Fluid pressure booster

Abstract

There is described a fluid pressure booster including a pair of cylinders connected to the opposite sides of a central partition wall of a casing with an inlet port, an outlet port and air exhaust ports, a pair of pistons reciprocable in the cylinders and defining a boosting chamber and a drive chamber in each cylinder, and a switch valve adapted to supply a line air pressure alternately to the drive chambers of the two cylinders, thereby reciprocating the pistons to intensify the fluid pressure in the boosting chambers. The switch valve of the booster is provided with a spool stall preventive means which is arranged to suppress the pressing force on the valve body of the switch valve with the fluid pressure or biasing action of a spring until the valve body reaches the neutral position thereof and to encourage the pressing action on the valve body with a biasing force after reaching the neutral position to prevent stalls of the valve body at that position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a booster for elevating the pressure level of a pressurized fluid to be supplied to a load through pipings or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various pneumatically operating units in a plant or factory usually receive a supply of compressed air from a common pressurized air source through pipings. In a case where one or some of the units require supply of compressed air of a higher pressure level than the source pressure or in a case where the pressure of compressed air unavoidably drops before reaching the end of the pipings, it is necessary to install further pressurized air sources or intensify the air pressure in the pipings by means of a booster or the like.

The present inventors previously proposed a booster suitable for use in such a case, which is adapted to elevate the air pressure by the use of line air pressure in the pipings alone without necessitating power supply from outside. As a result of further studies and pilot operations, this previously proposed booster turned out to have still a number of problems as follows.

As diagrammatically shown in FIG. 1, the booster is provided with a pair of coaxial cylinders 5a and 5b on opposite sides of a center partition wall 4 of a casing 1 with inlet and outlet ports 2 and 3. Pistons 6a and 6b which are fitted in the cylinders 5a and 5b are connected with each other by a rod 7 which is hermetically passed through the partition wall 4. The boosting chambers 9a and 9b which are respectively defined in the cylinders 5a and 5b on the opposite sides of the center partition wall 4 by the pistons 6a and 6b are communicated with the inlet port 2 through inlet check valves 11a and 11b which permit only air flows into the boosting chambers and with the outlet port 3 through outlet check valves 12a and 12b which permit only air flows out of the boosting chambers. A switch valve 13 which communicates drive chambers 10a and 10b in the cylinders 5a and 5b alternately with the inlet port 2 and an exhaust ports 17a or 17b is provided in the partition wall 4, push rods 18a and 18b of the switch valve being protruded into the boosting chambers 9a and 9b, respectively, to switch the position of the switch valve 13 alternately by pushing actions of the pistons 6a and 6b.

In FIG. 1, indicated at 15 is a pressure regulator valve which regulates the pressure to be supplied to the drive chambers 10a and 10b.

With the booster of the above-described construction, the air pressure from the inlet port 2 is constantly drawn into the boosting chambers 9a and 9b through the inlet check valves 11a and 11b, and, when the switch valve 13 is pushed rightward by the pushing action of the piston 6b of the left cylinder as shown in FIG. 1, the pressurized air from the pressure regulator valve 15 is fed to the right drive chamber 10a through the switch valve 13 while releasing the left drive chamber 10b to the atmosphere. Accordingly, the pistons 6a and 6b are driven leftward by the fluid pressure in the drive chamber 10a, boosting the air pressure in the boosting chamber 9a for supply through the outlet port 3. As soon as the piston 6a comes to its stroke end, pushing the push rod 18a to change the position of the switch valve 13, the above-described operation is reversed to intensify the pressure in the boosting chamber 9b.

The booster of this sort can shift the position of the switch valve 13 by the reciprocating movements of the pistons without troubles as long as the pistons are in high-speed operation. However, when the secondary pressure reaches a predetermined level due to reduced consumption thereof or when the driving speed of the pistons is lowered due to a drop in supply pressure, there may arise a difficult situation that the pistons which have once come to a stop would not re-start due to malfunctioning of the switch valve.

Our study in this respect revealed that, if the pushing force of the pistons is lowered due to a drop in the supply pressure or by other reason when the switch valve is shifted near to its neutral position, the switch valve which is now free of the switching action of the pistons stalls at the neutral position. Consequently, even if the supply air pressure is increased again, the switch valve remains in the neutral position without restarting since the pressurized air is supplied to neither one of the drive chambers through the switch valve.

