage-
reservoir 117 therebeyond Upon suc'h venting of t'he
line 114, the line 61 connected to the control-air-port
112 of the drain-valve 52 is likewise vented, with the
result t'hat the spring 110 returns the piston 109 to the
position s'hown in Figure 16, and t'he spring 111 returns
10 the valve-disc 102 to its closed position as s'hown in
Figure 16.
In the embodiment of my air cooler and cleaner 20
for use in connection with air-compressors (and t'heir
storage-reservoirs) stationarily installed in service-
stations, shops, factories, laboratories and the like,
where t'he compressor is completely shut down or stopped
whenever the pressure in its storage-reservoir reac'hes an
upper set limit and is t'hen started up again when the
lower set limit of pressure is reached in the reservoir,
20 the drain-valve 52 is of t'he normally open type illus-
trated in.Figure 17, whose innermost'housing portion 99
may likewise be screw-threadedly mounted to (or formed
integrally with) t'he drain-boss 38 of the lower housing-
closure 23 of my air cooler and cleaner 20.
In t'his embodiment the piston 109 and the valve-
disc 122 and t'he valve-rod or the valv~-stem 103 may be
formed integrally with eac'h other as illustrated in
Figure 17. In t'his embodiment, the conical valve-seat
121 faces upstream and the correspondingly tapered
30 valve-disc 122 faces downstream, so that the piston-
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return spring 111 keeps the valve open in t'he absence of
pressure applied to the control-fluid-port 112. In this
embodiment t'he pipe-line 61 is connected to the oil-
delivery side or the pressure-side of the oil-pump of
the air-compressor (or to t'he line leading therefrom), ~ ,
so that wh~never the compressor is turning over, the -
valve-disc 122 will be kept'in its seated or closed
position, against the valve-seat 121, so t'hat the drain- -
valve 52 is closed whenever the air-compressor is running,
10 and so that whenever the air-compressor is shut down
(and the oil-pressure from the oil-pump of t'he compres-
sor ceases or drops below t'he required pressure), t'hen
the drain-valve 52 shown in Figure 17 will be opened so
as to drain and disc'harge the contents of t'he sump 49
and the conical cavity 54 thereabove in the lower housing- '.
closure 23.
The term "pilot-fluid", as used in the following
- claims, is intended to cover the pilot-air under
pressure supplied to the pilot-port 112 through the lines
20 114 & 61 by the governor unloader valve 115 of or connect- -
ed'to the compressor 116 as in the automotive embodiment
illustrated in Figures 16 & 18, as well as the pilot-oil
under pressure supplied to the pilot-port 112 by the oil- ~:
pump of the air-compressor in stationary embodiment
illustrated in Figure 17. The term "pilot-fluid output-
port" as used in t'he claims is intended to cover the
compressed-air output-port of the governor unloader valve
115 (Figure 18) in the automotive use of my air cooler
& cleaner 20 as well as the oil-output-port or oil-
30 output-line of the oil-pump of the air-compressor in the
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stationary use of my air cooler & cleaner 20 (such oil-
pump not being shown in the drawings;.
In the embodiment of my air cooler and cleaner 20
illustrated in Figure 1, the extruded aluminum tube con-
stituting the housing 21 is 38.1 cm. long and 'has a
13.33 cm. long outer diameter and a 12.06 cm. inner
diameter and a wall thickness of 0.635 cm., and the fins
95 (and flanges 96) are s'heet aluminum having a thickness
of about 0.127 cm. These dimensions are stated here for
10 purposes of illustration and without restriction.
To increase the capacity of my air ~ooler and
cleaner, as, for instance, to accommodate larger air-
compressors, I generally need only increase the lengt'h
of the thick-walled aluminum'housing tube 21 and corres-
pondingly increase the lengt'hs of the cooling chamber 33
and air-director 62, alt'hough I may also increase the
vertical dimensions of the swirl-c'hamber 32 and air-riser-
tube 34. The same upper and lower 'housing-closures
(22 & 23) and the same inlet-boss (35) are usable with
20 such lengt'hened housing-tubes 21, thus conducing to
economic manufacture of my air cooler and cleaner,
The aforementioned emulsion-like oil and the water
and solid particles entrained in the compressed-air at
times result in the accumulation of a sludge in t'he -~
bottom of an air cooler and cleaner, which tends to be-
come more viscous and at times to cake unless it is fully
flus'hed out with each successive periodic operation of
the automatic drain-valve. In order better to assure t'he
adequate flushing out of such sludge upon eac'h operation
3Q of the automatic valve 52, I have made th,e diameter or
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105;~Z93
horizontal dimension of the drain-sump 49 relatively
smaller in xelation to the diameter or horizontal
dimension of the conical cavity 54 and of t'he swirl~
chamber 32 thereabove. As a result, the sludge which :
is the oldest will accumulate in the small-diametered
drain-sump 49 from whic'h it can better be flushed out
by the compressed-air thereabove, which passes through
the drain-sump at a higher velocity because of the
small cross-sectional area thereof (during each "open"
phase of the drain-valve 52) whereas the sludge in t'he
cavity 54 or in the bottom of the swirl-chamber 32 can
be more readily flushed out by the lower velocity
compressed-air sweeping theret'hrough. :~
The normally-closed automatic drain-valve 52 is ~ .
s'hown in Figure 16 and the normally-open automatic
drain-valve 52 is shown in Figure 17 only for t'he ~'
purposes exemplifying illustrations of these automatic
drain-valves and without limitation to t'he specific '~ '
constructional details s'hown in these exemplifying
20 illustrations~
The term "aluminum" as used hereinabove and as :
used in the following claims is intended also to cover '''
aluminum alloys and compositions containing a major
proportion of aluminum.
The compressed air enters the swirl chamber near
the top thereof and t'he air rapidly spins or swirls,
thereby imposing a force on the relatively heavy solid
or liquid particles entrained in the compressed air.
This force causes the particles to move to the wall of
30the housing and then to drain downwardly to the low
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~OC~'~293
side of the 'housing. Since the lower end of the funnel
is spaced considerably lower than the air inlet, t'he
air must move a substantial distance before entering
the lower open end of t'he funnel, thereby ensuring re~
moval of the particles. Further, the lower open end
of the funnel is relatively close to t'he cavity 54 and
the sump 49, and the air entering the swirl chamber is
relatively hot. Consequently, the hot air prevents
contaminants and sludge which collects in the sump 49,
from freezing.
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