Slam-shut safety devices for a fluid regulator

A slam-shut mechanism for operatively connecting a slam-shut control element of a fluid regulator with a controller for the slam-shut control element, the slam-shut mechanism comprising:

• a housing adapted to be coupled to a regulator body of the fluid regulator;
• a rotatable shaft extending through an opening formed in the housing, the rotatable shaft adapted to be operatively connected to the slam-shut control element;
• a latching pin carried by the rotatable shaft;
• a latch pivotably coupled to the housing;
• and
• a lever pivotably coupled to the housing and operably connected to the latch, the lever adapted to be selectively engaged by the controller,
• wherein responsive to the controller engaging the lever, the latch is movable from a first position, in which the latch securely retains the latching pin such that the slam-shut control element is retained in a fully open position, to a second position, in which the latching pin is released from the latch, thereby allowing the slam-shut control element to move from the fully open position to a closed position, and
• wherein the latching pin has a first contact surface and the latch has a second contact surface configured to engage the first contact surface when the latch is in the first position, and wherein the first contact surface is inclined relative to the second contact surface.

A fluid regulator, comprising:

• a regulator body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow path extending between the inlet and the outlet, the regulator body including a seat surrounding an orifice in the flow path;
• a slam-shut control element disposed within the regulator body and shiftable along a longitudinal axis between a fully open position in which the slam-shut control element is spaced away from the seat, and a closed position in which the slam-shut control element is seated against the seat;
• a controller for moving the slam-shut control element between the fully open position and the closed position, the controller coupled to a first portion of the regulator body;
• and
• a slam-shut mechanism for operatively connecting the slam-shut control element to the controller, the slam-shut mechanism comprising:
• a shaft operatively connected to the slam-shut control element;
• a latching pin carried by the shaft;
• a latch;
• and
• a lever operably connected to the latch, the lever configured to be selectively engaged by the controller,
• wherein responsive to the controller engaging the lever, the latch is movable from a first position, in which the latch securely retains the latching pin such that the slam-shut control element is retained in the fully open position, to a second position, in which the latching pin is released from the latch,
• wherein movement of the latch from the first position to the second position allows the slam-shut control element to move from the fully open position to the closed position, and
• wherein the latching pin has a first contact surface and the latch has a second contact surface configured to engage the first contact surface when the latch is in the first position, and wherein the second contact surface is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis.