CA1036508A - Automatic drain device for deliquescent gas dryers - Google Patents

Abstract

AUTOMATIC DRAIN DEVICE FOR DELINQUESCENT
GAS DRYERS
Abstract of the Disclosure An automatic control device for use, for instance, in automatically draining solution from a pressurized vessel, such as for instance a deliquescent desiccent type air or gas dryer. The control device is adapted to periodically exhaust waste liquid which collects in, for instance, a dryer vessel, from the latter. The device comprises a motor power operated valve coacting with fluid conveying means which is adapted to be disposed in a drainage line leading from the vessel. The motor operated valve is automatically actuated to open position at predetermined periods whereupon the waste liquid is drainged from the vessel, and then the valve is automatically closed until the next actuation thereof. The valve and the fluid conveying means is disposed exteriorly of the motor power unit for the valve and is rapidly disassemblable therefrom, for permitting rapid removal and reassembly of the power unit from the valve and fluid conveying subassembly, and rapid replacement of worn parts from the valve body. Thus, in the event that a malfunction occurs in the power system, the latter can be rapidly removed and replaced without depressurizing the system, or the valving can be manually operated, to prevent flooding or loss of pressure in the dryer system.

Description

36~0~3 AUTOMATIC DRAI~ D:EVICE FOR DELIQUESCENT :.
_ GAS DRYERS .
The invention relates to liquid level control devices such as for instance automatic drain devices, and more partic-ularly to an automatic drain device adapted for automatica}ly exhausting solution at periodic intervals ~rom a pressurized ves~el, such as for in~tance a deli~uescent desiccant type air : . .
and/or gas dryer, and a drain device which is especially easy to service and maintain.
.,, ~ , Automatic mechanism or automatically controlling the flow of fluid into or rom a pre~surized ve~sel, are known in the prior axt. U. S. Patent 3,483,673 dated December 16, 1969 `~
to Frederick Wellman and entitled Automatic Draln Device For Deliquescent Gas Dryers discloses one arrangement of automatic `;~ ~ ;
device o the general nature with which the present invention is concerned.
Reliability and ease of servicing of such devices are of great ~mportànce in order to prevent flooding of the system if ~he control me danism malfunctions with the valve portion in a closed position, and in order to prevent loss oP pressure in the system if the valve portion malfunctions in open position.
The present invention provides a compact automatic liquid level control device for automatically controlling flow i~
o~ fluid into or rom a vessel, and which includes means for rapidly removing and/or reassembling the power unit and control circuit for the mechanism to and from the fluid conveying I conduit and valve subassembly thereo, so that servicing of the device can ~e expeditiously accomplished. The mechanism includes means for manually operating the valve in the event of malunction of the motor mechanism, and for electrically over- ;-riding the control mechanism. ~ ;

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` sroadly the present invention is directed to a compact ~ i .
control unit operative for automatically controlling a flow of liquid in combination with an enclosed vessel, the vessel includ- `
ing means adapted for removing moisture from pressurized gas pass- ~-ed through the vessel, the vessel having a drain opening in the ` .
lower portion thereof for draining liquid therefrom, and means connectiny said control unit in liquid transmitting relation with the drain opening for controlling the egress o~ liquid from . ;~ ;
the vessel, the control unit comprising liquid conveying means, with the liquid conveying means comprising an inlet communicat- .:
ing with the connecting means, and an outlet, and valve means coacting with the liquid conveying means ~or controlling the . i, , , :
10w of li~uid through the li~uid conveying means, electrically powered motor means ~or actuaking the valve means to move the valve means from a closed position to an open position, and then .
back to a closed position upon predetermined energization of the motor means, together with means including electrical circuitry for automatically controlling energization of the motor means :~
at pred~termined intervals of time: a housing for the energiza~
tion controlling means, means releasably coupling the motor means . :
to the valve means for actuation of the latter by the motor means, ^ .;:
and the valve means and liquid conveying means being spaced from and disposed exteriorly of the housing, whereby the valve means and the liquid conveying means are readily accessible, and ex-teriorly accessible attaahing means holding the liquid conveying means and valve means assembly in assembled relation with the motor means and associated energization controlling means, the attaching means being readily accessible and operable ~or quick-ly removing the motor means and the energization controlling , i -2-.~`,.0~ ,' ~36S~8 ,. . ;~
ans from the liquid conveying means and valve means assembly, the releasable coupling means providing for convenient manual actuation of the valve means in the event of removal of the motor means from coupled coaction with the valve means, and the attach-ing means including means which not only holds the motor means and associated energization controlling means to the li~uid con-veying means and valve means assembly, but also is operable to hold the latter in assembled relation, and which upon predeter-mined actuation, permits quick removal and replacement of the valve means from the liquid conveying means without disconnect-ing the latter from the drain opening connecting means.
Other objects and advantages o~ the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in con~unction with the accompanying drawings whereln:
FIGU~E 1 is a generally diagrammatic, partially broken, elevational vi~w o a compressed air and/or gas dryer with the compact automatic drain control device of the invention coupled thereto, for controlling periodic removal of desiccant waste .
solution from the dryer;
FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, side-elevational view of the control device of FIGURE 1:
FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of FIGURE 2 taken generally from the right-hand end thereof: :' FIGURE 4 is a top plan, generally diagrammatia illus-tration of the motor housing of the control device with the top thereof removed; and`
FIGURE S i9 a gena.rally perspective, exploded illus- ~.
tration of the control device of FIGU~E 2.
Refarring now again to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, the gas and/or air dryer illustrated comprises .~^.,.~ ` `.

