GB2097082A - Improvements in or relating to valves - Google Patents

Abstract

A valve for use in selectively filling a charge of liquid or gas into a pressure vessel and releasing a stream of gas from the vessel comprises: a housing (1) that defines a pathway for the liquid or the gas, and also defines an outer valve seating (103); a first valve body (5) biased into engagement with the outer valve seating to close the pathway; a first actuator member (108) adapted to disengage the first valve body to open the pathway; parts defining a channel (104) through the first valve body to define a by-pass continuous with said pathway, the channel having an associated inner valve seating, a second valve body 4 biased into engagement with the inner valve seating to close the by-pass; and a second actuator member (4a) adapted to disengage the second valve body to open the by-pass. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to valves, especially for bottled fuel gas This invention relates to a valve for fluids, and in particular to a valve for a container of bottled fuel gas, such as liquidfied propane/butane, commonly called LPG.

A valve for a fuel gas drum commonly comprises a housing with a through bore two adjacent regions of which are of different diameters with a transverse shoulder between them to act as the valve seating, and a body valve spring biased to block the bore of the housing by engaging the seating, the valve body having an actuator member depression of which disengages the body from the seating against the spring bias to open the valve, the housing having means for attaching it to a fuel gas drum. Such a valve is herein designated a valve of the type described.

A valve of the type described is repeatedly opened and closed for intermittent feeding of gas from the drum to a gas burning appliance, and may remain open for extended periods. It is thus vulnerable to the ingress of dirt particles (metal, rust, dried lubricant, etc.) some of which lodge between the engaging surfaces of the valve housing and body, and cause gas leaks.

Further, a valve of the type described requires to be fully opened at speed for filling the drum with liquid fuel in a short filling cycle of perhaps two to three minutes. But said valve requires only partial and controllable opening for feeding gas to an appliance in use. Since both operations are achieved in the same way by depression of the same actuator member, by means of a liquid filler coupling and a gas release coupling respectively, the two requirements are in mutual conflict to some extent.

Objects of the invention include the amelioration of the above recited disadvantages.

The invention accordingly provides a valve for use in selectively filling a charge of liquid or gas into a pressure vessel and releasing a stream of gas from the vessel, which valve comprises (a) a housing that defines a pathway for the liquid or the gas, and also defines an outer valve seating, (b) a first valve body biased into engagement with the outer valve seating to close the pathway, (c) a first actuator member adapted to disengage the first valve body to open the pathway, (d) parts defining a channel through the first valve body to define a by-pass continuous with said pathway, the channel having an associated inner valve seating, (e) a second valve body biased into engagement with the inner valve seating to close the by-pass, and (f) a second actuator member adapted to disengage the second valve body to open the by-pass.

Preferably the minimum cross-sectional area of the pathway is greater when the first valve body is disengaged than when the second valve body is disengaged, said disengagements being intended respectively for use in filling the charge of liquid or gas, and releasing the stream of gas.

Preferably the first and second valve bodies possess longitudinal axes which coincide.

Preferably the first actuator member is a hollow cylindrical open ended extension of the first valve body and the second actuator member is a rod like extension of the second valve body located within and coaxial with the first actuator member.

Preferably the first actuator member projects externally of the open end of the first actuator member.

In use the valve is connected to a pressure vessel of which the contents are under pressure; said pressure operates to reinforce the bias engaging both valve bodies with their respective valve seating. Preferably each actuator member is adapted for actuation by compression force applied, from without the valve, by means of a rigid member inserted into an open end of the pathway defined by the housing, said rigid member forming part of a liquid or gas feed coupling or a gas release coupling as the case may be.

Furthermore at least one of the valve seatings and the cooperating regions of the valve bodies is upholstered by means of a resilient facing such as a fibre washer or a rubber ring.

Preferably the disposition of the by-pass is such that the released gas emerges from between the coaxial first and second actuator members.

Preferably the open end of the first actuator member is externally bevelled, whereby dirt particles falling from the exterior in a direction generally parallel to the coaxis of the actuators is deflected away from the gas release orifice which lies between said actuators.

A safety valve may be incorporated in the valve of the invention, adapted to blow off at a predetermined pressure on the pressure vessel side of the latter valve, and may be biased closed by spring means so as to be insensitive to working pressures.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side sectional elevation of a first valve for a container of liquid fuel; Figure 2 is an exploded view, on a reduced scale, of the valve of Figure 1, incorporating plan views of the component parts; Figure 3 is a side sectional elevation of a second valve for a container of liquid fuel in the totally closed conditions; Figure 4 shows the valve of Figure 3 open for filling with liquid; and Figure 5 shows the valve of Figure 3 open for the release of gas from the container of liquid fuel.

