VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM

• US 3,552,713 A
• Filed: 04/04/1969
• Issued: 01/05/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crosby Valve & GAGE Company Kendrick St Wrentham MA 02093
• Original Assignee: Kleeberg Gunther K E
• Inventors: KLEEBERG GUNTHER K E
• Application Number:
  US04/813,644
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• US Class Current: 251/69
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/003 operated without a stable intermediate position, e.g. with snap action F16K31/56 takes precedence

Abstract

Valve operating mechanism in which a rotatably mounted valve operating member is directly connected to the valve stem and is urged by a helical coil spring in one direction, characterized by a fluid pressure operated piston in a cylinder for moving the valve operating member in the opposite direction to compress and cock the spring and means including a latching member for holding the valve operating member against movement by the cocked spring and a solenoid for moving the latching member to an inoperative position thus to release the valve operating member to the action of said spring.

Claims

1. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve having a valve member rotatable to two different positions for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve and an operating stem, comprising a base member adapted to be mounted adjacent to the valve to be operated, a valve operating member rotatably mounted on the base member, means connecting the valve operating member directly to the valve stem, a spring adapted to rotate the valve operating member in one direction to move the valve member to one of its two positions, means including a latch lever carried by the valve operating member and a cooperating gate member mounted on the base member for releasably holding the valve operating member against rotation by said spring with the valve member in the other one of its two positions, and power operated means connected directly to the valve operating member for rotating said member in the opposite direction to cock the spring and to move thE valve member to said other one of its two positions.

2. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gate member is movable to operative and inoperative positions and there are provided means tending to move the gate member to its inoperative position thus to release the valve operating member and means for releasably holding the gate member in its operative position.

3. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for releasably holding the gate member in its operative position includes a blocking arm adapted in its operative position to engage the gate member to prevent movement thereof to inoperative position and in its inoperative position to release the gate member, and separate means for moving the blocking arm to its operative and inoperative positions.

4. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein means are provided on the valve operating member for returning the gate member to operative position in response to rotation of the valve operating member by said spring.

5. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 3 wherein the means for moving the blocking arm includes a spring for moving the blocking arm to, and for holding it in, its operative position and a solenoid for moving the blocking arm to its inoperative position against the action of said last mentioned spring.

6. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein said power operated means comprises a piston connected to the valve operating member, means for applying fluid under pressure to the piston for rotating the valve operating member in said opposite direction to move the valve member to the other one of its two positions and means for simultaneously releasing the valve operating member to the action of said spring and relieving the fluid pressure against said piston to cause the valve member to be moved to said first one of its two positions.

7. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for applying fluid under pressure includes a pump, a conduit leading from the pump to said piston, a normally open bypass valve in said conduit and means for simultaneously starting said pump and closing the bypass valve.

8. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 6 wherein the means for applying fluid under pressure includes a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a conduit leading from the pump to said piston, a normally open bypass valve in said conduit, a solenoid for closing said bypass valve and means for simultaneously supplying electrical energy to said motor and said solenoid.

9. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve having a valve member rotatable to two different positions for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve and an operating stem, comprising a base member adapted to be mounted adjacent to the valve to be operated, a valve operating member rotatably mounted on the base member, means connecting the valve operating member directly to the valve stem, a spring adapted to rotate the valve operating member in one direction to move the valve member to one of its two positions, means for releasably holding the valve operating member against rotation by said spring with the valve member in the other one of its two positions, a piston connected to the valve operating member, means for applying fluid under pressure to the piston for rotating the valve operating member in the opposite direction to move the valve member to the other one of its two positions and means for simultaneously releasing the valve operating member to the action of said spring and relieving the fluid pressure against said piston to cause the valve member to be moved by the valve operating member to said first one of its two positions.

10. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for applying fluid under pressure includes a pump, a conduit leading from the pump to the piston, a normally open bypass valve in said conduit and means for simultaneously starting said pump and closing the bypass valve.

11. Mechanism for operating a rotary valve as set forth in claim 9 wherein the means for applying fluid under pressure includes a pump, an electric motor for driving the pump, a conduit leading from the pump to said piston, a normally open bypass valve in said conduit, a solenoid for closing said bypass valve, and means for simultaneously supplying electrical energy to said motor and said solenoid.