Actuating means for a butterfly valve

• US 3,929,314 A
• Filed: 06/08/1973
• Issued: 12/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene Edward Stratynski
• Original Assignee: Eugene Edward Stratynski
• Inventors: Stratynski, Eugene Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenthal, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US05/368,386
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 251/294,305,58,78,298,61 123/108,127,117A 74/470 64/15B
• US Class Current: 251/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00485 Valves for air-conditioning devices, e.g. thermostatic valves valves per se F16K; thermostatic valves per se G05D23/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/221 specially adapted operating means therefor operating means per se F16K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1655 for rotating valves

Abstract

A butterfly valve is provided with an especially formed actuating link to improve valve life and operational characteristics. The valve includes a valve body having a butterfly plate therein to control the flow of fluid therethrough and a vacuum actuator secured to the body having a plunger extending therefrom. The plunger is connected with the butterfly plate by an especially preformed, U-shaped actuating link which permits overtravel of the vacuum actuator to occur without transmitting an excessive biasing force to the butterfly plate.

Claims

1. A butterfly valve comprising:

a. a valve actuator having a movable plunger extending therefrom;

b. a valve body secured to said valve actuator, said valve body defining an open-ended, longitudinally-extending first chamber therein;

c. a rotatable butterfly plate within said chamber for controlling flow of fluid therein; and

d. a preformed, generally U-shaped actuating link connecting said plunger with said plate, said link having a first segment affixed to said plate, a third segment fixed to said plunger and an intermediate resilient second segment between said first and third segments, said second segment generally perpendicular to said first and third segments, said actuating link being disposed to rotate about an axis substantially parallel to said first segment, and said resiliency of said second segment permitting said second segment to flex in a direction perpendicular to said axis of rotation of said actuating link.

2. The valve of claim 1 wherein said plunger has first, second, and third contiguous portions, said first portion secured to said link and offset from and generally parallel to said third portion, said third portion fixed to said actuator and said second portion being resilient and intermediate said first and third portions.

3. The valve of claim 2 wherein said intermediate section has a cross-sectional area approximately equal to that of the remainder of said link.

4. The valve of claim 2 wherein said body is molded from a plastic material and has a cup-shaped portion extending from a side thereof, said cup-shaped portion opening away from said first chamber and receiving in sealing engagement therewith said valve actuator, said body further including a contiguous wall portion extending from said side and said cup-shaped portion to define a second chamber surrounding said plunger, said second chamber being open at one side thereof.

5. A butterfly valve comprising:

a. a valve body defining an opening extending therethrough;

b. a butterfly plate within said opening for controlling fluid flow therethrough;

c. a valve actuator having a movable diaphragm therein;

d. actuating means between said valve actuator and said butterfly plate for translating in a yieldable manner linear motion of said valve actuator to rotational movement of said butterfly plate, said actuating means including a plunger rod extending from said valve actuator and a U-shaped actuating link connecting said plunger rod and said butterfly plate;

e. said actuating link having a first segment secured to said butterfly plate and oriented generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said butterfly plate, a rigid third segment secured to an end of said plunger rod and an intermediate second segment yieldable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said butterfly plate; and

f. said plunger rod having first, second, and third contiguous portions, said first portion generally aligned with the centerline of said valve actuator, said third portion generally parallel to and offset from said first portion and affixed to said diaphragm, and said second portion resiliently extending between said first and second portions.

6. A vacuum actuated, butterfly valve for use in controlling coolant flow to a heater core or the like in an automotive vehicle, said valve comprising:

a valve body defining an open-ended chamber extending therethrough, a vacuum motor secured to said valve body, a spring-biased plunger extending from said motor and movable in response to vacuum supplied to said motor, said plunger defined as Having first, second, and third contiguous portions, said first portion generally aligned with the longitudinal centerline of said motor, said third portion generally parallel to said first portion and offset laterally therefrom and fixed to the diaphragm of said vacuum motor for common movement therefrom, and said second portion yieldably extending between said first and third portions, a butterfly plate within said chamber, and an actuating link between said plunger and said plate for transmitting linear motion of said plunger into rotary motion of said plate, said actuating link being defined by first, second, and third contiguous segments, said first segment being secured to said plate for rotation therewith, and being journalled in said valve body, said third segment being affixed to said first portion of said plunger and being generally parallel to and extending in the same direction as said first segment, said second segment being generally perpendicular to said first and third segments and having a generally flat, yieldable configuration, said configuration being defined as generally rectangular in cross section.