More particularly, the failure of re-start takes place, for example, when the piston 6a of FIG. 1 under influence of a dropped fluid pressure pushes the spool of the switch valve 13 to an intermediate position to switch the charging and discharging of the drive chambers 10a and 10b. At this time, the piston 6a is slided in an opposite direction (to the right in FIG. 1) by a reversed small operating force. However, in a case where a differential type check valve having no springs is used for the inlet check valve, the charging and discharging of the drive chambers 10a and 10b are not yet sufficient at a time point soon after switching of the spool, so that a pressure differential sufficient for closing the inlet check valve 11b is not yet produced in the boosting chamber 9b by rightward slide of the pistons 6a and 6b. As a consequence the inlet check valve 11b remains open, and no pressure is produced in the boosting chamber 9b.

Accordingly, the pistons 6a and 6b are slided by inertia force even when there is almost no working fluid pressure in the drive chamber 10b, slightly sliding the spool of the switch valve 13 through the push rod 18b. As a result, the switch valve 13 stops at the neutral position in some cases, failing to re-start as the fluid pressure is not supplied to the drive chambers 10a and 10b even after the line air pressure is restored.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to prevent the spool of the switch valve from stalling at a neutral position in the booster of the type mentioned above, precluding the re-start failures.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a booster which is provided with means for applying a gradually increasing resistance to pistons of the booster before the spool of a switch valve reaches its neutral position to lessen their pressing effort on the spool of the switch valve and/or means for encouraging the driving force on the spool upon reaching the neutral position, thereby to prevent the spool from stopping dead at the neutral position without re-starting.

It is another object of the invention to provide a booster which is provided with means for positively driving the spool of a switch valve to prevent its stalling at a neutral position and eliminating the causes of the spool stalling, thereby precluding the re-start failures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the above-mentioned objectives are achieved by the provision of a fluid pressure booster which comprises: a switch valve having a stall preventive means which prevent a spool of the switch valve from stalling at a neutral position thereof by suppressing the spool switching force before reaching that position or encouraging the switching action after reaching that position with the fluid pressure or a biasing spring action before and/or after that position.

With the booster of the above-described arrangement, as the spool is slided by the pressing effort of the pistons acting through a push rod, the pressing force is suppressed until the spool reaches its neutral position and it is encouraged past that position. Therefore, the neutral position becomes an instable point of the switching action, urging the spool constantly toward more stable switched positions at its stroke ends. As a result, there is no possibility of the spool failing to re-start upon supplying the line air pressure.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show by way of example some preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal section showing general construction of a conventional booster;

FIG. 2 is a vertically sectioned front view of a fluid pressure booster embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of said embodiment, but partly modified in a switch valve construction;

FIG. 4 is a schematic longitudinal section of a switch valve in another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing a modified valve construction; and

FIG. 6 is a vertically sectioned front view of a further embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The booster of the invention is hereafter described more particularly by way of the preferred embodiments shown in FIG. 2 and onwards.

Illustrated in FIG. 2 are the details of a first embodiment of the booster according to the invention, which is substantially same as the booster of FIG. 1 in general construction and effect.

Namely, the booster includes a casing 20 having a pair of coaxial cylinders 22a and 22b on the opposite sides of a central partition wall 21, and a piston assembly 23 being formed by pistons 24a and 24b slidably fitted in the respective cylinders 22a and 22b and a shaft 25 which is hermetically passed through the central partition wall 21 and connecting said pistons each other. By these pistons 24a, 24b to 24a and 24b, boosting chambers 26a and 26b are defined in the cylinders 22a and 22b on the side of the central partition wall 21, respectively, and drive chambers 27a and 27b on the opposite side thereof.

The central partition wall 21 of the casing 20 is provided with inlet and output ports 31 and 32. The inlet port 31 communicates with the boosting chambers 26a and 26b in the cylinders 22a and 22b through inlet passages 33a and 33b with inlet check valves 34a and 34b, respectively, which permit fluid flows into the boosting chambers 26a and 26b only. The output port 32 communicates with the boosting chambers 26a and 26b through outlet passages (not shown) with outlet check valves 36a and 36b which permit fluid flows out of the boosting chambers 26a and 26b only.

A switch valve 40 which is provided in the central partition wall 21 of the casing 20. It includes a spool 41 and push rods 42a and 42b which are protruded from the opposite sides of the partition wall 21 into the boosting chambers 26a and 26b of the cylinders 22a and 22b respectively. The pistons 24a and 24b push the push rods 42a and 42b alternately to switch the position of the spool 41. Thereby, the output ports 44a and 44b communicating with the drive chambers 27a and 27b of the cylinders 22a and 22b through external passage 39a and 39b respectively, are alternately connected with a supply port 43, which is in communication with the inlet port 31 through a pressure regulator valve 46, and exhaust ports 45a and 45b which are opened to the atmosphere, to reverse the stroke of the pistons 24a and 24b upon reaching one stroke end.

