Dry break valve assembly

In a system including a fluid source and a fluid destination, a valve assembly disposed between the fluid source and the fluid destination for facilitating a transfer of fluid between the fluid source and the fluid destination such that leakage of the fluid is minimized when the valve assembly is disassembled, the valve assembly comprising:

• a housing including a source housing and a destination housing, wherein a coupler releasably engages the source housing with the destination housing;
• a source flow control assembly including a source resilient member disposed within the source housing, wherein the source flow control assembly controls the transfer of the fluid through the source housing, and wherein the source flow control assembly further comprises:
• a valve gate having a tapered edge for engaging with a valve seat of a fitting member, wherein the valve gate has a bore for receiving a driver connected to the actuating mechanism and wherein the valve gate connects with the at least one displacement shaft;
• a guide disposed within the source housing against a ridge of the source housing, the ridge providing structural support for the guide and the valve gate, wherein the source resilient member is disposed between the guide and the valve gate and exerts a force against the valve gate when the valve gate is in the open position;
• and
• a hollow shaft connecting the valve gate with the guide, wherein the hollow shaft is connected to the bore such that the driver slidably passes through the hollow shaft and the bore of the valve gate;
• a destination flow control assembly including a destination resilient member disposed within the destination housing, wherein the destination flow control assembly controls the transfer of the fluid through the destination housing;
• an actuating lever operably connected with the housing;
• an actuating mechanism operably connected with the actuating lever, wherein the actuating mechanism includes a driver and at least one displacement shaft, the at least one displacement shaft connected with the source flow control assembly, wherein the driver and the at least one displacement shaft cause the destination flow control assembly and the source flow control assembly to open at substantially the same time when the actuating lever is rotated, and wherein the source flow control assembly and the destination flow control assembly close when the source housing separates from the destination housing.

In a system including a fluid source and a fluid destination, a valve assembly disposed between the fluid source and the fluid destination for facilitating a transfer of fluid between the fluid source and the fluid destination such that leakage of the fluid is minimized when the valve assembly is disassembled, the valve assembly comprising:

• a housing including a source housing and a destination housing, wherein a coupler releasably engages the source housing with the destination housing;
• a source flow control assembly including a source resilient member disposed within the source housing, wherein the source flow control assembly controls the transfer of the fluid through the source housing;
• a destination flow control assembly including a destination resilient member disposed within the destination housing, wherein the destination flow control assembly controls the transfer of the fluid through the destination housing, and wherein the destination flow control assembly further comprises a valve gate having a tapered edge for engaging with a valve seat of a sealing member, the sealing member included in the destination housing, wherein the valve gate includes:
• a guide disposed within the destination housing against a ridge of the destination housing, the ridge providing support for the guide and the valve gate, wherein the destination resilient member is disposed between the guide and the valve gate and exerts a retraction force against the valve gate when the valve gate is in the open position such that the actuating mechanism is locked in the open position by the retraction force;
• and a solid member connecting the guide and the valve gate, wherein the destination resilient member is disposed along the solid member;
• an actuating lever operably connected with the housing;
• and
• an actuating mechanism operably connected with the actuating lever, wherein the actuating mechanism includes a driver and at least one displacement shaft, the at least one displacement shaft connected with the source flow control assembly, wherein the driver and the at least one displacement shaft cause the destination flow control assembly and the source flow control assembly to open at substantially the same time when the actuating lever is rotated, and wherein the source flow control assembly and the destination flow control assembly close when the source housing separates from the destination housing;
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism.

A valve assembly for use in managing flow between a fluid source and a fluid destination, the valve assembly comprising:

• a source housing having a source flow control assembly substantially disposed within the source housing;
• a destination housing having a destination flow control assembly substantially disposed within the destination housing;
• means for releasably joining the source housing and the destination housing;
• and
• means for activating an actuating mechanism, wherein the activating of the actuating mechanism at least indirectly causes the actuating mechanism to displace at substantially the same time the source flow control assembly and the destination flow control assembly in an open position, establishing fluid communication between the fluid source and the fluid destination;
• and
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism.

A valve assembly for use in managing flow between a fluid source and a fluid destination, the valve assembly comprising:

• a source housing having a source flow control assembly substantially disposed within the source housing, and the source flow control assembly comprising:
• a valve gate having a tapered edge for engaging with a valve seat of a fitting member such that the source housing does not leak when the valve gate sits in the valve seat, wherein the valve gate has a bore for receiving a driver connected to the actuating mechanism;
• a guide disposed within the source housing against a ridge of the source housing, the ridge providing structural support for the guide and the valve gate, wherein the source resilient member is disposed between the guide and the valve gate and exerts a force against the valve gate when the valve gate is in the open position;
• and
• a hollow shaft connecting the valve gate with the guide, wherein the hollow shaft is connected to the bore such that the driver slidably passes through the hollow shaft and the bore of the valve gate;
• a destination housing having a destination flow control assembly substantially disposed within the destination housing;
• means for releasably joining the source housing and the destination housing;
• and
• means for activating an actuating mechanism, wherein the activating of the actuating mechanism at least indirectly causes the actuating mechanism to displace at substantially the same time the source flow control assembly and the destination flow control assembly in an open position, establishing fluid communication between the fluid source and the fluid destination.

