Valves and valve actuation – Biased trip – Electrical trip actuation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-01-09
Michalsky, Gerald A. (Department: 3753)
Valves and valve actuation
Biased trip
Electrical trip actuation
C137S078100, C137S312000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170798
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for detecting the presence of fluids, such as water, and, more particularly, is concerned with a fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus retro fitable on an existing fluid shutoff valve.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water may leak from a defective portion of a water line or from malfunctioning appliances or fixtures connected to the water line that are disposed within a building. Such leaks typically will cause considerable damage to walls, floors and ceilings of the building as well as to furnishings inside the building. It would be desirable to be able to detect the presence of water at any of a variety of locations where such leaks may occur. It further would be desirable to have a mechanism by which the passage of water through the water line may be stopped upon detection of the presence of water at certain locations.
Various devices have been developed over the years which provide detection systems. Representative examples of such prior art detection devices and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,372 to Seele, U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,000 to Cramer, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,553,481, 3,847,351 and 4,216,789 to Hasenbeck, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,403 to Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,200 to Lohoff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,647 to Sturman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,606 to Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,686 to Tom, U.S. Pat. No. 4,324,268 to Jacobson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,920 to Reiter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,562 to Davis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,143 to Krebs and U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,022 to Franklin. The Franklin patent, in particular, discloses a device which closes a valve ball when liquid, such as water, is detected by one or more sensors. While the prior art Franklin device may be satisfactory in use for the specific purpose for which it was designed, its installment would seem to require replacement and/or modification of an existing water shutoff valve and thus its use would be costly since it appears not to be retrofitable to an existing ball-type shutoff valve.
Consequently, a need remains for an innovation which will provide a more optimum solution to the aforementioned problems in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. The fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus of the present invention does not require replacement of an existing fluid shutoff valve and is retrofitable on such existing valve and relatively easy to install. Such capabilities of the fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus provide a substantially more cost-effective solution to the aforementioned problem in the prior art.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a fluid detection and shutoff actuation apparatus which comprises a rotatable plate mountable over a shaft of a shutoff valve, a linear actuator spaced from the plate, a trigger member disposed between the actuator and the plate, a fluid detector means disposed at a location or locations to be monitored, and a control mechanism connecting the fluid detector means to the actuator for activating the actuator in response to detection of fluid by the detector. The actuator is movable linearly between extended and retracted positions toward and away from the plate. The plate rotates with the shaft between first and second positions causing the shutoff valve to be respectively changed between opened and closed conditions. Biasing means imposes a biasing force on the plate so as to bias the plate to rotate from the first to second position and change the valve from the opened to closed condition. The plate has a protrusion extending outwardly from a peripheral edge thereof. The trigger member is connected to the actuator and is pivotally movable toward and away from the plate in respond to movement of the actuator between the extended and retracted positions. The trigger member has a protuberance extending outwardly therefrom toward the plate such that, in response to the actuator being moved toward and away from the trigger member between the extended and retracted positions and the trigger member therewith being pivotally moved toward and away from the plate, the protuberance moves between a blocking position in which it engages the protrusion on the plate preventing rotation of the plate and thereby retaining the valve in the opened condition and an unblocking position away from the plate in which the protuberance is disengaged from the protrusion on the plate allowing the biased rotation of the plate such that the valve is changed from the opened to closed condition.
More particularly, the linear actuator has a movable plunger movable between the extended and retracted positions. The trigger member has a pair of opposite end portions and a middle portion extending between and interconnected with the opposite end portions. The trigger member is pivotally mountable at one opposite end portion about an axis and pivotally connected at the other opposite end portion to the movable plunger of the actuator. The protuberance is attached on the middle portion of the trigger member between the opposite end portions thereof.
The plate has a central hole defined therethrough for receiving the outer end of the shaft of the shutoff valve and a plurality of locations defined on and spaced radially outwardly from the central hole of the plate and spaced circumferentially from one another. A coil spring is provided for imposing the biasing force on the plate. The coil spring is placed about the outer end of the shaft and has a pair of opposite ends. The coil spring at one opposite end is attachable to a valve body of the valve and at the other opposite end is attachable to the plate at a selected one of the locations thereon for setting a desired magnitude of the biasing force applied to the plate. More specifically, the locations are apertures defined through the plate and the other opposite end of the coil spring is attached to the plate by a pin disposed through the selected one aperture. Further, the rotatable plate has a substantially flat and circular disc-shaped configuration and the coil spring is disposable between and generally parallel to the plate and valve body.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3024372 (1962-03-01), Seele
patent: 3488000 (1970-01-01), Cramer
patent: 3553481 (1971-01-01), Hasenbeck
patent: 3847351 (1974-11-01), Hasenbeck
patent: 3874403 (1975-04-01), Fischer
patent: 4055200 (1977-10-01), Lohoff
patent: 4114647 (1978-09-01), Sturman et al.
patent: 4216789 (1980-08-01), Hasenbeck
patent: 4253606 (1981-03-01), Johnson
patent: 4297686 (1981-10-01), Tom
patent: 4324268 (1982-04-01), Jacobson
patent: 4684920 (1987-08-01), Reiter
patent: 5188143 (1993-02-01), Krebs
patent: 5240022 (1993-08-01), Franklin
patent: 5632302 (1997-05-01), Lenoir
patent: 5713387 (1998-02-01), Armenia et al.
patent: 5771916 (1998-06-01), Armenia et al.
patent: 5966076 (1999-10-01), Cantrell
Johnson Chris C.
Wende Charles A.
Flanagan John K.
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Michalsky Gerald A.
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