More particularly, the switch valve 40 includes the centrally located supply port 43, output ports 44a and 44b, and exhaust ports 45a and 45b located symmetrically on the opposite sides of the supply port 43, all in communication with a bore 47 which extends through the casing 20. A sleeve 48 which is fitted in the bore 47 is provided with openings in communication with the supply port 43 and the output ports 44a and 44b, and the spool 41 with lands 41a and 41b is slidably fitted in the sleeve 48.

Cylindrical push rod guides 49a and 49b which are fitted in the bore 47 in such a manner as to close the opposite ends of the sleeve 48 are provided with partition walls 50a and 50b in which the push rods 42a and 42b are slidably fitted, and with openings in communication with the exhaust ports 45a and 45b. The push rods 42a and 42b are hermetically fitted in axial bores in the partition walls 50a and 50b, respectively, and have exhaust valves 52a and 52b slidably fitted thereon at positions inward of the partition walls 50a and 50b and in abutting engagement with stopper heads 51a and 51b at the inner ends of the respective push rods 42a, 42b. Bias springs 54a and 54b are interposed between the exhaust valves 52a and 52b and the partition walls 50a and 50b, urging the exhaust valves 52a and 52b toward valve seats 53a and 53b which are formed at the ends of the sleeve 48. In cooperation with associated parts, these exhaust valves 52a and 52b and valve seats 53a and 53b constitute a means for preventing standing of the spool 41 at the neutral position.

Travel springs 56a and 56b which are interposed between spring seats 55a and 55b fixed at the outer ends of the push rods 42a and 42b and the partition walls 50a and 50b have a slightly greater spring force than the bias springs 54a and 54b, normally urging the exhaust valves 52a and 52b away from the valve seats 53a and 53b.

The pressure regulator valve 46 which is built in the central partition wall 21 of the casing 20 includes a valve casing 60 which is provided with an inlet port 61, an outlet port 62, and a feedback port 63. The inlet port 61 is in communication with the inlet port 31 of the casing 20, the outlet port 62 is in communication with the supply port 43 of the switch valve 40, and the feedback port 63 is in communication with the outlet port 32 of the casing 20 through a fluid passage which is not shown.

The inlet and outlet ports 61 and 62 of the valve casing 60 are communicable with each other through a valve seat 64 which is formed in the valve casing 60. The valve seat 64 is opened and closed by a valve body 66 which is biased by a valve spring 65. A valve stem 67 which is formed integrally with the valve body 66 is protruded into a feedback chamber 68 which is in communication with the feedback port 63. The valve stem 67, the fore end of which is in contact with a diaphragm 69, is pushed according to the balance between the biasing force of a secondary pressure regulator spring 70 acting upon the upper side of the diaphragm 69, which defines the feedback chamber 68, and the fluid pressure in the feedback chamber 68 acting on the lower side of the diaphragm 69, opening and closing the valve seat 64 according to the difference between these biasing forces. The biasing force of the secondary pressure regulator spring 70 is adjustable by providing a screw rod 71a in a cap 71. The cap 71 is rotatably mounted on the valve casing 60 in such a manner that a nut 72 which serves as a seat for the secondary pressure regulator spring 70 is moved up and down by turning the cap 71.

Accordingly, when the secondary pressure at the outlet port 32 is below a preset level which is determined by the secondary pressure regulator spring 70, the pressure in the feedback chamber 68 is in low state, so that the pressure to be supplied from the inlet port 61 to the outlet port 62 is regulated through the valve seat 64, but the valve seat 64 remains open. On the contrary, when the biasing force of the fluid pressure in the feedback chamber 68 is greater, the valve stem 67 is moved upward to close the valve seat 64 with the valve body 66, which is biased by the valve spring 65, lowering the secondary pressure at the outlet port 32 to the preset level.

Instead of applying the biasing force of the secondary pressure regulator spring 70 on the upper side of the diaphragm 69, arrangements may be made such that a pilot fluid pressure for setting the secondary pressure is externally drawn into a space defined above the diaphragm 69. In this instance, the supply pressure to the booster is available as said pilot fluid pressure by making the effective area of the upper surface of the diaphragm 69 substantially double to that of the under surface thereof, because the output pressure of the booster are boosted within the limits of double of the supply pressure.

Turning now to the operation of the switch valve, when the spool 41 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the air pressure flows from the supply port 43 to the output port 44b, blocking the communication between the exhaust port 45b and the output port 44b by the land 41b. The air pressure from the output port 44a is released to the atmosphere through the clearance between the exhaust valve 52a and the valve seat 53a and through the exhaust port 45a.

