AU4014899A

AU4014899A - Valve assembly

Info

Publication number: AU4014899A
Application number: AU40148/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Philip John Berry
Original assignee: Tyco New Zealand Ltd
Current assignee: Tyco New Zealand Ltd
Priority date: 1998-07-17
Filing date: 1999-07-16
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: NZ331032A

Description

P/00/01i Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Valve Assembly The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 00 S 0 0S *005 0 0005 0 000*0@

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00 0 @00 000000 0 FI-1PMELC699190003 9 FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a valve assembly, particularly but not solely designed for use with a fire hose.

BACKGROUND

Existing fire hoses are generally operated by turning on a conventional tap valve, running out the hose which is wound around a rotatable reel, and turning a nozzle to an open position to release the water. After use the tap valve is turned off,. the hose wound back around the reel, and the nozzle on the hose turned to a close position.

When the hose is not in use, the nozzle hangs loose around the reel. A nozzle arranged in this fashion tempts vandals and other unauthorised persons to operate the fire hose.

Unauthorised operation of the fire hose may reduce the water pressure below the minimum pressure required for effectively delivering water to a fire, or may cause water pressure to build up within the apparatus.

A further disadvantage of existing fire hoses is that they are clumsy to operate. The user must first turn on the tap valve then reach for the hoze nozzle before positioning the hose and operating the nozzle to release the water.

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00 •SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0$*0 In broad terms the invention comprises a valve assembly comprising a valve body 6 having a fitting to couple a hose to the body assembly; a valve within the valve body; a control lever mounted on the valve body arranged to move the valve between a valve open position and a valve closed position; retainer means extending from the valve body, the retainer means arranged to hold the nozzle of a hose coupled to the body assembly when the valve is in a closed position and to release the nozzle of the hose *cS: *when the valve is in an open position.

It will be understood that the term "comprises" (or its grammatical variants) as used in this specification and the accompanying claims is equivalent to the term "includes" and should not be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form valve assembly will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is one view of the preferred valve assembly; Figure 2 is another view of the preferred valve assembly shown in Figure 1; and Figures 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D are views of the valve assembly in operation.

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2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORMS One preferred form of the invention is shown in Figure 1, in which a valve assembly 2 is formed from a valve body 4. The valve body has a suitable fitting 6 to couple a hose, for example a fire hose, (not shown) to the body 4. The hose terminates in hose nozzle 8.

The nozzle 8 may be of the type which rotates between an open position and a closed position.

The valve body 4 has a suitable fitting 10 to connect the valve assembly to a water source. The body 4 may be connectable directly to a mains water source, or may be connectable to a mains water source through a hose (not shown).

In use the valve body may be positioned in any manner suitable for the particular purpose. The valve body may be positioned above a fire hose reel, for example, with one or both of fittings 6 and 10 extending from the valve body 4 in a plane generally parallel to the ground. Alternatively the valve body may be positioned with one or both of fittings 6 and 10 extending from the valve body 4 in a plane generally perpendicular to the ground.

The valve assembly also includes a valve such as a ball valve (not shown) within the valve body, the valve arranged to move between a valve open position and a valve closed position.

*Mounted on the valve body 4 is a control lever 12 which is arranged to move the valve between the valve open position and the valve closed position. The lever 12 is provided •.with a handle 14 to assist the user in rotating the lever 12.

*As shown more particularly in Figure 2, the preferred valve assembly 2 includes a retainer plate 16 fixedly mounted and extending from the valve body 4. The preferred plate 16 is of a sufficient size and shape to permit the hose nozzle 8 to seat on the plate.

The plate 16 may be provided with a slot or depression shaped to receive part of the hoze nozzle 8. The plate may have, for example, a slot shaped to receive the rim of the hoze nozzle 8.

o9 It will be appreciated that the plate 16 could be substituted by another form of protrusion extending from the valve body 4, for example a circular or semi-circular S.member having an aperture through the member shaped to receive the nozzle 8.

