Engine air shut-off valve system

• US 10,012,162 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ming Fei Chen, Yanmei Li
• Original Assignee: Ming Fei Chen, Yanmei Li
• Inventors: Chen, Ming Fei, Li, Yanmei
• Primary Examiner(s): Amick, Jacob
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kessler, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/655,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20170314485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 123394, 123198 D, 251 61, 251 11, 251113, 251301, 251302, 251193, 251185
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/04 rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2009/0245 Shutting down engine, e.g. working together with fuel cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/006 for maximum speed control
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/1045 for sealing of the flow in closed flap position, e.g. the housing forming a valve seat
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/14 the members being slidable transversely of conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/10255 Arrangements of valves; Multi-way valves F02M35/10032 takes precedence; valves in the plenum chamber F02M35/10065; check valves F02M35/10275
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/06 in the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages F16K3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/563 for rotating or pivoting valves

Abstract

The engine shut-off valve system includes a housing, a gate member, a rotating lever, a locking piston assembly, and a closing piston assembly. The system is installed in fluid connection with a flow line so that air flow passes through a passageway in the housing with the gate member in the locked configuration. The air flow through the passageway stops with the gate member in the closed configuration. The gate member has an asymmetry so that the forces of the spring of the closing piston assembly and the spring of the locking piston assembly are cooperative to actuate between the closed configuration and the locked configuration, while wearing on the gate member differently so as to extend the working life of the valve system. The closing piston assembly and the locking piston assembly are separately accessible for maintenance.

Claims

1. An engine shut-off valve system, comprising:

a housing being comprised of a first half and a second half, said first half being comprised of a first opening, said second half being comprised of a second opening,

wherein said first opening and said second opening form a passageway through said housing, when said first half is fixedly attached to said second half, said passageway being defined by said first opening and said second opening, said passageway being circular with a center passageway axis;

a gate member being comprised of;

a first end portion having a proximal end with hole having a pivot point and a distal end opposite said proximal end, said pivot point determining a rotational axis of said gate member;

a second end portion being made integral with said distal end of said first end portion, said second end portion being larger than said first end portion, said second end portion being comprised of a circular body with a center gate axis, said first end portion extending radially from said second end portion so as to define a first radius from said center gate axis to said pivot point; and

a gate latch extending radially from said second end portion at a second radius from said center gate axis, said second radius being different from said first radius and an opposite radius of said first radius, said gate latch being a protrusion from said second end portion;

a rotating lever extending through said first half and said second half of said housing and being fixedly engaged to said pivot point, said rotating lever having a rotating lever axis aligned with said rotational axis of said gate member by said pivot point;

a locking piston assembly attached to said housing, said locking piston assembly being comprised of;

a cylinder removably engaged to said housing through a housing opening in said housing;

a spindle extending through said cylinder and having an external end outside of said cylinder and an internal end inserted through said housing opening and into said housing, said spindle extending longitudinally along a spindle axis, said internal end having a locking piston, said locking piston being removably engaged to said gate latch;

a pull handle fixedly attached to said external end of said spindle; and

a locking compression spring, said spindle inserted through said locking compression spring, said locking compression spring being aligned along said spindle axis; and

a closing piston assembly being made integral with said housing, said closing piston assembly being comprised of;

a closing chamber being made integral with said housing;

a clevis extending through said closing chamber and having an attachment end with clevis holes and an anchor end opposite said attachment end;

a clevis pin connected to said proximal end of said first end portion of said gate member between said second end portion and said rotating lever, said clevis pin having a clevis axis and inserting through said clevis holes on said attachment end, said gate member being in rotatable engagement with said rotating lever at said pivot point and with said clevis at said clevis pin; and

a closing compression spring, said clevis inserted through said closing compression spring, said closing compression spring being aligned along said clevis, said closing compression spring having a proximal spring end and a distal spring end,

wherein said gate member has a closed configuration, said center gate axis being aligned with said center passageway axis, said passageway being in a stopped configuration, said closing compression spring being in an extended configuration, said locking compression spring being in an extended configuration, said gate member being held in said closed configuration by said closing compression spring,

wherein said gate member has a locked configuration, said passageway being in an opened configuration, said gate latch being friction fit against said locking piston, said closing compression spring being in a compressed configuration, said locking compression spring being in an extended configuration, said gate member being held in said locked configuration by a force of said locking compression spring against a force of said closing compression spring, and

wherein said gate member is rotatable at said pivot point, back and forth between said closed configuration and said locked configuration, said gate member being rotated by said rotating lever from said closed configuration to said locked configuration against a force of said closing compression spring until said locking piston is friction fit against said gate latch, said gate member being rotated by said clevis from said locked configuration to said closed configuration by said force of said closing compression spring, when said pull handle releases said gate latch from said locking piston by compressing said locking compression spring.

