Internal rotary valve actuator system

• US 5,238,022 A
• Filed: 10/15/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Montana Sulphur & Chemical Co.
• Original Assignee: Montana Sulphur & Chemical Co.
• Inventors: Zink, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, A MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/774,148
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 92/129, 92/140, 92/86, 92/5 R, 74/128, 251/230, 251/144, 251/62, 73/861.77
• US Class Current: 137/554
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/07 of cutting-off parts of tanks, e.g. tank-cars
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/1635 for rotating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 51/02 specially adapted for high-vacuum installations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1529 Slide actuator

Abstract

An actuator system for controllably rotating a rotary (valve) element positioned in a pressurized fluid vessel. A double-acting piston-cylinder intermittently rotates a ratchet wheel operatively connected to the rotary element. The cylinder is sealed within a bellows chamber assembly in the vessel and is controllable by a pressure source positioned outside of the vessel. The wheel is rotated by a ratchet member biased against the ratchet wheel and attached to the cylinder and reciprocable therewith. A ratchet pawl biased against the ratchet wheel prevents the reverse rotation of the wheel, and thereby of the rotary element.

Claims

1. An actuator system comprising:

a pressure vessel for containing pressure fluid;

a rotatable element positioned in said pressure vessel;

a ratchet wheel connected to said rotatable element for controllably rotating said rotatable element;

a ratchet member engageable with said ratchet wheel;

reciprocating means positioned at least partially within said pressure vessel and controllable from outside of said pressure vessel for reciprocating said ratchet member relative to said ratchet wheel to controllably rotate said ratchet wheel and thereby said rotatable element; and

a sealed chamber assembly disposed in said pressure vessel and within which at least a portion of said reciprocating means is positioned for protection from pressure fluid in said pressure vessel.

2. The actuator system of claim 1 further comprising biasing means for biasing said ratchet member against said ratchet wheel.

3. The actuator system of claim 2 wherein said biasing means is attached directly at one end thereof to said sealed chamber assembly.

4. The actuator system of claim 2 wherein said biasing means is directly connected at one end thereof to said ratchet member.

5. The actuator system of claim 2 wherein said biasing means pivots said ratchet member about a pivot axis and said ratchet wheel is rotatable about a rotation axis fixed relative to the pivot axis.

6. The actuator system of claim 2 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring.

7. The actuator system of claim 6 further comprising a mounting plate positioned in said pressure vessel, to which an end of said spring is secured and about which said reciprocating means is pivotable.

8. The actuator system of claim 7 wherein said ratchet wheel is rotatable about an axis passing perpendicularly through said mounting plate.

9. The actuator system of claim 8 wherein said rotatable element is secured to a side of said mounting plate opposite to said ratchet wheel.

10. The actuator system of claim 1 further comprising ratchet pawl means for preventing reverse rotation of said ratchet wheel and thereby of said rotatable element.

11. The actuator system of claim 10 wherein said ratchet pawl means includes a pivotal ratchet member and biasing means for biasing said pivotal ratchet member against said ratchet wheel.

12. The actuator system of claim 11 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring attached at one end to said pivotal ratchet member.

13. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said pressure vessel includes a pressure vessel wall separating the interior of said pressure vessel from the exterior, and further comprising a mounting structure mounted to said pressure vessel wall and to which said ratchet wheel and said reciprocating means are attached.

14. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said rotatable element comprises a valve.

15. The actuator system of claim 14 wherein said valve is selected from the group of ball, plug and disc valves.

16. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said ratchet wheel includes about its entire circumference a plurality of spur gear teeth.

17. The actuator system of claim 16 wherein said rotatable element comprises a quarter-turn rotatable element and the total number of said spur gear teeth disposed about the entire circumference of said ratchet wheel is evenly divisible by four.

18. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said sealed chamber assembly comprises an interior cavity and sealing bellows means for sealing said interior cavity from pressurized fluid in said pressure vessel.

19. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said sealed chamber assembly includes an assembly end disposed away from said ratchet wheel, and said sealed chamber assembly is pivotally attached to a structure fixed relative to said pressure vessel at said assembly end.

20. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said sealed chamber assembly comprises a variable length sealed chamber assembly whose end distant from said ratchet wheel is rigidly fixed relative to said pressure vessel.

21. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said reciprocating means includes a piston-cylinder arrangement positioned inside of said sealed chamber assembly and pressurizing means for pressurizing said piston-cylinder arrangement.

22. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said sealed chamber assembly includes an elongated bellows in which said piston-cylinder arrangement is positioned and a pair of flanges at opposite ends of said elongated bellows and to which said elongated bellows is secured.

