FR2849879A1 - Stem adapter for hydraulic control unit e.g. gate-valve or tap, has bonnet made of non-magnetizable material, and metallic pallet made of magnetizable material, where pallet is arranged and fixed in hollow housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The adapter has a bonnet with a squared movable exterior, where the bonnet is made of a non-magnetizable material such as brass. The upper part of the squared movable exterior has a hollow housing, and a metallic pallet is made of a magnetizable material such as a non-rust magnetizable metal. The pallet is arranged and fixed in the hollow housing. Independent claims are also included for the following: (a) a hydraulic control unit (b) a process of design of a stem adapter for hydraulic control unit of water distribution network.

Description

i

  The present invention relates to a prescription cap with a magnetizable patch for a hydraulic control member. It also relates to a control unit with such a prescription cap. It is intended to be implemented on taps, valves or other hydraulic distribution network control devices and it relates more particularly to their operating members, in particular to operating or ordering squares. It is particularly applicable in the manufacturing industry of said control members and water distribution services.

  Maneuverable hydraulic components, in particular taps, branch valves, shut-off valves, valves or other controlled devices intended for the distribution of water must be provided with prescription caps, in order to be able to operate them.

  The upper part of these prescription caps forms a maneuvering square, also called drive square, exterior, male, of standardized dimensions which is used for the installation of an operating key provided with a corresponding female square for 20 to transmit the movement and the torque necessary for controlling the member concerned. The operating key, also called the service key, is generally called the fountain key. The standardized characteristics of these squares and keys can be found in standard NF E 29-161 and, by way of example of a hydraulic member, of connection valves, in standard NF E 29-163.

  In the case of prescription caps for buried hydraulic members which can be operated from the ground, these members are placed under a keyed mouth head generally placed at the level of the road network, which covers and closes a keyed mouth tube and 30 a tabernacle allowing it to be held relative to the hat.

  These devices make it possible to ensure the passage above ground of the operating key once the mouth head is open up to the prescription hat in order to be able to operate it.

  Conventionally, these prescription caps are made of cast iron, a magnetizable material, and they are therefore generally coated with a paint-like coating (epoxy compound for example) for corrosion resistance. The color of the paint affixed to the caps is used to identify the direction of closing of the tap and it is not possible to mark the direction of closing without differentiating the closing caps on the left or on the right. In certain embodiments, a female square is provided, in hollow, on the upper part of the male maneuvering square of the cap so as to be able to insert and fix there, if necessary, a first end of a maneuvering extension or extension including at its second end, which is free, an operating square of the same type as that of the hat.

  In the absence of the maneuvering extension, a plug, for example made of plastic, can be placed in the female square with marking of the direction of closing of the tap, as required by the standards for tap fittings.

  Controlling a water distribution network requires recognizing and repairing any leaks. This network maintenance is increasingly important and strategic for water distributors, for economic reasons because the water from the 20 leaks is taken, treated but not invoiced, and, also, for environmental reasons because the resulting waste. In addition, leaks can lead to significant damage by slow or undetected flooding, leading to related destruction of equipment, buildings or infrastructure.

  This search for leaks presents great difficulties since these networks are underground and there is no means of inspection. The methods used for detecting and locating leaks use sound monitoring. Indeed, the noises generated by the leaks are different from the normal flow noises. Noises can be measured with acoustic listening probes at different points on the network, differentiate them and locate their origins by measuring noise intensity or journey time with acoustic correlation.

  Listening can be carried out remotely from the network, on the surface, by sensitive microphones allowing a global approach but which is penalized by low sensitivity and hampered by parasitic noise from the environment.

  The most effective method consists in bringing the acoustic probes into contact at different points on the network. Acoustic conduction of the metal parts of the hydraulic members allows very good transmission of noise and precise location of leaks.

  In this case, the key mouth heads allow access to the prescription caps on which the probes are placed. In order to facilitate reliable positioning and to guarantee contact of the probe on the metallic part of the valve by "automatic" positioning, the probes are provided with contact magnets to fix them by magnetization to the caps.