~ ~036S~8 .I enclosure or tank lO. The dryer tank has an air or gas inlet 12 through which pressuriz.ed inlet air or gas to be dried or treated is inserted into the enclosure tank, and an air or ~s -:
outlet 14 through which the air or gas is withdrawn from the i~
enclosure. The use of the term "gas" hereinafter will be under- . :
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stood to also include air since the latter is, of course, a gas.
Disposed intermediate the inlet 12 and outlet 14 of the enclosure may be a gas pervious supporting means 16, such as for instance a grid, on which $s disposed a bed of deliques-cent chemical desiccant 18. The deliquescent desiccant is a chemical composition which is adapted to attract moisture from the air or gas as the latter engages the bed and passes there- ~
through. Such attracted moisture causes dissolving or liquify- ;
ing o the desiccant material in the bed, with the liquid 10wing 10 down through the bed into the bott~m o~ the dryer enclosure ~1 where ~uch waste liquid is adapted to be periodically removed through the drain opening 19 ln the enclosure.
Drain opening 19 may be coupled to a drain line 20 which is adapted to be directed to, ~or instance, a sewer system or any other suitable dlsposal area, for disposing of the drain solution. m e gas entering the dryer is generally under pressure and passes through the desiccant bed 18 and out the outlet 14 as dry, clean gas~ Reference may be had to U. S. -Patent 3,246,453 issued April 19, 1966 in the name of Philip S. Becker and U. S. Patent 3,303,621 issued February 14, 1967 to w. E. Hill, for disclosures of deliquescent desiccant types ;~
of gas dryers of the general above-discussed nature.
Disposed in the drain line 20 is a compact contxol device 22 for automatically controlllng draining of the waste solution in the bottom of dryer 10 ~rom the latter, at predeter-mined intervals of time. Mechanism 22 ln the e~bodiment illus-trated comprises a motor power unit, such as for iastance a conventional compact elec~rical motor 26 (FIGURES 4 and 5), having a magnetic mechanical brake and a gear train (not shown) ~ , . .

30 associated therewith, and a powex output shaft or stem 30, which ;;

