GB2065271A - A valve with a mechanical remote control device - Google Patents

Abstract

A remote control device (3) especially suitable for a valve (2) has a latching mechanism (23, 24, 31, 13, 34, 35, 36) for a plurality of control positions of the control member (5) and a flexible transmission means (20) which is connected to the movable part (5) of the valve (2) and extends within a tubular guide (21). A centering spring (6) is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the movable part (5) and serves to move the latter into its "neutral position". The said latching mechanism has a support (13) and at least one latching element (25, 26) adjustably fixed to the support. The latching element or elements (25, 26) is or are so adjusted with respect to the support (13) that the different displacements between the beginning and the end of the transmission means (20) are no longer troublesome. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A valve with a mechanical remote control device The invention concerns a valve provided with a mechanical remote control device according to the preamble of the first claim. A remote control device comprising a latching mechanism is known, the resilient transmission means of which, guided for example in a tube, transmits both tensile forces and pressure forces. This remote control device is suitable for the remote control of hydraulic valves which are mounted on tractors or the like. Since when changing from tension to pressure, and vice versa, the transmission means engages in another manner in the tube, a part to be remotely adjusted, for example the control slide of the valve, performs a shorter path than the start of the transmission means coupled to an actuating element.The difference between the path at the beginning and at the end of the transmission means is dependent on the length and the elasticity of the transmission means as well as its clearance within the tube and on the elasticity of the tube as well as the value of the forces to be transmitted. Thus, the difference can spread within disadvantageously wider limits. Thus, the latching mechanism is arranged directly in the vicinity of the remotely actuated part. However, this arrangement is undesirable when the latching mechanism has, for example, a latching element which can be released by means of a push-button or the like.Thus, the problem is posed to so improve a remote control device provided with a latching device that on adjustment of the actuating element in the form, for example, of a manually actuated lever, from a latched position into the next position, the part connected to the transmission means, for example the control member of a valve moves over a predetermined path.

Advantages of the Invention The remote control device in accordance with the invention, especially suitable for a valve, comprising the characterising features has the advantages that, because the latching mechanism is located at the beginning of the transmission means, it is very useful and that the part to be remotely actuated is movable exactly into the predetermined positions.

The features set forth in the other claims provide advantageous embodiments of the remote control device set forth in the first claim.

Drawing An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing in section.

Description of the Embodiment The remote control device 3 is combined with a multiway valve 2.

The valve 2 is designed in known manner as a multiway valve and has a valve housing 4, a control slide 5, a centering spring 6 and two spring plates 7. The spring plates 7 are carried by one end 8 of the control slide 5 and are movable to a limited extent in a longitudinal direction of the control slide 5 with respect thereto. In the pretensioned condition, the centering spring 6 is arranged between the spring plates 7. A recess 9 which accommodates one of the spring plates 7 is arranged in the valve housing 4. A cap 10 covering the said recess 9 is fixed to the housing 4 and surrounds the other spring plates 7. The parts 6, 7, 8 and 10 form a known resetting device which urges the control slide into its neutral position when there are no external forces. An actuator or a rotary piston engine, for example (not shown), is connected to the valve 2.

The remote control device (3) has a housing 11, a pivotal axis 12 arranged in the housing 11, a segment 13 carried by the pivotal axis 12, a manually actuated lever 14 with a handle 1 5 rigidly connected to the segment 13, a pin 1 6 fixed to the segment 13, a linkage 1 7 with an eye 1 8 surrounding the pin 16, an intermediate portion 19, a resilient transmission means 20, a tubular guide 21 for the transmission means 20, a latching element 23 pivotally mounted by means of an axis 22, a spring 24 and two latching elements 25, 26.

The linkage 1 7 is coupled to the intermediate member 19 by a pin 27. The intermediate member 1 9 is mounted for longitudinal displacement in the housing 11 and in a guide sleeve 28 connected to the housing. The transmission means 20 is connected to a nipple 29 which engages in a recess 30 arranged in the intermediate member 19. The segment 1 3 is moved about its pivotal axis by pivoting the lever 14 at its handle 1 5. In so doing, the pin 1 6 is moved over an arcuate path.

Through the linkage 17, the pin 1 6 acts on the intermediate member 1 9 and displaces the latter in its longitudinal direction. The transmission means 20 follows its displacement movements since it is coupled to the intermediate member by the nipple 29 and the recess 30. The parts 11 to 1 9 form an actuating device which acts on the valve 2 through the transmission means 20 and the tubular guide 21.

The latching element 23 has a latching pawl 31. The latching elements 25 and 26 are made arcuate, have arcuate adjustment slots 32 and are fixed to the segment 1 3 by means of bolts 33.

Referring to the illustration in Figure 1, the latching element 25 is arranged behind the segment and the latching element 26 is arranged in front of the segment. Thus, the latching elements 25 and 26 may be aligned with the segment 1 3 independently of each other and can thus overlap one another. The latching element 25 has a detent notch 34 and the latching element 26 has two detent notches 35, 36. The detent notches 34, 35, 36 fit the shape of the latching pawl 31. The latching pawl 21 is in the form of a truncated wedge. The spring 24 acts on the pivotally mounted latching element 23 in such a manner than the latching pawl 31 is forced in the direction of the latching elements 25, 26 and seeks to penetrate into a respective one of the detent notches 34, 35 or 36.The parts 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 form a latching mechanism.

