INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(51) International Patent Classification 4 (11) International Publication Number : WO 87/ 024 F15B 13/06 Al

(43) International Publication Date: 23 April 1987 (23.04.

(21) International Application Number: PCT/IT86/00074 (81) Designated States: AT, AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), BG, BR, CF (OAPI pate

(22) International Filing Date: 17 October 1986 (17.10.86) CG (OAPI patent), CH, CH (European patent), (OAPI patent), DE, DE (Auxiliary utility model), (European patent), DK, FI, FR (European pate

(31) Priority Application Number: 23433 B/85 GA (OAPI patent), GB, GB (European patent), IT (European patent), JP, KP, vKR, LK, LU, LU (

(32) Priority Date:- 17 October 1985 (17.10.85) ropean patent), MC, MG, ML (OAPI patent), (OAPI patent), MW, NL, NL (European patent),

(33) Priority Country: IT RO, SD, SE, SE (European patent), SN (OAPI tent), SU, TD (OAPI patent), TG (OAPI patent), U

(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): FINBI-

OMEDICA S.R.L. [IT/IT]; Via Mestre, 19/D, 1-20132 Published Milano (IT). With international search report. Before the expiration of the time limit for amending

(72) Inventor; and claims and to be republished in the event of the rec

(75) Inventor/Applicant (for US only) : CHINELLO, Palmiro of amendments. [IT/IT]; Via Zanella, 21, 1-20033 Desio (IT).

(74) Agent: DR. ING. A. RACHELI & C Viale San Mi- chele del Carso, 4, 1-20144 Milan (IT).

(54) Title: COMPRESSED AIR SELECTOR

(57) Abstract

A compressed air selector is made up of a circular crown (20), having a plurality of peripheral holes (21), and a tu (10), received within said crown (20), which rotates around the latter's axis, said tube (10) being foreseen with an air in (12) positioned in correspondence ot its axis of rotation.

FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATION ONLY

Codes used to identify States party to the PCT on the frontpages of pamphlets publishing international appli¬ cations under the PCT.

AT Austria FR France ML Mali

AU Australia GA Gabon MR Mauritania

BB Barbados GB United Kingdom MW Malawi

BE Belgium HU Hungary NL Netherlands

BG Bulgaria IT Italy NO Norway

BJ Benin JP Japan RO Romania

BR Brazil KP Democratic People's Republic SD Sudan

CF Central African Republic of Korea SE Sweden

CG Congo KR Republic of Korea SN Senegal

CH Switzerland LI Liechtenstein su Soviet Union

CM Cameroon LK Sri Lanka TD Chad

DE Germany, Federal Republic of LU Luxembourg TG Togo

DK Denmark MC Monaco US United States of America

FT Finland MG Madagascar

t

"COMPRESSED AIR SELECTOR"

The present invention refers to a compressed air selector which is used each time it is necessary to feed air to control devices of a plurality of consumptions for instance to a series of receptacles containing liquids which have to be subsequently channelled to 5. tanks which have to be filled.

The solution provided up to now foresee a set of electrovalves, one for each consumption, which cαnplicate the circuit making it also very expensive.

The aim of the present invention is to carry out a compressed air 10. selector which allows the feeding of air in succession to a great number of consumers with a minimal cost and the highest safety.

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Said aim has been achieved by foreseeing a compressed air selector made up of a circular crown provided with holes along its periphery and of a tube received within said crown and rotating around the axis of the latter, said tube having the air input located in . correspondence with its axis of rotation.

The tube is preferably foreseen with an axially perforated head, free to slide within said tube and pushed by a spring against the crown, a seal being provided between the tube and the head.

The head surface is moreover so shaped as to follow the circular 10. profile of said crown.

Finally it is foreseen that the peripheral holes are sufficiently spaced amoung them, so that a block position for the compressed air can be created between one and the other.

The invention will be now ^" better illustrated with the help of an 15- exemplary embodiment shown in the enclosed drawings, wherein :

Fig. 1 is a top view of the proposed selecting device; Fig. 2 is an exploded view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 ; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, but with all the pieces assembled.

20. With reference to the drawings it will be noted that the proposed selector is made up of a circular crown, shown in its whole by 20, and by a tube 10. The circular crown is peripherically provided with holes 21 which are spaced frcm one another at a distance equal to four or five times the diameter of the axial hole 18. The crown

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20 is provided with a central hole 22. A shaft 11 axially perforated at 12, is made integral to the tube 10 which rotates concentrically to the crown, said tube 10 being provided with a jut-shaped centering means 25 which is received inside hole 22. 5- The tube 10 will then be able to rotate within the crown 20 each time the shaft 11 is rotated, for instance by a stepped motor which acts on the end 26 of the shaft 11.

The axial hole 12 continues perpendicularly to the shaft axis in such a way that the air which passes through hole 12 can then pass ¹⁰ - through tube 10 and in particular through an axial hole 13. The tube 10 is closed axially, so that only the air ccming frcm hole 12 can enter.

The hole 13 beccmes broader at its free end forming a wider hole 14 apt to receive the head 1 provided with a seat 15a for a gasket 16 15- and an axial hole 18. The head is pushed against the crown internal wall 23 by a spring 17. Between the hole 14 and the head 15, a bushing 19 can be provided.

The selector works as follows : the compressed air supplied into hole 12 reaches hole 13 of tube 10, passes through the axial hole

20. 18 of head 1 and arrives then to one of the crown holes 21 if head 1 is positioned in correspondence to it. The selector can instead function as a closing element, in the case the tube 10 and the corresponding head 1 is positioned betveen a hole 21 and another.