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i~ adapted for coupling to a valve means 32, which valve means controls the passage of fluid through the fluid conveying means ;
34 o~ ~he automatic drain con~rol mechanism 22.
Motor unit 26 and associated brake and gear train are preferably enclosed in a housing 36 which may include a top section 36a and a bottom section 36b. A gasket member 38 is provlded ~or sealing the housing secklons when disposed in assembled relation, so that the motor and associated components `
are protected from mechanical injury and moisture. The afore-mentioned power stem 30 of the motor unit depends ~rom the underside of housing 36, pre~erably ln mois~ure proof rela~ion thereto, and is xotatable with re~pect to the housing.
A compact control circuit package ~0 which preferably includes ~olid state electronic circuit components, is provided ~or detachable mounting in housing 36, and which is adapted for connection to the motor unit, for controlling the opening and closing cycle of the valve means 32, and the time interval between each cycle, and thus automatically controlling the periodic flow of waste fluid from enclosure 10. Control circuit package 40-is of commercially available type.
Circuit board 41a of package 40 may be conveniently removably mounted as by means of fasteners 42, in the housing 36, and therefore can be easily and quickl~ replaced ~or expediting 3ervicing~ As can be best seen in FIGURE 4, such control circuit package is positioned in the housing to one side o~ the motor unit 26, with such circuitry preferably including potentiometers 44, 44a as part o~ the control circuit, and which are accessible ~or ad~ustment ~rom exteriorly o housing 36. Openinys 46, 46a are provided in the upper section 36a of the housing 36, to enable such potentiometer elements 365~ :
to be adjusted, for a purpose to be hereinafter set ~orth.
Openings 46, 46a may be provided with removable covers 47 for preventing entry of dirt and other contaminants.
Junction block 48 in circuit package 40 (FIGURE 4) is coupled to motor 26 and also is coupled by electrical plug and llne 48a to a conventional source of current, whlch source may be either conventional A.C. current or D.C~ current depend-~ng on what is available and on whether motor 26 is an A.C. or D.C~ motor.
m e aorementioned valve means 32 includes a valve body member 50 having a passageway 50a tFIGURE 5) wherein a ball valve member 54 is seated, providing or passage o~ ~luid through opening 5~a ln khe ball member~ Body member S0 has ~langes 50b wh-~ch are apertured as at 51 or coupl~ng the valve means in fluid passing condition with the a~orement~oned fluld conveylng conduit means 34. The outèr side surfaces 52 of valve body 50 are preferably generally planar as shown in FIGURE 5.
A valve stem member 55 projects into the passageway 50a in valve body S0 and into assembled coaction with ball ~0 valve member 54, for rotating the latter upon rotary movement of stem 55~ Stem 55 pre~erably has circumferential recesses 55a formed therein, for receiving O-ring seal members 55b which prevent the discharge of fluid along the s~em member, which as will be understood, projects exteriorly o~ valve body member 50.
The lower pre~erably polygonal shaped tin cross section) .
; end 56a of the valve stem member 55 pro~ects into slot 58 in .. ..
; the ball member, and the upper pre~erably polygonal shaped (in , . .
cross section~ end 56 projects up through hub 6~ of the valve body 50. Accordingly, it will be understood that valve stem 55 30 is rotatable with respect to the valve body and with respect i ,' ., .

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t~ hub 60, and during rotation thereof causes corresponding rotation o~ the ball valve me~ber 54 wi~h respect to the valve body. Valve member 54 coacts with valve seats 59 disposed in passageway 50a, for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve means 32. Portion 56 of the valve stem 55 extends into coacting relation~hip with slotted connector 62.

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Connector 62 i5 preerably slotted at both o its ends in a direction generally transverse with respect to one another, with the lower slotted portion 64 receiving the aforementioned 10 upper end portion 56 of the valve stem therein. Set screw , ~ members 66 extend through openings 68 in the connector member, `
to anchor the connector memb~r to the valve stem- While connect~ " "' or 62 i~ anchored to stem portion 56 as a~oredescribed, possible pivotal movement of connector 62 with respect to stem 55 i5 .:
provided about an axis passing through set screw membexs 66, and as can be seen rom FIGURE 3.
me upper end of connector 62 is likewise slotted, as aforementioned and as at 70, and receives therein the rectangular shaped (in horizonta} cross section) power stem or shaft 30 from . .
motor unit 26. Accordingly, it will be seen that upon energiz-ation of the power unit 26, and rotation o stem 30, the latter causes rotation of connector 62 and thus rotational movement o valve stem 55, which in turn rotates ball valve member 54 to cause opening and closlng ~ the valve.
An attaching bracket member 72 is provided which includes a generally planar base portion 72a, side panels 72b 1 and depending leg portions 72c. Leg portlons 72c are adapted ;l to straddle the fluid conveylng and valve subassembly, as best !
seen in FIGURE 3. Base 72a is provided with an opening 74 30 therethrough through which extends power stem 30. Base section .. .
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72a also includes open-ended slots 76 which are adapted to .
receive therethrough from the underside of bracket 72, threaded fastener members 78 (FIGURE 5), which attach the bracket to the underside of lower section 36b of housing 36. Housing section 36b may have embossments 79, thexeon which have threaded openings therein for receiving the aforementioned ~asteners 78.
Slots 76 in bracket 72 enable lateral adjustment of the bracket with respect to the housing 36, so that the power shaft 30 of motor unit 26 can be properly positioned through open$ng 7~
without interference. A tube-like cover member 80 (FIGURES 2 and 3) may be provlded which slips over the aforementioned embossments 79 and conceals the attachment o~ the bracket to the embo~ments 79.
Fluid conveying means 34 in the embodiment illustrated comprises spaced threaded end conduits 82 including laterally extending flange portions 82a which have openlngs 84 there-through, for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. m e conduit sections may be internally threaded as at 86, for threaded attachment in drain pipe 20 of the dryer 10. m e inner surface .:.
87 of flange portion 82a of each conduit 82 is generally planar as illustrated in FI~URE 5, while the confronting surface 52 of the valve body preerab1y has a recess 88 formed therein, with : ;
the recess being adapted to receive an 0-ring seal 90, which .~..... ;
seals the ~uncture between the conduit mea~s 3~ and the valve body 50. It wlll be seen thereore that with such an arrange~
ment, the internal size ~f the conduit sections 82 can be varied . ;~;
rom say, or instance, l/2 inch up to, or instance l inch pipe diameter without the necessity of changing the valve structure, so that the drain mechanism can be conven~ently ..
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attached to dif~erent sizes of drain pipe without use of ..... ..

