Handle Mechanism to Prohibit Accidental Valve Operation
AssigneeMcKenzie Valve & Machining LLC
InventorDonald Prince
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handle mechanism for a railway tank car includes a first turn prohibitor at the skid and a second turn prohibitor at the support bracket for an extension arm. The extension shaft is pivotally mounted to a stem adapter so that it can be displaced from the axis of rotation for the valve stem when the valve is in the closed position. The extension shaft must be aligned with the axis of rotation of the valve stem in order to allow the operator to turn the handle and consequently the extension shaft and valve stem to open the valve.
Claims20
In a railway tank car having a generally cylindrical tank supported at its oppositely disposed ends on trucks disposed to ride on railway tracks, an outlet valve assembly comprising:
- a valve mounted at the bottom of said cylindrical tank for discharging downward between the railway tracks and operable between a closed position that occludes flow through the valve and an open position that permits flow through the valve;
- said valve having a valve stem operably connected to and extending from the valve along an axis of rotation that lies in a generally horizontal plane and is also generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tank car, said valve stem being rotatable between a first angular position corresponding to the valve being in the closed position and a second angular position corresponding to the valve being in the open position;
- an extension shaft having a first end coupled directly or indirectly to the valve stem by a coupling, the extension shaft extending generally outward from the coupling to a support bracket mounted on the tank car such that a second end of the extension shaft is supported by the bracket;
- a handle connected to the second end of the extension shaft and mounted to swing in an arc in a generally vertical plane along the side of the cylindrical tank car, the handle being accessible while standing outside of the railway tracks and operative to rotate the extension shaft and the valve stem to move the valve from said closed position to said open position as the handle is swung from the first angular position to the second angular position;
- a turn prohibitor at the first end of the extension shaft that prohibits the turning of the extension shaft, and consequently the valve stem, when the valve is in the closed position and the extension shaft is displaced from the axis of rotation.
In a railway tank car having a generally cylindrical tank supported at its oppositely disposed ends on trucks disposed to ride on railway tracks, an outlet valve assembly comprising:
- a valve mounted at the bottom of said cylindrical tank for discharging downward between the railway tracks and operable between a closed position that occludes flow through said valve and an open position that permits flow through said valve;
- said valve having a valve stem operably connected to and extending from the valve along an axis of rotation that lies in a generally horizontal plane and is also generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tank car, said valve stem being rotatable between a first angular position corresponding to the valve being in the closed position and a second angular position corresponding to the valve being in the open position;
- an extension shaft having a first end coupled directly or indirectly to the valve stem by a coupling, the extension shaft extending generally outward from the coupling to a support bracket mounted on the tank car such that a second end of the extension shaft is supported by the bracket;
- a handle connected to the second end of the extension shaft and mounted to swing in an arc in a generally vertical plane along the side of the cylindrical tank car, the handle being accessible while standing outside of the railway tracks and operative to rotate the extension shaft and the valve stem to move the valve from said closed position to said open position as the handle is swung from the first angular position to the second angular position;
- and
- means for prohibiting the turning of the first end of the extension shaft, and consequently the valve stem, when the valve is in the closed position and the extension shaft is displaced from the axis of rotation.
A turn probihitor kit for use with an outlet valve assembly for a railway tank car in which a valve is mounted at the bottom of said tank for discharging downward between the railway tracks and is operable between a closed position that occludes flow through said valve and an open position that permits flow through said valve, said valve having a valve stem operably connected to and extending from the valve along an axis of rotation that lies in a generally horizontal plane and is also generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tank car, and said valve stem is rotatable between a first angular position corresponding to the valve being in the closed position and a second angular position corresponding to the valve being in the open position, wherein said kit comprises:
- an extension shaft having a first end and a second end;
- a coupling member for pivotally coupling the first end of the extension shaft to the valve stem;
- a turn prohibitor for placement at the first end of the extension shaft to prohibit the turning of the extension shaft, and consequently the valve stem, when the valve is in the closed position and the extension shaft is displaced from the axis of rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.