A valve assembly for use in managing flow between a fluid source and a fluid destination, the valve assembly comprising:

• a source housing having a source flow control assembly substantially disposed within the source housing;
• a destination housing having a destination flow control assembly substantially disposed within the destination housing, the destination flow control assembly comprising:
• a valve gate having a tapered edge for engaging with a valve seat of a sealing member such that the destination housing does not leak when the valve gate sits in the valve seat, the sealing member included in the destination housing;
• a guide disposed within the destination housing against a ridge of the destination housing, the ridge providing support for the guide and the valve gate;
• a destination resilient member disposed between the guide and the valve gate wherein the destination resilient member exerts a retraction force against the valve gate when the valve gate is in the open position such that the actuating mechanism is locked in the open position by the retraction force;
• and
• a solid member connecting the guide and the valve gate, wherein the destination resilient member is disposed along the solid member;
• means for releasably joining the source housing and the destination housing;
• and
• means for activating an actuating mechanism, wherein the activating of the actuating mechanism at least indirectly causes the actuating mechanism to displace at substantially the same time the source flow control assembly and the destination flow control assembly in an open position, establishing fluid communication between the fluid source and the fluid destination;
• and
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism.

In a fluid transfer system including a fluid source and a fluid destination, a valve assembly being disposed between the fluid source and fluid destination, the valve assembly comprising:

• a housing including a source housing and a destination housing, wherein a source flow control assembly is substantially disposed within the source housing and wherein a destination flow control is substantially disposed within the destination housing;
• a coupler having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the coupler releasably joins the source housing and the destination housing;
• a collar connecting the first portion with the second portion;
• and
• an actuating mechanism disposed within the housing for automatically checking fluid flow between the source housing and the destination housing, said actuating mechanism configured to automatically lock in an overextended position when fully opened.

A valve assembly for use in managing fluid flow between a fluid source and a fluid destination, the valve assembly comprising:

• an actuating lever;
• an actuating mechanism operably connected to said actuating lever;
• a source housing having a source flow control member substantially disposed within the source housing, wherein the source flow control member is operably connected to the actuating mechanism;
• a destination housing having a destination flow control member substantially disposed within the destination housing, wherein the destination flow control member is disposed in operative relation to the actuating mechanism;
• and
• a coupler disposed between the source housing and the destination housing for releasably joining the source housing and the destination housing, the coupler further comprising a collar engaged about the coupler, wherein the collar includes a breakable link assembly which maintains the collar securely engaged about the coupler;
• wherein a force applied to the actuating lever at least indirectly causes the actuating mechanism to displace the source flow control member and the destination flow control member in an open position at substantially the same time, so as to facilitate establishment of fluid communication between the fluid source and the fluid destination, and wherein the destination flow control member exerts a retention force on the actuating mechanism when the source flow control member and the destination flow control member are displaced in the open position, the retention force causing the actuating mechanism to automatically lock in an overextended open position, and wherein the source flow control member and the destination flow control member automatically close at substantially the same time when the retention force is removed,
• wherein the breakable link assembly is configured to support a predetermined force, wherein application of force that exceeds the predetermined force causes the breakable link assembly to fail, wherein the collar is released from secure engagement from the coupler such that source housing is automatically separated from the destination housing;
• and
• wherein the separation of the source housing and the destination housing occurs at substantially the same time as the closing of the source flow control member and the destination flow control member.

A valve assembly suitable for use in facilitating fluid flow management, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively, said first and second flow control assemblies each further comprising a valve gate biased into a predetermined position by a corresponding resilient member;
• an actuating mechanism operably connected with the first and second flow control assemblies and substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage;
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism;
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the actuating mechanism.

A valve assembly suitable for use in facilitating fluid flow management, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively;
• an actuating mechanism operably connected with the first and second flow control assemblies and substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage;
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism:
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the actuating mechanisms, wherein the first and second flow control assemblies are each biased into a predetermined position when the first and second housing portions are not joined together by the coupling.

A valve assembly suitable for use in facilitating fluid flow management, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively;
• an actuating mechanism operably connected with the first and second flow control assemblies and substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage;
• means for automatically locking said actuating mechanism in an overextended position upon full engagement of said actuating mechanism;
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the actuating mechanisms, wherein the first and second flow control assemblies are configured and arranged for substantially simultaneous motion in opposite directions.

A valve assembly suitable for use in managing fluid flow, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together by a coupling, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively;
• an actuating mechanism configured to automatically lock in an overextended position substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage, and the actuating mechanism comprising:
• a cam mechanism;
• at least one displacement shaft connected to the cam mechanism, the at least one displacement shaft being operably connected with the first flow control assembly;
• a driver connected to the cam mechanism, the driver being arranged for operational contact with the second flow control assembly;
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the cam mechanism.

A valve assembly suitable for use in managing fluid flow, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together by a coupling, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively;
• an actuating mechanism configured to automatically lock in an overextended position and operably connected with the first and second flow control assemblies and substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage;
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the actuating mechanism, wherein the actuating mechanism causes the first and second flow control assemblies to automatically assume a closed position upon removal of the coupling.

A valve assembly suitable for use in managing fluid flow, the valve assembly comprising:

• first and second housing portions configured to be releasably joined together by a coupling, the first and second housing portions collectively defining at least one fluid flow passage when joined together;
• first and second flow control assemblies disposed within the first and second housing portions, respectively;
• an actuating mechanism configured to automatically lock in an overextended position and operably connected with the first and second flow control assemblies and substantially disposed in the at least one fluid flow passage;
• and
• an actuating lever operably connected with the actuating mechanism, wherein at least one of the first and second flow control assemblies exerts a retention force on the actuating mechanism when the first and second flow control assemblies are in an open position.