23. The actuator system of claim 22 wherein said ratchet member is rigidly coupled at its rearward end to said forward flange.

24. The actuator system of claim 22 wherein said ratchet member is connected to the forward of said flanges.

25. The actuator system of claim 22 wherein said piston-cylinder arrangement includes a piston rod connected at an outer end thereof to the forward of said flanges.

26. The actuator system of claim 25 wherein said piston rod has its longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of said ratchet member.

27. The actuator system of claim 25 wherein said piston rod is rigidly coupled at its forward end to said forward flange.

28. The actuator system of claim 25 wherein said piston rod is flexibly coupled at its forward end to said forward flange.

29. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said piston-cylinder arrangement is pivotal within and relative to said sealed chamber assembly.

30. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said piston-cylinder arrangement is fixed within and relative to a longitudinal axis of said sealed chamber assembly, and said sealed chamber assembly and said piston-cylinder arrangement therewithin are pivotal about an axis fixed relative to said ratchet wheel.

31. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said piston-cylinder arrangement includes a double-acting cylinder positioned entirely within said sealed chamber assembly.

32. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said piston-cylinder arrangement includes a housing having an opening and a seal disposed in said opening and through which said piston rod passes.

33. The actuator system of claim 21 wherein said pressurizing means is positioned outside of said pressure vessel.

34. The actuator system of claim 33 wherein said pressure vessel includes a pressure vessel wall separating the interior from the exterior of said pressure vessel, and said reciprocating means includes control ports positioned at said pressure vessel wall and communicable with said pressurizing means.

35. The actuator system of claim 34 wherein said reciprocating means includes flexible tubing communicating one end of said sealed chamber assembly with said control ports.

36. The actuator system of claim 35 further comprising biasing means for biasing said ratchet member against said ratchet wheel and about a pivot axis, said biasing means causing said one end to pivot about said pivot axis.

37. The actuator system of claim 34 wherein said reciprocating means includes a rigid tubing connecting at one end thereof with said sealed chamber assembly and at the other end thereof with one of said control ports.

38. The actuator system of claim 1 further comprising sensing means for sensing from outside of said pressure vessel the position of said rotatable element as controlled by said ratchet wheel.

39. The actuator system of claim 38 wherein said sensing means comprises a magnetic field sensor and at least one magnet mounted on said ratchet wheel.

40. The actuator system of claim 39 wherein said magnetic field sensor is selected from the group of a reed switch, a sensing magnet and a coil.

41. The actuator system of claim 1 further comprising counting means for counting the revolutions of said ratchet wheel.

42. The actuator system of claim 1 wherein said ratchet wheel includes a perpendicular shaft to which said rotatable element is secured.

43. An actuator system for controllably rotating a rotatable element in a pressure fluid vessel, said actuator system comprising:

a ratchet wheel connectable to a rotatable element positioned in a pressure fluid vessel for rotating the rotatable element;

a ratchet member engageable with and biased towards said ratchet wheel;

mounting means for mounting said rotatable wheel and said ratchet member inside of the pressure fluid vessel and generally adjacent to the rotatable element;

piston-cylinder reciprocating means for reciprocating said ratchet member relative to said ratchet wheel to controllably rotate said ratchet wheel and thereby the rotatable element; and

a sealed chamber assembly within which at least a portion of said piston-cylinder reciprocating means is positioned for protection from pressure fluid in the pressure fluid vessel when said reciprocating means is mounted therein by said mounting means.

44. The actuator system of claim 43 wherein said mounting means comprises a mounting plate securable to a wall of the pressure fluid vessel and to which said sealed chamber assembly is secured.

45. The actuator system of claim 43 wherein said piston-cylinder reciprocating means is attached to said mounting means and is thereby positionable at least partially within the pressure fluid vessel.

46. The actuator system of claim 43 wherein said ratchet wheel includes a perpendicular shaft drivingly connectable to the rotatable element.

47. The actuator system of claim 43 wherein said piston-cylinder reciprocating means includes a double-acting cylinder positioned within said sealed chamber assembly and pressurizing means positionable outside of the pressure fluid vessel for controllably pressurizing said double-acting cylinder when positioned in the pressure fluid vessel.

