QUICK-ACTING GATE VALVE

• US 3,785,612 A
• Filed: 10/06/1972
• Issued: 01/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siegfried Schertler
• Original Assignee: Siegfried Schertler
• Inventors: Schertler, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/295,642
• Time in Patent Office: 466 Days
• Field of Search: 251/33,41,43
• US Class Current: 251/43
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0655 Lift valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1221 one side of the piston being spring-loaded

Abstract

A quick-acting valve having a valve closure disc connected by a spindle or stem to the holding plate of an electromagnet incorporated in a spring biased piston disposed in a pneumatic cylinder. The face of the holding plate is partially undercut so that when the valve is open and the elctromagnet is deenergized, the fluid pressure acting on the undercut surface and on the closure disc abruptly moves the plate, spindle and disc toward the closed position. As soon as the plate separates from the magnet its effective surface area increases, which accelerates the valve closing. The spring thereafter urges the piston against the plate to maintain the valve closed. To open the valve the pressure above the piston is vented and the magnet is energized, which forces the piston, plate, spindle and disc upwards against the spring force.

Claims

1. In a quick-acting gate valve having a valve disc which when closed is pressed by a spring onto a valve seat and which is connected by a valve stem to a holding member, and wherein the valve may be opened by a piston pneumatically displaceable in a cylinder against the force of said spring and which is adapted to be kept open by coupling means which have to be released to initiate the closing process, the improvements characterized in that the spring acts upon the piston provided with coupling means for the holding member, the holding member is held in the coupling position by the coupling means on the side of the piston facing the valve disc against an initial stressing force less than the force of the spring, a central part of the holding member sealing off a bore, which when the coupling means is released, connects a cylinder chamber facing the valve disc and permanently connected to a fluid pressure source with a cylinder chamber facing away from the valve disc and adapted to be connected to the atmosphere via an air vent valve in order to bring the piston together with the holding member coupled to it and the valve disc into an open position.

2. A quick-acting valve according to claim 1, characterized in that an electromagnet forming a part of the piston is the coupling means, said electromagnet cooperating with the holding member.

3. A quick-acting gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that a mechanical coupling means is provided on the piston.

4. A quick-acting gate valve according to claim 3, characterized in that a swivelable pawl is provided on the piston, said pawl securing a pin provided on the holding member in the coupling position and being adapted to be swiveled on excitation of an electromagnet into a position in which it releases this pin.

5. A quick-acting gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that a pressure spring is disposed between the piston and a cylinder housing cover in the cylinder chamber facing away from the valve disc.

6. A quick-acting gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the valve stem is guided through an intermediate bottom of the cylinder housing, said intermediate bottom being provided with holes which connect the inside of the spring bellows, which is secured on one end to the intermediate bottom and on the other end to the valve disc, to the cylinder chamber facing the valve disc, and in that the mean diameter of the spring bellows is greater than the diameter of an annular packing seal provided between the piston and the holding member.

7. A quick-acting gate valve according to claim 1, characterized in that a pressure equalizing channel is provided in the side of the cylinder, said pressure equalizing channel connecting the two cylinder chambers together when the piston reaches the closed position.