GB2359123A

GB2359123A - Valve with separable actuator

Info

Publication number: GB2359123A
Application number: GB0031046A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter John Hallam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-21
Filing date: 2000-12-20
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Also published as: GB0031046D0

Abstract

A valve has valve body 11, 12, closure member 23 engageable with the body 11, 12 to shut-off flow and actuator 27 engageable with the body 11, 12 and operable with the closure member 23 to open and close the valve. The closure member 23 when disengaged from the body 11, 12 and the actuator 27 are both removable from the valve body 11,12. The closure member 23 may be a plate which slides within a slot in the valve body 11, 12, and can extend from the body 11, 12 in order to engage the actuator 27, perhaps using an aperture in the closure member 23. Seals may be provided around the slot to prevent fluid leakage. The actuator 27 may be a lever, the valve body having an anchorage 22 to engage one end of the lever, and the closure member being engaged intermediate the ends of the lever. Alternatively the actuator may be a jack (90, Fig 8) engaging the closure member and being anchored to the body 11, 12. The jack (90) may be mechanical, with a threaded spindle and a spigot that moves vertically to engage and operate the closure member 23, or pneumatic or hydraulic. The valve body may be formed from two halves, champed around a pipe, one of the body sections having a hole through which a hole in the pipe is formed by trepanning forming a flow channel.

Description

2359123 1 Title - Valve Operating Mechanism and Valves Incorporating such

a Mechanism This invention relates to a valve operating mechanism, and to valves incorporating such a mechanism. The invention is particularly concerned with a mechanism for opening andfor closing a shut-off valve of a type typically used in the water distribution industry.

The installation of valves in the water distribution network, and also in waste water or sewerage systems, as well as in other applications, is commonplace. Clearly, any such valve must include a mechanism of some sort by which the valve can be opened or closed, as desired.

Known valve operating mechanisms are normally built into each valve. This has the disadvantage that the valve, incorporating the operating mechanism, is expensive and costly to manufacture. Furthermore, because the operating mechanism is commonly used only very rarely, in the lengthy periods between usages the mechanism may become corroded and as a result may become difficult or impossible to operate. This problem may be particularly severe where, as is often the case, the valve is installed in an underground chamber or the like or other damp environment.

Another disadvantage of such known valves is that, being permanently in place, the operating mechanism is susceptible to inadvertent or malicious operation, or to vandalism.

There have now been devised improvements to valve operating mechanisms and to valves incorporating such mechanisms, which overcome or substantially mitigate the above-mentioned or other disadvantages of the prior art.

Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an operating 30 mechanism for a valve having a valve body, the operating mechanism comprising a 2 closure member engageable with the valve body thereby to shut off flow of fluid through the valve and actuating means engageable with the valve body and operable to bring the closure member into and out of engagement with the valve body, wherein the closure member, when disengaged from the valve body, and the 5 actuating means are removable from the valve body.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a valve comprising a valve body, a closure member engageable with the valve body thereby to shut off flow of fluid through the valve and actuating means engageable with the valve body and operable to bring the closure member into and out of engagement with the valve body, wherein the closure member, when disengaged from the valve body, and the actuating means are removable from the valve body.

The valve operating mechanism and valve according to the invention are advantageous primarily in that the actuating means permits reliable and controlled opening and closing of the valve. The fact that the actuating means and the closure member are separate and removable from the valve body means that the actuating means need be engaged with the valve body only when the actuating means is required to be used, and does not remain in place between uses. Since the valve will commonly be installed underground, any operating mechanism permanently connected to the valve body would be subject to corrosion and resultant degradation of performance. These problems do not occur where the operating mechanism is removed between uses. Also, a single removable operating mechanism may be used with a very large number of valves, thereby leading to cost savings. Furthermore, the fact that the actuating means is removed from the valve body after the valve has been either opened or closed means that the possibility of subsequent inadvertent or malicious operation of the valve is greatly reduced.

1 3 The closure member is most preferably in the form of a closure plate. The closure plate may be of any material having suitable toughness and durability to withstand the pressures to which it will be exposed during use. Most preferably, the closure plate is of a suitable metal, eg steel.

