AU2007203450B2 - Valve for liquefied gas conditioning package - Google Patents

Abstract

The connecting tap comprises a body (1) able to be mounted on the package (2). It comprises, in the outlet, quick connecting means (5) with the facility. The tap comprises an upstream chamber (28) in communication with an inlet channel (10) and a downstream chamber (29) in communication with an outlet channel (23), a ring (9) slidably mounted on the tap body so as to put both chambers (28, 29) in communication or to isolate them one from the other, and a discharge valve (32) between both chambers for putting them in communication in case of overpressure in the downstream chamber (29) and the outlet channel (23). By means of this invention, the opening and closing operations of the tap are quick and simple. 13 \ g? 22 Figure Unique

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT (Original) APPLICATION NO: LODGED: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION LODGED: ACCEPTED: PUBLISHED: RELATED ART: NAME OF APPLICANT: Avantec Hispania ACTUAL INVENTOR: Christophe MOROTE ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: LORD AND COMPANY, Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys, of 4 Douro Place, West Perth, Western Australia, 6005, AUSTRALIA. INVENTION TITLE: "VALVE FOR LIQUEFIED GAS CONDITIONING PACKAGE" DETAILS OF ASSOCIATED APPLICATION NO'S: NIL The following Statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me/us: TITLE "VALVE FOR LIQUEFIED GAS CONDITIONING PACKAGE" This invention relates to a tap for conditioning package for liquefied gas, i.e. a device allowing for providing the flow of gas in the package into a facility designed to use the gas, often through a line connected with the tap and the facility. Conditioning packages are designed for resisting some pressure. Traditional taps, for such packages, are generally screwed and comprise a threaded outlet for connecting to the facility or to the line, the connexion occurring through a seal. Such taps also comprise a rotating hand-wheel for moving a seal needle, checking the flow rate of gas in the package into the tap. Such taps have some disadvantages. Opening and closing the tap occur turning the hand-wheel in one direction and in the other one for moving the needle and this, for a time depending on the tap type. Should there be a leak at the needle level, the closing time become precious and reducing it significantly improves safety. However, this remains a concern for operators. At the level of the tap outlet, a seal is required if a leak is to be avoided. Finally, when, for a facility, the packaging is changed, the gas contained in the tap space downstream the needle escapes. 5 There exists taps designed for treating all these three disadvantages, but, unfortunately, they generate another one. These are so-called quick connexions comprising an outlet valve. The space extending between the needle and the tap is filled with liquid gas. If temperature increases, the gas volume is also going to increase and the forces exerted on the package simultaneously, with even a breaking hazard. This is the reason why, however, all taps currently on the market have an outlet opened to 2 the atmospheric pressure. The aim of this invention is therefore to provide a tap being satisfactory in all respects. Thus, this invention relates to a tap for connecting a conditioning package for liquefied gas to a use facility, comprising a body arranged so as to be, in the inlet, mounted on the package, and comprising, in the outlet, means for quick connexion with the facility, characterized by the fact that the body comprises an upstream chamber communicating with an inlet channel and a downstream chamber communicating with an outlet channel, a slidably mounted ring on the body so as to put both chambers in mutual communication or to isolate one from the other, and a discharge valve between both chambers for putting them in communication in case of overpressure in the downstream chamber and the outlet channel. The advantage of the tap of this invention is already that it has a simple and quick opening/ closing procedure, through one single driving move for sliding the sliding ring. Moreover, and essentially, the liquid trapped in the downstream chamber and the outlet channel, between the discharge valve and the outlet quick connecting means, will, beyond some pressure higher than the threshold as defined by the characteristics of the tap body and the discharge valve, be returned into the package as it will be removed from its seat in the discharge valve, thereby filling a safety valve function. In the preferred embodiment of the tap of this invention, outlet quick connecting means 5 are auto-obstructing and with no joint, having a double advantage: i) it ensures a perfect sealing function during the connecting procedure, without any gas leak hazard; and ii) it allows to remove the tap from the facility, with the ring in a position for communicating both chambers, without any leak hazard as well. Advantageously, the quick connecting means comprise a male nozzle arranged at the downstream end of the tap body wherein a flow valve with a plan face is provided. 3 Preferably, the tap comprises an adaptor for connexion on the package and having the tap body mounted thereon. In the preferred embodiment of the tap, both chambers emerge on the external body wall through lines able to be put into communication through an annular recess arranged in the sliding ring, being in turn arranged for selectively plugging the lines of both chambers. This invention further relates to a conditioning package for liquefied gas onto which the tap of this invention is arranged. This invention will be better understood through the following description of the preferred embodiment of the tap of the invention, referring to the single accompanying figure, being an axial view of the tap. The connecting tap 1 that will be described now is screwed into the neck 2 of a conditioning bottle for a liquefied gas with conditioning pressure, here through the threaded male nozzle 3 of an adaptor 4. A liquefied gas exemplary is liquefied chlorine. The tap I comprises a central body 20, an input adaptor 4 and an outlet connecting nozzle 5. The adaptor 4 thus comprises a first threaded male nozzle portion 3 for mounting on the package neck, a second threaded male nozzle portion 6 screwed in the tap body 20, both end nozzle portions 3, 6 being separated by a central portion 7 with a broadened diameter for forming an upstream abutment shoulder 8 for a communicating ring 9, being disclosed hereinafter. An inlet channel 10, here stepped, extends through the adaptor 4. The outlet connecting nozzle 5, with a general shape similar to that of the adaptor 4, comprises a first threaded male nozzle portion 11 for mounting on the central body 20 of the tap, a second male nozzle portion 12 for quick connexion with a facility, through a 4 circumferential annular groove 13, both nozzle ends being separated by a central portion 14 with the shape of an annular flange forming the downstream abutment shoulder 15 for the ring 9. The inside of the nozzle 5 forms a plugged outlet channel 23, at rest, through a flow valve 16 with a planar side 17, under the action of a return spring 18 extending around the valve stem 19 and between the internal bottom of the valve 16 and fins 21. The tightness between the end of the nozzle second portion 12 and the valve 16 is ensured by an O-ring 22. The connecting nozzle 5 forms a quick connexion. The central body 20 comprises an intermediate part 23, wherein two chambers are arranged, and being extended by two threaded annular skirts 24, 25 screwed on the nozzles 6, 11, until being into abutment against the shoulder 8 of the adaptor 4 and the flange 14 of the outlet connecting nozzle 5, with interposition, respectively, of the O-rings 26, 27. The intermediate part 23 of the central body 20 thus comprises a first upstream chamber 28 in communication with the inlet channel 10 of the adaptor 4 and a second downstream chamber 29 in communication with the outlet channel 23 of the connecting nozzle 5. Both chambers 28, 29 are linked together through a central line 30 providing a seat 31 to a discharge and safety valve 32 pressed back against the seat 31 through a spring 33, with interposition of a seal 34. The upstream chamber 28 emerges on the external wall 35 of the tap body through transversal lines. Similarly, the downstream chamber 20 emerges on the external wall 35 through transversal lines 37. A ring 9 is slidably mounted on the central body 20 between the central portion 7 of the adaptor 4 and the flange 14 of the connecting nozzle 14. The internal diameter of the ring is substantially equal to the external diameter of the tap central body 20, so as to allow for lines 36, 37 to be plugged, except on a small axial portion along which an annular recess 5 38 is arranged, extending along a length allowing to put lines 36, 37 of chambers 28, 29 in communication. The ring 9 is mounted on the central body 2 with interposition here of three sealing O-rings 39, 40, 41, respectively, at the level of the two gripping end bulges of the ring and in the median part thereof. The operation of the connecting tap will now be explained. After the tap is mounted on the neck 2 of the liquefied gas packaging bottle, the adaptor being screwed thereon, on the one hand, and the connecting nozzle 5 being connected to the inlet interface of the facility through snapping in the groove 13 and shifting of the valve 16 towards the inside of the nozzle against the action of the spring 18, on the other hand, transferring the gas from the bottle 2 to the facility can occur. In the ring 9 axial position on the central body 2 of the tap, represented on the figure, the lines 37 of the downstream chamber 29 are plugged by the ring. For the transfer to occur, sliding the ring 9 towards the connecting flange 14 is enough, up to abutment of said flange, so that the annular recess 38 of the ring axially extends slightly on both sides of the mouths of lines 36, 37 of both upstream 28 and downstream 29 chambers and that these both chambers be thereby put in communication. Then, the gas can flow through the inlet channel 10, the upstream chamber 9, the lines thereof 36, the annular recess 38 of the ring 9, the lines 37 and the downstream chamber 29, the outlet channel 23 of the connecting nozzle 5, then the annular space between the valve 16 and the seat thereof in the nozzle 5. 5 When the ring 9 goes back in abutment against the widened central portion 7 of the adaptor, this again isolates one chamber from the other one. If, after disconnecting the package from the facility, the tap I being still mounted on the package and the valve 16 back on its seat, the temperature starts to raise and some of the 0 gas is left in the upstream chamber 29 and the outlet channel 23 beyond the pressure threshold, more specifically determined by the dimensions of the discharge valve 32, its 6 seat 31 and the spring thereof 33, the valve 32 will put both chambers 28, 29 into communication with the inside of the package, avoiding any hazard. 7

