Snap-acting drain valve
AssigneeOgontz Controls Company
InventorBohdan A. Harasewych
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snap-acting drain valve for draining a fluid system upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature condition of the fluid. A spring-loaded valve is held closed against the spring force by a latching mechanism comprising a spring loaded latching lever engaging a shoulder on the valve stem, and a temperature sensitive actuator controlling movement of the latching lever. Upon occurrence of the predetermined fluid temperature, the actuator permits the latching lever to disengage from the valve stem shoulder, thereby releasing the valve which opens under spring force. The valve is non-modulating and will not close until manually reset even if the fluid temperature should increase to a level above the predetermined level.
Claims18
A snap opening drain valve for draining fluid from a fluid system upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature condition of the fluid, comprising a valve body defining a fluid chamber, fluid port means in said valve body for admitting fluid from said fluid system into said chamber, a drain port in said valve body, a valve seat on said valve body associated with said drain port, a valve element adapted for cooperative engagement with said valve seat for controlling flow through said drain port, a valve stem connected with said valve element for movement of said element toward and away from said valve seat to close or open said drain port, lost motion means connecting said valve stem with said valve element to permit said valve stem to be depressed beyond the closed valve position to facilite the resetting of the latching mechanism, spring means connected with said valve stem for urging said stem and valve element toward an open position, a pivotally mounted latching lever, stop means on said valve stem engageable by said latching lever to hold said valve stem and valve element in the closed position against said valve seat, spring means for biasing said latching lever out of engagement with said valve stem stop means, a temperature sensitive actuator disposed on said valve body responsive to the temperature of the fluid within said valve body, said actuator controlling the movement of said latching lever and holding said latching lever in engagement with said valve stem stop means until the temperature of the fluid in said valve body drops to a predetermined level.
A snap opening drain valve for draining fluid from a fluid system upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature condition of the fluid, comprising a valve body defining a fluid chamber, fluid port means in said valve body for admitting fluid from said fluid system into said chamber, a drain port in said valve body, a valve seat on said valve body associated with said drain port, a valve element adapted for cooperative engagement with said valve seat for controlling flow through said drain port, a valve stem connected with said valve element for movement of said element toward and away from said valve seat to close or open said drain port, spring means connected with said valve stem for urging said stem and valve element toward an open position, a pivotally mounted latching lever, a shoulder on said valve stem engageable by one end of said latching lever to hold said valve stem and valve element in the closed position against said valve seat, spring means for biasing said end of said latching lever away from said valve stem shoulder, a temperature sensitive actuator disposed on said valve body responsive to the temperature of the fluid within said valve body, and a pivotally mounted trigger lever controlled by said actuator, said trigger lever holding said latching lever in engagement with said valve stem shoulder until the temperature of the fluid in said valve body drops to a predetermined level.
A snap opening drain valve for draining fluid from a fluid system upon the occurrence of a predetermined temperature condition of the fluid, comprising a valve body defining a fluid chamber, fluid port means in said valve body for admitting fluid from said fluid system into said chamber, a drain port in said valve body, a valve seat on said valve body associated with said drain port, a valve element adapted for cooperative engagement with said valve seat for controlling flow through said drain port, a valve stem connected with said valve element for movement of said element toward and away from said valve seat to close or open said drain port, said valve stem being rotatably mounted and including means thereon permitting rotation thereof, spring means connected with said valve stem for urging said stem and valve element toward an open position, a pivotally mounted latching lever, stop means on said valve stem engageable by said latching lever to hold said valve stem and valve element in the closed position against said valve seat, spring means for biasing said latching lever out of engagement with said valve stem stop means, a temperature sensitive actuator disposed within said fluid chamber responsive to the temperature of the fluid within said valve body, said actuator controlling the movement of said latching lever and holding said latching lever in engagement with said valve stem stop means until the temperature of the fluid in said valve body drops to a predetermined level, said stop means including means permitting release of said valve stem from said latching lever and the opening of said valve upon rotation of said valve stem to a predetermined position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.