In this state, the pressurized air at the output port 44b flows into the left drive chamber 27b to push the piston 24b rightward, so that the operating force of the piston 24b is applied to the push rod 42b at the stroke end to move the push rod 42b rightward against the action of the travel spring 56b, pushing the spool 41 rightward with the stopper head 51b. Consequently, the exhaust valve 52b is abutted against the valve seat 53b by the action of the bias spring 54b.

If the spool 41 reaches substantially a neutral position by the above-mentioned rightward movement, the exhaust air from the output port 44b flows into a space 57b between the exhaust valve 52b and the land 41b and acts on the end face of the spool 41, in superposition on the operating force of the piston, to encourage the movement of the spool 41. Therefore, the spool 41 is slided beyond the neutral point without stalling thereat, to switch the flow passages.

In this instance, when the air pressure to the space 57b is at a high level, it opens the exhaust valve 52b against the action of the bias spring 54b. Thus, the pressure in the space 57b can be adjusted by the spring force of the bias spring 54b, so as not to be raised to an abnormal level.

Further, as the exhaust valve 52a is unseated from the valve seat 53a during the rightward movement of the spool 41, air in a space 57a between the exhaust valve 52a and the land 41a flows out through the exhaust port 45a and therefore has no possibility of hindering the movement of the spool 41 by occlusion in the space 57a.

As soon as the rightward movement of the spool 41 is completed by the flow of exhaust air into the space 57b, the communication between the output port 44b and the supply port 43 is blocked by the land 41b, while the communication between the output port 44a and the supply port 43 is established by the land 41a, thereby switching the flow passage of the pressurized air from the supply port 43 to the output port 44a. Then, if the operating force of the piston 24b is removed, the push rod 42b is moved leftward by the action of the travel spring 56b and the exhaust air pressure in the space 57b, unseating the exhaust valve 52b from the valve seat 53b to release the exhaust air from the output port 44b to the atmosphere through the exhaust port 45b.

If leftward movement of the piston assembly 23 is initiated by the above-described shift of the switch valve 40 to impose the operating force of the piston 24a on the push rod 42a, the above-described operation is performed in a reversed fashion, and the piston assembly returns to the position of FIG. 2, thereafter repeating the same boosting operation by reciprocating movements of the pistons 24a, 24b.

The secondary pressure which is produced at the output port 32 of the booster is set at an arbitrary level by the pressure regulator valve 46, and it is maintained at that level irrespective of variations in the load flow rate. Namely, the secondary pressure at the output port 32 which is returned to the feedback port 63 serves to raise or lower the output pressure of the pressure regulator valve 46 according to variations in the secondary pressure, thereby adjusting the pressure level of the compressed air to be supplied to the drive chamers 27a, 27b and maintaining the secondary pressure at a preset level.

Although the exhaust valves 52a and 52b which are abutted against the stopper heads 51a and 51b on the push rods 42a, 42b are normally held in the open state by the difference in spring force in the above-described first embodiment, it is also possible to eliminate the stopper heads from the push rods as shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, a push rod 73 normally closes an exhaust valve 74 on a valve seat 76 by the action of the spring 75. This arrangement has a feature of encouraging pressure draining action in a space 77. In this case, in order to form a small leaking gap between the exhaust valve 74, the push rod 73 and the valve seat 76, it is preferred to form the exhaust valve 74 of a resilient material to avoid occlusion of exhaust air in the space 77.

Further, instead of abutting one end of the bias springs 54a and 54b on the partition walls 50a and 50b of the push rod guides 49a and 49b as in the above-described first embodiment, they may be abutted on a seat member 78 which is formed on the push rod 73 as particularly shown in FIG. 3.

Moreover, it is possible to imbalance the spring forces of the travel springs 56a, 56b and the bias springs 56a, 54b in the foregoing embodiment. By doing so, the spool stalling in the neutral position can be prevented by the difference in spring force, in addition to an advantage that re-start of operation after a pause is facilitated all the more.

Illustrated in FIG. 4 is a switch valve 80 of a modified construction, which is suitable for use in place of the switch valve 40 of the foregoing embodiment. As a stall preventing means, the switch valve 80 is arranged to apply the resisting force of the fluid pressure in the driving chamber to the spool, thereby restraining the switching pressure until the median point is reached and applying an increased output fluid pressure to the spool past the median point in a direction encouraging the spool drive.

More particularly, the switch valve 80 has a spool 82 slidably fitted in a sleeve 81 in the bore 47 in the central partition wall 21. The spool 82 is centrally provided with a land 82c for selectively communicating the supply port 43 with either one of the output ports 44a and 44b. In addition, the spool 82 has lands 82a and 82b, which are formed at the opposite ends of the spool 82 for opening and closing the exhaust ports 45a and 45b, respectively. The end faces of the lands 82a and 82b form fluid receiving spaces 84a and 84b in cooperation with push rod guides 83a and 83b. These spaces 84a and 84b are communicable with chambers 87a and 87b formed between the lands 82c and 82a or 82b through axial bores 85a and 85b formed into the end faces of the spool 82 and radial passages 86a and 86b. The push rod guides 83a and 83b which close the opposite ends of the sleeve 81 are hermetically fitted in the bore 47 in a manner similar to the sleeve 81. The push rod guides 83a, 83b are centrally provided with outwardly widened bores 90a and 90b for slidably receiving therein push rods 89a and 89b. The just-mentioned push rods 89a and 89b are hermetically fitted in the bores 90a and 90b through seal members.

The push rods 89a and 89b are formed with enlarged head portions 91a and 91b at the respective inner ends for closing the axial bores 85a and 85b. In this connection, the enlarged head portions 91a and 91b are not necessarily required to be able to close the axial bores 85a, 85b hermetically. Spring seats 92a and 92b are fixed on projected portions of the push rods 89a and 89b, which extend into the boosting chambers 26a and 26b through the push rod guides 83a and 83b. The push rods 89a and 89b are biased toward the boosting chambers 26a, 26b by springs 93a and 93b which are provided between the spring seat 92a or 92b and the push rod guide 83a or 83b.

Further, the push rods 89a and 89b are provided with axial bores 95a and 95b which extend axially from radial grooves 94a and 94b on the outer end faces of the respective push rods 89a, 89b, communicating the axial bores 95a and 95b with openings 96a and 96b on lateral sides of the push rods 89a and 89b.

The booster with the switch valve 80 operates in the manner as follows.

FIG. 4 illustrates the switch valve 80 in a position where the pressurized fluid is supplied to the drive chamber 27b from the output port 44a, feeding fluid of elevated pressure from the boosting chamber 26b. In this instance, the exhaust port 45a is closed by the land 82a, so that the pressurized air which flows into the space 84a from the chamber 87a through the radial passage 86a and the axial bore 85a of the spool 82 acts on the spool 82 without flowing to the outside. The push on the spool 82 by the pressurized air in the space 84a continues until the spool 82 reaches its median position. The output port 44b is in communication with the exhaust port 45b through the chamber 87b, so that the drive chamber 27a is released to the atmosphere. By the pressurized air which flows into the drive chamber 27b from the output port 44a, the piston assembly 23 is moved rightward to intensify the air pressure in the boosting chamber 26b, feeding the intensified air pressure from the output port 32 through the outlet check valve 36b.

As the piston assembly is moved rightward, the piston 24b pushes the push rod 89b against the action of the spring 93b, moving the push rod 89b rightward to push the spool 82 substantially to its median position against the biasing force of the fluid pressure in the space 84a, with the axial bore 85b of the spool 82 closed by the enlarged head portion 91b.

As soon as the spool 82 reaches approximately its neutral position, the opening 96b in the push rod 89b comes into communication with the space 84b past the seal member. Accordingly, the intensified pressure in the boosting chamber 26b is led into the space 84b through the radial groove 94b, the axial bore 95b, and the opening 96b, and superposed on the operating pressure of the piston 24b to move the spool 82 rightward in a secure manner, thereby switching the flow passages to supply the pressurized air from the supply port 43 to the output port 44b.

Further, when the spool 82 reaches approximately its neutral position, the land 82a uncovers the exhaust port 45a simultaneously with the above-mentioned flow of pressurized fluid into the space 84b. Consequently, the pressurized air in the drive chamber 27b is released into the atmosphere from the exhaust port 45a via the output port 44a and the chamber 87a, while air in the space 84a is also released into the atmosphere through the axial bore 85a and the radial passage 86a in the spool 82, without hindering the rightward movement of the spool 82.

Then, if the push rod 89b is freed of the piston pressure by reversal of the piston movement, it is returned to the position of FIG. 4 by the biasing action of the spring 93b. As a result, the seal between the opening 96b and the enlarged head portion 91b blocks the communication between the boosting chamber 26b and the space 84b. On the other hand, the supply air flows into the space 84b through the radial passage 86b and the axial bore 85b to maintain the rightward movement of the spool 82.

The supply air which has flown into the chamber 87b from the supply port 43 as a result of the rightward movement of the spool is introduced into the drive chamber 27a through the output port 44b to move the piston assembly leftward until the spool returns to the position of FIG. 4 by the same sequence of operation as described above, repeating the operation thereafter to continue the boosting.