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)365 -ihings or adapters.
Conduit sections 82 may be expeditiously held in assembled relation with the valve means 32 by means of threaded :..
studs 94, which extend through ope~iings 84 in the conduit sect~
ions and openings 51 in the valve body. Thireaded fasteners such `;
as, for instance, nuts 96, provide for securing the conduit sections 82 to the valve body in tight, sealed condi~ion. I~
will be seen that the studs are of suficient length so that : . :
:. .
the distal ends thereof are spaced apart a dlstance greater than the distance between the respectlve leg sections 72c of bracket 72, 50 that the threaded studs pro~ect outwardly of j such legs ~FIGURE 2). Fasteners~ which in the embodiment illu9-~rated are nuts 98, coact with the studs 9~, to support the fluid conveying conduit and valve a~sembly on the bracket 72.
While housing 36 and attached bracket 72 are shown as being diisposed above the fluid conducting conduit and valve assembly, such could be installed below such conduit and valve assambly by rotating the latter 180 about the longitudinal axis. Thus, the control device can be installed in inverted position, or any intermediate angular posltion, where lnterference or lack of adequate space prevents upright installation.
1 It will ba seen that merely by loosening fasteners 98 j from their holding coaction with the legs 72c of bracket 72, the housing 36 encasing the motor unit and the attaching bracket 72, can be readily lited o of the fluid conveying conduit and ;`
valve assemblyl due to the open ended slots 100 in the legs of ~ ;
~i . . . .
~` b~wket 72, to thus xapldly provide or separation o~ the control `
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circuit and motor unit from the 1uid conveying conduit and ~, valve assembly. It will be seen that during such lifting of of the motor unit and control circuit disposed in housing 36, . ~ , .

_9 _ 365~t~
.~e power stem 30 on the motor unit is merely lifted from its coaction with slotted end 70 of the connector 62, and readily exposes the connector 62 for manual turning to open or close the valve 32. Thus, in the event of malfunction of the drain mech-anism, the housing encasing the motor and control clxcuit, and the associated attaching bracket 72, can be readily removed for either rapid replacement by another "on hand" spare part unit, or the valve means can be manually operated lf such a spare part is not immediately available, and without interference with the 10 fluid conveying conduit means and valve assembly. -~
The aforementioned potentlometer 44a in the control circuit package 40 is ~or adjusting the time cycle of operation o the devlce, ~or opening and clo~ing the valve means 32 to periodically, automatically exhau~t fluid ~rom khe enclosure 10 to which the device is attached, while the other potentiometer 44 is available for ad~usting the time delay in which the valve remains open prior to its automatically closing duriny the : .
e~haust cycle. Access to the potentiometers from exteriorly of the hous~ng 36 is available through aforementioned openings 46, .. ~ :
20 46a (after removal of the associated cap c}osure 47) by merely .--inserting a tool, such as a screwdriver, through the respective . .
opening jnto coaction with the potentiometer for turning adjust~
ment thereofO For example, the potentiometer 44 ~or controlling `. : ~;
the time delay from full open to full closed positlon of the .
valve mechani~m during lts periodic cycle of exhaustlng fluid from the enclosure, can be adlusted through a range of, for :
: : .,:' : ' ' ln~tance, 4 secQnds to 40 seconds, or in other words through a : : .
10 to 1 maximum ratio. Moreover, the periodic time for causing cycling o the drain mechanism to exhaust fluid from the enclos~
.:~
30 ure can be ad~usted by means of for in~tance potentiometer 44a ~

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~ 1~365~3 ~ rough a range of, for instance, every 15 minutes to, for instance, every 2~ hours, for again a ratio of 10 to 1 maximum.
It will be understood, of course, that other ratios can be incorporated into the control.

