Differential-type dry pipe valve

A differential-type dry pipe valve comprising:

• a body having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an access port, an aperture and a protrusion each communicating with the passage;
• a cover positioned over the access port;
• a seat coupled to the body, the seat having first and second seating surfaces disposed on the seat, the first seating surface having a first configuration and disposed about a first seat axis aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second seating surface having a second configuration and cincturing the first seating surface to define a second seat axis offset to the longitudinal axis, the first seating surface and the second seating surface being generally disposed on a common plane;
• a clapper assembly disposed in the passage proximate the seat and mounted via a first pivot in the passage;
• the clapper assembly having an impervious body with a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface and a knuckle that defines a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the access port, the first sealing surface defining a first seal axis, the second sealing surface defining a second seal axis, the first sealing surface being contiguous to the first seating surface with the first seal axis aligned with the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being contiguous to the second seating surface with the second seal axis aligned with the second seat axis to occlude fluid flow through the passage in a closed position, and the first sealing surface being spaced from the first seating surface with the first seal axis oblique to the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being spaced from the second seating surface with the second seal axis oblique to the second seat axis to permit fluid flow through the passage in an open position;
• a stopper disposed in the passage and mounted on a second pivot, the stopper being in contact with the clapper assembly to define a stopped position of the clapper assembly between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a resetting knob assembly to interface with and move the stopper and permit the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, the resetting knob assembly including a rod having a first end and a second end with a knob affixed to the second end, the rod being disposed in the aperture and supported by the body with the first end in the passage and the knob external to the body,
• wherein the resetting knob assembly is positioned below the protrusion and wherein in the stopped position, the knob is translatable from a first position to a second position in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, wherein in the first position, the first end of the rod is axially spaced from the stopper and wherein in the second position, the first end of the rod interfaces and moves the stopper, permitting the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, and
• wherein the resetting knob assembly includes a wear component inserted and supported in the aperture, the wear component including at least one seal member disposed and supported in the aperture, and wherein in the first and second position of the knob, the at least one seal member is adjacent and interfaced with the rod.

A differential-type dry pipe valve comprising:

• a body having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an access port, an aperture and a protrusion each communicating with the passage;
• a cover positioned over the access port;
• a seat coupled to the body, the seat having first and second seating surfaces disposed on the seat, the first seating surface having a first configuration and disposed about a first seat axis aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second seating surface having a second configuration and cincturing the first seating surface to define a second seat axis offset to the longitudinal axis, the first seating surface and the second seating surface being generally disposed on a common plane;
• a clapper assembly disposed in the passage proximate the seat and mounted via a first pivot in the passage;
• the clapper assembly having an impervious body with a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface and a knuckle that defines a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the access port, the first sealing surface defining a first seal axis, the second sealing surface defining a second seal axis, the first sealing surface being contiguous to the first seating surface with the first seal axis aligned with the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being contiguous to the second seating surface with the second seal axis aligned with the second seat axis to occlude fluid flow through the passage in a closed position, and the first sealing surface being spaced from the first seating surface with the first seal axis oblique to the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being spaced from the second seating surface with the second seal axis oblique to the second seat axis to permit fluid flow through the passage in an open position;
• a stopper disposed in the passage and mounted on a second pivot, the stopper being in contact with the clapper assembly to define a stopped position of the clapper assembly between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a resetting knob assembly to interface with and move the stopper and permit the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, the resetting knob assembly including a rod having a first end and a second end with a knob affixed to the second end, the rod being disposed in the aperture and supported by the body with the first end in the passage and the knob external to the body,
• wherein the resetting knob assembly is positioned below the protrusion and wherein in the stopped position, the knob is translatable from a first position to a second position in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, wherein in the first position, the first end of the rod is axially spaced from the stopper and wherein in the second position, the first end of the rod interfaces and moves the stopper, permitting the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, and
• wherein the stopper includes:
• a first end portion with a bore having a pin to form the second pivot;
• a second end portion at a fixed radial distance from the pin for engagement with the clapper assembly in the stopped position;
• and
• a central portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein in the second position of the knob, the first end of the rod interfaces the central portion of the stopper.

A differential-type dry pipe valve comprising:

• a body having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an access port, an aperture and a protrusion each communicating with the passage;
• a cover positioned over the access port;
• a seat coupled to the body, the seat having first and second seating surfaces disposed on the seat, the first seating surface having a first configuration and disposed about a first seat axis aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second seating surface having a second configuration and cincturing the first seating surface to define a second seat axis offset to the longitudinal axis, the first seating surface and the second seating surface being generally disposed on a common plane;
• a clapper assembly disposed in the passage proximate the seat and mounted via a first pivot in the passage;
• the clapper assembly having an impervious body with a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface and a knuckle that defines a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the access port, the first sealing surface defining a first seal axis, the second sealing surface defining a second seal axis, the first sealing surface being contiguous to the first seating surface with the first seal axis aligned with the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being contiguous to the second seating surface with the second seal axis aligned with the second seat axis to occlude fluid flow through the passage in a closed position, and the first sealing surface being spaced from the first seating surface with the first seal axis oblique to the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being spaced from the second seating surface with the second seal axis oblique to the second seat axis to permit fluid flow through the passage in an open position;
• a stopper disposed in the passage and mounted on a second pivot, the stopper being in contact with the clapper assembly to define a stopped position of the clapper assembly between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a resetting knob assembly to interface with and move the stopper and permit the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, the resetting knob assembly including a rod having a first end and a second end with a knob affixed to the second end, the rod being disposed in the aperture and supported by the body with the first end in the passage and the knob external to the body,
• wherein the resetting knob assembly is positioned below the protrusion and wherein in the stopped position, the knob is translatable from a first position to a second position in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, wherein in the first position, the first end of the rod is axially spaced from the stopper and wherein in the second position, the first end of the rod interfaces and moves the stopper, permitting the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position,
• wherein the first configuration of the first seating surface and the second configuration of the second seating surface are of different geometric configurations, and
• wherein the first configuration comprises a circular configuration centered about the first seat axis and the second configuration comprises a rounded-rectangular configuration centered about the second seat axis.