  However, the cast iron prescription caps on which the magnets 15 of the probes can be fixed have several drawbacks. The foundry process which allows them to be produced does not ensure very reliable holding of the dimensions and relatively large rejects are generated following an impossible mounting of the cap on the tap or too much play. In addition, the relative positioning of the cap relative to the valve may be subject to variations and, since the cap withstands rotation stops of the closure member most of the time, the open and closed positions of the valve are not not always properly insured. These positioning errors are very detrimental to the handling operations which consist in piercing the pressure lines through the taps. In addition, cast iron imposes an anti-corrosion coating of the paint type, which increases the cost of manufacturing the hat.

  In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks while allowing the pursuit of leakage detection operations using known acoustic probes, caps are proposed which are made of stamped brass and which include a means allowing the probes to be fixed to the caps. This solution also makes it possible to enhance the appearance of the products without having to resort to additional anti-corrosion protection operations. The stamping is preferably carried out hot.

  The invention therefore relates to a prescription cap for a hydraulic control member of a water distribution network, in particular a valve or tap, the cap comprising an external operating square (male square) being intended to be actuated in rotation around 'an axis of rotation by an independent and removable square hollow key of the complementary fountain key type covering the outer operating square.

  According to the invention, the cap is made of a non-magnetizable material, the upper part of the outer operating square comprising a hollow housing and a pad in a magnetizable material is disposed and fixed in said housing.

  In the context of the invention, the term "non-magnetizable" means that the material is not attracted by a magnetic field or insufficiently attracted to remain stable there, a magnet not being fixed on said material, an example of such a non-magnetizable material is brass or plastics. The term "magnetizable" means, as opposed to the previous case, that the material is attracted by a magnetic field, a magnet attaching to said material and this, whether there is remanent magnetization or not of the material, an example of such a magnetizable material is a ferromagnetic substance.

  In various embodiments of the invention, the following means, taken in isolation or in all their technically possible combinations, are used: - the housing includes a laminated peripheral edge intended for carrying out crimping, - the patch is crimped into the housing, 30 - the housing is circular, - the patch is a circular washer, - the patch has at least one orifice, (the orifice passes through the patch from side to side) - the patch has at least one orifice central, 35 - the patch has at least one lateral opening, the lateral opening is a notch on the periphery of the patch, - the patch is flat, - the patch is curved, - the patch is curved and the upper surface of the pellet has a flat surface area, (the term upper surface corresponds to the highest and raised part of the pellet) - the pellet is curved and the upper surface of the pellet is in de under the general plane of the top surface of the cap, 10 (in other words, the patch does not protrude from the cap) - the patch is curved and the top surface of the patch is in the general plane of the top surface of the cap , (in other words, the patch is flush with the top of the hat) - the patch is curved and the top surface of the patch is above the general plane of the top surface of the hat, (in other words terms, the patch protrudes from the cap or at least part of the top surface of the patch is above the highest point of the cap), - preferably, the patch is curved and the top surface of the patch is above from the general plane of the upper surface of the cap, - the pellet housing is extended in the cap by an interior hollow square (female), - the pellet having been removed, the interior square includes an operating extension inserted insert attached to the prescription cap, the free end of said extension having an outer square intended to be actuated in rotation by an independent and removable square hollow key of the complementary fountain key type 30 covering said outer square of the extension, - the pellet is circular in a circular housing coaxial with the axis of rotation and the crimping is arranged in at least three zones equidistant angularly with respect to the axis of rotation, - the crimping is arranged in four zones equidistant angularly with respect to l axis of rotation, - the pellet is magnetized (in other words, the pellet is a magnet), the orientation of the magnetic field of the pellet attracting the magnets of the compatible probes and repelling those of the incompatible probes, - the pellet is obtained by cutting and stamping a plate of a magnetizable material, - preferably, the magnetized material tisable does not exhibit residual magnetization after being subjected to a static magnetic field, - preferably, the magnetizable material has negligible residual magnetization after being subjected to a static magnetic field (i.e. it will not disturb the subsequent fixing of a probe), - the cap is made of non-magnetizable metal, - the cap is made of brass, - the cap is made of plastic, - the cap is made of fiber-reinforced plastic, 20 - the cap is made of composite material, - the cap is obtained by hot stamping with the non-magnetizable material which is brass, - the non-magnetizable material of the cap is brass and the magnetizable material of the pellet is stainless steel 25 magnetizable, - the pellet is made of INOX 330 (Z8C17), - the cap is obtained by hot stamping with the non-magnetizable material and the pellet is obtained by cutting and stamping a plate of a magnetizable material, - the pellet includes a marking, - the marking of the pellet is carried out during stamping, - the marking indicates at least the direction of rotation of the cap of the member.