Illustrated in FIG. 5 is a modification of the above-described switch valve 80, in which the switch valve 100 is, like the switch valve in FIG. 4, provided with stoppers 103a and 103b on push rods 101a and 101b at the opposite ends of the spool 82. The stoppers 103a, 193b engage abuttingly with push rod guides 102a and 102b, respectively. Springs 104a and 104b are interposed between the spool 82 and the stoppers 103a and 103b in spaces 105a and 105b formed between the opposite ends of the spool 82 and the push rod guides 102a and 102b, omitting the spring seats 92a and 92b of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. With this switch valve 100, the stoppers 103a and 103b prevent draw-off of the push rods 101a and 101b, so that there is no necessity for bulging out head portions 106a and 106b at the inner ends of the push rods 101a and 101b as long as they have a sufficient diameter for closing the axial bores 85a and 85b of the spool 82.

According to the above-described switch valve 100 in which the difference in stretching force between the springs 104a and 104b is imposed on the spool 82, it is possible to compact its construction as a whole and to shift the balancing position of the spool by employing springs 104a and 104b of different forces, for the purpose of effectively preventing spool stalls at the neutral position and facilitating its re-start.

Further, according to the switch valve 80 or 100, as the spool is switched not only by the pressing force of the booster pistons but also by the boosted fluid pressure which is applied to one end of the switch valve in superposition of the pressing force of the pistons, the spool operating force is augmented and the operation of the spool becomes secure. In addition, while the spool is slided with the aid of the fluid pressure acting on one end of the spool, the fluid pressure which acts on the opposite end of the spool does not hinder the sliding movement of the spool since it is released to the atmosphere through the exhaust port as soon as the neutral position is reached.

Even when the push rods of the switch valve are free of the pressing force of the pistons, the fluid pressure acts on either one of the end faces of the spool to retain the spool stably in the switched position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the spool stalling in the vicinity of the neutral position without restarting.

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the booster, in which the switch valve employs a push rod spring as a stall preventing means for the push rod which project into a boosting chamber of the cylinder. The push rod spring restrains the push rod from being driven to a neutral position against the pressing force of the piston when the supply fluid pressure to the drive chamber drops below a predetermined level. The push rod spring acts in combination with an inlet check valve spring provided for preventing reverse flows of fluid from the boosting chamber through the corresponding inlet check valve, which should permits only the fluid flows from the inlet port to the boosting chamber.

More particularly, in this embodiment, a central partition wall 200 of the booster casing is constituted by a main block 201 which is sandwiched between a pair of check valve casings 202a and 202b. Cylinders 22a and 22b are fit around the outer pripheries of the check valve casings 202a and 202b in a manner similar to the foregoing embodiments.

An inlet check valve 203a is provided in the check valve casing 202a. It includes a valve seat 206a opening into an inlet passage 205a in communication with the inlet port via an unshown passage, and a valve body 207a for closing the valve seat 206a. The valve body 207a is biased toward the valve seat 206a by a check valve spring 209a which is retained by a snap ring 208a provided on the check valve casing 202a. The check valve spring 209a may be omitted for a cost reduction in some cases, but it is effective for securely closing the valve seat 206a even when the speed of the piston assembly is slowed down.

Although omitted from the illustration, the inlet check valve 203b provided in the check valve casing 202b has substantially the same construction as the above-described inlet check valve 203a.

An outlet check valve 212b provided in the check valve casing 202b includes an outlet check valve spring 219b for urging a valve body 218b toward a valve seat 217b in an outlet passage 215b which communicates a boosting chamber 213b with an outlet port 214.

Though not shown, an outlet check valve 212a which is provided in the check valve casing 202a has substantially the same construction as the above-described outlet check valve 212b.

On the other hand, the switch valve 220 which is built in the main block 201 is provided with a sleeve 222 fitted in a bore 221 intercommunicating boosting chambers 213a and 213b on the opposite sides of the main block 201 and sandwiched between the check valve casings 202a and 202b through push rod guides 223a and 223b. A spool 224 with lands 224a and 224b is received in the bore 221. Push rods 225a and 225 are axially slidable in the push rod guides 223a, 223b for pushing the spool 224. The push rods 225a and 225b have spring seats 226a and 226b fixed at their respective outer ends, and push rod springs 227a and 227b are compressed between the spring seats 226a and 226b and the push rod guides 223a and 223b to bias the push rods 225a and 225b constantly toward the boosting chambers 213a and 213 b through openings provided in the check valve casings 202a and 202b.

