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US 6,003,837 AGranted
Valve actuator
AssigneeBray International, Inc.
InventorsFrank Jo Raymond, Jr., Michael John Bertoja, Francis William Johnston, David Wayne Gent
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed an actuator for a rotary valve, such as a butterfly valve which rotates a quarter of a turn between open and closed positions. The actuator includes a drive mechanism releasably attachable to the stem of the valve for rotating it in response to operation of a reversible electric motor.
Claims23
A rotary valve actuator, comprising
- a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve,
- a worm gear mounted for rotation in the housing and adapted to be connected to the valve stem, when the housing is mounted on the valve, for imparting rotation thereto,
- a reversible electric motor in the housing having an output shaft,
- a worm shaft mounted for rotation and limited axial movement in opposite longitudinal directions within the housing,
- means connecting the motor to the worm shaft for rotating the worm shaft in opposite rotational directions responsive to reverse operation of the motor,
- an assembly including a worm and a cam having longitudinally spaced cam surfaces mounted on the worm shaft for rotation and axial movement therewith and with the worm shaft engaged with the worm to rotate the worm gear and thus the valve stem,
- spring means surrounding the worm shaft and compressed between the housing and each end of the assembly, and
- first means on the housing and engageable by a first cam surface, when one of the spring means is compressed to permit the worm shaft and cam to move longitudinally in one direction a predetermined extent, in order to deactivate the motor in response to a predetermined torque due to obstruction to rotary movement of the valve stem in one rotational direction, and
- second means on the housing and engageable by a second cam surface, when the other spring means is compressed to permit the worm shaft and cam to move longitudinally in the opposite direction a predetermined extent in order to deactivate the motor in response to a predetermined torque due to obstruction to rotary movement of the valve stem in the opposite rotational direction.
6 more elements
A rotary valve actuator, comprising:
- a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve,
- a reversible electric motor mounted in the housing,
- means including a rotatable shaft connecting the motor to the valve stem, when the housing is mounted on the valve, so as to rotate the stem in opposite rotational directions responsive to operation of the motor, and
- a manual override system, comprising:
- an external handwheel having a stem mounted within a cavity in the housing for rotation and reciprocation therein between first and second longitudinal positions,
- a sleeve on and movable longitudinally with the inner end of the handwheel stem and having longitudinal slots thereabout,
- the inner end of the shaft having at least one protuberance for fitting within a slot, when the handwheel and stem are moved to the first position, and for sliding out of the slot, as they are moved to the second position, so as to release the shaft for rotation relative to the stem,
- means for releasably holding the stem in each of its positions.
5 more elements
A rotary valve actuator, comprising
- a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve body,
- a reversible electric motor mounted in the housing,
- a worm gear mounted for rotation in the housing and adapted to be connected to the valve stem, when the housing is mounted on the valve,
- a worm shaft mounted for rotation and longitudinal reciprocation in the housing,
- a worm mounted on the shaft for engagement with the worm gear so as to rotate said stem in opposite directions to open and close the valve in response to opposite reverse operation of the motor,
- a cam mounted on the worm shaft for longitudinal movement therewith and having a pair of longitudinally spaced cam surfaces,
- spring means yieldably urging the worm shaft and thus the cam to a neutral position,
- a pair of keys each pivotally mounted on the housing to assume a position opposite a cam surface, and
- a pair of switches each mounted in the housing in position to be engaged by one of the keys in order to deactivate the motor as the key is moved by the cam surface upon longitudinal movement of the shaft in opposite longitudinal directions in response to torque of sufficient magnitude to overcome a predetermined force of the spring means and thus shift the cam to one side of its neutral position.
6 more elements
As in 19, including
- means to adjust the position of each key and thus the torque at which the motor is deactivated.
A rotary valve actuator, comprising
- a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve,
- a reversible electric motor mounted in the housing,
- means including a rotatable shaft connecting the motor to the valve stem, when the housing is mounted on the valve, so as to rotate the stem in opposite rotational directions responsive to operation of the motor, and
- a manual override system, comprising
- an external handwheel having a stem mounted within a cavity in the housing for rotation and reciprocation therein between first and second longitudinal positions,
- a sleeve on the inner end of the stem and, closely received within the cavity,
- means on the inner end of the shaft for engaging the sleeve for rotation therewith, when the handwheel and stem are moved to the first longitudinal position, and for disengaging therefrom, as they moved to the second longitudinal position, so as to release the shaft for rotation relative to the stem, and
- means for holding the stem in each of its longitudinal positions,
- means for deactivating the motor comprising a switch mounted on the housing, and
- a rod mounted in the housing to dispose its inner end in the path of the sleeve and thus to be engaged thereby, in one position thereof, to cause the switch to deactivate the motor, and disengageable therefrom, when the sleeve is in its other position, to permit the motor to be activated.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.