US2754846A - Valve structure - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1956 w, RAY 2,754,846

VALVE STRUCTURE Filed June 16, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 72 I 67 ,x/ v 36 1:2,

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ATTOQ/IEX July 17, 1956 w. A. RAY

VALVE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1952 //v VEN 7'02, MLL/AM 4 PA Y 77/15 Will/(ONLY) LOOK/N6 up.

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ATTOiQ/YEK United States Patent VALVE STRUCTURE William A. Ray, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to General- Controls C0., Glendale, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 16, 1952, Serial No. 293,813 18 Claims. (Cl. 137614.17)

My present invention relates to valve structures, and more particularly to such structures which include a main closure-member and supplemental or safety closure means, as well as means responsive to a condition (such as temperature or pressure) external of the valve structure for so controlling the operation of the safety closure means that in the event of establishment of an abnormal degree of said condition the safety closure means is operated to effect shut-off of flow through the structure.

This invention relates still more specifically to valve structures of the character described and wherein the main closure member has a passage therethrough for establishing communication between the inlet and the outlet of the valve structure; the most common examples of such valve structures being the rotary plug valve, and the disk valve whose passaged' closure has a flat surface slidabl e on a' flat surface of the valve casing.

A main object of this invention is to arrange the safety closure means so that it is carried by the main closure member and cooperates with the passage therein.

Another object. of the invention is to construct and arrange the main closure member so that when the same is in flow-obstructing position the passage therein is isolated from the fluid in the system controlled by the valve structure, and the" safety closure means can therefore be removed from the closure member for repair or replacement without affecting the system in any way.

Another object is to provide, in combination witha rotatable main closure member, safety closure means which-also-is rotatable to control flow through the closuremember passage.

Another object is to provide novel means for resetting the-safety closure means to open position.

Another object is to' provide means whereby the safety closure means canreadily be removed from the closure member when. the same is in closed position;

For'full: understanding of the invention, and further 7 appreciation of its objects and advantages, reference is to' be: had to the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawing, and to the appended claims;

In the drawing:

Figure: 1'. is a sectional view of a valve structure em bodyingthis invention; the main closure member, or plug 14, and the safety closure means, comprising disk 72, both being: shown in: open position;

Figure-2 is a fragmentary sectional safety closure disk in closed position;

Figures 3, 4- and5 are transverse sections taken gen erally along the lines3--3, 44 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig.- 1; the section of Fig. 4, only, upward direction;

Figure 6 is a view of the top of cap 23; and

Figure 7 adiagrammatic view, from above, showing the means foraccess to the safety closure disk when the plugis intclosedposition.

Referring, now more particularly to the drawing, the: numeral 11 indicates a valve casing having andnlet opening 12 and an outlet opening 13; the casing being formed view showing the being viewed in aninternally to provide a tapered seat or cavity for a correspondingly tapered main closure memberor' plu'g114. The plug 14 has a transverse passage 15 thereth-r'ough which, in the position of the plug as shownin the drawing, is in register with the inner ends 12 and 13" of the inlet and outlet openings; the plug being rotatable on. its seat through to an alternate position wherein theplug+ passage 15 is isolated from both of theopening=ehds 12', 13', and flow through the casing is obstructed. At its top the plug 14-hasa cylindrical stem 16 fitting. in an opening through the top wall 17 of the casing; a tubular extension 18 of the wall 17 providing an annular space around the plug-stem, in which space is a spring 19, bearing against a snap-ring 20 on the stern, which urges the-plug upwardly against its seat; a conventional seal or packing+ ring 21 being provided around the upper portion of the stem. At the inlet of the casing is an opening 22' which serves as a connection for a pilot burner in the event that the valve structure is employed-for supplying gaseous fuel to a main burner.

