GB2129527A - Valve baseplate - Google Patents

Abstract

A generally rectangular base plate, having long and short sides, for a multi-way valve is designed so that it may be joined together at its sides with like base plates for supporting a battery of valves. The base plate has a number of connection ducts running through it from the connection face (1) (the face to which the valve is to be fixed). Some of these ducts (4, 6, 8), that are for supplying and letting off fluid from the valve, are joined up with through ducts (13, 12, 14) running right through the base plate from one long side to the other long side thereof, whereas the ducts (5, 7) for connection with a load have their openings at another side of the base plate. The base plate is made in two parts (25, 26) with a parting plane parallel to the connection face (1) defining a top connection plate part (25) with the connection face (1) thereon and a lower connection plate part (26), such parts having mounting faces (27, 28) where they are joined together. The connection ducts (4, 6, 8) for the supply and letting off of the fluid and the through ducts (13, 12, 14) used therewith are placed in the top connection plate (25). A top section (5a, 7a) of each load duct (5,7) extends through the top connection plate (25) from the connection to the mounting face thereof, whereas lower sections (5b, 7b) of each load duct (5, 7) is placed so as to be generally parallel to the long sides of the base plate, said lower sections (5b, 7b) of the duct opening at one of the short sides of the base plate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A base plate for multi-way valves The present invention is with respect to a base plate for multi-way fluid valves, and more specially to such a base plate with a block-like form and so designed that a number of such plates may be joined together with their long sides placed together as a battery of plates, that have connection ducts running from a connection or valve supporting face of the plate in question for the connection up and fixing the position of the valve desired so that when the valve is so placed in position the ducts are joined up with valve ducts and of which the connection ducts for the supply of fluid to the valve and letting off fluid therefrom are designed opening into the base plate from the one long side to the other long side in the form of through ducts running through the plate, at least the one connection duct being used for connection up with a load opening at another side of the base plate.

A valve block made up of such a base plate and a valve placed thereon, our a battery of valve blocks joined with each other by way of the base plates, may be commonly fixed to some sort of base or support structure, that for its part has lines running from it to the different loads to be controlled by the valves; Dependent on local conditions, it may in some cases be best for load connection points, as for example the ports of the connection ducts forming the load ducts, to be placed on another side of the base plate. To this end it has so far been necessary to make use of different sorts of base plates, that are fixed to the valve in question as may be desired. The manufacture of different sorts of base plates is however high in price and the user has to have a store of different sorts of the base plates on hand, so that his costs are put up as well.

In order to take care of these shortcomings, in the invention the base plate has a division in a direction parallel to the said connection face into an upper connection plate part with the connection face (the face on which a valve is to be fixed) and into a lower connection plate part having its mounting face temporarily (that is to say not permanently) fixed to the face, opposite to the mounting face, of the top connection plate part, the connection ducts for the supply of fluid and the take-up thereof together with the through ducts for use therewith being placed in the top connection plate.Each load duct is made up of upper and lower duct parts, of which the top duct part is run through the top connection plate part from the connection face (the face on which the valve is placed) as far as the mounting face (the face fixed to the lower plate part) thereof, whereas the lower part of the said duct is placed in the lower connection plate part so as to be generally parallel to long sides of the base plate, the said lower duct part running between a port on the mounting face of the top part and at a port on the other hand at one of the cross sides of the base plate that is normal to the connection face and the long sides, or of the lower connection plate.

In the case of such a base plate the load pipes such as hoses may in fact be joined up with ports at one of the cross or short sides of the base plate so that the base plate may be positioned with the lower face of the connection plate on the support structure.

On the other hand, in the event of a connection of the connection ducts being desired on the face opposite to the connection face having the valve mounted thereon, it is only necessary to do without the lower connection plate and for the load lines or pipes to be joined up with the top part of the load ducts at the mounting face of the top connection plate part. In this way one then has a way of placing the connections at two positions at a right angle to each other.

Because, but for the lower parts of the connection ducts, all the ducts are running in the top connection plate part, the lower connection plate, that may or may not be used in a given case, is relatively simple in design and is cheaply produced, seeing that in fact it is only the lower parts of the load ducts that have to be drilled therein. Furthermore the overall height of the lower connection plate part is small and only has to be a little greater than the diameter of the lower parts of the ducts.

Further useful effects and further details of the present invention will be seen from the account now to be given of the a working example thereof with a number of possible changes, using the figures.

Figure lisa view looking upwards in the direction of the arrow I of figure 2, of the base plate of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section of the base plate of figure 1 taken on the section line ll-ll of figure 3.

Figure 3 is a further view of the base plate of figures 1 and 2, this time looking downwards in the directon of the arrow Ill of figure 2.

Figure 4 is a further view of the base plate in keeping with the present invention as seen from the side looking in the direction of the arrow IV in figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view of a battery made up by uniting valve blocks and base plates, as seen from the side as in figure 4 and on a somewhat smaller scale.

The base plate to be seen in the figures has a generally block-like or parallelepiped-like form. Its top face 1 is designed as a connection face, on which a multi-way valve 2 (see figure 4), as for example a five-way valve, may be placed and fixed in position, that is to say joined up fluidwise and mechanically.

