Bottom operable tank car valve assembly having shear plane

• US 4,124,193 A
• Filed: 06/08/1977
• Issued: 11/07/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ACF Industries Holding Corporation (Icahn Associates Holding LLC)
• Original Assignee: ACF Industries Holding Corporation (Icahn Associates Holding LLC)
• Inventors: Carlson, Edwin S., Reedy, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/804,664
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 251/144, 251/292, 251/293, 251/266, 251/268, 251/269, 251/267, 137/797
• US Class Current: 251/144
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/07 of cutting-off parts of tanks, e.g. tank-cars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8811 Frangible

Abstract

A bottom operable lading valve assembly for tank cars includes a valve closure plug movable between open and closed positions relative to a circular plug seat located within a valve body opening. A housing is affixed to the valve body with fasteners comprising a shear plane. The housing includes a generally vertical housing opening into which a rotatable valve operator is mounted comprising a lower tool connection portion and an upper operating portion. The upper operating portion includes upper operator threads which engage an operating stem depending from the valve plug. The valve operator separates below the shear plane in the event impact causes the housing to shear off along the shear plane to maintain the closure plug in seated position to prevent escape of lading. During rotation of the valve operator in a direction to move the closure plug to open position, the closure plug wipes the plug seat. Further rotation of the valve operator causes the plug to move vertically toward open position without rotation. Rotation of the valve operator from open position causes the plug to move vertically downwardly to a closed and seated position without rotation.

Claims

1. A bottom operable lading valve assembly for tank cars comprising:

a valve body adapted to be integrally attached to an opening in the bottom of a tank;

said valve body having a valve body opening therein;

a retainer fitting within said valve body opening, including a flange portion and means for attaching said retainer to said valve body, said retainer including at least one retainer rib extending radially inwardly from said flange portion and terminating in a retainer connection portion having a center hub;

a valve plug movable between open and closed positions relative to a circular plug seat located within said valve body opening, a housing affixed to said valve body with fastening means comprising a shear plane;

said housing having a generally vertical housing opening therein into which a rotatable valve operator is mounted comprising a lower tool connection portion and an upper operating portion;

said center hub slidingly engaging said upper operating portion to allow rotation of said upper operating portion while maintaining said upper operating portion spaced from said valve body and vertically fixed;

said upper operating portion having upper operator threads for engaging a valve plug operating stem depending from said valve plug having stem threads which engage said upper operator threads;

said valve operator including separating means for separating a portion of said valve operator on or below said shear plane in the event said housing should shear off along said shear plane;

said valve plug having at least one plug depending member in addition to said stem extending downwardly sufficiently far to engage said rib when said plug is in open and closed positions, whereby during rotation of said valve operator in a first direction to move said plug from closed to open position, said depending member assumes an engaged position with said rib, which prevents rotation of said plug; and

whereby rotation of said valve operator in said first direction causes said plug to move vertically toward open position without rotation;

closure plug stop means which engage when said plug assumes the full open position; and

whereby rotation of said valve operator in open position in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, causes said plug to engage one of said ribs, and whereby rotation of said valve operator causes said plug to move vertically downwardly to a closed and seated position without rotation; and

whereby when said closure plug is in closed position severe impacts to said outlet will cause said housing and a portion of said valve operator to separate from said outlet on or below said shear plane, thereby tending to maintain said valve plug in the closed, seated position and maintain any lading within the tank during and after such impact.

2. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said valve operator is formed in at least two parts, including a first part including said lower tool connection portion and a second part including said upper operating portion wherein said separating means includes clearance between said first part and said second parts, whereby said first part will drop off in the event said housing shears off along said shear plane.

3. A bottom outlet according to claim 2 wherein said clearance comprises a non-round opening between said upper operating portion and said lower connection portion.

4. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said separating means includes a shear groove in said valve operator located on, or adjacent to said shear plane.

5. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said housing, said valve operator and said retainer are removable from said valve assembly with lading in the tank without moving said valve plug from the closed and seated position.

6. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said retainer includes a guide portion which is not removable with lading in the tank including said plug seat and wherein said plug engages said plug seat in closed position.

7. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 6 wherein said plug seat is located on a retainer guide located within said valve body opening and wherein said retainer guide, valve plug and depending plug operator are removable from outside the tank without requiring the operator to enter the tank for removal.

8. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 7 wherein a seal is provided between said retainer and said valve body.

9. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 8 wherein said retainer is formed in two parts and wherein a first retainer part maintaining said upper operator spaced from the walls of said valve body, and wherein a second retainer part includes said retainer guide and said plug seat.

10. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 9 wherein said first retainer part is removable from said valve assembly with lading in the tank without moving said plug from said plug seat.

11. A bottom outlet according to claim 1 wherein fasteners hold said depending member and a seal in engagement with said plug.

12. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said closure plug stop means comprise at least one catch on said depending member and a lug on said plug seat.

13. A bottom operable lading valve assembly for tank cars comprising:

a valve body adapted to be integrally attached to an opening in the bottom of a tank;

said valve body having a valve body opening therein;

a retainer fitting within said valve body opening, including a flange portion and means for attaching said retainer to said valve body, said retainer including at least one retainer rib extending radially inwardly from said flange portion and terminating in a retainer connection portion having a center hub;

a valve plug movable between open and closed positions relative to a circular plug seat located within said valve body opening;

a housing affixed to said valve body with fastening means comprising a shear plane;

said housing having a generally vertical housing opening therein into which a rotatable valve operator is mounted comprising a lower tool connection portion and an upper operating portion;

said center hub slidingly engaging said upper operating portion to allow rotation of said valve operator while maintaining said upper operating portion spaced from said valve body and vertically fixed;

said upper operating portion having upper operator threads for engaging a valve plug operating stem depending from said valve plug having stem threads which engage said upper operator threads;

said valve operator including separating means for separating a portion of said valve operator on or below said shear plane in the event said housing should shear off along said shear plane;

said valve plug having at least one plug depending member in addition to said stem extending downwardly sufficiently far from said plug to engage said rib when said plug is in open and closed positions, said plug depending member being movable to a position circumferentially spaced from said radially extending rib when said plug engages said seat;

whereby during rotation of said valve operator in a direction to move said depending member into an engaged position with said rib, said valve operator causes rotation of said plug, and said plug wipes said plug seat until said plug depending members assumes said engaged position with said rib, which prevents further rotation of said plug; and

whereby rotation of said valve operator in a first direction in engaged position causes said plug to move vertically toward open position without rotation, closure plug stop means which engages when said plug assumes the full open position; and

whereby rotation of said valve operator in open position in a second direction, opposite to said first direction, causes said plug to rotate until said plug depending member engages said rib, at which time further rotation of said plug ceases, and whereby further rotation of said valve operator causes said plug to move vertically downwardly to a closed and seated position; and

whereby when said closure plug is in said closed and seated position, severe impacts to said outlet will cause said housing and a portion of said valve operator to separate from said outlet on or below said shear plane, thereby tending to maintain said valve plug in the closed, seated position and maintain lading within the tank during and after such impact.

14. A bottom outlet according to claim 13 wherein said lower connection portion includes an intermediate operator having a non-round connection section which engages a non-round head in said upper operating portion.

15. A bottom outlet according to claim 13 wherein said upper operating portion is internally threaded and said depending plug operator is externally threaded.

16. A bottom outlet according to claim 13 wherein the retainer includes a plurality of radially extending ribs and wherein said depending member includes a plurality of depending portions which engage said ribs as said plug moves between open and closed positions.

17. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 13 wherein said valve operator is rotatable in said first direction when said plug engages said plug seat to cause rotation of said plug and a wiping of the said plug seat by said plug.

18. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 13 wherein the bottom of said stem is located above said shear plane.

19. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 13 wherein at least a portion of said upper operator is located below said shear plane.

20. A bottom operable lading valve assembly according to claim 19 wherein said upper operator includes a shear groove generally aligned in a horizontal plane with said shear plane.