System for controlling fluid flow
AssigneeD'Antonio Consultants International, Inc.
InventorsNicholas F. D'Antonio, Robert Giggey, Richard O. Colvin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for regulating flow of fluid through a flow line, such as a supply line, the line having a flow controller such as a valve, the system having a sensor for generating a signal in response to a parameter, a transmitter for transmitting a corresponding signal to a receiver at a remote location, a receiver for receiving the signal from the transmitter, an actuator for operating a regulator in response to the signal received by the actuator for operating the valve or other flow regulator.
Claims61
Apparatus for regulating the flow of fluid through a supply line, the supply line having a valve for closing the supply line, said system comprising:
- a closure device for operating the valve to close the supply line in response to an electronic closure signal, said closure device comprising:
- ignitable powder means for applying a torque or force;
- gear means operatively connected to said ignitable powder means for amplifying the torque or force applied by said ignitable powder means to provide an amplified torque or force for operating the valve to close the supply line, said gear means having an open state for opening the valve and a closed state for closing the valve;
- attachment means operatively attaching said gear means to the valve;
- gear setting means for setting said gear means to the open state;
- releasable latching means for releasably holding said gear means in the open state;
- and
- trigger means for igniting said powder means in response to the electronic closure signal, for releasing said latching means, to cause said gear means to close the valve.
Apparatus for regulating the flow of water or gas through a supply line for a water or gas system in a building, the supply line having flow control means for controlling the flow of water or gas through the line, said apparatus comprising:
- at least one sensor for detecting the presence of water or gas outside of the supply line indicating a leak in the water or gas system;
- transmitting means electrically connected to said sensor for transmitting a transmission signal in response to the detection of water or gas by said sensor;
- receiver means remotely located from said sensor for transmitting a responsive signal in response to receiving the transmission signal;
- an actuator operatively connected to said receiver means and remotely located from said sensor means for generating an actuating signal in response to said responsive signal;
- and
- regulating means operatively to said actuator and to the flow control means for regulating the flow control means in response to said actuating signal to reduce the water or gas flowing in the supply line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.