48. An actuator system for controllably rotating a rotatable element, said actuator system comprising:

a ratchet wheel connectable to a rotatable element for rotating the rotatable element;

a ratchet member engageable with and biased towards said ratchet wheel;

reciprocating means for reciprocating said ratchet member relative to said ratchet wheel to controllably rotate said ratchet wheel and thereby the rotatable element, said reciprocating means including a double-acting piston; and

a protective sealed flexible bellows chamber assembly within which said double-acting piston is positioned;

wherein said reciprocating means includes pressurizing means positioned outside of said protective sealed flexible bellows chamber assembly for pressurizing said double-acting piston.

49. The actuator system of claim 48 wherein said elongated flexible bellows is guided and supported by said double-acting piston and flexibly contracts and expands with the reciprocation of said double-acting piston.

50. The actuator system of claim 48 further comprising a drive shaft drivingly connecting said ratchet wheel to the rotatable element.

51. The actuator system of claim 48 wherein said protective sealed chamber assembly comprises a bellows assembly defining at least in part a cavity in which said double-acting piston is protectively enclosed.

52. The actuator system of claim 51 wherein said bellows assembly includes an elongated flexible bellows disposed about said double-acting piston.

53. The actuator system of claim 52 wherein said bellows assembly includes a pair of flanges at opposite ends of said elongated flexible bellows and to which said elongated flexible bellows is secured at opposite ends thereof.

54. The actuator system of claim 53 wherein said double-acting piston includes a piston rod, and said bellows assembly includes a first flange fixed relative to said double-acting piston and a second flange secured to said piston rod and thereby reciprocable with said double-acting piston with respect to said first flange.

55. The actuator system of claim 54 wherein said ratchet member is secured to said second flange.

56. The actuator system of claim 48 wherein said double-acting piston is pivotal within and relative to said protective sealed chamber assembly.

57. The actuator system of claim 48 wherein said double-acting piston that of and said protective sealed chamber assembly are pivotal about an axis fixed relative to said ratchet wheel.

58. The actuator system of claim 48 further comprising sensing means for sensing the position of the rotatable element as controlled by said ratchet wheel, said sensing means comprising a magnetic field sensor and at least one magnet mounted on said ratchet wheel.

59. The actuator system of claim 48 further comprising counting means for counting the revolutions of said ratchet wheel.

60. The actuator system of claim 48 further comprising a mounting plate disposed such that said ratchet member and the rotatable element are positioned on opposite sides thereof.

61. The actuator system of claim 60 wherein said ratchet wheel is rotatable about an axis passing perpendicularly through said mounting plate.

62. An actuator system comprising:

a pressure vessel containing pressurized hazardous fluid;

a rotary element positioned in said pressure vessel;

a ratchet wheel operatively connected to said rotary element such that rotation of said ratchet wheel rotates said rotary element;

a double-acting cylinder mounted within said pressure vessel, controllable from outside of said pressure vessel and operatively connected to said ratchet wheel to controllably rotate said ratchet wheel and thereby said rotary element; and

a sealed bellows chamber in said pressure vessel and in which said double-acting cylinder is disposed and protectively sealed from the pressurized hazardous fluid of said pressure vessel.

63. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said sealed bellows chamber comprises a pair of spaced mounting flanges and a flexible bellows sealed at opposite ends thereof to said flanges.

64. The actuator system of claim 63 wherein said double-acting cylinder includes a cylinder and a piston reciprocable with respect to said cylinder, and said mounting flanges include a first flange fixed relative to said cylinder and a second flange secured to said piston and thereby reciprocable by said cylinder and said piston with respect to said first flange.

65. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said sealed bellows chamber is attached at its ends relative to said double-acting cylinder so as to flexibly contract and expand with the reciprocation of said double-acting cylinder.

66. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said rotary element comprises a valve.

67. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said rotary element comprises a quarter-turn rotatable element, and said ratchet wheel has a plurality of teeth, the total number of which is evenly divisible by four.

68. The actuator system of claim 62 further comprising a rotation shaft which drives said rotary element through the rotation of said ratchet wheel.

69. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said sealed bellows chamber comprises a flexible bellows having an elongated exterior surface directly contacted by and acted upon by the pressurized hazardous fluid.

70. The actuator system of claim 62 further comprising a ratchet member having a distal end engageable with said ratchet wheel to thereby rotate said ratchet wheel by the reciprocation of said double-acting cylinder.

71. The actuator system of claim 62 further comprising said ratchet member having a proximal end mounted to said sealed bellows chamber, and biasing means secured to said sealed bellows chamber for biasing said distal end operatively against said ratchet wheel.

72. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said sealed bellows chamber includes a flexible reciprocal bellows guided and supported by said double-acting cylinder.

73. The actuator system of claim 62 wherein said sealed bellows chamber comprises an elongated flexible bellows.