The closure plate is most preferably engageable with the valve body with a sliding action. The closure plate most preferably slides in a slot formed in the valve body, most preferably transverse to the longitudinal axis of the valve body. Suitable seals, eg of an elastomeric material such as neoprene, are preferably provided around the periphery of the slot to prevent leakage of water or other fluid past the closure plate.

When the closure plate is completely removed from the pipe fitting, the seals around the slot serve to close and seal the slot. Once the closure plate has been removed in this way, a suitable capping member may be applied to the valve body to completely and securely close the slot and prevent escape of water under pressure from within the valve body.

To facilitate sliding movement of the closure member, the part of the closure member which extends externally of the valve body is preferably formed with suitable means for engagement by the actuating means. Such means preferably comprises an aperture in the closure member in which the actuating means is engageable.

In one embodiment of the invention, the actuating means takes the form of a lever. In such a case, the valve body is preferably formed with an anchorage in which one end of the lever is engaged, the lever being engaged intermediate its ends with the closure member. As explained above, such engagement may be by means of the lever being passed through an aperture in the closure member.

In another embodiment, the actuating means takes the form of a jack. In such a 30 case, the valve body is again formed with an anchorage for the jack and the jack is 4 engageable with the closure member. Such a jack may be a mechanical jack, eg having a threaded spindle by rotation of which the closure member may be moved. Conveniently, a spigot is mounted on the spindle so that rotation of the spindle causes the spigot to move relative to the foot of the jack. If the spigot is engaged in the closure member, rotation of the spindle thus causes the closure member to be drawn in or out of the valve body. As an alternative to a mechanical jack, a hydraulic or pneumatic jack may be employed.

The applications in which the valve according to the invention is of particular utility will generally involve pipes with bores of the order of several tens of millimetres and greater. Typically, the pipes will have bores greater than 50mm, e.g. 80mm, 1 0Omm or 120mm. For most applications, the bore will not be greater than several hundred millimetres, e.g. 60Omm or less, more commonly less than 250mm.

Whatever the nature of the actuating means, the closure member may be engaged with or disengaged from the valve body partly without the use of the actuating means. In such a case, the actuating means may be used only to start or complete the movement of the closure member.

Currently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accomp anying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a valve according to the invention, fitted to a water distribution pipe; Figure 2 is an end view of the valve of Figure 1, partly in section, with a valve closure plate completely removed from the valve; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, with the valve closure plate fully engaged with the valve; Figure 4 is a plan view of the valve closure plate used in the the valve of Figures 1 5 to 3; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing an actuating lever engaged with the closure plate and the valve; Figure 6 illustrates the use of the actuating lever to disengage the valve closure plate from the valve, thereby opening the valve; Figure 7 is a side view, partly in section, of a second embodiment of a valve in accordance with the invention, this embodiment having an actuating mechanism in 15 the form of a jack, the valve being shown in a closed condition; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, but with the valve in an open condition; Figure 9 is a plan view of the valve of Figures 7 and 8, with the jack removed; and Figure 10 shows a valve closure plate used in the valve of Figures 7 to 9, on an enlarged scale.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 6, in a first embodiment of a valve according to the invention, a valve body is formed by a pair of generally hemispherical body elements 11,12 that are fitted around a water main 5. The body elements 11,12 have lateral flanges 13,14, each with three aligned bores to receive bolts 15 b y which the body elements 11,12 are tightened into engagement with the main 5. The body elements 11, 12 are formed with hollow, cyll ndrical upstands 16,17. The terminal portions of the 6 upstands 16,17 may be internally or externally threaded to permit connection to other equipment, eg a fire hydrant or the like.

As can be seen in Figure 2, an opening 18 has been cut in the main 5 by a suitable trepanning device introduced through the upstand 16 in the upper body element 11. A lateral slot 19 is formed in the side of the upstand 16, the slot opening into an annular groove formed around the inner wall of the upstand 16. The groove is lined with a pair of elastomeric gaskets 21 which between them receive a closure plate 20 (see Figures 3 and 4) in the manner described below. Bolted to the side of the upstand 16 is a lever anchorage 22 which has a slot aligned with the slot 19 and the lower edge of which is upturned to define a fulcrum for a lever 27 (see Figures 5 and 6) used as described below.