Referring now to the drawings and in particularto Figures 1 and 2, there is provided a valve for a container for liquid fuel which valve comprises a valve housing 1 and a valve body 1c. The valve housing 1 comprises a through bore 100 to adjacent region, 101 and 102, of which are of different diameter and a transverse shoulder 103 between them; a rubber sealing ring 3; a resilient sealing ring 2, a screw thread (not shown) at its lower end, (as viewed in the drawing) for coupling the housing to a liquid gas pressure vessel. The valve body 1c comprises a tubular first valve body element 5 and a rod like sec ond valve body element 4.

The element 5 comprises a neoprene washer 6, a first actuator member 108, a compression spring seating member 109, and defines a through bore 104. The element4 is divided into three sections namely a lowersection 105, which is circular in cross-section the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the bore 104, a shoulder section 106 having a rubber ring thereon, an upper section 107 and a compression spring seating member 110 in the vicinity of the shoulder section 106. The upper section 107 is, in cross-section, circular with diametrically opposed flats 4c. The upper section 107 affords a second actuator member4a. To complete the valve body, the upper section 107 of the element 4 is inserted into the bore 104 from below, as viewed in the drawing.The diameter of the upper section 107 is such that when the section 107 is inserted into the bore 104, a snug yet slidable fit is provided for the section 107 within the bore 104. It will be appreciated that upon insertion of the upper section 107 into the bore 104 there is defined a pair of pathways in parallel spaced apart relationship separated bythe upper section 107.

To complete the valve, the valve body is inserted into the region 101 of the valve housing 1 followed by a compression spring 12, a second compression spring 14 and a base member 15. The base member 15 comprises a guide 111 through which the lower section 105 is free to pass, retainersforthe springs 12 and 14, and defines a plurality of holes 15b. The base member 15 is retained in the region 101 by conventional means and when so retained partially compresses the springs 12 and 14 against the seat ing members 109 and 110 respectively.

The valve housing 1 also comprises a safety valve having a housing I b which has a through bore 120 in communication with the region 101 of the bore 100.

Into the safety valve housing 1 b is inserted a fibre washer 7, a safety valve body 8, a compression spring 11, a spring retaining cap 10, and a dust cap 9.

The cap 10 is retained in the housing 1 b by conventional means and partially compresses the spring 11 against the valve body 8 thereby urging the fibre washer7 againstthe housing lbthus providing a leak proof closure. The cap 10 defines a plurality of holes 1 Ob.

In orderthatthe various components may be fully understood, a plan view of the following components is shown in Figure 2: 2a: plan view of 2 3a: plan view of 3 5a: plan view of 5 6a: plan view of 6 7a: plan view of 7 8a: plan view of 8 9a: plan view of 9 10a: plan viewof 10 13a: plan view of 13 15a: plan viewof 15 4b: plan view of 4 showing the flats 4c.

In use, the valve is connected to a container for liquid fuel (liquid butaneipropane gas otherwise known as LPG) via the screwthread. Without any other connections to the valve, the elements 4 and 5 are in the positions as shown in Figure 1 namely the compression spring 12 urges the fibre washer 6 into contact with the transverse shoulder 103 thereby providing a leak proof seal; the compression spring 14 urges the rubber ring 13 into contactwiththe element4 thereby providing a leak proof seal.

To fill the bottle with LPG, a suitable connector not shown, from an LPG source is coupled to the valve via the rubber seal ring 3. The connector is designed to contact the actuator member 108 and by pushing the connector downwards, as viewed in the drawings, causes the element 5 to move against the spring 12 thereby disengaging the fibre washer 6 from the transverse shoulder 103. The LPG, which is under pressure, rapidly enters and fills the container via the gap generated by the disengagement of the fibre washer 6 and the holes 15b. In this way, the container may be filled rapidly. Disconnection of the connector results in the spring 12 urging the element 5 upwards, as viewed in the drawing, enabling the fibre washer 6 to engage the transverse shoulder 103 thereby providing an effective leak proof seal.

It will be appreciated that throughout the filling process, the element 4 moves in unison with the element 5 and the force required to disengage the washer 6 from the shoulder 103 must be greater than the combined force of the springs 12 and 14.

In order to release the LPG from the container for use with a suitable gas appliance, anotherconnector, generally referred to as a gas release regulator, not shown, is connected to the valve via the resilient sealing ring 2. The regulator is adapted so as to contact the actuator4a and by pushing the regulator downwards, as viewed in the drawing, depression of the element4 against the spring 14 occurs. This depression enables the rubber sealing ring to be disengaged from the element 5 thereby providing a gap for the passage of the LPG in the bottle to the appliance via the pathwaysofthe bore 104. During this operation, the element 5 is not depressed and the leak proof seal between the washer 6 and the transverse shoulder 103 is maintained.

