Sealed bonnet for actuating a quarter turn valve assembly

• US 5,287,881 A
• Filed: 06/14/1993
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• 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:
  US08/077,124
• Time in Patent Office: 253 Days
• Field of Search: 74/18.2, 74/89.17, 74/109, 74/422, 137/312, 251/58, 251/214, 251/229, 251/250, 251/335.3
• US Class Current: 137/312
• 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 and quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage provided in the valve housing 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,

a bonnet housing coupled to the quarter turn valve assembly and formed to include an interior region, the moving means extending through the bonnet housing into the valve housing to connect to the quarter turn valve,

first means for defining a first sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the valve housing into the interior region of the bonnet housing, a first portion of the moving means extending through the first sealed containment area to the quarter turn valve,

second means for defining a second sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the first sealed containment area into the bonnet housing, a second portion of the moving means extending through the second sealed containment area and into the first sealed containment area, and

third means for defining a third sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the second sealed containment area into the interior region of the bonnet housing outside of the first sealed containment area, a third portion of the moving means extending through the third sealed containment area and into the second sealed containment area.

2. The bonnet of claim 1, further comprising detection means for indicating the presence of a contaminant fluid in the third sealed containment area.

3. The bonnet of claim 1, further comprising detection means for providing an indication that a contaminant fluid has leaked from the second sealed containment area into the third sealed containment area.

4. The bonnet of claim 1, wherein the bonnet housing includes passage means for providing a passage extending between the second containment area and the valve housing, the moving means extends through said passage means to reach the quarter turn valve, the first means includes first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection in the passage means between the moving means and the bonnet housing and second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in said passage means between the moving means and the bonnet housing, and the first seal means is situated in spaced-apart relation to the second seal means to define the first sealed containment area therebetween.

5. The bonnet of claim 4, wherein the moving means includes a rotatable drive shaft extending through said passage means and reaching into the valve housing to engage the quarter turn valve, a fixed collar is mounted on one end of the drive shaft, a first sealing ring is mounted on said one end of the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar, a movable collar is mounted on an opposite end of the drive shaft, a second sealing ring is mounted on said opposite end of the drive shaft, and the first means further includes means for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and the first sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the first seal means and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the second seal means.

6. The bonnet of claim 1, wherein the third means includes a bellows having first and second ends and an exterior surface therebetween, the moving means includes a reciprocable drive rod extending through the first and second ends to reciprocate inside the bellows during movement of the quarter turn valve between its passage-opening position and its passage-closing position, and the third means further includes means for sealing the bellows and reciprocable drive rod to the bonnet housing to define the third sealed containment area between the exterior surface of the bellows and the bonnet housing.

7. The bonnet of claim 6, wherein the sealing means includes a first seal engaging the reciprocable drive rod and the bonnet housing.

8. The bonnet of claim 7, wherein the sealing means further includes a second seal engaging the bellows and the bonnet housing.

9. The bonnet of claim 8, wherein the second seal engages the first end of the bellows and the second end of the bellows is positioned to lie between the first and second seals.

10. The bonnet of claim 6, wherein the moving means further includes a rack and pinion assembly connected to the reciprocable drive rod and the rack and pinion assembly is situated in the second sealed containment area.

11. The bonnet of claim 10, wherein the moving means further includes a rotatable drive shaft interconnecting the rack and pinion assembly and the quarter turn valve and the rotatable drive shaft extends through the first sealed containment area.

12. The bonnet of claim 1, wherein the moving means further includes a rack and pinion assembly connected to the reciprocable drive rod and the rack and pinion assembly is situated in the second sealed containment area.

13. The bonnet of claim 12, wherein the moving means further includes a rotatable drive shaft interconnecting the rack and pinion assembly and the quarter turn valve and the rotatable drive shaft extends through the first sealed containment area.

14. The bonnet of claim 1, wherein the third means includes a bellows situated in the third sealed containment area to position the first and second sealed containment areas in series between the quarter turn valve and the bellows to increase the useful life of the bellows.

