Automatic fluid stopper and fluid stopper mounting spanner

• US 5,911,404 A
• Filed: 03/23/1998
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tsan-Hsiung Cheng
• Original Assignee: Tsan-Hsiung Cheng
• Inventors: Cheng, Tsan-Hsiung
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/045,908
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 251/149.6, 251/155, 137/329.2, 137/329.1
• US Class Current: 251/149.6
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 29/02 with a cut-off device in one of the two pipe ends, the cut-off device being automatically opened when the coupling is applied
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/10 Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses F16L29/00, F16L37/28 take precedence; valves F16K
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6188 Check valve disabled by normally movable main valve part

Abstract

An automatic fluid stopper and fluid stopper mounting spanner including an automatic fluid stopper installed in a fluid outlet pipe and forced by fluid pressure to close the fluid outlet pipe, and a spanner for turning the automatic fluid stopper into or out of the fluid outlet pipe, wherein the automatic fluid stopper includes a threaded annular mounting base threaded into an inner thread on the fluid outlet pipe, a movable valve inserted through the mounting base and forced by fluid pressure to close the fluid passage, an O-ring mounted around the movable valve for sealing the gap between the outside wall of the movable valve and the inside wall of the mounting base, a stop block coupled to the movable valve, and a spring member mounted around the movable valve and retained between the mounting base and the stop block, the stop block being forced backwards to open the movable valve from the fluid passage through the mounting base when a fluid tap is fastened to the fluid outlet pipe, the movable valve being forced forwards by fluid pressure and the spring force of the spring member to close the fluid passage when the fluid tap is removed from the fluid outlet pipe.

Claims

1. An automatic fluid stopper comprising;

a mounting base having an outer thread around a periphery for threading into an inner thread of a fluid outlet pipe, the mounting base having a fluid outlet at a center, a tapered inside wall portion at a rear side of said fluid outlet, and two opposite tool notches bilaterally disposed adjacent to a front side of said fluid outlet;

a movable valve inserted through the fluid outlet on said mounting base located so as to be forced by fluid pressure in said fluid outlet pipe against said mounting base to close said fluid outlet, said movable valve having an annular groove around a periphery adjacent to a rear side thereof, a rib at a front side thereof, and a front center hole axially disposed at a center of said rib;

an O-ring mounted in the annular groove on said movable valve so as to move with said movable valve into engagement with said tapered inside wall portion of said mounting base to close said fluid outlet;

a stop block coupled to said movable valve, said stop block having a mounting rod fastened in the front center hole on said rib of said movable valve; and

a spring member mounted around said rib of said movable valve and extending between said mounting base and said stop block, said spring member imparting a biasing force to said stop block, causing said movable valve to be moved with said stop block to force said O-ring into engagement with said tapered inside wall portion of said mounting base in closing said fluid outlet.

2. The automatic fluid stopper of claim 1, wherein said stop block and the rib of said movable valve, each have, respectively a cruciform cross-sectional configuration.

3. The automatic fluid stopper of claim 1, wherein said movable valve comprises an annular flange disposed in said front center hole on said rib;

and the mounting rod of said stop block has an annular groove around the periphery forced into engagement with the annular flange inside the front center hole on said rib of said movable valve.

6. The automatic fluid stopper of claim 1 further comprising a fluid stopper mounting spanner having two plug tips extending from a front side thereof and located so as to engage the two opposite tool notches in said mounting base such that rotation of the fluid stopper mounting spanner rotates said mounting base to thread the mounting base into said fluid outlet pipe.

4. An automatic fluid stopper comprising:

a mounting base having an outer thread around a periphery for threading into an inner thread in a fluid outlet pipe, the mounting base having a fluid outlet at a center, a tapered inside wall portion at a rear side of said fluid outlet, and two opposite tool notches bilaterally disposed adjacent to a front side of said fluid outlet;

a movable valve inserted through the fluid outlet of said mounting base so as to be forced by fluid pressure in said fluid outlet pipe against said mounting base to close said fluid outlet, said movable valve having an annular groove around a periphery adjacent to a rear side thereof, a rib at a front side thereof, and a plurality of stop rods integral with said rib and for stopping at the front side of the fluid outlet on said mounting base; and

an O-ring mounted in the annular groove on said movable valve so as to move with said movable valve into engagement with said tapered inside wall portion of said mounting base to close said fluid outlet.

5. The automatic fluid stopper of claim 4, wherein the rib of said movable valve has a cruciform cross-sectional configuration.

7. The automatic fluid stopper of claim 4 further comprising a fluid stopper mounting spanner having two plug tips extending from a front side thereof and located so as to engage the two opposite tool notches in said mounting base such that rotation of the fluid stopper mounting spanner rotates said mounting base to thread the mounting base into said fluid outlet pipe.