It will be appreciated that for gas filling purposes, a passage of relatively large cross-section is provided while for gas release purpose a passage of relatively small cross-section sufficient of the needs of the appliance, is provided.

Should the pressure inside the container exceed a predetermined level, generally referred to as the working pressure, the force of the compression spring 11 will be overcome by the pressure of the gas forcing the safety valve body 8 and the fibre washer 7 to the left as viewed in Figure 1. In this way, venting of the gas occurs which reducesthe pressure in the container to below the working pressure.

If venting does occur, the cap 9 will be blown from the housing 1 b thus providing a visual indication to the userthatventing has taken place.

Referring now to Figures3 to 5 of the drawings, all the components already described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, are to be found in these Figures except the fibre washer 6 is replaced by a ring washer 6a and the rubber ring 13 is replaced by a fibre washer 13b; the screw thread 1 a is illustrated and the valve does not include a safety valve.

In use and for the purpose of filling a container as previously described, there is illustrated in Figure 4 a filling coupling 19 and its associated member 19a for contacting and depressing the actuator member 108.

The LPG from a storage tank flows into the container via a connector 20.

In use and for the purpose of releasing the gas from the container for use with a suitable gas appliance, there is illustrated in Figure 5 a gas release regulator 16 having a gas line 17 to the appliance, the gas line 17 having an associated on/off stopcock handle 18.

The direction of gas flow during filling and release is shown in Figures 4 and 5 respectively.

As can be seen from the drawings, the element 5 at its upper most region is either bevelled 121 (Figure 1) or rounded 122 (Figures 3,4,5). Thus, dirt particles falling from the exterior are deflected away from the pathways which define, in use, the gas release orifice.

Claims (16)

1. A valve for use in selectively filling a charge of liquid or gas into a pressure vessel and releasing a stream of gas from the vessel, which valve comprises: (a) a housing that defines a pathway for the liquid or the gas, and also defines an outer valve seating; (b) a first valve body biased into engagement with the outer valve seating to close the pathway; (c) a first actuator member adapted to disengage the first valve body to open the pathway; (d) parts defining a channel through the first valve body to define a by-pass continuous with said pathway, the channel having an associated inner valve seating, (e) a second valve body biased into engagement with the inner valve seating to close the by-pass, and (f) a second actuator member adapted to disengage the second valve body to open the by-pass.

2. A valve as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the minimum cross-sectional area of the pathway is greater when the first valve body is disengaged than when the second valve body is disengaged, said disengagements being intended respectively for use in filling the charge of liquid or gas, and releasing the stream of gas.

3. A valve as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first and second valve bodies possess longitudinal axes which coincide.

4. A valve as claimed in Claim 3, wherein first actuator member is a hollow cylindrical open ended extension of the first valve body and the second actuator member is a rod like extension of the second valve body located within and coaxial with the first actuator member.

5. A valve as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the second actuator member projects externally of the open end of the first actuator member.

6. A valve as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein in use, the valve being connected to a pressure vessel of which the contents are under pressure, said pressure operates to reinforce the bias engaging both valve bodies with their respective valve seatings.

7. A valve as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each actuator member is adapted for actuation by a compression force applied, from without the valve, by means of a rigid member inserted into an open end of the pathway defined by the housing, said rigid memberforming partof a liquid or gas feed coupling or a gas release coupling as the case may be.

8. A valve as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the valve seatings and the cooperating regions of the valve bodies is upholstered by means of a resilient facing such as a fibre washer or a rubber ring.

9. A valve as claimed in Claim 5 or any Claim depending thereon, wherein the disposition of the by-pass is such that the release gas emerges from between the coaxial first and second actuator members.

10. A valve as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the open end of the first actuator member is externally bevelled, whereby dirt particles falling from the exterior in a direction generally parallel to the coaxis of the actuators is deflected away from the gas release orifice which lies between said actuators.

11. A valve as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 10 which further comprises a safety valve adapted, in use, to blow off at a predetermined pressure on the pressure vessel side of the latter valve.

12. A valve as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the safety valve is biased closed by spring means so as to be insensitive to working pressures.

13. A pressure vessel incorporating a valve as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12.

14. A pressure vessel as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the vessel is adapted for storing liquid butane/propane (otherwise known as LPG).

15. A valve as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 12 substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

16. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.