The base plate has in zit a number of connection ducts running through it from this connection face 1, and when the valve is fixed in position such ducts are joined up with the ducts in the valve.

In the present working example the connection ducts having their ports in the connection face 1 are:- a connection duct 3, that is used as control duct so that the valve may be supplied with a control pressure for changing the working position thereof; a connection duct 4 to let off fluid from the one side of the load, as for example a double acting piston and cylinder actuator, into the free air; a load connection duct 5, that is joined up at the other end with a load, as for example the one side or end of a double acting piston and cylinder actuator; a middle connection duct 6 for the supply of the fluid under pressure; a load connection duct 7, that has its other end joined up with a load, as for example the other side of the said double acting piston and cylinder actuator; a connection duct 8 for the fluid coming from the load; and lastly a connection duct 9, that again has the function of a control duct that is used for moving the valve member of the valve in the opposite direction to fluid moving through duct 3. As will at once be clear from figure 3, the ports of all these ducts have the form of siots running parallel to the cross or short sides 10 and 11 of the base plate.

Furthermore, each of these ports of the ducts is out of line with the ports next to it.

Dependent on the position of the valve member in the said valve the duct 6 is joined up with the duct 5 and duct 7 is joined up with the duct 8 or the duct 6 is joined up with the duct 7 and the duct 5 is joined to duct 4 so that the two sides of the double acting actuator may be joined up with driving fluid and with the outside air in turn as desired. The middle connection duct 6 for the supply of driving fluid and the connection ducts 4 and 8 for letting off the fluid are at a right angle to the connection face 1 and opposite ends thereof have ports in each case opening into a connection duct 12, 13 and 14 as the case may be, the same running through the base plate from its long side 15 to the its other long side 16. These long sides 15 and 16 of the base plate are at a right angle to the connection face 1 and to the cross or short sides 10 and 11.If a number of such base plates are put together at a single unit or battery by joining them together along their long sides, the through ducts 12,13 and l4ofthe different base plates will be in line with each other so that all the base plates will have a common supply of driving fluid under pressure and a common duct for letting off the fluid. Such a unit will for example be seen in figure 5 where there are four valve blocks, each made up of a base plate and a valve, to give a valve block battery 17.

In the view of figure 5, seen in the direction of the arrow 4 in figure 2, the through ducts 12, 13 and 14 are running parallel to the plane of the figure, the common through duct 13a made up of the single through ducts 13 joined end to end, being marked in broken lines.

The base plates are joined together by using connection ears 18, 19,20 and 21 that are so placed that in each case there will be two ears running out on each of the short sides 10 and 11 in a direction parallel to the long sides 15 and 16 of the base plate in question. These ears, that are placed up against each other, are joined together with screws, this being marked in figureS. The long sides to the outside of the two outer base plates at the end are screwed to end plates 22 and 23, the same having holes of ducts answering to the through ducts 12, 13 and 14so that connection may then be made with the outside.The two end plates 22 and 23 are in each case somewhat higher than the base plates so that the battery made up of the valve blocks with the end plates 22 and 23 is supported on the support 24 with the base plates at a small distance from the support 24. The end plates 22 and 23 may be fixed to the support 24, as for example by screws.

The two control ducts 3 and 9 are as well a right angle to the connection face 1 and are then angled before running to ports in the short sides 10 or 11 as the case may be. These parts have female screw threads therein so that a hose end fitting may be screwed thereinto. Dependent on the sort of valve used it is furthermore possible to do without the control ducts 3 and 9.

Before starting the account of the form and design of the load ducts 5 and 7, an important point to be noted is the fact that the base plate has a division into two parts parallel to the connection face 1, that is to say into a top connection plate part 25 having the connection face 1, and a lower connection plate part 26. In this respect the lower connection plate part 26 has its mounting or connection face 27 joined up with the face 28, opposite to the connection face 1, of the top connection plate 25 so that the part may be undone again or separated. The two connection plate parts 25 and 26 are screwed together from the lower side of the lower connection plate part 26 as for example with connection screws 30,31 and 32.

The two connection plate parts 25 and 26 are generally block- or parallelepiped-like, the lower connection plate part 26 however having a very much smaller overall height than the top connection plate part 25. Furthermore, the lower connection plate part 26 will be seen to be somewhat narrower than the top connection plate part 25, as will be clear on looking towards one of the short sides 10 and 11 in the view of figure 5. To take account such possible sizes and proportions of the structure the base plate is herein said to be generally block- or parallelepiped-like.

The pressure connection ducts 6,4 and 8 for the supply of fluid under pressure and for letting off such fluid, and furthermore the through ducts 12 or 13 and 14 used therewith and the control ducts 3 and 9 (if any) are placed completely within the top connection plate part 25. Each system or load duct 5 or 7 is on the other hand made up of two duct parts 5a and 5b in the one case and 7a, 7b in the other, of which the top part 5a, 7a goes through the top connection plate part 25 from the connection face 1 as far as its mounting or fixing face 28 parallel to the other connection ducts 4, 6 and 8, whereas the lower section 5b and 7b in the lower connection plate 26 is taken along generally parallel to the long sides 15 and 16 of the base plate and on the other hand comes to an end at the mounting face 27 at the start of the top part 5a and 7a and on the other hand comes to an end at one of the cross sides 10 and 11, (in the present case the short side 10) that is normal to the connect face 1 and the long sides 15 and 16, of the base plate or the lower connection plate part 26.