  The invention also relates to a hydraulic control member comprising a prescription cap.

  According to this last invention, the cap of the control member is according to one or more, in combination, of the preceding characteristics.

  In an alternative embodiment of the control member, this is a tap for taking over a hydraulic pipe.

  The invention finally relates to a method of producing a prescription cap for a hydraulic control member of a water distribution network, in particular a valve or tap, the cap comprising an external operating square being intended to be actuated in rotation. around an axis of rotation by an independent and removable square hollow key of the complementary fountain key type covering the outer operating square.

  According to the method, to obtain the hat according to any one of the preceding characteristics and according to all their technically possible combinations, on the one hand, a non-magnetizable material is taken and a hat shape is produced comprising in the upper part of the outer square to operate at least one recessed recess in said non-magnetizable material, on the other hand, a pellet is produced in a magnetizable material, and the pellet is placed and fixed in the housing.

  In one embodiment of the method, a non-magnetizable material is taken which is brass and which is worked by hot stamping to produce the cap shape, and the pellet is produced by cutting and stamping. a sheet of magnetizable material which is magnetizable stainless steel.

  Among the advantages of the invention, the brass cap of the invention has good corrosion resistance, just like the metal chip which is in stainless steel or stainless steel sensitive to the static magnetic field of a magnet. INOX is of a particular magnetic but common nuance, especially in INOX 330 (Z8C17). The pellet is preferably produced by stamping cutting with a reduced cost price. The tablet can be marked by stamping to identify the direction of operation of the valve. This marking is carried out during the cutting-stamping operations of the washer, for a negligible additional cost.

  The mounting of the patch in the cap by crimping allows disassembly to allow the use of the female square with an extension. In order to facilitate disassembly of the tablet, a central hole is made in the tablet to be able to slide a disassembly tool there and to exert a leverage effect there. The hole of the metal pad allows, firstly, to position the crimping tool relative to the pad and significantly facilitates the implementation, secondly, to avoid the phenomenon of "pump" created by the air trapped under the pellet during the installation and crimping of said pellet and, thirdly, as indicated, to slide a tool to disassemble this pellet easily by exerting a leverage. At least one orifice can also be provided laterally, as an alternative or not to the central orifice.

  It is understood that the characteristics of the crimping position previously listed are indicative because it is possible to obtain supports (resistance to the attraction of the magnet) and possibilities of disassembly (force to be provided to extract the pellet) equivalent with different positions, lengths and number of crimping zones. The crimping can therefore be complete, that is to say over the entire periphery of the patch or only in certain zones, preferably regularly distributed over the periphery of the patch.

  In a preferred embodiment, the patch is a circular metal washer just like its housing, which eliminates any orientation constraint. The positioning of the patch is done in a counterbore made in the rough stock or following machining of the cap. The patch is crimped into the counterbore (raw or machined) of the brass cap by striking, classic "industrial" system, with a cost of implementation hardly higher than the fitting of the traditional plastic plug. The crimping 35 of the wafer is preferably carried out on reduced areas and not on the total circumference thereof, which minimizes the crimping effort required while ensuring a holding greater than the attraction forces generated by the magnets of the probes while allowing disassembly of the washer.

  The present invention provides an additional advantage by better positioning on the scheduling cap of the acoustic probe with fixing magnet. Indeed, in the case of a traditional cast iron hat, the magnet can be fixed on the whole of the metallic mass and therefore not necessarily on a very flat part. On the contrary, with the patch which is reduced in size and positioned in an area favorable to good hat-probe contact allowing good transmission of sound waves, this risk of defective fixing is eliminated.

  Preferably, the metal patch is curved, which allows its upper surface to be brought closer to the top of the cap, thus improving the cap-probe contact and the magnetization phenomenon, while preserving the possibility of crimping the pellet in the brass cap. . Indeed, it is necessary that the height of the pellet is inscribed and set back from the counterbore of the cap in order to have a space of material above the washer which can be folded down on this and thus ensure its crimping. Likewise, this upwardly curved surface of the pellet avoids or limits the accumulation of earth or other foreign debris on the upper surface of the cap which could alter the contact between the probe and the prescription cap.

  The present invention will now be exemplified by the following description of a preferred embodiment and in relation to: FIG. 1 representing a prescription cap with counterbore housing extending by a female square, FIG. 2 representing a prescription cap with a flat patch crimped into the housing, Figure 3 representing a prescription cap with a domed patch crimped into the housing, Figure 4 representing a prescription hat with a domed patch, with peripheral notch , crimped into the housing, FIGS. 5a and 5b represent a flat pellet viewed from above and from the side respectively, FIGS. 6a and 6b represent a curved pellet viewed from above and laterally respectively, FIG. 7 representing a curved pellet viewed from above with a peripheral notch, Figure 8 representing a curved disc viewed in axial section and, Figure 9 representing a cap prescription with a pellet seen in axial section.

  The invention is preferably implemented in hydraulic control members of a water distribution network and in particular in its part in relation to the users.

  In Figure 1, a prescription cap 1 with a countersink housing 3 extending by a female square 4 is seen in plunging perspective. Hat 1 is made of brass. The upper part of the cap 1 forms the outside operating square 2, male, which has an upper face with the recess 3 in a circular hollow, the plunging edge of which forms a countersink. The housing continues downward, in the depth of the cap 1 by a female square 4.

  The intermediate part of the hat has a double projection, the lower 6 of which bears marks, D and G in this embodiment. In other embodiments, the shape of the intermediate part can be different.

  The lower part of the cap of cylindrical tubular shape 30 has a notch whose edges 5 allow for rotational stops, the cap being actuated in drive rotation of a control of a hydraulic member not shown and on which is normally arranged the cap, the hydraulic member having a corresponding lug intended to come against one of the stops 5 according to the open or closed position of the control. In other embodiments, the stop system can be produced according to other known methods.

  The internal part of the bonnet, not visible in this FIG. 1, has structural characteristics suitable for driving the control of the hydraulic member, in general an axis, and in particular means for fixing the bonnet to the control, we see the threaded orifice 7 intended to receive a locking screw for fixing the cap on the control. The command is a square axis, one corner of which is a cutaway, the orifice 10 7 emerging inside the cap on the corner opposite the cut plane.

  In this exemplary embodiment comprising a female square, means for fixing a possible extension are preferably provided for fixing the extension in the female square, said fixing means not having been shown here to avoid cluttering the Figure 1. These fixing means may in particular be a threaded passage for screwing a clamping screw of the extension or a hole for the establishment of a pin.

  Figure 2 corresponds to the prescription cap of Figure 1 but with a flat patch 10 crimped in the housing 3.

  The pellet is a washer, the housing being circular. The patch is crimped into four zones 14 regularly distributed over the periphery of the patch. The patch has a central hole 11 or hole 25 and a marking 12 of direction of rotation. The hole allows, among other things, to forcefully extract the pellet in case an extension must be placed in the female square 4.

  Figure 3 corresponds to the prescription cap of Figure 1 but with a domed pad 10 'crimped in the housing 30 3. The pad is a washer, the housing being circular. The patch is crimped into four zones 14 regularly distributed over the periphery of the patch. The patch has an orifice 11 or central hole and a marking 12 in the direction of rotation. The orifice allows the pellet to be extracted by force in the event that an extension must be placed in the female square 4. The bulge makes it possible to bring together and even, in the example shown, to exceed the upper plane of the operating square 2 , the pellet being overflowing.

  Figure 4 corresponds to the prescription cap of Figure 5 but with a domed pad 10 ', with peripheral notch 13, crimped in the housing 3. The notch 13 makes it easier to extract the pellet by force relative to when using the central orifice 11.

