GB2233068A

GB2233068A - A direct pressure regulator type which is responsive to fluid pressure

Info

Publication number: GB2233068A
Application number: GB9004712A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rong-Chao Chuang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-03
Filing date: 1990-03-02
Publication date: 1991-01-02
Also published as: GB9004712D0

Abstract

A direct pressure regulator, which is responsive to fluid pressure, comprises a valve disc biassed by fluid pressure against a valve seat formed around an outlet port of a valve body (50). The valve disc is moved by a cam mechanism (30) which drives a bell crank (20) pivotally mounted in the body (50), one arm of the crank contacting the cam surface, while the other arm is connected to the disc. The control of the cam mechanism (30) includes a timer. The valve may be moved from a fully opened to a fully closed position and all intermediate positions therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

A DIRECT PRESSURE REGULATOR WHICH IS RESPONSIVE TO FLUID PRESSURE The invention relates to a direct pressure regulator which is responsive to fluid pressure.

Such a regulator can be normally shut with fluid pressure and can be especially suitable to be installed in a natural gas pipe in the low pressure end of a piping system.

The valve for shutting off gas flow disclosed in my United States Patent 4,787,416 permits natural gas therein to flow through the inlet of the valve to enter a transition space at a nozzle, and pass into paths of the controlling valve by way of an exit of the transition space. In this valve the flow ways in the valve are not only narrow but not direct and this has the effect of reducing the flow. This reduces the pressure of the flow in some degree to diminish the flame on the gas fixture when the gas flows through the valve. The gas fixtures of the users, with connecting pipes to the low pressure ends of the natural gas piping systems, can scarcely get the gas at a peak use time such as in the evening when every family is cooking dinner.

According to the invention there is provided a direct pressure regulator which is responsive to fluid pressure comprising: a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port through which fluid may flow, the valve body further having a first vertical column and a second parallel vertical column; a shaft passing through the first vertical column, the shaft having a first end extending upwardly from the column and a second end extending downwardly from the vertical column; the second end of the shaft further extending through a first plate spaced apart from a second plate; a timer disposed between the first and second plate and connected to the shaft; a cam keyed to the first end of the shaft; a bell crank having a first arm and a second arm, the bell crank pivotally mounted on the second column, the first arm of the bell crank engaging the cam; a valve mechanism disposed in the outlet port, the valve mechanism having a transverse slot therein; and the slot in the valve mechanism receiving the second arm of the bell crank such that movement of the cam transmits movement to the bell crank, which in turn, transmits movement to the valve mechanism permitting the valve to move from a fully open to a fully closed position and all intermediate points therebetween.

Such a valve can be responsive to fluid pressure and can be particularly suitable to be fitted in ends of the natural gas piping systems or in a piping system possessing weak fluid pressure.

It can be adjustable freely with opening of a valve disc according to the length of the bell crank arm or to the depth of the cam slot of a cam mechanism to keep the pressure of gas flow constant.

Thus the cam slot of the cam mechanism, receives the rocker arm and can transmit movement to the valve with minimal loss of energy to provide improved accuracy and stability.

The rocker arm can be received by the valve disc and the valve moved by the rocker arm accurately without rotation.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top transverse view for the first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation view of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a top transverse view for the second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a top transverse view for the third embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation view of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the rocker arm of the third embodiment; Figure 8 is a partial enlarged detail of the rocker arm; Figure 9 is a partial top exploded sectional view for the fourth embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 is a partial exploded side view of Figure 9; and Figure 11 is a partial exploded side view of USA patent 4,787,416.

Referring to the drawings, the valve of direct passage type comprises a valve disco 10 automatically shut with fluid pressure, a rocker set 20 which pulls the valve disc 10 open, and a cam mechanism 30 which controls the rocker arm 20 oscillation. The cam mechanism 30 can be switched by external force, for example, manual turning or a spring of a timer. Generally, the cam mechanism 30, u=.en turned oway from an original portion by external forces will countdown and revert gradually to stop. The original position of the cam mechanism 30 is also the position in which the passage is shut b.N- the valve disc 10. According, the valve disc 10, the rocker arm 20 and the cam mechanism 30 have an interrelation which will be described later.