This being so, each load duct 5 or 7 is generally L-like.

If the lower connection plate 26 is unscrewed, it is then possible for the load ducts on the mounting face 28 of the top connection plate part 25 to be joined up with the duct parts 5a and 7a. The user is for this reason given a certail selection with respect to the position of the load connections in space, that is to say the geometry thereof.

It will be clear that the same useful effect will be produced in the case of base plates with only one load duct, if the load is, for example, a single acting actuator. In such a case one of the two load ducts of the present working example may furthermore be stoppered.

In the working example, in which there are two load ducts 5 and 7, the lower parts 5b and 7b are placed at the same level with respect to the lower connection plate 26 parallel to each other as far as the top part 5b and 7b in each case, the two top parts or sections being out of line with each other by the distance between the lower parts, or are made broader by this amount.

In the present example the ducts are made broader in such a way that the top parts of the ducts are slot-like.

The ports, placed at the short side 10 of the lower connection plate 26, of the lower duct parts 5b and 7b have a female screw thread for screwing in a hose end fitting or nipple (not figured). In the same sort of way the port, placed at the mounting or fixing face 28 of the top part 25 of each top load duct part 5a and 7a has its own female screw thread, the ports and the female threads of the top and the lower duct parts having the same diameter so that when the lower one plate 26 is unscrewed the same hose unions may be screwed into the ports of the top duct parts 5a and 7a The connection between the top and the lower part 5a, 5b and 7a, 7b of each load duct is glanded by a gasket ring, as for example an O-ring 35 or 36, that is best slipped into a pocket 36 or 38, as the case may be, be machined out of the mounting face 27 of the lower connection plate 26, such pocket being, in the case of an O-ring, a ring-like wider part of the port of the lower duct part in question. On the other hand the mounting face 28 of the top connection plate 26 is planar, this giving a useful effect when it comes to using the top connection plate part 25 by itself.

But for the lower duct parts 5b and 7b, all ducts are placed in the top connection plate 25, and what is more the fastening means 18,19,20 and 21 forthe connection together of a number of base plates with their long sides lined up and placed together are on the top plate parts so that the manufacture of the lower connection plate 26 becomes very simple.

Claims (9)

1. A base plate for multi-way fluid valves, said plate being of generally parallelepiped-like geometrical form with two parallel first sides and two parallel second sides joining same, said base plate being designed to be joined up with further base plates of generally the same form at said first sides thereof for the purpose of building up a battery of said plates with valves supported mechanically and joined up fluidwise thereon, said base plate further having a connection face for receiving such a valve with ducts running through said plate to said connection face forjoininig up with ducts in said valve when placed on said connection face, said plate having first connection ducts for the supply of fluid under pressure to said valve and second connection ducts for fluid from said valve, said second connection ducts being joined with ports opening into ducts extending through said plate from one of said first sides to the other of said first sides thereof, at least one connection duct to be used forjoininig up a load porting at another side of the base plate, said base plate comprising a first connection plate part providing said connection face and a second connection plate part removably mounted on said first connection plate part so that a mounting face thereof is adjacent a mounting face of the first connection plate part opposed to said connection face of said first connection plate part, said first and second connection ducts and said through ducts being located in the first connection plate part and each load duct being comprised of a first section in the first connection plate part extending through the latter from the connection face thereof to the mounting face thereof, and a second section in the second connection plate part extending generally parallel to said first sides of said base plate, and having a first port adjacent to the first duct section and a second port at one of said second sides normal to the connection face and said first sides, of the second connection plate part of said base plate.

2. A base plate as claimed in claim 1, having two load ducts for the connection up of a double acting piston and cylinder actuator, said load ducts being ported at the connection face on respective sides of a middle duct for the supply of pressure fluid, between same and a connection duct for letting offfluid from said load, said two load ducts having respective second sections in the second connection plate part at generally the same level thereof, being parallel to each other and extending as far as the first section in each case of said load ducts, the two first sections of said load ducts being out of line by a distance equal to the distance between said load ducts.

3. A base plate as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each first load duct section has a port located at the mounting face of said first connection plate part and the second port of the second section of the load duct communicating with the outside air has a female thread into which a hose union may be screwed.

4. A base plate as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein, at a join between the first and second sections of each load duct, said base plate has a seal.

5. A base plate as claimed in claim 4 wherein said seal is placed in a pocket machined into the said lower connection plate part at the mounting face thereof, the connection face of the said first connection plate part being planar.

6. A base plate as claimed in any of the preceding claims, have a screw means joining together the said connection plate parts, said screw means taking effect from a face of the second connection plate part remote from said first connection plate part.

7. A base plate as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising fastening means for joining together two of said base plates with their first sides together, said fastening means being located on said first connection plate part.

8. A base plate for multi-way fluid valves, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter herein disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.