Claims (9)

1. A tap for connecting a conditioning package (2) for liquefied gas with a use facility, comprising a body (1) arranged so as to be, in the inlet, mounted on the packaging (2), and comprising, in the outlet, means (5) for quick connexion with the facility, characterized by the fact that the body comprises an upstream chamber (28) communicating with an inlet channel (10) and a downstream chamber (29) communicating with an outlet channel (23), a ring (9) slidably mounted on the body so as to put both chambers (28, 29) in communication or to isolate one from the other, and a discharge valve (32) between both chambers for putting them in communication in case of overpressure in the downstream chamber (29) and the outlet channel (23).

2. A tap according to claim 1, wherein the outlet quick connecting means (5) are self plugging and with no seal.

3. A tap according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the quick connecting means comprise a male nozzle (5) mounted to the downstream end of the tap body (1, 20), on which a flow valve (16) with a planar side (17) is arranged.

4. A tap according to one of claims I to 3, wherein the tap comprises a connecting adaptor (4) on the package (2) and onto which the tap body (20) is mounted.

5. A tap according to one of claims I to 4, wherein both chambers (28, 29) emerge on the external wall of the tap body through lines (36, 37) able to be put in communication by an annular recess arranged (38) in the sliding ring (9).

6. A tap according to claim 5, wherein the sliding ring (9) is arranged for selectively plug the lines (36, 37) of both chambers (28, 29). D

7. A conditioning package for liquefied gas onto which a tap according to one of 8 claims I to 6 is arranged.

8. A tap, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A conditioning package, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawing. 9