A differential-type dry pipe valve comprising;

• a body having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an access port, an aperture and a protrusion each communicating with the passage;
• a cover positioned over the access port;
• a seat coupled to the body, the seat having first and second seating surfaces disposed on the seat, the first seating surface having a first configuration and disposed about a first seat axis aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second seating surface having a second configuration and cincturing the first seating surface to define a second seat axis offset to the longitudinal axis, the first seating surface and the second seating surface being generally disposed on a common plane;
• a clapper assembly disposed in the passage proximate the seat and mounted via a first pivot in the passage;
• the clapper assembly having an impervious body with a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface and a knuckle that defines a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the access port, the first sealing surface defining a first seal axis, the second sealing surface defining a second seal axis, the first sealing surface being contiguous to the first seating surface with the first seal axis aligned with the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being contiguous to the second seating surface with the second seal axis aligned with the second seat axis to occlude fluid flow through the passage in a closed position, and the first sealing surface being spaced from the first seating surface with the first seal axis oblique to the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being spaced from the second seating surface with the second seal axis oblique to the second seat axis to permit fluid flow through the passage in an open position;
• a stopper disposed in the passage and mounted on a second pivot, the stopper being in contact with the clapper assembly to define a stopped position of the clapper assembly between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a resetting knob assembly to interface with and move the stopper and permit the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, the resetting knob assembly including a rod having a first end and a second end with a knob affixed to the second end, the rod being disposed in the aperture and supported by the body with the first end in the passage and the knob external to the body,
• wherein the resetting knob assembly is positioned below the protrusion and wherein in the stopped position, the knob is translatable from a first position to a second position in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, wherein in the first position, the first end of the rod is axially spaced from the stopper and wherein in the second position, the first end of the rod interfaces and moves the stopper, permitting the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, and
• wherein the clapper assembly has an assembly length and the access port comprises a rounded-sector perimeter defining a chord length greater than the assembly length of the clapper assembly, the chord length being disposed at an oblique angle from the common plane of the seat.

A differential-type dry pipe valve comprising:

• a body having a passage extending along a longitudinal axis between an inlet and an outlet, the body defining an access port, an aperture and a protrusion each communicating with the passage;
• a cover positioned over the access port;
• a seat coupled to the body, the seat having first and second seating surfaces disposed on the seat, the first seating surface having a first configuration and disposed about a first seat axis aligned with the longitudinal axis, the second seating surface having a second configuration and cincturing the first seating surface to define a second seat axis offset to the longitudinal axis, the first seating surface and the second seating surface being generally disposed on a common plane;
• a clapper assembly disposed in the passage proximate the seat and mounted via a first pivot in the passage;
• the clapper assembly having an impervious body with a first sealing surface and a second sealing surface and a knuckle that defines a pivot axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and the access port, the first sealing surface defining a first seal axis, the second sealing surface defining a second seal axis, the first sealing surface being contiguous to the first seating surface with the first seal axis aligned with the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being contiguous to the second seating surface with the second seal axis aligned with the second seat axis to occlude fluid flow through the passage in a closed position, and the first sealing surface being spaced from the first seating surface with the first seal axis oblique to the first seat axis and the second sealing surface being spaced from the second seating surface with the second seal axis oblique to the second seat axis to permit fluid flow through the passage in an open position;
• a stopper disposed in the passage and mounted on a second pivot, the stopper being in contact with the clapper assembly to define a stopped position of the clapper assembly between the open position and the closed position;
• and
• a resetting knob assembly to interface with and move the stopper and permit the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, the resetting knob assembly including a rod having a first end and a second end with a knob affixed to the second end, the rod being disposed in the aperture and supported by the body with the first end in the passage and the knob external to the body,
• wherein the resetting knob assembly is positioned below the protrusion and wherein in the stopped position, the knob is translatable from a first position to a second position in a direction from the inlet toward the outlet, wherein in the first position, the first end of the rod is axially spaced from the stopper and wherein in the second position, the first end of the rod interfaces and moves the stopper, permitting the clapper assembly to move from the stopped position to the closed position, and
• wherein the protrusion of the body is located axially between the outlet and the seat, the protrusion including a first lateral port and a second lateral port each in communication with the passage, the first and second lateral ports being spaced apart from another along a pivot axis of the stopper extending along the second pivot.