The springs which are provided in the switch valves of FIGS. 2 to 5 for urging the push rods toward the boosting chambers serve to urge the push rods to protrude into the boosting chambers constantly, and accordingly they have a small strength which is sufficient for simply biasing the push rods. However, the above-mentioned push rod springs 227a and 227b have a greater strength in order to restrain the drive of the spool 224 to the neutral position against the pressing force of the pistons 24a, 24b when the supply fluid pressure to the drive chambers 27a, 27 b drops as will be described hereinafter. If desired, the springs in the switch valves of FIGS. 2 to 5 may be arranged as in FIG. 6 to obtain similar functions.

The switch valve 220 includes a supply port 230 which is communicated with an inlet port 204 through a pressure regulator valve 234 having substantially the same construction as the counterpart in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Output ports 231a and 231b of the switch valve 220 are communicated with the respective drive chambers, not shown, through external conduits 235a and 235b, respectively. Exhaust ports 232a and 232b are opened to the atmosphere.

Provided between the end faces of the switch valve 220 and the end faces of the push rods 225a and 225b, which are urged toward the boosting chambers 213a and 213b by the push rod springs 227a and 227b, are gaps or push rod idling gaps 1 which permit the push rods 225a and 225b to contact the spool 224 only after a certain extent of displacement.

FIG. 6 shows the switch valve in a position in which the push rod 225b has slided across the idling gap 1 by rightward movement of the piston 24b (which is not shown), pushing the spool 224 rightward to switch the fluid pressure from the supply port 230 to the right drive chamber 27a through the output port 231a and the external conduit 235a.

As the piston assembly is moved leftward from that position by the fluid pressure supplied to the drive chamber 27a and reaches almost its stroke end on the left-hand, the piston 24a gives a push to the push rod 225a against the biasing action of the push rod spring 227a, but the spool 224 remains in the position shown while the push rod 225a is sliding across the idling gap 1. If the piston 24a is moved leftward further, the push rod 225a comes into abutting engagement with the opposing end face of the spool 224 to move the spool 224 leftward, switching the supply fluid pressure from the supply port 230 from the output port 231a to the output port 231b to move the pistons 24a 24b rightward.

In the above-described operation, in case the line air pressure is gradually lowered to end a plant operation or for other reaons, the cycle of the piston reciprocation is slowed down accordingly, and the operating force of the pistons on the push rods is weakened, finally yielding to the biasing force of the push rod spring 227a or 227b which has a greater force at a stroke end. Therefore, the piston assembly is stopped while sliding the push rod 225a or 225b across the idling gap 1, without causing a sliding movement to the spool 224 of the switch valve 220.

In a case where the movement of the piston overcomes the biasing force of the push rod spring 227a or 227b, although its operating force is dropped, the push rod 225a or 225b may be pushed beyond the idling gap 1, reversing the drive chamber to charging or discharging state. On such an occasion, the piston assembly is moved to the position that the other piston is brought into abutting engagement with the other side push rod. However, intensified pressure is produced in the boosting chamber 213a or 213b by the sliding movement of the piston in the opposite direction, since the inlet check valve 203a or 203b is securely closed by the force of the inlet check valve spring 209a or 209b, and the biasing force of the push rod spring 227a or 227b is stored at the counterward direction to the piston, so that the operating force of the piston is further balanced by means of these combined forces of the pressure and the spring, thereby to prevent the push rod 225a or 225b from acting on the spool 224 any longer by a sliding movement beyond the idling gap 1 as a result of the movement of the piston with reversed operating force. Even if the spool 224 is in a slightly slided position, the booster can by re-started easily as soon as the line air pressure is increased by initiation of the plant operation.

Claims

1. A fluid booster comprising:

(a) a casing (20) internally defining a pair of cylinders (22a, 22b), said pair of cylinders (22a, 22b) being coaxial and on opposite sides of a central partition wall (21) having an inlet port (31), an outlet port (32), two exhaust ports (45a, 45b), and two output ports (44a, 44b);

(b) a piston assembly including a pair of pistons (24a, 24b), one of said pair of pistons (24a, 24b) being slidably fitted in each one of said pair of cylinders (22a, 22b), and a shaft (25) connecting said pair of pistons (24a, 24b), said shaft (25) being hermetically passed through said central partition wall (21), said pair of pistons (24a, 24b) defining a boosting chamber (26a, 26b) in each one of said pair of cylinders (22a, 22b) on the side of said central partition wall (21) and a drive chamber (27a, 27b) on the opposite side;

(c) an inlet passage (33a, 33b) formed in said central partition wall (21) for each one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b) in communication with said inlet port (31), each one of said inlet passages (33a, 33b) being provided with an inlet check valve (34a, 34b) permitting fluid flow only in the direction toward the associated one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b);

(d) an outlet passage formed in said casing (20) for each one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b) in communication with said outlet port (32), each one of said outlet passages being provided with an outlet check valve (36a, 36b) permitting fluid flow only in the direction out of the associated one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b);