The closure plate 20 comprises a flat steel plate 23 having a radiussed lower end, the radius corresponding to that of the groove in the upstand 16. The other end of the closure plate 20 is formed with a moulded handle 24 having a central opening 25. A further opening 26 is formed in the plate 23, the further opening 26 serving for engagement with the lever 27. The closure plate 20 can be inserted via the slot 19 and pressed inwards until its radiussed end seats in the groove in the upstand 16. In this condition the closure plate 20 is held between the gaskets 21 and closes off the opening 18 in the main 5. When the closure plate 20 is fully inserted in this manner, the further opening 26 is disposed directly above the fulcrum defined by the lower edge of the lever anchorage 22.

When it is desired to open the valve, eg to connect the main 5 to whatever equipment is connected to the upstand 16 (eg a fire hydrant or the like), the lever 27 is passed through the further opening 26 in the closure plate 20 and engaged in the fulcrum in the lever anchorage 22. By drawing the lever 27 to the right (as viewed in Figure 5), the closure plate 20 can be withdrawn. Without the use of the lever 27, although the closure plate 20 could be grasped by the handle 24, it would be difficult to exert 7 sufficient force to overcome the pressure of water exerted on the closure plate 20 by water in the main 5. It would be particularly difficult to withdraw the closure plate 20 in a controlled manner which avoided a sudden surge in pressure. However, one the closure plate 20 has been moved a certain distance, eg to the position shown in Figure 6, it may then be possible to complete withdrawal of the closure plate 20 without the aid of the lever 27.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 10, a second embodiment of a valve according to the invention (generally designated 31) is cast as a unitary component in ductile iron. It comprises a body 32 of generally tubular form, the body 32 having at each end thereof an annular flange 33,34 for attachment to adjacent components. The flanges 33,34 are formed with spaced apart holes (not visible in the drawings) through which threaded bolts can be passed.

The central part 32a of the body 32 is enlarged relative to the rest of the body and receives in use a closure plate 36, in a manner described more fully below.

A plate 45 is bolted to the top of the enlarged central part of the body 32. The plate 45 is formed with a slot 46 through which the closure plate 36 can be inserted, and with a cut-out 47 which serves for location of a jack, as described below. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable anchoring point for the jack may be provided, eg suitable formations may be formed integrally with the valve 31.

As can be seen in Figures 7 and 8, the valve 31 has a circular bore 39 which is dimensioned appropriately for use of the valve 31 with a particular diameter of mains pipe. In the enlarged central part 32a of the body 32 a slot 40 (aligned with the slot 46 in the plate 45) extends from the top of the valve 31 into a peripheral annular groove 41 formed in the internal wall of the bore 39. A pair of gaskets 42,43, of neoprene or similar material, are fitted into that groove 41.

8 The valve 31 is used with the closure plate 36 which is shown in Figure 4. The closure plate 36 comprises a flat steel plate 51 having a radiussed lower end, the radius corresponding to that of the groove 41. The upper end of the closure plate 36 is formed with a moulded handle 53 having a central opening 54. The closure plate 36 can be inserted via the slots 40 and 46 through the top of the valve 31 and pressed downwards until its lower end seats in the groove 41. In this condition the closure plate 36 is held between the gaskets 42,43 and separates one end of the valve 31 from the other.

The closure plate 36 can be raised or lowered by means of a jack 90. With the closure plate 36 in the closed (lowered) position, as shown in Figure 1, the jack 90 is engaged with the cut-out 47 in the plate 45. Grooves (not visible in the drawings) in the foot of the jack 90 provide for positive engagement of the jack 90 with the plate 45. The jack 90 comprises a pair of telescopic components 91,92, the upper one of which 92 is mounted on a threaded spindle 93 such that rotation of the spindle 93 causes relative movement of the two components 91,92. A spigot 94 extends from the upper component 92 through the opening 54 in the handle 53 of the closure plate 36. Manual rotation of the spindle 93 thus causes the closure plate 36 to be raised to the open position shown in Figure 2. Rotation of the spindle 93 in the other sense drives the closure plate 36 back to the Figure 1 position.