, There aLso may be provided a control button 102 on the housiny which i5 adapted for selectively causing cycling of the valve means 32 from full close to full open condition. By pressing the override button 102, the workman can open the valve means from closed to full open condition. Whereupon after a predetermined time delay, the valve means automatlcally moves back to closed position. This enable~ a convenient check on the time delay length of the valve in open condition, and provides for ad~ustment o such time delay~ m is also enables the workmen to check that the valve is operating satisfactorily.
In the event that the drain mechanism ls to be used in an environment where the source of current is D.C. current, the actuator motor 26 can be changed from an A.C. motor to a D.C. motor or vice versa to permit use o~ the mechanism in either A.C. or D.C. current environments. Such change of motors would not necessitate changing of the control circuit package 40.
From the foregoing discussion and accompanying draw-ings, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel control mechanism for use with different sizes of drain pipe, and in dl~ferent power source arrangements, and one wherein a motor unit and control package arrangement is readily separable from a fluid conveying condult and valve assembly, so that in the event of malfunctlon or fallure of the device, the mechanism can be readily serviced and the drive motor and control clrcuit package therefor can be readily replaced by new units, thus insuring minimum "down time" for the device. Moreover, when .

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tne power unit and control circuit is removed fxom the fluid conveying conduit and valve assembly, means is provided for convenient manual operation of the valve, so that the valve can ::
be actuated even though the power section of the control mech-anism malfunctions. Also, this eliminates the necessity of having an additional manually operated valve installed in the drain pipe for operation i the automatic control devlce should malfunctionO
The terms and expressions which have been used are :~
used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there ls no intention in the u~e of ~uch terms and expresslons o excludlng any e~uivalents o any o~ the eatures shown, or de~crlbed, or portlons thereo, and it i~ recognized that .;
various modifications are po~sible within the scope of the invention.

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Claims (9)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A compact control unit operative for automatic-ally controlling a flow of liquid in combination with an enclosed vessel, said vessel including means adapted for re-moving moisture from pressurized gas passed through said vessel, said vessel having a drain opening in the lower portion thereof for draining liquid therefrom, means connecting said control unit in liquid transmitting relation with said drain opening, for controlling the egress of liquid from said vessel, said control unit comprising liquid conveying means, said liquid conveying means comprising an inlet communicating with said connecting means and an outlet, and valve means coacting with said liquid conveying means for controlling the flow of liquid through said liquid conveying means, electrically powered motor means for actuating said valve means to move said valve means from a closed position to an open position and then back to a closed position upon predetermined energization of said motor means, means including electrical circuitry for automatically controlling enerization of said motor means at predetermined intervals of time, a housing for said energization controlling means, means releasably coupling said motor means to said valve means for actuation of the latter by said motor means, said valve means and liquid conveying means being spaced from and disposed exteriorly of said housing whereby said valve means and said liquid conveying means are readily accessible, exteriorly accessible attaching means holding said liquid conveying means and valve means assembly in assembled relation with said motor means and associated energization controlling means, said attach-ing means being readily accessible and operable for quickly removing said motor means and said energization controlling means from said liquid conveying means and valve means assembly, said releasable coupling means providing for convenient manual actu-ation of said valve means in the event of removal of said motor means from coupled coaction with said valve means, and said attaching means including means which not only holds said motor means and associated energization controlling means to said liquid conveying means and valve means assembly but also is operable to hold the latter in assembled relation and which upon predetermined actuation permits quick removal and replacement of said valve means from said liquid conveying means without dis-connecting the latter from said drain opening connecting means.

2. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said vessel moisture removing means includes a gas pervious support in said vessel adapted to receive thereon a bed of deliquescent chemical material for removing moisture from the pressurized gas passing through said bed, the removed moisture being adapted to move downwardly in said vessel toward said drain opening.

3. The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein said vessel has a gas inlet disposed below said gas pervious support and a gas outlet disposed above said gas pervious support.

4. The combination in accordance with claim 3 wherein said valve means includes a laterally projecting valve actuating stem constructed and arranged for manual actuation to manually actuate said valve means to open or closed position in the event of removal of said housing and motor means from coupled coaction with said liquid conveying means and valve means assembly.

5. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said liquid conveying means comprises spaced conduit sections defining respectively said inlet and said outlet, each of said conduit sections including lateral flanges, said valve means being disposed intermediate said conduit sections and including flanges formed generally complementary to the first mentioned flanges, said attaching means including a bracket comprising generally vertically oriented, spaced arms having open ended, generally vertically extending slots therein, threaded studs extending through apertures in said flanges and through said arm slots, and actuatable fastener means coacting with said studs and with said arms and said conduit section flanges for not only holding said motor means and associated energization controlling means to said liquid conveying means and valve means assembly, but also operable to hold the latter in assembled relation, and wherein said connecting means includes a pipe coupled at one end thereof to said drain opening and at the other end thereof to one of said conduit sections defining said inlet for passage of waste solution from said vessel to said valve means, said valve means being detachable from said one conduit section upon pre-determined deactuation of said fastener means and separation of said studs from at least certain of said flanges, and without disturbing the connection of said one conduit section to said pipe.

6. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said motor means includes a rotatable power stem releasably coupled to said valve means by said coupling means, for actuat-ing said valve means upon actuation of said motor means, said motor means being disposed in said housing with said stem extending exteriorly of said housing and being detachable from said valve means as a unit with said energization control means.

7. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said attaching means includes a bracket member secured to said housing and generally depending therefrom, said bracket member comprising a generally flat base portion attached to said hous-ing and downwardly projecting generally flexible arm portions depending from said base portion, said arm portions having open-ended generally vertically extending slots therein, means detachably securing said bracket member to said housing, said liquid conveying means including spaced conduit sections having lateral flanges, said valve means including a valve body disposed intermediate said conduit sections, said attaching means also including studs extending through apertures in said flanges and through said arm slots in said bracket member, and fastener means coacting with said studs and said arm portions of said bracket member to releasably anchor said bracket member to said liquid conveying means and said valve means assembly, said fast-ener means upon predetermined loosening actuation thereof permit-ting separation of said bracket member and attached motor means and energization controlling means from said conduit sections and said valve body, said arm slots providing for unrestricted removal movement of said bracket member and attached housing linearly away from said studs upon said predetermined loosening actuation of said fastener means.

8. The combination in accordance with claim 6 wherein said valve means includes a laterally protecting stem, said coupling means comprising a connector member connected at one end thereof with said valve stem and at the other end thereof with said motor power stem for coupling the motor stem to said valve member for powered actuation of the latter member, said connector member comprising slots extending therethrough at opposite ends thereof, said slots being generally aligned with one another in a direction axially of said connector member except that one of said slots is rotated 90° with respect to the direction of the other slot, so that the latter extends transverse of said one slot.

9. The combination in accordance with claim 1 wherein said valve means comprises a valve body, a valve member and at least one seat with which said valve member coacts in said body, to control the flow of fluid through said valve body, a valve stem coupled to said valve member and projecting exteriorly of said valve body, said coupling means comprising a connector member coacting at one end thereof with said valve stem and at the other end thereof with a motor stem of said motor means for coupling the motor stem to said valve member for powered actuation of the latter member, said motor means being disposed in said housing with said motor stem projecting exteriorly of said housing, said attaching means including a pair of threaded rod-like members extending through openings in said valve body, said liquid conveying means comprising spaced end conduit members between which is disposed said valve body, said conduit members having lateral flanges with openings aligned with said openings in said valve body and through which said rod-like members extend, exteriorly accessible fastener means coacting with said rod-like members and said flanges to connect the end conduit members to said central valve body in liquid tight relation, said attaching means also including a bracket attached to said housing and having open ended generally vertically oriented slots therein through which said rod-like members extend, said fastener means coacting with said rod-like members and said bracket at said slots to releasably secure said bracket and attached housing to said rod-like members, said valve member comprising a ball valve in said valve body, a removable valve seat disposed in said valve body and coacting with said ball valve to control the flow of fluid through said conduit members and said valve body, said ball valve having a slot therein re-ceiving a portion of said valve stem, sealing means coacting with said valve stem to prevent liquid leakage along said valve stem, said ball valve being rotatable with rotation of said valve stem, said housing being sealed and separate from said valve means and said liquid conveying means so that any leakage of liquid at said valve means cannot have any detrimental effect on said energization controlling means and said motor means.