15. The bonnet of claim 14, wherein the moving means includes a reciprocable drive rod extending through the bellows and the third means further includes means for sealing the bellows and the reciprocable drive rod to the bonnet housing to define the third sealed containment area between the bellows, drive rod, and bonnet housing.

16. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing, a quarter turn valve, the quarter turn valve being movable in a fluid-conducting passage provided in the valve housing 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,

a pinion coupled to the moving means,

rack means for rotating the pinion to actuate the moving means so that the quarter turn valve is moved between its passage-opening position and its passage-closing position,

drive means for reciprocating the rack means to rotate the pinion,

a bonnet housing coupled to the valve housing of the quarter turn valve assembly and formed to include an interior region containing the moving means, pinion and rack means, the drive means being coupled to the rack means and positioned to lie outside of the bonnet housing,

first means for defining a first sealed containment area solely inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the quarter turn valve assembly into the interior region of the bonnet housing, the moving means being configured to extend through the first sealed containment area to interconnect the pinion and the quarter turn valve,

second means for defining a second sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the first sealed containment area into the remaining interior region of the bonnet housing, the pinion being positioned in the second sealed containment area, and

third means for defining a third sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the second sealed containment area into the remaining interior region of the bonnet housing outside the first sealed containment area, the rack means being configured to extend through the third sealed containment area to interconnect the drive means and the pinion.

17. The bonnet of claim 16, wherein the bonnet housing is formed to include a shaft-receiving passage extending between the quarter turn valve assembly and the second containment area, the moving means includes a drive shaft interconnecting the pinion and the quarter turn valve, and means for rotatably supporting the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passage so that the drive shaft rotates with the pinion to move the quarter turnball valve in response to reciprocation of the rack means, the first means includes first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the bonnet housing without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passageway and second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the bonnet housing without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passage, and the first seal means is situated in spaced-apart relation to the second seal means in the shaft-receiving passage to define the first sealed containment area therebetween.

18. The bonnet of claim 17, wherein the drive shaft includes a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion, a fixed collar is appended to the first end, a first sealing ring is mounted on the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar, a second sealing ring is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft, a movable collar is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft to lie between the second sealing ring and the pinion, and the first means further includes means for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and first sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the first seal means and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the second seal means.

19. The bonnet of claim 18, wherein the loading means includes a spring member mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and located between the movable collar and the pinion and means for locking the pinion to the second end of the drive shaft to apply a predetermined load urging the spring member in a direction toward the movable collar.

20. The bonnet of claim 19, wherein the spring member is a wavy washer.

21. The bonnet of claim 19, wherein the locking means is a snap ring.

22. The bonnet of claim 16, wherein the third means includes a bellows situated in the third sealed containment area to position the first and second sealed containment areas in series between the quarter turn valve and the bellows to increase the useful life of the bellows.

23. The bonnet of claim 22, wherein the third means further includes means for sealing the bellows and the rack means to the bonnet housing to define the third sealed containment area therebetween.

24. In a bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, the quarter turn valve assembly including a quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet including a housing, a pinion supported for rotation in the housing, a rack supported for reciprocation in the housing to rotate the pinion, the improvement comprising

a drive shaft interconnecting the pinion and the quarter turn valve, the drive shaft including a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion,

means for rotatably supporting the drive shaft in a shaft-receiving passage formed in the housing so that the drive shaft rotates with the pinion to move the quarter turn valve in response to reciprocation of the rack,

first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the housing, and

second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the housing, the first seal means being situated in spaced-apart relation to the second seal means in the shaft-receiving passage to define a sealed containment area in the shaft-receiving passage to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the quarter turn valve assembly into the housing, wherein a fixed collar is appended to the first end, a first sealing ring is mounted on the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar, a second sealing ring is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft, a movable collar is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft to lie between the second sealing ring and the pinion, and means is provided for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and first sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the first seal means and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the second seal means, the loading means including a spring member mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and located between the movable collar and the pinion and means for locking the pinion to the second end of the drive shaft to apply a predetermined load urging the spring member in a direction toward the movable collar.