At the top of the structure is an inverted cup-shaped cap 23 having in itstop wall a square opening which fits the squared-extremity 24 of the plug-stem; the side wall of the cap=fitting freely on theextension 18and beingheld thereon by apin 25 cooperating with a circumferential groove: in theextension. Extending laterally from the cap 23 is a handle 26 whereby,.through the cap and'plug stem, the plug 14 can'be rotatedbetweenits alternate controlling positions; rotation ofthe plug beinglimit'ed to an angleof slightly more than 90 by portions 27 and 28 at the bottomof: the side wall of cap 23 which are engageable with apair of lugs 29 and 30*projecting from the top ofthe casing, as can be seen in Fig. 3; the portions 27 and 28 also being shown in that figure by broken lines-in their moved positions.

Atits bottom the casing 11 is hollow and provides a compartment 31 below the plugwl4 In this compartment and projecting generally centrally from the bottom of the plugis a boss 32 whereon apair of intermeshed gears 33 and3'4 is mounted. The gear 33 is rotatable on a pin 35 coaxial with the plug and pressed in an opening in the boss-32 The other gear 34 is secured to a rod 36- which freely fits a bore 37 inclined at'an-angle of 15 to the axis of the plug and extendingthrough the'boss to the plug: passage 15'. A strap 38 below the gears, and attachedto the lower end of pin 35, holds the gears in place.

Tightly clamped atone end to the shank of gear 33 is an arm 39 which is urged in a direction toward the viewer as seen in Fig; 1 by the force of a coiledband' spring 41) secured at one end to a projection 41 of plug 14', and at its other end to a pin 42 projecting from arm 39. It is to" be understood that the force ofspring 40-is insufficient to effect rotation of the plug.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the arm 39 is-held stationary due to the engagement" of its outer end with. a latching member 43' secured to the upper end of a vertical rod 44 fitting freely in an opening through a boss 45 on aplate or cover 46 which is sealinglyclamped to the open bottom end' of the casing 11; there being conventional packing means (not shown) inside boss 45, and cornpressedby ag'land nut 47, forpreventingleakage around rod 44.

Depending integrally from the cover 46at'its peripheryis a skirt 48 which forms'below'the cover a compartment 49*whiehis closed at'its'bottom by a plate 50. Mounted in this'compartment'isan electromagnet 51 (-s'ee'Fig 5), comprising a U-shaped core 52 and a c'oil53", whieh'co operateswith an armature 54-carriedby on'e end o'f an ar m 55- which is clamped at its other end to'the lower end of rod 44;; the armature being mounted onthe arm,- in conventional manner so that'its surface=can conform exactly to the pole faces of the core. The leads 56 of the electromagnet extend through an opening in plate 50 for connection in a suitable electric circuit which may include an A. C. rectifier 57 and a dropping resistor 58 (Fig. mounted within a housing 59 which is clamped at its top by a channeled ring 60 to a circumferential projection of skirt 48. At the left of the housing 59 is a junction box 61 having an opening 62 for a wiring cable.

The circuit of electromagnet 51 is adapted to be controlled by means, external of and remote from the valve structure, responsive to a condition such as temperature or pressure; the condition responsive means being arranged to effect energization of the electromagnet while the condition is normal, but to effect its deenergization in the event of establishment of an abnormal degree of the condition.

The parts are shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 in the positions assumed while electromagnet 51 is energized and after the arms 39 and 55 have been reset to these positions; the arm 55 being held, due to the attraction of armature 54 by core 52 and against the force of bias spring 63 (Fig. 5), in a position wherein a beveled portion 64 of the latching means 43 is in engagement with the beveled end of arm 39 so that movement of that arm under the influence of spring 40 is prevented. To reduce wear, the engaging portions of the latching means and arm 39 are tipped with tungsten carbide alloy, as indicated at 65.

If the electromagnet 51 is deenergized the arm 55 is released and moves under the force of its bias in a direction toward the viewer as seen in Fig. 1 into engagement with a stop-pin 66 (Fig. 5); the arm 39, then being unlatched, moving under the force of spring 40 in a direction toward the viewer as seen in Fig. 1, this movement of arm 39 being arrested by a stop member 67 (Fig. 4) welded to the skirt 68 of plug 14. The movement of arm 39, when unlatched, causes counterclockwise rotation of gear 33 and clockwise rotation of gear 34 and rod 36 (as viewed from above) through an angle of 90.

