INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

• US 3,661,356 A
• Filed: 02/09/1970
• Issued: 05/09/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tucker Council A
• Original Assignee: Tucker Council A
• Inventors: Tucker, Council A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/009,892
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 137/360 251/299,303 285/203,189,208,209,210,202,205,238,158,194,192,201,204 85/1H,1K,32K 151/41.7
• US Class Current: 251/299
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/16 with pivoted closure-members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/698 Wall

Abstract

An inlet valve assembly for a pneumatic system having a mounting plate securable to a room wall. A one piece tubular inlet member is provided with integral keeper means for holding it detachably assembled to the mounting plate and provides a valve seat for a valve member mounted on the inner side of a pivoting cover plate for the assembly. A concealed control switch for the pneumatic system is operated automatically by opening and closing the cover plate.

Claims

1. An inlet valve assembly for a pneumatic system or the like, said assembly having a mounting member provided with a large area opening having a plurality of notches spaced about the edge thereof, a flanged tubular fitting having a loose fit in said opening and including radially projecting keeper means sized for assembly through a plurality of said notches and axially spaced from the flange on said tubular fitting by a distance at least as great as the thickness of said mounting member and cooperating with said flange to hold said tubular fitting assembled within said opening when said fitting is rotated to misalign said keeper means with the notches in the edge of said opening, the face of said flange adjacent the surface of said mounting member including a low-height axial projection means extending circumferentially of said flange and positioned to seat in one of said notches and to engage the edge thereof and cooperating with said keeper means and the edge of one of said notches to prevent counter rotation of said tubular fitting about its axis, at least one of said flanges and said member being flexible, and valve means movably supported on said mounting member for movement into and out of seating engagement with one end of said tubular fitting.

2. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said flange is relatively thin and flexible and has a radial width at least approximating the radial depth of said notch so as to conceal said notch in the assembled position of said fitting to said mounting plate.

3. A valve assembly as defined in claim 2 characterized in that said tubular fitting is formed in one unitary piece from molded plastic material.

4. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said low-height projection means is circumferentially spaced from said keeper means thereby to assure that said tubular fitting will be locked in assembled position only when said keeper means is rotated a predetermined distance out of alignment with said notch in the edge of said opening.

5. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that one of said notches is substantially wider than any other notch.

6. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that one of said notches is substantially wider than any other notch, and said low-height projection meanS having its remote edges spaced apart to engage an adjacent edge of said wider notch when said tubular fitting is in its proper assembled position.

7. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said valve means is mounted on the interior side of an appearance cover plate, and hinge means pivotally connecting said cover plate to said mounting plate.

8. A valve assembly as defined in claim 7 characterized in the provision of torsion spring means urging said cover plate pivoted to closed position with said valve means seated against the adjacent end of said tubular fitting.

9. A valve assembly as defined in claim 1 characterized in that the low-height axial projection means has a shoulder generally normal to said flange at one end thereof and a shoulder inclined acutely to the adjacent radial face of said flange at its other end.