The tubular guide 21 is connected to both the guide sleeve 28 and to a connection part 37 arranged on the multiway valve 2. The tubular guide 21 can consist selectively of a thin walled metal tube or of helically wound steel wires, as is known with Bowden cables. One end of the transmission means 20 projecting into the connecting portion 37 is connected to the control slide 5 through an intermediate member 38.

The control slide 5 and the valve housing 4 surrounding it are designed in such a manner that a respective position for raising or for lowering or for forwards or reverse travel are located adjacent to the so-called neutral positions for the control slide 5. A further switching position, which is usually referred to as a floating position, is arranged beyond the position for lowering.

Together with the spring plates 7, the centering spring 6 acts so that when the latching pawl 31 has not entered one of the detent notches 34, 35 or 36, the control slide 5 is urged into the socalled neutral position.

Adjustment of the remote control device is carried out in the following described manner.

Proceeding from the neutral position of the control slide 5, the transmission means 20 or its guide 21 is so adjusted that the manually actuated lever 14 takes up a neutral position N associated with the lever 14. Then, proceeding from the neutral position N, the manually actuated lever 14 is pivoted towards the right until the control slide 5 is brought within the valve housing 4 into an associated control position against the action of the centering spring 6. Then, whilst maintaining the position of the manually actuated lever 14, the latching element 25 is adjusted relatively to the segment 13 in such a manner that the latching pawl 31 enters the detent notch 34. In this position, the latching element 35 is rigidly screwed to the segment 1 3. The said position is the position I.In a similar manner, the latching element 26 with its detent notch 35 is adjusted with respect to the segment 13 for the other control position II opposite to the neutral position.

The detent notch 36 is associated with a position Ill of the manually actuated lever 14. If the manually actuated lever is pivoted into this position III, then the control slide 5 arrives in the floating position. By adjusting the latching element 25 and 26 in the described manner, clearance provided at the pin 16, the pin 27 and the nipple 29 as well as the different kinds of engagement of the transmission means 20 within the guide 21 are balanced for tension and pressure. Since the transmission means 20 is under tension when the latching pawl 31 is latched in the detent notch 35 or 36, it is generally sufficient to preselect a fixed distance between the detent notches 35 and 36. However, the detent notch 36 can be associated with its own latching element adjustable independently with respect to the segment 13.It is also possible to machine the detent notches directly in the periphery of a pivotable segment which is comparable to the segment 13. In so doing, the pin acting on the linkage 1 7 is so arranged in the said segment that its distance with respect to the pivotal axis 12 of the segment is selectable. This can occur in known manner by providing the segment with a slot 40 extending substantially from its pivotal axis 1 2 and by forming the pin 1 6 so that it is first of all displaceable along the said slot 40 and can then be rigidly clamped to the segment.Proceeding from pre-selected latching and pivotal movements of the segment, the described arrangement makes it possible to so select the extent of the displacement paths to be generated at the control slide 5 that the control slide 5 succeeds in arriving out of its neutral position into the desired other control positions.

Due to the arrangement of the slot 40 in addition to the adjustable latching element 25, 26, a remote control device can be matched to different sizes of valve.

The arrangement of the centering spring 6 and of the spring plates 7 directly on the control slide 5 has the advantage that the neutral position of the control slide 5 is established very accurately and is independent of the transmission properties of the transmission means.

By way of explanation, reference is made to the fact that the latching elements (25, 26) are in the form of segments and can be mounted by means of the pivotal axis 12. The adjustment relatively to the pin 1 6 and the fixing to the segment 13 can take place in the manner already described.

Claims (8)

1. A mechanical remote control device, especially for a valve or the like, comprising a flexible transmission means transmitting tensile forces and pressure forces, which is displaceable in a tubular guide and the end of which is connected to the part to be remotely actuated and comprising a latching mechanism, characterised in that, the latching mechanism is arranged at the beginning of the transmission means and has at least one adjustably arranged latching element.

2. A remote control device according to claim 1 characterised in that the latching elements are fixed to a support.

3. A remote control device according to claim 2 characterised in that the support is formed as a pivotally mounted segment coupled to a manually actuated lever.

4. A remote control device according to claim 1 characterised in that the latching elements are formed as mutually pivotably mounted segments.

5. A mechanical remote control device, especially for a valve or the like, comprising a flexible transmission means transmitting tensile forces and pressure forces, which is displaceable in a tubular guide and the end of which is connected to the part to be remotely actuated and comprising a latching mechanism, characterised in that, the latching mechanism is arranged in the vicinity of the beginning of the transmission means and has a pivotally mounted segment provided with detents arranged at its periphery, in which a movable latching element engages, and a pin coupled to the transmission means and movable together with the segment over an arcuate path, the pin being made adjustable with respect to the pivotal axis of the segment.

6. A remote control device according to claim 5 characterised in that the segment has a slot extending substantially radially with respect to its pivotal axis and along which the pin can be rigidly clamped to the segment at a selectable distance from the pivotal axis.

7. A remote control device on a valve according to claims 1,2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 characterised in that a device with a centering spring is arranged on the valve urging its movable part in the direction of the "neutral position".

8. A remote control device, especially for a valve, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.