To reset the arms 39 and 55 (and gears 33, 34) to their previous positions, the plug 14 is rotated by means of handle 26 in clockwise direction as viewed from above. When, by this rotation of the plug, the arm 39 (in engagement with stop member 67 carried by the plug) has been moved through slightly less than 90, its beveled surface 69 (Fig. 4) engages a pin 70 projecting from the latching member 43; continued movement of arm 39 effecting, through pin 70, rotation of the latching member and rod 44 such that the arm 55 is rocked, against the force of its bias, to a position wherein its armature 54 is in contact with the electromagnet core 52. If the electromagnet is then in energized condition, the arms 39 and 55 will be retained in the positions shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 when the plug is returned to its previous position. In the event that the electromagnet is not energized, the resultant movement of arm 55 (under the force of its bias) as the plug is returned will render the latching member ineifective to hold arm 39. p The gear-rod 36 has a reduced extension 36 which extends through the plug-passage 15, centrally thereof, into a conforming opening in the top wall of that passage; a portion of the rod-extension within that opening being grooved for an elastic sealing-ring or O-ring 71. Mounted on the rod-extension 36' within the passage 15 is a disk 72 having an elongated bore 73 (see Fig. 2) at an angle of 15 to the plane of the disk and fitting the rod-extension; the disk being locked to the rod-extension as by a set-screw 74.

The rim or edge of disk 72 is grooved for a ring 75, of elastic material such as rubber, which, when the disk is transverse to the passage 15 as shown in Fig. 2, is compressed into sealing engagement with the cylindrical wall of that passage. A seal 76 of the O-ring type is provided around a portion of the rod-extension 36' within bore 73 to prevent leakage through that bore between opposite sides of disk 72 when the same is in the position of Fig. 2.

At its top the rod-extension 36 has a slot-and-tongue connection with a rod 77 which extends upwardly through a vertical opening 73 to a point slightly above the top of the plug-stem 16; a guide bushing 79 for rod 77 being provided at the upper end of the opening. On top of rod 77, and within a shallow recess 80 in the top surface of cap 23, is an indicator segment 81; this recess being covered by a plate 82 having a window 83. A light spring 84 serves to maintain operative connection between rods 77 and 36. As can be seen in Fig. 6, the segment 81 bears the legends Open and Shut; the legend Open, visible through window 83 in Fig. 6, indicating the present flow-controlling position of disk 72.

The flow-controlling position of plug 14 is indicated by a pointer 85, on the lower end of cap 23, which cooperates with legends (not shown) on the valve casing. Vents 86 and 87 are provided in the plug to equalize fluid pressure above and below it.

In the diagrammatic view of Pig. 7 means are disclosed whereby the disk 72 can be removed, as for replacement of its sealing ring 75. These means comprise covers 88 and 89 threadedly mounted in the outer ends of openings 90 and 91 in casing 11. When the plug 14 is in closed position the openings 90 and 91 are in register with the plug-passage 15. To remove the disk, one or both of the covers 88 and 89 is unthreaded and the set-screw 74 loosened. The plate 46, covering the bottom of the valve casing, is then removed. By disconnecting strap 38 the gear 34, together with rod 36 and its extension 36, can be withdrawn; the disk 72 then being free for removal through one of the openings 90, 91.

As is clear from the previous description of the operation of arms 39 and 55 and gears 33 and 34, the supplemental or safety closure means constituted by disk 72 is retained in open position while the electromagnet 51 is energized and the plug 14 is in open position. In the event of deenergization of the electromagnet and resultant unlatching of arm 39 the safety closure disk 72 is rotated to close passage 15 (this condition being indicated in Fig. 2) under the force of spring 40; the indicator segment 81 moving to display the legend Shut.