25. In a bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, the quarter turn valve assembly including a quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet including a housing, a pinion supported for rotation in the housing, a rack supported for reciprocation in the housing and movable to rotate the pinion, the improvement comprising

a drive shaft including a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion, and

first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection between the drive shaft and the housing, the first seal means including a first seal mounted on the drive shaft and loading means acting between the pinion and the drive shaft for yieldably loading the first seal with a predetermined spring load to urge the first seal against the drive shaft and the housing to establish the first sealed connection, the loading means including a fixed collar appended to the first end of the drive shaft and positioned to engage the first seal, a spring member mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and positioned to lie between the housing and the pinion, and means for urging the pinion against the spring member so that the first seal is compressed between the fixed collar, the drive shaft, and the housing to establish the first sealed connection.

26. The improvement of claim 25, wherein the spring member is a wavy washer.

27. The improvement of claim 25, wherein the urging means is coupled to the second end of the drive shaft.

28. The improvement of claim 27, wherein the urging means is a snap ring.

29. In a bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, the quarter turn valve assembly including a quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet including a housing, a pinion supported for rotation in the housing, a rack supported for reciprocation in the housing and movable to rotate the pinion, the improvement comprising

a drive shaft including a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion,

first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection between the drive shaft and the housing, the first seal means including a first seal mounted on the drive shaft and loading means acting between the pinion and the drive shaft for yieldably loading the first seal with a predetermined spring load to urge the first seal against the drive shaft and the housing to establish the first sealed connection, and

second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection between the drive shaft and the housing, the second seal means including a second seal mounted on the drive shaft and the loading means acts between the pinion and the drive shaft to yieldably load the second seal with a predetermined spring load to urge the second seal against the drive shaft and the housing to establish the second sealed connection, the loading means including a movable collar mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and positioned to engage the second seal, a spring member mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and positioned to lie between the housing and the pinion, and means for urging the pinion against the spring member so that the second seal is compressed between the movable collar, the drive shaft, and the housing to establish the second sealed connection.

30. The improvement of claim 29, wherein the spring member is a wavy washer.

31. The improvement of claim 29, wherein the urging means is coupled to the second end of the drive shaft.

32. The improvement of claim 31, wherein the urging means is a snap ring.

33. In a bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, the quarter turn valve assembly including a quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage to regulate flow of fluid through the passage, the bonnet including a housing, a pinion supported for rotation in the housing, a rack supported for reciprocation in the housing and movable to rotate the pinion, the improvement comprising

a drive shaft including a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion,

a fixed collar appended to the first end,

a first sealing ring mounted on the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar,

a second sealing ring mounted on the second end of the drive shaft,

a movable collar mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and positioned to lie between the second sealing ring and the pinion, and

means for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and the first sealing ring against the housing to establish a first sealed connection between the housing and the drive shaft to block flow of any fluid in the quarter turn valve assembly into the housing and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the housing to establish a second sealed connection between the housing and the drive shaft to block further flow of any fluid leaking past the first sealed connection, the loading means including a spring member mounted on the second end of the shaft and positioned to lie between the movable collar and the pinion and means for urging the pinion against the spring member so that the first sealing ring is compressed between the fixed collar, the drive shaft, and the housing to define the first sealed connection and the second sealing ring is compressed between the movable collar, the drive shaft, and the housing to define the second sealed connection.

34. The improvement of claim 33, wherein the spring member is a wavy washer.

35. The improvement of claim 34, wherein the urging means is coupled to the second end of the drive shaft.

36. The improvement of claim 35, wherein the urging means is a snap ring.

37. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing and quarter turn valve movable in a fluid-conducting passage provided in the valve housing 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,

a bonnet housing coupled to the valve housing of the quarter turn valve assembly and formed to include an interior region, the moving means extending through the bonnet housing into the valve housing to connect to the quarter turn valve,

first means for defining a first sealed containment area solely inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the valve housing into the interior region of the bonnet housing, the moving means extending through the first sealed containment area to reach the quarter turn valve,

second means for defining a second sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the first sealed containment area into the bonnet housing, the moving means extending through the second sealed containment area to reach the first sealed containment area.