The first embodiment (FIG. l to 3) has a valve body 50 which includes: an inlet port 51, an outlet port 52, a valve chamber 53, a first column 54, a second column 55 and a pipe joint 55, wherein. the valve disc 10 is mounted on the outlet port 52 (FIG. 2, 3), and also comprises; a main plate 11, a packing 12, a valve stem 13, a spring 14, a washer 15, a C-type retainer 15, a valve seat 17, an O-ring 18 and a stem guide 19. The stem guide 19 has at least two arms and a hub with an opening in the hub.The valve stem 13 is preformed with the main plate 11, and extends through the outlet port 52, the valve seat 17 and the stem guide 19 to be held in series with the spring 14, the washer 15 and the C-type retainer is. Therefor, the valve stem 13 is retained with the stem guide 19 to shut the outlet port 52 normally according to the direction of fluid flow. The stem guide 19 is attached to the valve body 50 with the pipe joint 56 screwed forward to the inner thread of the outlet port 52. An eye plate 110 protrudes forwardly from the front side of the main plate 11. A slot 111 is formed transversely across the main plate 11.

The rocker set 20 is composed of a rocker (bell crank) 21, a washer 22 and a screw 23 which fixes the rocker set 20 upon the first column 54, wherein, the rocker arm 21 has a first arm portion 210 and a second arm portion 211. The end of the first arm portion 210 is bifurcated having a notch 2100 therein (FIG. 8) with a curved inner edge 2101. The end of the first arm portion 210 is received into the slot 111 of the eye plate 110 and pivoted therein by a pin 112. The end of the second arm portion 211 has a hook shape 2110 and is received in cam slot 310 of the cam mechanism 30.

A cam 31 is keyed with a timer 40 by a washer 32 and a nut 33 on a transporting shaft 41 of the timer 40 which extends upwardly through the second column 55 and is held closely sely by a washer 42, and two 0-rings 43, 44 respectively. The timer 40 is connected beneath the valve body 50 bg a fixed panel 49. The lower portion 45 of the transporting shaft 41 extends out of the fixed panel 49 to be adjusted. Preferably, it is possible for the cam mechanism 30 to be switched by an external force.

Thus, the second arm portion 211 of the rocker arm 21 leaves from the cam slot 310 and opens the valve disc 10.

Since the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 211 are connected on the same plane (FIG. 2, 31, the movement of, and the extent of movement of the main plate 11 are proportional to the depth of the cam slot 310. Thereby, the depth can be modified in accordance with practical necessities. In this manner, the valve may be moved from a fully opened to a fully closed position and all intermediate points.

The second embodiment has the same structure as the first embodiment substantially (FIG. 41. However the length of the first arm portion 210 is double, and so, if the second arm portion 211 moves one unit in depth, the first arm portion 210 will moved two units in distance.

It means the range for the opening is double and the resistance of the fluid is less. Alternately, the rocker set of the third embodiment is in a form in which the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 211 are on two different planes respectively (FIG. 5 to 7). The first arm portion 210 is installed in the valve chamber 53, and the second arm portion 211 is installed in a timer chamber 48. A connecting shaft 23 connects the first arm portion 210 and the second arm portion 211 at the two ends of the shaft 23 (FIG. 6). for airtight purpose, an 0-ring 22A is attached below the first arm portion 210, and a washer 42, and an 0-ring 44 is disposed above the second arm portion 211.In this manner the rocker arm 21 which has two arm portions installed in different chambers still performs the same function with the cam mechanism 30 and the main disc 11 as in the above embodiments.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, a rocker set 20A is actuated indirectly (FIG. 9. 10). It includes: a main body 21A and a pivot 23A, wherein, the main body 21A has a pivotal portion 21B. a first protrudent arm 210A and a second protrudent arm 211A positioned in the same direction and on the same side with the first arm 210A.

The elbow portion of the first protrudent arm 210A touches an outer side of a rectangular slot llOA connected with a protrudent shaft 110 of the main plate 11. The second protrudent arm 211A is received in the cam slot 310. The rectangular slot llOA longitudins forms a long hole llOB to allow the can 31 to be fixed with a camshaft 41 which extends through the hole.

