SHUTTER VALVES FOR HIGH-VACUUM APPLICATIONS

• US 3,717,322 A
• Filed: 10/27/1970
• Issued: 02/20/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rene George Bernard
• Original Assignee: Rene George Bernard
• Inventors: Bernard, Rene George
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenthal, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US05/084,426
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 137/DIG.2 251/76,167,175,65
• US Class Current: 251/61
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/10 with special arrangements for separating the sealing faces or for pressing them together

Abstract

A shutter valve primarily intended for high-vacuum use includes a housing and a valve disc which can be rolled by two actuators between two positions. In one position the valve is fully open and the other fully closed. In the closed position the valve disc is inflated through a flexible pipe which winds around the periphery of the disc. The inflation action ensures tight closure against the structure defining inlet and outlet openings of the valve body.

Claims

1. A shutter valve comprising a housing having inlet and outlet openings, a shutter member within said housing arranged to selectively close and open said inlet and outlet openings, externally disposed actuating means unattached to said shutter member to cause said shutter member selecTively to roll from the closed position to the open position and vice versa, said valve further comprising a fluid pressure source in which the actuating means comprises first and second members and in which there are means defining a first deformable chamber selectively communicable with said fluid pressure source, means defining a second deformable chamber selectively communicable with said pressure fluid source, each said chamber having a movable wall and each respective wall being connected to said respective first and second actuating members.

2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said externally disposed actuating means comprises a first actuating member for initially displacing said shutter member to cause said shutter member to roll from said closed position to said open position, and a second actuating member for initially displacing said shutter member to cause said shutter member to roll from said open position to said closed position.

3. A valve according to claim 2, wherein said housing has two recesses in an internal surface thereof on which said shutter member is adapted to roll, one recess corresponding to said open and the other to said closed position of said shutter member, and wherein said first and second actuating members are arranged to act directly on said shutter member.

4. A shutter valve comprising a housing having inlet and outlet openings, a shutter member within said housing arranged to selectively close and open said inlet and outlet openings, externally disposed actuating means, a substantially flat auxiliary wall member within said housing, and means for pivoting said auxiliary wall member under the action of said actuating means, said shutter member disposed on said auxiliary wall and disposed to roll edgewise along said auxiliary wall member from the closed position to the open position and vice versa.

5. A valve according to claim 4, wherein said externally disposed actuating means comprises first and second actuating members and said means enabling said auxiliary wall member to pivot, is positioned between said actuating members whereby said first actuating member causes said auxiliary wall to pivot and incline towards said open position, to cause said shutter member to roll from said closed position to said open position and whereby said second actuating member causes said auxiliary wall to pivot and incline towards said closed position, to cause said shutter member to roll from said open position to said closed position.

6. A shutter valve comprising a housing having inlet and outlet openings, a shutter member within said housing arranged to selectively close and open said inlet and outlet openings, and externally disposed actuating means to cause said shutter member selectively to roll from the closed position to the open position and vice versa, wherein said shutter member is inflatable and said valve further comprises a fluid pressure source, and means for placing the interior of said shutter member in communication with the source, said means includes a flexible pipe at least partially within said housing said pipe being partially wrapped around said shutter member in at least the open or closed position.

7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein said shutter member has a peripheral groove in which said flexible pipe engages.

8. A valve according to claim 7 comprising a guide rod extending within said housing transversely to said inlet and outlet openings, said guide rod being received in said peripheral groove of said shutter member.

9. A valve according to claim 6 in which the actuating means comprises first and second members and in which there are means defining a first deformable chamber selectively communicable with said fluid pressure source, means defining a second deformable chamber selectively communicable with said pressure fluid source, each said chamber having a movable wall and each respective wall being connected to said respective first and second actuating memberS.