38. The bonnet of claim 37, wherein the moving means includes a rack and pinion assembly and a rotatable drive shaft interconnecting the quarter turn valve and the rack and pinion assembly, the rotatable drive shaft passes through the first and second sealed containment areas to reach the quarter turn valve, and the rack and pinion assembly is situated in the second sealed containment area.

39. The bonnet of claim 38, wherein the bonnet housing includes passage means for providing a passage extending between the second containment area and the valve housing, the moving means extends through said passage means to reach the quarter turn valve, the first means includes first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection in the passage means between the moving means and the bonnet housing and second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in said passage means between the moving means and the bonnet housing, and the first seal means is situated in spaced-apart relation to the second seal means to define the first sealed containment area therebetween.

40. The bonnet of claim 38, wherein the moving means includes a rotatable drive shaft extending through said passage means and reaching into the valve housing to engage the quarter turn valve, a fixed collar is mounted on one end of the drive shaft, a first sealing ring is mounted on said one end of the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar, a movable collar is mounted on an opposite end of the drive shaft, a second sealing ring is mounted on said opposite end of the drive shaft, and the first means further includes means for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and the first sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the first seal means and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the second seal means.

41. A bonnet for operating a quarter turn valve assembly, which assembly includes a valve housing, a quarter turn valve, the quarter turn valve being movable in a fluid-conducting passage provided in the valve housing 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,

a pinion coupled to the moving means,

rack means for rotating the pinion to actuate the moving means so that the quarter turn valve is moved between its passage-opening position and its passage-closing position,

drive means for reciprocating the rack means to rotate the pinion,

a bonnet housing coupled to the valve housing of the quarter turn valve assembly and formed to include an interior region containing the moving means, pinion and rack means, the drive means being coupled to the rack means and positioned to lie outside of the bonnet housing,

first means for defining a first sealed containment area solely inside the interior region of the bonnet housing and in spaced-apart relation to the valve housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the quarter turn valve assembly into the interior region of the bonnet housing, the moving means being configured to extend through the first sealed containment area to interconnect the pinion and the quarter turn valve, and

second means for defining a second sealed containment area inside the interior region of the bonnet housing to retain and trap therein any fluid that leaks from the first sealed containment area into the remaining interior region of the bonnet housing, the pinion being positioned in the second sealed containment area.

42. The bonnet of claim 41, wherein the bonnet housing is formed to include a shaft-receiving passage extending between the quarter turn valve assembly and the second containment area, the moving means includes a drive shaft interconnecting the pinion and the quarter turn valve, and means for rotatably supporting the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passage so that the drive shaft rotates with the pinion to move the quarter turnball valve in response to reciprocation of the rack means, the first means includes first seal means for establishing a first sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the bonnet housing without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passageway and second seal means for establishing a second sealed connection in the shaft-receiving passage between the drive shaft and the bonnet housing without inhibiting rotation of the drive shaft in the shaft-receiving passage, and the first seal means is situated in spaced-apart relation to the second seal means in the shaft-receiving passage to define the first sealed containment area therebetween.

43. The bonnet of claim 42, wherein the drive shaft includes a first end coupled to the quarter turn valve and a second end coupled to the pinion, a fixed collar is appended to the first end, a first sealing ring is mounted on the drive shaft and supported thereon by the fixed collar, a second sealing ring is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft, a movable collar is mounted on the second end of the drive shaft to lie between the second sealing ring and the pinion, and the first means further includes means for yieldably loading the movable collar to urge the fixed collar and first sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the first seal means and to urge the movable collar and the second sealing ring against the bonnet housing to establish the second seal means.

44. The bonnet of claim 43, wherein the loading means includes a spring member mounted on the second end of the drive shaft and located between the movable collar and the pinion and means for locking the pinion to the second end of the drive shaft to apply a predetermined load urging the spring member in a direction toward the movable collar.