When the plug is rotated to closed position the disk 72 also is rotated (gear 34 rolling on stationary gear 33) to its passage-closing position, and in the return movement of the plug toward open position the disk is concurrently opened; it being assumed that arm 39 is latched. Rotation of the disk is always in the same direction as that of the plug; the disk moving through 90 relative to the plug, and through relative to the valve casing, in the rotation of the plug between its alternate (open-closed) controlling positions. In the event that while the plug is open the disk has moved to passageclosing position in response to deenergization of the electromagnet, the disk will remain stationary relative to the plug while the same is rotated to reset the latching means. If the latching means were released while the plug were closed, the disk would remain in closed position when the plug was subsequently openedunless the latching means was first reset by movement of the plug through a small angle (5) beyond its closed position, as previously described.

In its broader phases this invention comprehends the use of safety closure means of a type other than of the butterfly type disclosed in the drawing, such as another plug rotatable within the main plug to control flow through the main-plug passage; or means of the type comprising a gate reciprocable transversely to the plugpassage and withdrawable into an opening in one end of the plug.

The specific embodiment of my invention herein shown and described is obviously susceptible of modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I intend therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a valve structure: a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet opening; a closure member movable between alternate controlling positions relative to said casing and having a passage therethrough; said inlet and outlet openings each having an end extending to said closure member; said opening-ends and said passage being so arranged that when the closure member is in one of said positions communication is established between said inlet and outlet openings by Way of said passage, and when the closure member is in the other of said positions both of said opening-ends are closed by the closure member; supplemental closure means in said closure member passage and movable to open and close said passage; and means operated by movement of said closure member for efiecting corresponding movement of said supplemental closure means, the arrangement being such that when the closure member is in said other of its controlling positions the supplemental closure means is in passage-closing position.

2. In a valve structure: a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet opening; a closure member movable between alternate controlling positions relative to saidcasing and having a passage therethrough; said inlet and outlet openings each having an end extending to said closure member; said opening-ends and said passage being so arranged that when the closure member is in one of said positions communication is established between said inlet and outlet openings by way of said passage, and when the closure member is in the other of said posi tions both of said opening-ends are closed by the closure member; safety closure means in said closure-member passage and movable to open and close said passage; means biasing said safety closure means to closed position; means operated by movement of said closure member for moving said safety closure means to open position; and means responsive to a condition external of the valve structure for then maintaining the safety closure means open while said condition is normal and the closure member is in said one position.

3. A valve structure as defined in claim 2, and including means so interconnecting said closure member and said safety closure means, and cooperating with said condition responsive means, that movement of the closure member to said one position efiects said movement of the safety closure means to open position While said condition is normal.

4. A valve structure as defined in claim 2, and wherein at least a portion of said closure-member passage is cylindrical, and said safety closure means comprises a disk rotatable in said passage-portion to effect sealing engagement between the rim of the disk and the wall of the passage-portion.

5. In a valve structure: a valve casing having an inlet and an outlet in alignment; a closure member movable between alternate controlling positions relative to said casing and having a linear passage therethrough adapted to establish communication between said inlet and outlet when the closure member is in one of said positions, the closure member being effective when moved to its other position to obstruct communication between said inlet and outlet; safety closure means in said closure-member passage and movable to open and close said passage; means biasing said safety closure means to closed position; means operated by movement of said closure member for moving said safety closure means to open position; and means responsive to a condition external of the valve structure for then maintaining the safety closure means open while said condition is normal and the closure member is in said one position.

6. A valve structure as defined in claim 5, and including means so interconnecting said closure member and said safety closure means, and cooperating with said condition responsive means, that movement of the closure 6 member to said one position eflects said movement of the safety closure means to" open position while said condition is normal.

7. A valve structure as defined in claim 5, and wherein at least a portion of said closure-member passage is cylindrical, and said safety closure means comprises a disk rotatablev in said passage-portion to effect sealing engagement between the rim of the disk and the wall of the passage-portion.

8. In a valve structure: a valve casing; a closure member comprising a plug seated in a conforming cavity in said casing; said casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening each extending to said cavity; said plug having a passage therethrough adapted, when the plug is in one controlling position, to register with said open ings and establish communication therebetween, said plug being rotatable on its seat to another position wherein said passage is out of communication with said openings; safety closure means in said plug-passage and movable to open and close said passage; means biasing said safety closure means to closed position; means operated by rotation of said plug for moving said safety closure means to open position; and means responsive to a condition external of the valve structure for then maintaining said safety closure means in open position while said condition is normal and said plug is in said one position.

