Sealed bonnet for actuating a quarter turn valve assembly

• US 5,269,339 A
• Filed: 06/19/1991
• Issued: 12/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael A. Szatmary
• Original Assignee: Michael A. Szatmary
• Inventors: Szatmary, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US07/718,343
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 74/18.2, 74/30, 74/32, 74/89.12, 74/89.17, 74/109, 74/120, 74/422, 137/15, 137/312, 137/315, 251/58, 251/214, 251/229, 251/250, 251/335.3
• US Class Current: 137/315.26
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/54 with pinion and rack
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 41/10 with diaphragm, e.g. shaped as bellows or tube
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6062 Having retainer at actuator end
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6089 With mechanical movement between actuator and valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6099 Gear type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18096 Shifting rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18808 with rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1967 Rack and pinion

Abstract

A bonnet is provided for operating a quarter turn valve assembly. The valve assembly includes a valve housing formed to include a fluid-conducting passage therein and a quarter turn valve moveable in the passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage. The bonnet comprises a mechanism for moving the quarter turn valve in the passage, the moving mechanism including an elongated linkage assembly. The bonnet further includes an actuator housing containing the moving mechanism and an adapter block interposed between the valve housing and the actuator housing and configured to provide a mechanism for connecting the actuator housing to the valve housing. The adapter block includes a recess formed therein including a mechanism for receiving the elongated linkage assembly. The bonnet further includes a mechanism for coupling the actuator housing to the valve housing to trap the adapter block therebetween so that the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing are held together as a unit. The bonnet also includes a first seal mechanism contained in the recess for establishing a first sealed connection between the elongated linkage assembly and the adapter block to block flow of any fluid in the valve housing into the actuator housing so that removal of the actuator housing allows for maintenance of the first seal mechanism within the recess while leaving the valve housing in place.

Claims

1. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing formed to include a fluid-conducting passage therein, and a quarter turn valve movable in the passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet comprising

means for moving the quarter turn valve in the passage between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position, the moving means including an elongated linkage assembly,

an actuator housing spaced apart from the valve housing and containing the moving means, the elongated linkage assembly extending out of the actuator housing and into the spaced-apart valve housing to connect to the quarter turn valve,

an adapter block interposed between the valve housing and the actuator housing and configured to provide means for connecting the actuator housing to the valve housing, the adapter block including a recess formed therein and means for receiving the elongated linkage assembly therein to enable movement of the quarter turn valve in the valve housing in response to actuation of the moving means in the actuator housing,

means for coupling the actuator housing to the valve housing to trap the adapter block therebetween so that the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing are held together as a unit, and

first seal means contained within the recess for establishing a first sealed connection between the elongated linkage assembly and the adapter block to block flow of any liquid in the valve housing into the actuator housing whereby removal of the actuator housing allows for maintenance of the first seal means within the recess of the adapter block while leaving the valve housing in place.

2. The bonnet of claim 1, wherein the coupling means includes means for aligning the actuator housing, the adapter block, and the valve housing in stacked relation and means for releasably retaining the actuator housing, the adapter block, and the valve housing together as a unit in stacked relation so that the actuator housing can be removed to permit maintenance of the actuator housing and the adapter block.

3. The bonnet of claim 2, wherein the aligning means includes at least one bolt and the retaining means includes at least one bolt-engaging nut.

4. The bonnet of claim 1, further comprising second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in the adapter block between the elongated linkage assembly and the adapter block to block flow of any fluid in the valve housing into the actuator housing.

5. The bonnet of claim 4, wherein the first and second seal means are situated in spaced-apart relation along the elongated linkage assembly to place the first seal means between the valve housing and the second seal means and to receive and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the valve housing upon failure of the first seal means.

7. The bonnet of claim 1, further comprising second means containing another portion of the elongated linkage assembly for defining a second sealed containment area inside the actuator housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the first sealed containment area in the adapter block into the actuator housing.

8. The bonnet of claim 7, wherein the moving means further includes a rotatable pinion coupled to the elongated linkage assembly and positioned in the second sealed containment area, rack means inside the actuator housing for rotating the pinion to actuate the elongated linkage assembly, and drive means extending outside of the actuator housing for reciprocating the rack means to rotate the pinion, and further comprising third means for defining a third sealed containment area inside the actuator housing to retain and trap any fluid that leaks from the second sealed containment area and moves along the rack means in a direction toward the drive means, the third means being located in the actuator housing and lying in a position between the drive means and the pinion.

9. The bonnet of claim 7, wherein the moving means further includes drive means extending outside of the actuator housing for moving the elongated linkage assembly inside the actuator housing and the adapter block to move the quarter turn valve in the passage, and further comprising third means for defining a third sealed containment area inside the actuator housing to retain and trap any fluid that leaks from the second sealed containment area, the third means being located in the actuator housing and lying in a position between the drive means and the second means.

6. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing formed to include a fluid-conducting passage therein, and a quarter turn valve movable in the passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet comprising

means for moving the quarter turn valve in the passage between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position,

an actuator housing spaced apart from the valve housing and containing the moving means, the moving means including an elongated linkage assembly extending out of the actuator housing and into the spaced-apart valve housing to connect to the quarter turn valve,

an adapter block interposed between the valve housing and the actuator housing and configured to provide means for connecting the actuator housing to the valve housing, the adapter block including means for supporting the elongated linkage assembly therein to enable movement of the quarter turn valve in the valve housing in response to actuation of the moving means in the actuator housing, and a first and second seal situated therein,

means for coupling the actuator housing to the valve housing to trap the adapter block therebetween so that the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing are held together as a unit, and

first means containing a portion of the elongated linkage assembly and the first and second seals for defining a first sealed containment area inside the adapter block between the first and second seals to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the valve housing into the adapter block around the elongated linkage assembly, the first means lying wholly within the adapter block.

10. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing formed to include a fluid-conducting passage therein, and a quarter turn valve movable in the passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet comprising

a drive shaft extending into the valve housing and coupled to the quarter turn valve,

an actuator assembly including means for rotating the drive shaft to move the quarter turn valve in the valve housing between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position,

an actuator housing containing the actuator assembly, the actuator housing including a first mounting surface formed to include an opening therein,

an adapter block formed to include a through aperture containing the drive shaft, the adapter block including first means for mateably engaging the first mounting surface on the actuator housing to extend one end of the drive shaft into the actuator housing through the opening formed in the first mounting surface to connect to the actuator assembly and second means for mateably engaging a second mounting surface formed on the valve housing to extend through an opening formed in the second mounting surface to connect to the quarter turn valve, the adapter block including a flat top wall providing the first means and a flat bottom wall providing the second means, the adapter block being formed to include a first opening in the top wall and a second opening in the bottom wall, the drive shaft extending through the first opening to engage the actuator assembly and through the second opening to engage the quarter turn valve, the adapter block further including a first annular seat disposed within the adapter block adjacent to the first opening and a second annular seat disposed within the adapter block adjacent to the second opening;

means for coupling the actuator housing to the valve housing to trap the adapter block therebetween so that the drive shaft contained in the adapter block is rotatable to actuate the quarter turn valve in the valve housing in response to operation of the actuator assembly in the actuator housing, and

a sealing apparatus including a first sealing ring on the first annular seat of the adapter block, a second sealing ring on the second annular seat on the adapter block, and means for urging the first and second sealing rings against the adapter block and the drive shaft to establish a sealed connection therebetween to block flow of fluid from the valve housing into the actuator housing through the through aperture formed in the adapter block whereby removal of the actuator housing allows for maintenance of at least the first sealing ring within the adapter block while leaving the valve housing in place.

11. The bonnet of claim 10, wherein the adapter block is formed to include at least one second through aperture and the coupling means includes a bolt extending through each of the second through apertures, each bolt having one end connected to the valve housing and an opposite end connected to the actuator housing.

12. The bonnet of claim 11, wherein the coupling means further includes bolt retainer means for engaging each bolt to retain the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing together as a modular unit so that the modular unit can be disassembled upon loosening of the bolt retainer means on each bolt to permit replacement of the actuator housing and the adapter block.

13. The bonnet of claim 10, wherein the coupling means includes means for aligning the actuator housing, the adapter block, and the valve housing in stacked relation and means for releasably retaining the actuator housing, the adapter block, and the valve housing together as a modular unit in stacked relation so that the modular unit can be disassembled to permit replacement of the actuator housing and the adapter block.

14. The bonnet of claim 13, wherein the aligning means includes at least one bolt and the retaining means includes at least one bolt-engaging unit.

15. The bonnet of claim 14, wherein each of the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing are formed to include at least one bolt-receiving aperture formed in the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing to align said actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing in said stacked relation, and a bolt-engaging nut is connected to each bolt to hold the actuator housing, adapter block, and valve housing together as a modular unit.

16. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing formed to include a fluid-conducting passage therein, and a quarter turn valve movable in the passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet comprising

a drive shaft extending into the valve housing and coupled to the quarter turn valve,

an actuator assembly including means for rotating the drive shaft to move the quarter turn valve in the valve housing between a passage-opening position and a passage-closing position,

an actuator housing containing the actuator assembly, the actuator housing including a first mounting surface formed to include an opening therein,

an adapter block formed to include a through aperture containing the drive shaft, the adapter block including first means for mateably engaging the first mounting surface on the actuator housing to extend one end of the drive shaft into the actuator housing through the opening formed in the first mounting surface to connect to the actuator assembly and second means for mateably engaging a second mounting surface formed on the valve housing to extend the other end of the drive shaft into the valve housing through an opening formed in the second mounting surface to connect to the quarter turn valve,

means for coupling the actuator housing to the valve housing to trap the adapter block therebetween so that the drive shaft contained in the adapter block is rotatable to actuate the quarter turn valve in the valve housing in response to operation of the actuator assembly in the actuator housing, and

first seal means contained wholly within a first recess within the through aperture of the adapter block for establishing a first sealed connection situated within the through aperture between the drive shaft and the adapter block to block flow of any fluid in the valve housing into the through aperture formed in the adapter block without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the through aperture during operation of the actuator assembly whereby removal of the actuator housing allows for maintenance of the first seal means within the recess within the adapter block while leaving the valve housing in place.

17. The bonnet of claim 16, wherein the first seal means includes a sealing ring around the drive shaft and a fixed collar on the drive shaft urging the sealing ring into engagement with the adapter block.

18. The bonnet of claim 16, further comprising second seal means contained wholly within a second recess within the through aperture of the adapter block for establishing a second sealed connection situated within the through aperture between the drive shaft and the adapter block to block flow of any fluid in the through aperture formed in the adapter block into the actuator housing without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the through aperture during operation of the actuator assembly.

19. The bonnet of claim 18, wherein the first and second seal means are situated in spaced-apart relation in the through aperture formed in the adapter block to define a sealed containment area therebetween to receive and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the valve housing into the through aperture formed in the adapter block upon failure of the first seal means.

20. The bonnet of claim 18, wherein the second seal means includes a sealing ring around the drive shaft and collar means coupled to the actuator assembly for urging the sealing ring into engagement with the adapter block.