Bottom operable tank car valve assembly having shear plane
First Claim
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, a shaft 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 upper operating portion and said stem terminating above said shear plane;
said shaft portion including separating means for separating said valve operator shaft below said shear plane in the event said housing should shear off along said shear plane;
whereby rotation of said valve operator in a first direction causes said plug to move toward open position;
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 move to a closed and seated position; 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 shaft to separate from said outlet generally 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 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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, a shaft portion and an upper operating portion. The upper operating portion includes upper operator threads which engage an operating stem depending from the closure plug. The upper operating portion and the valve stem terminate on or above the shear plane. The valve operator shaft portion separates below the shear plane in the event impact causes the housing to shear off along the shear plane to maintain the upper operating portion, valve stem and 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. A screen may be provided extending up into the tank from the valve body to protect the valve assembly from objects located inside the tank.
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Citations
19 Claims
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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, a shaft 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 upper operating portion and said stem terminating above said shear plane;
said shaft portion including separating means for separating said valve operator shaft below said shear plane in the event said housing should shear off along said shear plane;
whereby rotation of said valve operator in a first direction causes said plug to move toward open position;
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 move to a closed and seated position; 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 shaft to separate from said outlet generally 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.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. 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, a shaft 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 upper operating portion and said stem terminating above said shear plane;
said shaft portion including separating means for separating said valve operator shaft 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 additon 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 a 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 shaft portion to separate from said outlet generally below said shear plane, thereby tending to maintain any lading within the tank during and after such impact.- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. 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, a shaft 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 operating portion and said stem located above said shear plane;
said shaft portion including separating means for separating a portion of said valve operator shaft 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 member 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 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 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 said shaft portion to separate from said outlet generally below said shear plane, and below said upper operator and below said stem, thereby tending to maintain said valve plug in the closed, seated position and maintain lading within the tank during and after such impact.- View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
Specification