Use of the jack 90 enables controlled opening and closing of the valve 31. Hitherto, valves of this type have been restricted in size because of the difficulty of inserting and extracting the valve closure plate 36, particularly at the final closing position and the initial opening position. This difficulty is caused by the pressure of water exerting too much force on the closure plate 36.

Once the valve 31 has been either opened or closed using the jack 90, the jack 90 is simply removed.

9 It will be appreciated, that although the invention has been particularly described with reference to the illustrated embodiments, numerous variations are possible without deviating from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A valve comprising a valve body, a closure member engageable with the valve body thereby to shut off flow of fluid through the valve and actuating means engageable with the valve body and operable to bring the closure member into and out of engagement with the valve body, wherein the closure member, when disengaged from the valve body, and the actuating means are removable from the valve body.

2. A valve as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the closure member is in the form of a closure plate.

3. A valve as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the closure plate is engageable with the valve body with a sliding action.

4. A valve as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the closure plate slides in a slot formed in the valve body.

5. A valve as claimed in Claim 4, wherein seals of an elastomeric material are provided around the periphery of the slot to prevent leakage of water or other fluid past the closure plate.

6. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a part of the closure member which extends externally of the valve body is formed with means for 25 engagement by the actuating means.

7. A valve as claimed in Claim 6, wherein said means for engagement by the actuating means comprises an aperture in the closure member.

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8. A valve as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuating means takes the form of a lever.

9. A valve as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the valve body is formed with an anchorage in which one end of the lever is engaged, the lever being engaged intermediate its ends with the closure member.

10. A valve as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the actuating means takes the form of a jack.

11. A valve as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the valve body is formed with an anchorage for the jack and the jack is engageable with the closure member.

12. A valve as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein the jack is a mechanical jack.

13. A valve as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the jack has a threaded spindle by rotation of which the closure member may be moved.

14. A valve as claimed in Claim 13, wherein a spigot is mounted on the spindle so that rotation of the spindle causes the spigot to move relative to the foot of the jack, such that if the spigot is engaged in the closure member rotation of the spindle causes the closure member to be drawn in or out of the valve body.

15. A valve as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, wherein the jack is a hydraulic or pneumatic jack.

16. An operating mechanism for a valve having a valve body, the operating mechanism comprising a closure member engageable with the valve body thereby to 30 shut off flow of fluid through the valve and actuating means engageable with the valve 12 body and operable to bring the closure member into and out of engagement with the valve body, wherein the closure member, when disengaged from the valve body, and the actuating means are removable from the valve body.

17. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 16, wherein the closure member is in the form of a closure plate.

18. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 17, wherein the closure plate is 10 engageable with the valve body with a sliding action.

19. An operating mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 16 to 18, wherein a part of the closure member which extends externally of the valve body is formed with means for engagement by the actuating means.

20. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 19, wherein said means for engagement by the actuating means comprises an aperture in the closure member.

21. An operating mechanismm as claimed in any one of Claims 16 to 20, wherein 20 the actuating means takes the form of a lever.

22. An operating mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 16 to 20, wherein the actuating means takes the form of a jack.

23. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 22, wherein the jack is a mechanical jack.

24. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 23, wherein the jack has a threaded spindle by rotation of which the closure member may be moved.

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25. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 24, wherein a spigot is mounted on the spindle so that rotation of the spindle causes the spigot to move relative to the foot of the jack, such that if the spigot is engaged in the closure member rotation of the spindle causes the closure member to be drawn in or out of the valve body.

26. An operating mechanism as claimed in Claim 22, wherein the jack is a hydraulic or pneumatic jack.

27. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the 10 accompanying Figures 1 to 6.

28. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying Figures 7 to 10.