Valve fluid pressure leakage signaling
AssigneeVemco Corporation
InventorRobert F. Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a valve unit to control the flow of high-pressure fluid, the combination comprises a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a flow port in the housing communicating between the inlet and outlet, and a seat associated with the flow port; a stopper to be moved toward and away from the seat; a flow chamber in the housing to which high-pressure fluid flows when the stopper has been moved from the seat, for flow to the outlet, the stopper used to close off the flow when the stopper engages the seat; a cap carried by the housing at the outlet; and first signal means associated with the cap to signal presence or absence of pressurized fluid leakage into the flow chamber before the stopper has been moved from the seat.
Claims16
In a valve unit to control the flow of high-pressure fluid, the combination comprising
- a) a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet,
- b) a flow port in the housing communicating between the inlet and outlet, and a seat about said flow port,
- c) stem structure in the housing and a stopper carried by the stem structure to be moved longitudinally axially toward and away from said seat,
- d) a flow chamber in the housing to which high-pressure fluid flows when the stopper has been moved from the seat, for flow to the outlet, the stopper closing off said flow when the stopper engages the seat,
- e) a cap carried by the housing at said outlet,
- f) and first signal means associated with said outlet to signal presence or absence of pressurized fluid leakage into the flow chamber before the stopper has been moved from the seat,
- g) a stack of metallic diaphragms connected to the stem structure and clamped to the housing, to flex and seal off therebetween as the stem structure moves, said flow chamber located in the housing at one said of the diaphragms, and a control chamber in the housing at the opposite side of the diaphragms,
- h) deformable cushion structure in said control chamber to cushion movement of the diaphragms in one direction, and to conform to diaphragm flexing,
- i) said diaphragms having outer portions thereof concave toward one of said chambers, said concave outer portions projecting generally radially outwardly of said cushion structure and also longitudinally,
- said diaphragms having annular inner portions thereof retained between portions of said cushion structure and said stem structure.
In a valve, the combination comprising
- a) a valve housing having an inlet and outlet,
- b) a control means to control fluid flow through the valve between said inlet and outlet, said control means movable axially longitudinally,
- c) there being a flow chamber and a control chamber in the housing, the flow chamber passing said flow,
- d) a first signal means associated with said outlet to signal fluid pressure leakage into the control chamber when the valve is closed, and
- e) a second signal means associated with said control means to signal fluid pressure leakage from said flow chamber to said control chamber,
- f) a stack of diaphragms in the housing and having outer portions thereof projecting generally radially outwardly proximate said second signal means and also longitudinally,
- g) said control means including stem structure, and said diaphragms having inner portions thereof retained at said stem structure to be movable longitudinally therewith, said stem structure projecting through the diaphragms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.