Automatic cylinder changeover device for monitoring gas installation

• US 10,451,192 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clesse Industries
• Original Assignee: Clesse Industries
• Inventors: Gabrys, Marek
• Primary Examiner(s): Arundale, Robert K
• Application Number:
  US15/369,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20170102094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,050 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/02 with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/50 with screw-spindle or internally threaded actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0008 Mechanical means F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0033 using a permanent magnet, e.g. in combination with a reed relays
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/045 Automatic change-over switching assembly for bottled gas systems with two (or more) gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/0109 with exteriorly curved end-piece
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/032 with substantially vertical main axis
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/058 portable (<30 l)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/013 Two or more vessels
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0138 bundled in series
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0142 bundled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/018 Supporting feet
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0308 Protective caps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/042 with change-over from one vessel to another
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/20 by varying inductance, e.g. by a movable armature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0396 Involving pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2569 Control by depletion of source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8225 Position or extent of motion indicator

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic cylinder changeover device (1), comprising two gas inlets for mounting gas cylinder banks, namely the left gas inlet and the right gas inlet, a gas outlet through which gas may be discharged and a valve suitable for connecting said left gas inlet or said right gas inlet with the gas outlet and configured for automatically reversible switching between these two connections, characterized in that the device (1) comprises an indicator, suitable for being manually set in one of two distinct positions, one of said positions indicating the left gas inlet and the other of said positions indicating the right gas inlet and comprises means for detecting the position of the indicator, including at least one sensor (5), preferably a pair of sensors (5). The invention also covers a method for monitoring a gas installation equipped with such automatic cylinder changeover device.

Claims

1. An automatic cylinder changeover device, comprising:

a left gas inlet and a right gas inlet, for mounting gas cylinder banks;

a gas outlet through which gas is discharged;

a valve, wherein the valve connects the left gas inlet with the gas outlet to form a first connection, and connects the right gas inlet with the gas outlet to form a second connection, the valve automatically reversibly switching between said first connection and said second connection; and

an indicator for being set exclusively manually in one of two distinct positions, one of the positions indicating the left gas inlet and the other of the positions indicating the right gas inlet,

wherein the device comprises at least one sensor for detecting the position of the indicator,

wherein the position of the indicator is unrelated to the inlet of the actual gas bank used as a gas source at a given moment,

wherein the at least one sensor for detecting the position of the indicator comprises pairs of a first element and a second element selected from the group consisting of;

a magnet and a magnetic sensor, an inductive means and an inductive sensor, and a pair of contacts, and

wherein the first element and the second element are located and arranged with respect to each other such that the second element detects a presence of the first element, when the first element is adjacent to the second element, and

the device further comprising a knob and wherein the first element is mounted in a ring located under the knob.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is for being manually set in one of the two distinct positions independently from the position of the valve.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises means for setting the indicator only in one of the two distinct positions.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second element is located under the knob.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one electrical switch mounted in the device for reading two marginal positions of the knob.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator is integrated with the knob.

7. The device according to claim 1, the device further comprising:

transmitting means for transmitting the signal c) and at least one of the signal a) and a signal b), wherein;

the signal a) is a left inlet signal a), containing information whether or not the indicator is in the position indicating the left gas inlet;

the signal b) is a right bank signal b), containing information whether or not the indicator is in the position indicating the right gas inlet; and

the signal c) is a reserve signal c), containing information whether or not the gas outlet is connected to the same gas inlet as indicated by the indicator at a given moment.

8. The device according to claim 3, wherein the means for setting the indicator only in one of the two distinct positions is a mechanical means comprising a spring.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first elements comprises the magnet or the inductive means.

10. The device according to claim 4, wherein the second element comprises the magnetic sensor or the inductive sensor.

11. The device according to claim 1, further comprising two electrical switches mounted in the device for reading two marginal positions of the knob.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein the transmitting means transmits the signal c) and both of the signals a) and b).

13. The device according to claim 7, wherein the left inlet signal a), the right bank signal b) and the reserve signal c) are binary signals.