2. The valve system, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of cap screws fixedly engaging said first half to said second half.

3. The valve system, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first flange removably attached to said first opening of said first half; and

a second flange removably attached to said second opening of said second half, wherein a respective locking piston, and set screw, attach said first flange to said first opening and said second flange to said second opening.

4. The valve system, according to claim 1, further comprising

a first seal on one face of said second end portion aligned with said first half;

and

a second seal on an opposite face of said second end portion aligned with said second half,

wherein said first seal is in sealed engagement with said first opening, said second seal being in sealed engagement with said second opening in said closed configuration of said gate member.

5. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said rotating lever is comprised of an action end outside of said housing and an inserted end extending through said housing, said inserted end having an extended portion with snap ring and a lever portion, said extended portion having a snap ring and passing through said housing, said snap ring being fixed onto said extended portion outside of said housing, said lever portion extending through said hole of said first end portion at said pivot point, said gate member being in rotating engagement to said rotating lever at said lever portion.

6. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said locking piston assembly further comprises:

a plurality of screws fixedly attaching said cylinder to said housing; and

an inner bushing in said housing adjacent said housing opening, said internal end inserting through said inner bushing.

7. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said locking piston is comprised of a head portion, a chamfer aligned with said gate latch, and a stop member mounted on said head portion, said chamfer in removable engagement with said gate latch, said stop member being in friction fit engagement with said cylinder, said stop member holding rotational position of said spindle around said spindle axis relative to said cylinder.

8. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said locking piston assembly further comprises:

a wiper seal mounted between said locking compression spring and said cylinder at said external end of said spindle; and

a U-cup seal mounted between said cylinder and said spindle in said housing opening.

9. The valve system, according to claim 8, wherein said U-cup seal maintains a sealed relationship between said spindle and said cylinder in said locked configuration and said closed configuration of said gate member.

10. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said closing chamber further comprises an end cap and a plurality of end cap screws, said end cap screws attaching said end cap to said housing.

11. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said closing piston assembly further comprises:

a spring sleeve mounted around said clevis and adjacent said proximal spring end of said closing compression spring;

a retainer mounted around said clevis at said anchor end and adjacent to said distal spring end of said closing compression spring;

a sleeve stop made integral with said housing and adjacent said spring sleeve; and

a clevis snap ring on said clevis pin at said attachment end of said clevis.

12. The valve system, according to claim 1, wherein said closing piston assembly further comprises:

a rotating lock nut mounted around said clevis on said distal spring end, wherein position of said rotating lock nut relative to said clevis determines said force of said closing compression spring.

13. The valve system, according to claim 10, wherein said closing chamber further comprises an end cap and a plurality of end cap screws, said end cap screws attaching said end cap to said housing, said rotating lock nut being accessible through said end cap.

14. The valve system, according to claim 11, wherein said proximal spring end engages said spring sleeve, said spring sleeve abuts said sleeve stop, and said distal spring end engages said retainer, in said closed configuration, said retainer being positioned by said anchor end of said clevis, said closed compression spring being in said extended configuration.

15. The valve system, according to claim 11, wherein said proximal spring end engages said spring sleeve, said spring sleeve abuts said sleeve stop, and said distal spring end engages said retainer, in said locked configuration, said closing compression spring being in said compressed configuration.

16. A method for actuating an engine shut-off valve system, the method comprising the steps of:

assembling a housing, a gate member, a rotating lever, a locking piston assembly, and a closing piston assembly, according to claim 1;

installing said passageway in fluid connection with a flow line;

passing an air flow through said flow line and said passageway with said gate member in said locked configuration; and

stopping said air flow through said passageway with said gate member in said closed configuration.

17. The method for actuating, according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

rotating said gate member at said pivot point with said rotating lever from said closed configuration to said locked configuration.

18. The method for actuating, according to claim 17,

wherein said locking piston is comprised of a head portion, a chamfer aligned with said gate latch, and a stop member mounted on said head portion, said chamfer in removable engagement with said gate latch, said stop member being in friction fit engagement with said cylinder, said stop member holding rotational position of said spindle around said spindle axis relative to said cylinder,

the method further comprising the steps of

engaging said chamfer with said gate latch;

rotating said gate latch past said chamfer; and

locking said gate latch against said head portion for friction fit engagement of said locking piston with said gate member.

19. The method for actuating, according to claim 16,

wherein said closing piston assembly further comprises a rotating lock nut mounted around said clevis on said distal spring end,

the method further comprising the steps of:

setting a position of said rotating lock nut relative to said clevis so as to adjust strength of said closing compression spring.

20. The method for actuating, according to claim 19,

wherein said closing chamber further comprises an end cap and a plurality of end cap screws, said end cap screws attaching said end cap to said housing,

the method further comprising the steps of:

opening said end cap; and

accessing said rotating lock nut.