(e) a fluid passageway (39a, 39b) connecting each one of said output ports (44a, 44b) in said central partition wall (21) to a corresponding one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b); and

(f) a switch valve comprising:

(i) a bore (47) extending through said central partition wall (21) from one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b) to the other one of said boosting chambers (26a, 26b), said bore (47) being in fluid communicaion with said inlet port (31) and said outlet port (32), said bore (47) having an axially inwardly facing abutment surface adjacent each end thereof:

(ii) a sleeve (48) disposed in said bore (47), said sleeve (48) having a supply port (43) therethrough that is in fluid communication with said inlet port (31) and said outlet port (32) and, axially outwardly of said supply port (43), a pair of output ports, each one of said output ports being in fluid communication with a corresponding one of said output ports (44a, 44b) in said central portion wall (21);

(iii) a spool (41) slidably movable in said sleeve (48), said spool (41) having two axially spaced lands (41a, 41b) defining a central annular chamber that is in fluid communication with said supply port (43) in said sleeve (48) over the full range of travel of said spool (41) in said sleeve (48), said two axially spaced lands (41a, 41b) being axially spaced by a distance such that said central annular chamber is in fluid communication with one and only one of said pair of output ports in said sleeve (48) over the full range of travel of said spool (41) in said sleeve (48), said two axially spaced lands (41a, 41b) further defining two axially outer annular chambers (57) between said spool (41) and a corresponding one of said two axially spaced lands (41a, 41b);

(iv) two push rod guides (49a, 49b) disposed in said bore (47), one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) being located on each side of said sleeve (48), each one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) abutting the adjacent end surface of said sleeve (48) and the adjacent one of said axially inwardly facing abutment surfaces in said bore (47), each one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) having at least one radial opening that is in fluid communication with a corresponding one of said exhaust ports (45a, 45b);

(v) a push rod (42a, 42b) slidably movable in each one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b), each one of said push rods (42a, 42b) having an axially inner head (51a, 52a, 51b, 52b) sized and shaped to make valving contact with the adjacent end of said sleeve (48) and an axially outer head (55a, 55b);

(vi) a travel spring (56a, 56b) disposed between each one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) and the axially outer head (55a, 55b) of the corresponding one of said push rods (42a, 42b); and

(vii) a bias spring (54a, 54b) disposed between each one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) and the axially inner head (51a, 52a, 51b, 52b) of the corresponding one of said push rods (42a, 42b), each one of said bias springs (54a, 54b) having a lesser spring force than the corresponding one of said travel springs (56a, 56b);

(viii) said push rods (42a, 42b), said axially inner heads (51a, 52a, 51b, 51b), and said spool (41) being sized and shaped so that:

(A) the axially outer end of each one of said push rods (42a, 42b) protrudes into the corresponding one of said booster chambers (26a, 26b) when neither of said pistons (24a, 24b) is in contact with the adjacent one of said push rods (42a, 42b);

(B) when one of said pistons (24a, 24b) contacts the adjacent one of said push rods (42a, 42b), moving said push rod (42a, 42b) axially in the corresponding one of said push rod guides (49a, 49b) against the bias of the corresponding one of said travel springs (56a, 56b), the axially inner head (51a, 52a, 51b, 52b) of said push rod (42a, 42b) contacts said spool (41), moving said spool (41) axially and causing said two axially spaced lands (41a, 41b) on said spool (41) to block communication between said central annular chamber and one of said output ports in said sleeve (48) and to open communication between said central annular chamber and the other one of said output ports in said sleeve (48), whereby the pressure in said supply port (43) is shifted from a first one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) to a second one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) while the second one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) is placed in communication with the corresponding one of said exhaust ports (45a, 45b) and communication between the first one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) and the corresponding one of said exhaust ports (45a, 45b) is blocked and the axially inner head (51a, 52a, 51b, 52b) of said push rod (42a, 42b) makes valving contact with the adjacent end of said sleeve (48), isolating the adjacent one of said axially outer annular chamber (57a, 57b) from the adjacent one of said exhaust ports (45a, 45b); and

(C) when said spool (41) is in its neutral position, exhaust air from one of said output ports (44a, 45b) flows into the corresponding one of said axially outer annular chambers (57a, 57b) and acts on the corresponding one of said lands (41a, 41b), thereby forcing said spool (41) beyond its neutral position and ensuring that the flow of fluid switches from one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) to the other one of said drive chambers (27a, 27b) without stalling.

2. The fluid pressure booster as defined in claim 1 and further comprising a pressure regulator valve provided in a conduit leading from said inlet port to said switch valve for regulating the fluid pressure to be supplied to said boosting chambers.