Accordingly, the camshaft 41 extends across the protrudent shaft 110 and both achieve the purposes as in the above embodiments.

The second arm 211A will not be received by the cam slot 310 and will communicate the cam profile when the cam 30 is turned counterclockwise by an external force.

Hence, the main body 21A will move counterclockwise to open the main plate 11 by the first arm 210A pushing the outer side of the rectangular slot llOA outwardly.

For practical purposes, a camshaft of the cam mechanism 30 can be effected by connection with the transporting shaft 41 of the timer 40 and driven simultaneously by turning the timer 40, Alternately, the camshaft may extend outwardly to be driven directly with a switch, thereby providing an ON-OFF selective function.

When the cam mechanism 30 is set to work, the cam 31 is always rotated by external force, thereby pushing the second arm portion 211 causing it to leave the cam slot 310 and move counterclockwise. In this way, the first arm portion 210 will move too and pull the valve disc 10 forwardly to open the valve disc 10 to intermediate positions as determined by the movement of the cam.

Furthermore, the cam 31 will revert to the original position in present time. if the cam 31 is installed with the timer 40. Thus, the second arm portion 211 is reintroduced into the cam slot 310 and shuts the valve disc 10 off.

Referring to the drawings1 as the installed direction of the valve disc 10 and the installed situation of the spring 14 are according to the direction of fluid pressure therein, the valve disc 10 can not be open when abnormal high pressure occurs at the inlet port 51.

Preferably the pin 112 and the rocker arm 20 may be changed in size (e.g. may be scaled larger or smaller), Whenever the fluid pressure becomes greater than 1 kg/cm, the rocker arm 20 will be moved automatically to as not to open the valve disc 10 and provide better safety in use,

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A direct pressure regulator which is responsive to fluid pressure comprising: a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port through which fluid may flow, the valve body further having a first vertical column and a second parallel vertical column a shaft passing through the first vertical column, the shaft having a first end extending upwardly fron the column and a second end extending downwardly from the vertical column; the second end of the shaft further extending through a first plate spaced apart from a second plate; a timer disposed between the first and second plate and connected to the shaft; a cam keyed to the first end of the shaft; a bell crank having a first arm and a second arm, the bell crank pivotally mounted on the second column, the first arm of the bell crank engaging the cam;; a valve mechanism disposed in the outlet port, the valve mechanism having a transverse slot therein; and the slot in the valve mechanism receiving the second arm of the bell crank such that movement of the cam transmits movement to the bell crank, which in turn, transmits movement to the valve mechanism permitting the valve to move from a fully open to a fully closed position and all intermediate points therebetween,
2.A regulator according to claim 1,wherein the valve mechanism has a valve plate, the valve plate having a valve stem extending outwardly therefrom, the stem having a end thereon; a circular valve seat mounted about the valve stem, the valve seat communicating with the outlet port; a stem guide having at least two arms and a hub, the hub of the stem guide having an opening therein through which the valve stem extends; a spring encircling the valve stem; means for securing the spring to the end of the valve stem; the valve plate having a transverse aloft therein, the second arm of the bell crank being received in the transverse slot and preventing rotational movement of the valve disc; an eye plate protruding from the valve plate and extending in the direction of the bell crank, the eye plate having an opening therein;; a pin being received in the opening in the opening in the eye plate; the second arm of the bell crank being bifurcated and mounted on the pin which is in the opening in the eye plate such that the second arm of the bell crank may pivot thereon; and such that movement of the bell crank causes movement of the valve disc to open and close the valve mechanism in the outlet port.
3. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the first arm of the bell crank is longer than the second arm of the bell crank.
4. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the first arm of the bell crank is in the same plane as the second arm of the bell crank.
5. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the first arm of the bell crank is in a different plane to the second arm of the bell crank.
6. A direct pressure regulator which is responsive to fluid pressure comprising: a valve body having an inlet port and an outlet port through which fluid may flow, the outlet port having a diameter; a cam mechanism mounted between the inlet port and the outlet port; a pivoted bell crank in the valve body and having a first arm and a second arm, the first arm engaging the cam.
7. A direct pressure regulator substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to any of Figures 1 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.