  Figures 5a and 5b respectively show a flat pad 10 seen from above and the same pad 10 seen from the side. The pellet which is here a washer has a central orifice 11 and a marking 12 of at least the direction of rotation.

  FIGS. 6a and 6b respectively represent a curved tablet 10 'seen from above and the same curved tablet 10' seen laterally. The pellet which is here a washer has a central hole II and a marking 12 of at least the direction of rotation.

  The rounded tablet seen from above in FIG. 7 has a peripheral notch 13 intended to facilitate the extraction of the tablet crimped into the cap.

  The cross section of the curved tablet 10 ′ in FIG. 8 is axial and passes through the central orifice 11. A pattern 12 produced by stamping / punching is visible in the hollow on the upper surface of the tablet.

  The axial section of FIG. 9 makes it possible to view the internal and lower part of the cap, the maneuvering housing 8, not visible in the other figures and which is suitable for receiving the control of the hydraulic member on which it is placed in fixation. hat. A means of fixing the cap to the control is also visible in the form of an orifice 7 for the passage of a locking screw 30 not shown here. In this FIG. 9 in section, the housing 8 of the maneuver at the level of the orifice 7 appears to be non-symmetrical and axial because the section passes through a cutaway 9 of the housing 8 of the cap 1 corresponding to the cutaway of the maneuver which is to come in the accommodation.

  The various examples of implementation of the invention are only exemplary and in no way limitative. In particular, a tablet and a circular housing have mainly been considered, but it is also possible to use other forms of housing and tablet and, for example, square, hexagonal or the like.

Claims (10)

  1. Prescription cap (1) for a hydraulic control member of a water distribution network, in particular a valve or 5 tap, the cap comprising an external square (2) for maneuvering being intended to be actuated in rotation around a axis of rotation by an independent and removable square hollow key of the complementary fountain key type covering the outer maneuvering square, characterized in that the cap is made of a non-magnetizable material, the upper part of the outer maneuvering square (2) comprising a recessed housing (3) and in that a pellet (10,10 ') in a magnetizable material is arranged and fixed in said housing.   2. Prescription cap according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing has a laminated peripheral edge intended for carrying out a crimping and in that the patch (10,10 ') is crimped (14) in the housing .   3. Prescription cap according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the patch (10,10 ') has a central orifice.   4. Prescription cap according to claim 1,2 or 3, characterized in that the tablet (10 ') is curved.   5. Prescription cap according to claim 4, characterized in that at least part of the upper surface of the patch is located above the highest point of the cap.   6. Prescription cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pellet housing (3) is extended in the cap by a hollow female square (4).   7. Prescription cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the patch is circular in a circular housing coaxial with the axis of rotation and in that the crimping is arranged in at least three zones 35 angularly equidistant relative to the axis of rotation.   8. Prescription cap according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the non-magnetizable material of the cap is brass and in that the magnetizable material of the pellet is magnetizable stainless steel.   9. Hydraulic control member of the water distribution network, in particular a valve or tap, with prescription cap comprising an external operating square intended to be actuated in rotation about an axis of rotation by an independent square hollow key and removable type of additional fountain key 10 covering the outer square of operation, characterized in that the cap is made of a non-magnetizable material, the upper part of the outer square of operation comprising a hollow housing and in that a pellet in a magnetizable material is disposed in said housing.   10. Method for producing a prescription cap for a hydraulic control member of a water distribution network, in particular a valve or tap, the cap comprising an external operating square being intended to be actuated in rotation around a axis of rotation by an independent and removable square hollow key of the complementary fountain key type covering the outer operating square, characterized in that, to obtain the cap according to any one of claims 1 to 8, on the one hand, a non-magnetizable material is taken and a cap shape is produced comprising, in the upper part of the external operating square, at least one recess in said non-magnetizable material, on the other hand, a metallic pellet is produced in a magnetizable material , and the pad is placed and fixed in the housing.   He. Method for producing a prescription cap according to claim 10, characterized in that one takes a non-magnetizable material which is brass and that one works by hot stamping to produce the cap shape, and in which is made of the pellet by cutting and stamping a sheet of a magnetizable material which is magnetizable stainless steel.