Quarter-Turn Pin-Valve Actuator
AssigneeMalcolm MacDuff
InventorMalcolm MacDuff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A quarter-turn pin valve actuator has a housing and a rotatable core configured to rotate about a central axis inside the housing. The rotatable core has a two bearings mounted to roll in a circular path about the central axis. The actuator comprises a two-position ramped roller plate that is displaced axially when the bearings are rolled a quarter turn. The actuator includes a push plate and a spring disposed between the push plate and the ramped roller plate. The push plate has a central socket for receiving a pin of a pin valve to which the actuator is connected. When the rotatable core is rotated, the bearings exert a force via the ramped roller plate on the push plate which in turn displaces a pin of a pin valve to which the actuator is connected.
Claims18
A quarter-turn pin valve actuator for actuating a pin of a pin valve, the actuator comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotatable core disposed inside the housing and configured to rotate about a central axis;
- two bearings mounted to roll in a circular path about the central axis;
- a ramped roller plate that is displaceable axially when the bearings are rolled a quarter turn;
- and
- a push plate having a central socket for receiving a pin of a pin valve to which the actuator is connected such that when the rotatable core is rotated, the bearings exert a force via the ramped roller plate on the push plate which in turn displaces the pin of the pin valve.
A method of actuating a pin valve of a manifold, the method comprising:
- rotating a rotatable core of a quarter-turn pin valve actuator by ninety degrees about a central axis thus defining a quarter turn,
- wherein rotating the rotatable core causes two bearings mounted on axle connected to the rotatable core to roll in a circular path ninety degrees about the central axis, and
- wherein the bearings axially displace a ramped roller plate which causes a push plate having a central socket for receiving a pin of a pin valve to displace the pin of the pin valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.