Valves and valve actuation – Fluid actuated or retarded – Flexible wall expansible chamber reciprocating valve actuator
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-12
2001-11-06
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Valves and valve actuation
Fluid actuated or retarded
Flexible wall expansible chamber reciprocating valve actuator
C251S061200, C251S326000, C251S193000, C137S510000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06311949
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an apparatus for a water gate which is adapted to open and close a small water gate of water gates for stopping and running flowing water in rivers and irrigation canals.
BACKGROUND ART
Recent apparatuses for operating a small water gate are of various types such as,
A) a type in which threads are cut on an operating rod, and a female screw fitted on the operating rod is turned by a drive mechanism, by which the operating rod is moved upward or downward,
B) a type in which an operating rod is formed into a rack formed integrally by two steel bars having a rectangular cross section and a large number of pins connecting these two steel bars to each other, and a gear engaging with the rack is turned by a drive mechanism, by which the operating rod is moved upward or downward, and
C) a type in which an operating rod is connected to a piston of a reciprocating hydraulic jack, and the sucking and discharging operations of hydraulic oil are performed, by which the operating rod is moved upward or downward. Therefore, various kinds of apparatuses have been put to practical use.
However, these types of conventional apparatuses for operating a water gate not only are complicated in structure and high in equipment cost but also require much time and cost in daily check, lubrication, etc., which leads to a heavy burden on the installer.
Also, lubricating oil and hydraulic oil on a screw face and at parts of the mechanism drop into the water and contaminate the environment, which causes a bad reputation for the inhabitants of the neighborhood.
Further, the hydraulic jack type of item C) has a drawback in that the hydraulic jack becomes extremely expensive with an increase in the travel distance of operating rod.
In addition, when a door is lowered by gravity for the need of control, a further complicated mechanism must be added to perform speed control, which presents a problem of higher equipment cost.
The present invention has been made to solve the above problems with the conventional apparatus. Accordingly, an object thereof is to provide an apparatus for operating a water gate, in which air, which is inexpensive and has no fear of contaminating the environment, is used. Moreover, an operating rod is driven by the pressure of the air sent into air bags not by a conventional mechanism of air jack, so that it is possible to simplify the construction of the apparatus greatly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for operating a water gate, having a door of the water gate provided in a water channel to run and stop water and means for vertically operating the door. The apparatus comprises: a pressure receiving plate fixed to the door via an operating rod; a guide portion for guiding the vertical movement of the pressure receiving plate; upper and lower air bags provided on the upper and lower sides of the pressure receiving plate, respectively; an air compressor for sending air into each of the upper and lower air bags; and a change-over valve and a flow rate regulating valve which are provided between the upper and lower air bags and the air compressor and which are adapted to switch and regulate the air sent into the upper and lower air bags. Compressed air is sent into either of the air bags to move the pressure receiving plate so as to move the door vertically, whereby the door is opened or closed.
Also, the present invention provides an apparatus for operating a water gate, having a door of the water gate provided in a water channel to run and stop water and means for vertically operating the door. The apparatus comprises: a pressure receiving plate fixed to the door via an operating rod; a guide portion for guiding the vertical movement of the pressure receiving plate; upper and lower air bags provided on the upper and lower sides of the pressure receiving plate, respectively; an air compressor for sending air into each of the upper and lower air bags through an air feed pipe and a flow rate regulating valve; a discharging flow rate regulating valve for discharging air from the upper and lower air bags; and a four-way change-over valve which is provided between the upper and lower air bags and the air compressor, flow rate regulating valve, and discharging flow rate regulating valve and which is adapted to switch the air sent into the upper and lower air bags. Compressed air is sent into the lower air bag using the air compressor by operating the four-way change-over valve to move the pressure receiving plate, whereby the door is raised. Compressed air is sent into the upper air bag by switching the four-way change-over valve to move the pressure receiving plate, whereby the door is lowered. The four-way change-over valve is set at a neutral position, and a shutoff valve provided in an air feed pipe for the lower air bag is closed, whereby the door is held at a predetermined position. Thus, the door is opened or closed.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, each of the upper and lower air bags provided on the upper and lower sides of the pressure receiving plate consists of a plurality of unit bags. The unit bags are stacked by interposing and bonding a shape holding plate between the unit bags, and unit bags are connected to each other by an air hole, whereby the shape holding performance of air bag is improved.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, the upper air bag provided on the upper side of the pressure receiving plate is reinforced by a reinforcing rib so that the transverse shape thereof is not deformed greatly by a negative pressure. A manual valve for suction provided with an air intake portion is connected to the upper air bag through an air feed pipe with a large diameter.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, the upper air bag provided on the upper side of the pressure receiving plate is reinforced by a reinforcing rib so that the transverse shape thereof is not deformed greatly by a negative pressure. The upper and lower air bags are connected to each other by a bypass-pipe having a flow rate regulating valve and a shutoff valve at intermediate positions.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, a pin is inserted in the operating rod for connecting the door to the pressure receiving plate to support the pin at a predetermined position of an operating rod guide portion. The shutoff valve provided in the air feed pipe for the lower air bag is closed to hold the door so as to prevent the door from lowering under gravity.
When the door is to be lowered by gravity, the four-way change-over valve is set at a door lowering position, the pin is pulled out of the operating rod, the manual valve for suction is opened, and then the shutoff valve provided in the air feed pipe for the lower air bag is opened to lower the door by gravity.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, a pin is inserted in the operating rod for connecting the door to the pressure receiving plate to support the pin at a predetermined position of an operating rod guide portion. The shutoff valve provided in the air feed pipe for the lower air bag is closed to hold the door so as to prevent the door from lowering under gravity. When the door is to be lowered by gravity, the pin is pulled out of the operating rod, and the shutoff valve in the bypass pipe is opened.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, by sufficiently enlarging the area of the pressure receiving plate, the pressure of compressed air used is set at about 1 kgf/cm
2
or lower, whereby a change in volume of compressed air caused by a change in pressure is made as small as possible.
In the apparatus for operating a water gate in accordance with the present invention, the air compressor is additionally provided with a tank, and compressed air stored in the tank b
Iida Akio
Iida Yoshio
Bonderer D A
Shaver Kevin
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
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