9. A valve structure as defined in claim 8, and including means so interconnecting said plug and said safety closure means, and cooperating with said condition responsive means, that movement of the plug to said one position effects movement of the safety closure means to open position while said condition is normal.

10. A valve structure as defined in claim 8, and wherein at least a portion of said plug passage is cylindrical, and said safety closure means comprises a disk rotatable in said passage-portion to effect sealing engagement between the rim of the disk and the wall of the passage-portion.

11. A valve structure as defined in claim 8, and wherein said safety closure means is rotatable relative to said plug to open and close said plug-passage.

12. A valve structure as defined in claim 8, and wherein said safety closure means is rotatable relative to said plug generally on the axis of the plug to open and close said plug-passage.

13. In a valve structure: a valve casing; a closure member comprising a plug seated in a conforming cavity in said casing; said casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening each extending to said cavity; said plug having a passage therethrough adapted, when the plug is in one controlling position, to register with said openings and establish communication therebetween, said plug being rotatable on its seat to another position wherein said passage is out of communication with said openings; supplemental closure means in said plug-passage and movable to open and close said passage; and means forming, between said supplemental closure means and said casing, a connection such that rotation of said plug between its flow-controlling positions effects movement of said supplemental closure means relative to the plug between corresponding flow-controlling positions relative to the plug passage.

14. A valve structure as defined in claim 13, and including means responsive to a condition external of the valve structure for maintaining said connection elfective only while said condition is normal.

15. In a valve structure: a valve casing; a closure member comprising a plug seated in a conforming cavity in said casing; said casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening each extending to said cavity; said plug having a passage therethrough adapted, when the plug is in one controlling position, to register with said openings and establish communication therebetween, said plug being rotatable on its seat to another position wherein said passage is out of communication with said openings; safety closure means in said plug-passage and rotatable rela- '7 tive to the plug to open and close said passage; means biasing said safety closure means to passage-closing position; means forming, between said safety closure means and said casing, a connection such that rotation of said plug between its flow-controlling positions effects rotation of said safety closure means between corresponding flow-controlling positions; and means responsive to a con-- dition external of the valve structure for maintaining said connection effective only while said condition is normal.

16. A valve structure as defined in claim 15, and wherein said connection-forming means comprises means mounted on said plug for rotation generally about the axis thereof.

17. In a valve structure: a valve casing; a closure member comprising a plug seated in a conforming cavity in said casing; said casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening each extending to said cavity; said plug having a passage therethrough adapted, when the plug is in one controlling position, to register with said openings and establish communication therebetween, said plug being rotatable on its seat to another position wherein said passage is out of communication with said openings; safety closure means in said plug-passage and rotatable relative to the plug, generally on the axis of the plug, to open and close said passage; means biasing said safety closure means to passage-closing position; a member rotatably mounted on said plug coaxially therewith and operatively connected to said safety closure means; and

means responsive to a condition external of the valve structure and effective, only while said condition is normal, to hold said member stationary relative to said casing so that rotation of said plug then effects rotation of the member and of said safety closure means relative to the plug; the arrangement being such that, while said condition is normal, rotation of the plug to said one position effects rotation of the safety closure means to passageopening position.

18. A valve structure as defined in claim 17, and wherein at least a portion of said plug-passage is cylindrical, and said safety closure means comprises a disk rotatable in said passage-portion to effect sealing engagement between the rim of the disk and the wall of the passageportion.

Rcfcrences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,019,590 Beck Mar. 5, 1912 1,106,594 Tcherniakofsky Aug. 11, 1914 1,656,355 Huffman Jan. 17, 1928 1,848,176 Jernberg Mar. 8, 1932 2,032,352 Glade Mar. 3, 1936 2,142,970 Anderson Jan. 3, 1939 2,556,337 Paille June 12, 1951 2,589,573 Ray Mar. 18, 1952

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