Valve for a tap of a compressed or liquified gas cylinder, and tap provided with such a valve

• US 5,487,404 A
• Filed: 07/12/1994
• Issued: 01/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Torrent Trading Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Torrent Trading Ltd.
• Inventors: Kerger, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/273,920
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 137/210, 137/413, 137/434, 137/442, 137/443, 137/444, 137/446, 137/614.2, 141/18, 141/95, 141/198, 141/206, 141/210, 141/213, 141/214, 141/216, 141/229, 251/900, 62/50.4, 62/50.7
• US Class Current: 137/413
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/305 with valve member and actuator on the same side of the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/306 with a valve member, e.g. stem or shaft, passing through the seat
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/307 Additional means used in combination with the main valve
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/34 acting on pilot valve controlling the cut-off apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/123 for gas bottles, cylinders or reservoirs for tank vehicles or for railway tank wagons
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0329 manually actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0382 Constructional details of valves, regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0413 with floats
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 251/90 Valves with o-rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7371 Fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7465 Assembly mounted on and having reciprocating valve element coaxial with inlet pipe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7478 With interposed cam, gear or threaded connection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88054 Direct response normally closed valve limits direction of flow

Abstract

The valve (30) comprises at least two lateral openings (34, 36) which can be shut off by a plug (40) provided with an axial orifice (48) for the passage of gas, which plug slides axially in the casing (32) between a position in which the openings (34, 36) are shut off under the influence of a spring (44) and an open position counter to the action of the spring (44) under the influence of the pressure of the filling gas, and a level valve (52) activated by a float (62) at the bottom of the casing (32).

In order to prevent pressure from building up inside the casing (32) after closure, the latter is provided with escape orifices (50) which are associated with resilient opening means (64).

Claims

1. Two-way valve for a tap of a gas cylinder, which valve is intended to be fitted on a selectively operable inlet pipe (18) of the tap, said two-way valve (30) permitting both filling and draining of the gas cylinder and comprising a casing (32) with at least one lateral opening (34, 36) which can be sealed off by a sealing device (40) provided with a passage (48) for gas, resiliently yieldable means (44) for displacing the sealing device (40) to a position of obstruction of the openings (34, 36) and for permitting the sealing device (40) to move to a position of opening against the action of the resiliently yieldable means (44) through the effect of the pressure of the filling gas, a level-controlling valve (52) movable between open and closed positions and operable, when in said open position, to permit gas to flow between the gas cylinder and the passage (48), and means (62) for detecting the filling level in the gas cylinder and for actuating the level-controlling valve (52) in response to such level, said level-controlling valve, when not held in an open position by said detecting means (62), being operable by the pressure of the gas in the cylinder when the pipe (18) is open, characterized by at least one orifice (50) disposed in at least one of a wall portion of the inlet pipe (18) and a wall portion of the casing (32) for establishing communication between the inside of the casing (32) and the inlet pipe (18), on the one hand, and the inside of the cylinder, on the other hand, said orifice (50) being associated with resilient vent means (64) which resist the maximum filling pressure in order to ensure the leak tight closure of the orifice (50) and which yield at a pressure greater than the maximum filling pressure in order to open the orifice (50) to prevent pressure from building up within either one of the inlet pipe (18) and the casing (32).

2. Valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the said resilient means consist of an O-ring (64) made from resilient rubber arranged in a groove around the casing (32) of the valve, into which groove the orifice (50) opens.

3. Tap for gas and comprising a tap body (10) designed to be fitted on a gas cylinder and enclosing a closure member (14) at the intersection of an inlet pipe (18) and of an outlet pipe (20), means for manoeuvering the closure member (14), a safety valve (26), the inlet pipe (18) communicating, on the side opposite the closure member (14), with a two-way valve (30) permitting both filling and draining of the gas cylinder, said valve (30) comprising a casing (32) with at least one lateral opening (34, 36) which can be sealed off by a sealing device (40) provided with a passage (48) for gas, resiliently yieldable means (44) for displacing the sealing device (40) to a position of obstruction of the openings (34, 36) and for permitting the sealing device (40) to move to a position of opening against the action of the resiliently yieldable means (44) through the effect of the pressure of the filling gas, a level-controlling valve (52) movable between open and closed positions and operable, when in said open position, to permit gas to flow between the gas cylinder and the passage (48), means (62) for detecting the filling level in the gas cylinder and for actuating the level-controlling valve (52) in response to such level, said level-controlling valve (52), when not held in an open position by said detecting means (62), being operable by the pressure of the gas in the cylinder when the closure member (14) is open, characterized by at least one orifice (50) disposed in at least one of a wall portion of the inlet pipe (18) and a wall portion of the casing (32) for establishing communication between the inside of the casing (32) and the inlet pipe (18), on the one hand, and the inside of the cylinder, on the other hand, said orifice (50) being associated with resilient vent means (64) which resist the maximum filling pressure in order to ensure the leak tight closure of the orifice (50) and which yield at a pressure greater than the filling pressure in order to open the orifice (50) to prevent pressure from building up within either one of the inlet pipe (18) and the casing (32).

4. Tap according to claim 3, characterized in that the said resilient means consist of an O-ring (64) made from resilient rubber which is arranged in a circular groove into which the orifice or orifices (50) opens.

5. Tap according to claim 3 characterized in that the said orifice (50) and resilient means are provided in the wall of the casing (32) of the valve.

6. Tap according to claim 4, characterized in that the said orifice (50) and resilient means are provided in the wall of the casing (32) of the valve.