0S 3 06 *0006* The preferred valve body 4 has rotatably mounted on it a locking section 18. The preferred locking section 18 is formed as a plate flared at its outer edge and is positioned above retainer plate 16. The plate and the locking section are preferably spaced sufficiently to entrap the nozzle 8 between the locking section 18 and the plate 16. As shown in Figure 2, plate 16 may extend down from valve body 4 over at least a part of its length. Alternatively or in addition the locking section 18 may extend up from valve body 4 over at least a part of its length.

The preferred control lever 12 is formed with the handle 14 at one end and the locking section 18 at the other. As shown in Figure 2 the lever 12 may be rotatably mounted on the valve body 4 at a point between the handle 14 and locking section 18. The lever is rotatable between a valve open position and a valve closed position as will be further described.

Operation of the valve assembly 2 will now be described with reference to Figures 3A to 3D. In Figure 3A the valve is shown with the control lever 12 in the valve closed position. Nozzle 8 is entrapped between locking section 18 and retainer plate 16.

By grasping the handle 14, the control lever 12 may be pivoted toward a valve open position as shown in Figures 3B, 3C and 3D. The preferred locking section 18 is flared, and so maintains contact with the nozzle 8 while the control lever 12 is in the positions shown in Figures 3B and 3C.

Figure 3D illustrates the control lever 12 in a valve open position with nozzle 8 released •from locking section 18 and plate 16.

It will be appreciated that plate 16 could be rotatably mounted instead of fixedly mounted on valve body 4 and that locking section 18 could be fixedly mounted instead of rotatably mounted on valve body 4. In this situation control lever 12 could be formed with retainer plate 16 at one end and handle 14 at the other.

The present invention offers an advantage over existing valve assemblies when used with hoses in that it is faster to operate than conventional tap valves. The user simply grasps the nozzle 8 with one hand and rotates the lever 12 with the other hand from a valve closed position to a valve open position, releasing the nozzle 8. The user then S positions the hose and operates the nozzle 8 to release the water.

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S After use the nozzle 8 is placed on plate 16 and lever 12 rotated from a valve open position to a valve closed position, holding the nozzle 8 in place. This ensures that the nozzle does not hang loose around the reel tempting vandals and other unauthorised persons.

A further advantage of the invention when used with a fire hose is that the valve assembly 2 is in the open position before the nozzle 8 is able to be released for operation, as required by Australian Standards for Fire Hose Reels AS1221.

The foregoing describes the invention including preferred forms thereof. Alterations and modifications as will be obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be incorporated within the scope hereof, as defined by the accompanying claims.

It will be understood that the term "comprises" or its grammatical variants as used herein is equivalent to the term "includes" and is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other elements or features.

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Claims

1. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body having a fitting to couple a hose to the body assembly; a valve within the valve body; a control lever mounted on the valve body arranged to move the valve between a valve open position and a valve closed position; retainer means extending from the valve body, the retainer means arranged to hold the nozzle of a hose coupled to the body assembly when the valve is in a closed position and to release the nozzle of the hose when the valve is in an open position.

2. A valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retainer means comprises a protrusion extending from the valve body, the protrusion arranged so that in use the hose nozzle will seat on the protrusion.

3. A valve assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further comprising a locking section, the locking section arranged to entrap the nozzle between the retainer means and the locking section when the valve is in a closed position.

4. A valve assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the control lever is rotatably mounted on the valve body intermediate the length of the control lever, having at one •end a handle section and at the other end the locking section.

5. A valve assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the 4 *retainer means comprises a plate extending from the valve body, the plate having a slot 0444' to receive the rim of the hose nozzle.

6. A valve assembly, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. TYCO NEW ZEALAND LIMITED by Freehills Patent Attorneys Registered Patent Attorneys for the Applicant 17 August 1999 6 4 44 4 4