Valve position indicator

• US 5,223,822 A
• Filed: 04/24/1992
• Issued: 06/29/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Republic Acceptance Corp (US Bancorp)
• Original Assignee: Stonel Corporation (Valmet Oyj)
• Inventors: Nelson, Gerald J., Cuhel, Gerald A., Stommes, Wallace F., Kunz, Ross S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US07/874,073
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686, 340/691, 116/277, 116/4, 116/DIG. 21, 200/336, 200/574, 200/568, 200/31 R, 137/556, 137/554, 137/553, 137/551
• US Class Current: 137/551
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0008 Mechanical means F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0058 Optical means, e.g. light transmission, observation ports F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8275 Indicator element rigidly carried by the movable element whose position is indicated

Abstract

An actuator shaft is journaled for rotation within a housing of the apparatus and is coupled to a rotary shaft projecting through the top of a valve or valve actuator. The actuator shaft is coupled to a drum having graphics information on an outer surface thereof, such as the words "open" and "closed". As the actuator shaft rotates the graphics information is also rotated past a window in a window member such that the words observed indicate the position of the valve. The window member couples to an alignment ring which is keyed to receive the window member. By rotating the alignment ring, the window member can be selectively oriented such that the graphics are viewable from a preferred perspective. Each of the components is keyed to be oriented with one another and constrained as a cartridge assembly which can be quickly removed as a single unit to access internal switches and circuitry, whereby the cartridge can be quickly reattached such that the components cannot be inadvertently incorrectly reassembled. An electronic display provides a visual signal indicative of the rotary shaft position and cooperating with the viewable indicia, and further, provides a visual error signal when the valve is in an abnormal position. The apparatus also contains processing means for intelligently controlling internally located control elements, such as solenoids, in response to sensed parameters of the sensed valve.

Claims

1. Rotary shaft position indicating and display apparatus for use with a device having a rotatable shaft and a planar mounting surface, comprising:

(a) a housing having a base with a transparent cover secured to said base and defining a hollow chamber;

(b) an actuator shaft journaled for rotation in said base and extending through said base into said hollow chamber;

(c) a window member disposed within said chamber having both an opaque portion and an open portion, wherein said window member has a first keying means;

(d) a display member selectively coupled to said actuator shaft and including graphics information viewable through said open portion of said window member and said cover;

(e) coupling means secured to said actuator shaft for coupling said actuator shaft to said rotatable shaft of said device; and

(f) an alignment member disposed within said chamber and selectively adjustable about an axis of said actuator shaft, said alignment member having a second keying means adapted to couple to said first keying means of said window member for orienting said window member with said alignment member.

2. The display apparatus as specified in claim 1 further comprising:

(a) at least one electromechanical actuating element mounted on said actuator shaft; and

(b) means coupled to said base within said chamber for actuation by at least one said electromechanical actuating element.

3. The display apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said alignment member comprises a ring axially disposed about said actuator shaft, and further including a first fastening means for selectively securing said ring to said base.

4. The display apparatus as specified in claim 3 wherein said ring includes at least one aperture and said first fastening means is disposed through said aperture to engage said base.

5. The display apparatus as specified in claim 1 further including an electrical visual display means coupled to said base of said housing and responsive to a position of said actuator shaft such that said display means provides a visual output corresponding to the graphics information viewable through said open portion of said window member.

6. The display apparatus as specified in claim 5 further comprising control means within said chamber responsive to a position of said actuation shaft for controlling an external device.

7. The display apparatus as specified in claim 6 wherein said control means comprises a solenoid.

8. The display apparatus as specified in claim 5 wherein said display means comprises a digital display.

9. The display apparatus as specified in claim 1 further comprising a coupling member for securing said actuator shaft to said display member and having a third keying means, wherein said display member includes a fourth keying means adapted to couple to said third keying means of said coupling member for orienting said actuator shaft with said display member.

10. The display apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said actuator shaft, said display member, said alignment member and said window member are all axially aligned with one another.

11. The display apparatus as specified in claim 10 wherein said cover, said window member and said display member each comprise of drums.

23. The display apparatus as specified in claim 10 further comprising control means within said chamber responsive to said electronic means for controlling an external device.

12. Rotary shaft position indicating and display apparatus for use with a device having a rotatable shaft and a planar mounting surface, comprising:

(a) a housing having a base with a transparent cover secured to said base and defining a hollow chamber;

(b) an actuator shaft journaled for rotation in said base and extending through said base into said chamber;

(c) a window member disposed within said chamber having both an opaque portion and an open portion;

(d) a display member selectively coupled to said actuator shaft and including graphics information viewable through said open portion of said window member and said cover;

(e) coupling means secured to said actuator shaft for coupling said actuator shaft to said rotatable shaft of said device; and

(f) electronic means responsive to a relative position of said actuator shaft for electronically providing a visual output indicative of a relative position of said rotatable shaft, wherein said visual output is indicative of whether said rotatable shaft is in a first position, a second position, or a position therebetween relative to said first position.

13. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said electronic means further provides an error signal when said device is operating in an abnormal condition.

14. The display apparatus as specified in claim 13 wherein said error signal comprises a visually ascertainable signal.

15. The display apparatus as specified in claim 14 wherein said error signal comprises flashing said visual output.

16. The display apparatus as specified in claim 14 wherein said error signal comprises a color corresponding to a operating state of said device.

17. The display apparatus as specified in claim 13 wherein said error signal comprises on audio signal.

18. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said window member includes a first keying means, said apparatus further comprising an alignment member disposed within said chamber and selectively adjustable about an axis of said actuator shaft, said alignment member having a second keying means adapted to couple to said first keying means of said window member for orienting said window member with said alignment member.

19. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said electronic means comprises a digital display.

20. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said visual output comprises an analog display.

21. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 further comprising memory means coupled to said electronic means for storing a set of operating parameters of said device for use by said electronic means.

22. The display apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein said electronic means includes communicating means for communicating with a remote processing device.

24. The display apparatus as specified in claim 22 wherein said control means comprises a solenoid.

25. Rotary shaft position indicating and display apparatus for use with a device having a rotatable shaft and a planar mounting surface, comprising:

(a) a housing having a base with a transparent cover secured to said base and defining a hollow chamber;

(b) an actuator shaft journaled for rotation in said base and extending through said base into said chamber;

(c) a window member disposed within said chamber having both an opaque portion and an open portion;

(d) a display member selectively coupled to said actuator shaft and having a first portion having a first color and a second portion having a second color, said first and second portions being viewable through said open portion of said window member and said cover;

(e) coupling means secured to said actuator shaft for coupling said actuator shaft to said rotatable shaft of said device; and

(f) electronic means responsive to a position of said actuator shaft for electronically providing a visual output indicative of a position of said rotatable shaft, wherein said visual output comprises the same first or second color of the corresponding first or second portion viewable through said open portion of said window member.

26. The display apparatus as specified in claim 25 wherein said visual output comprises a third color when both said first and second portions are viewable through said open portion of said window member.

27. Rotary shaft position indicating and display apparatus for use with a device having a rotatable shaft and a planar mounting surface, comprising:

(a) a housing having a base with a transparent cover secured to said base and defining a hollow chamber;

(b) an actuator shaft journaled for rotation in said base and extending through said base into said chamber;

(c) coupling means secured to said actuator shaft for coupling said actuator shaft to said rotatable shaft of said device; and

(d) cartridge means selectively coupled to said actuator shaft in said chamber comprising a window member having both an opaque portion and an open portion, said cartridge means further comprising a display member selectively coupled to said actuator shaft and including graphics information viewable through said open portion of said window member, said cartridge means further comprising means for constraining said display member with respect to said window member such that both said display and said window member are together removable as a unit.

28. The display apparatus as specified in claim 27 wherein said means for constraining comprises a wire guard disposed within said chamber for protecting other components within said chamber from contact with said display member.

29. The display apparatus as specified in claim 28 wherein said wire guard is selectively constrained with respect to said window member such that said display member is movable therebetween.

30. The display apparatus as specified in claim 28 wherein each said display member, said window member and said wire guard comprise of drums each concentrically aligned with one another.

31. The display apparatus as specified in claim 27 further comprising means for restricting rotation of said display member relative to said window member when said cartridge means is removed from said actuator shaft.

32. The display apparatus as specified in claim 31 wherein said restricting means comprises spring means coupled to said display member.

33. The display apparatus as specified in claim 32 wherein said spring means comprises spring fingers integrally defined in said display member.

34. The display apparatus as specified in claim 33 wherein said spring fingers leverage against said window member to urge said display member toward said wire guard means.

35. Rotary shaft position indicating and display apparatus for use with a device having a rotatable shaft and a planar mounting surface, comprising:

(a) a housing having a base with a transparent cover secured to said base and defining a hollow chamber;

(b) an actuator shaft journaled for rotation in said base and extending through said base into said chamber;

(c) coupling means secured to said actuator shaft for coupling said actuator shaft to said rotatable shaft of said device;

(d) actuation means disposed within said chamber; and

(e) an actuating element mounted on said actuator shaft for actuating said actuation means and having an adjustment means disposed therein for precisely positioning said actuating element in an arcuate direction.

36. The display apparatus as specified in claim 35 wherein said actuating element comprises a cam having a periphery and wherein said adjustment means comprises a set screw for selectively offsetting said periphery in response to rotating said set screw.

37. The display apparatus as specified in claim 36 wherein said cam has an elongated aperture defined between an inner portion thereof and said periphery, wherein said set screw extends in a radial direction across said aperture and abuts said actuator shaft such that rotating said set screw in a first direction urges said periphery of said cam proximate said set screw away from said actuator shaft.

38. The display apparatus as specified in claim 37 wherein said set screw abuts a shouldered recess defined in said cam such that rotating said set screw in a second direction urges said periphery of said cam proximate said set screw toward said actuator shaft.