GB2153452A - Seal removal apparatus for valves - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus comprises a frame member (1) which is positioned in a fixed relative location to the valve assembly, the frame carrying a movable carriage (2) slideable in a fore-aft direction through drive means (3). Mounted on a carriage (2) is a second drive means (4) which serves to drive a slidable member (5) in a fore-aft direction along the carriage (2). The member (5) carries a U-shaped wire loop (6) constituting a hooking member and mounted to the end of the carriage (2) is an arcuate clamping member (7) which includes lateral grooves which receive the side limbs of the hooking member. To remove the seal (S) the means (3) is operated so as to bring the carriage (2) forwardly and the end of the hooking member (6) is driven on to the surface of a seal (S) so as to penetrate between the outer peripheral edge of the seal and the inner peripheral edge of the flange (F) thereby finally locating beneath the seal. Following this operation means 4 is then actuated so as to draw back the hooking member thus relatively moving the hooking member and clamp member to firmly hold the seal as illustrated. The means (4) thereafter maintains a constant force between the hooking member and clamping member during which phase the means (3) operates to move the carriage (2) rearwardly thereby stripping the seal (S) from the valve assembly as illustrated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Removing seals from valve assemblies This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing resilient annular seals from valve assemblies. The invention is primarily but by no means exclusively concerned with the removal of seals from the outlet valve assembly of a beverage container and such an assembly is disclosed, by way of example, in G B 2058264A.

It is an object ofthis inventionto provide a method and apparatus for removing seals in a mannerwhich can be readily adapted to manual operations or automation and which is reliable and rapid in operation.

According to this invention there is provided a method for removing a seal from a valve assembly, the assembly having concentric valve parts with an annular space therebetween defining a seating closed buy a resilient seal, the valve parts and seal defining a generally planarface surface for receiving a coupling, the method comprising the steps::- a) driving a U-shape hooking member obliquely at the surface of the seal to displace same sufficiently to allowthe base limb of the U of said hooking member to lie beneath the seal, b) moving relativelytothe hooking member a clamp memberto engage compressively the upper surface of the seal whereby a portion ofthe sealperimeter is secured between the hooking member and clamping member, and c) withdrawing the hooking and clamping mem bern iso as to progressively strip the seal from the seating between the valve parts.

Preferable the clamping member lies within the limits of the hooking memberand spaced from the base thereof in the initial position, the members being moved together during the driving step (a), and the clamping member being thereafter driven towards hooking member and subject to a preset force, the hooking memberandclamping member being thereafter withdrawntogether.

This invention provides also an apparatus for removing a seal,thaapparatus functioning substantially in accordance with the method defined above and comprising:- 1) A U-shaped hooking member 2) A carriage mounting the hooking member and movable by a first drive means forward and back along a track, 3) Aclampingmember positioned between the limbs ofthe hooking member and movable relatively and parallel tothe limbstowards and awayfromthe base ofthe member, 4) the clamping member or hooking member being moved forward and back by a second drive means mounted to the carriage.

5) the track being connected with aguide means to position the apparatus relative to a valve assembly.

Preferably the hooking member comprises a loop of wire which is non-permanently deformable during the driving operation. The clamping member may comprise a block with lateral grooves to receive the limbs ofthe hooking member and an end conforming with the curvature ofthe end ofthe hooking member.The hooking memberwill preferably have a curved end forming the base of the U. The hooking member may be moved towards the clamping member or vice versa.

In a simplified apparatus, also in accordance with the invention, and intended for manual use, the hooking member is attached to a handle with the clamping member movable by a lever or clamp screw orthe like to grip the seal whereafterthe handle can be used to strip the seal from the valve assembly by pulling.

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating two specific embodiments of apparatus and further disclosing preferredfeatures relating to the method and apparatus described previously.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan view of one form of apparatus, Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the apparatus in position and readyto operate on a valve assembly, Figure3 shows the hooking member driven into the seal, Figure 4 shows the clamping member engaged and commencement of the withdrawal, Figure 5 shows the seal withdrawn from the valve assembly, Figure 6 shows a plan view of a second embodiment of apparatus Figure 7 is a view looking in the direction of arrow 'A' on figure 6, and Figure 8 is a view looking in direction of arrow 'B' on figure 7.

Referring firstly to figures 1 to 5 ofthe drawings these illustrateoneconstruction of apparatus in tendedforthe removal of a seal from the concentric seating provided between an inner extractortube E and an outer housing flange assembly F. The seal S is supported on a cupwasherW urged upwardly by spring Cand in use atop coupling fitmentwould be engaged with flange Fto depress sealS againstthe.

force offspring C thereby opening a passageway between the concentric tube E and inner peripheral edge of flange F. The construction of valve assembly is much as illustrated in British Patent Publication 2058264.

To facilitate cleaning and refilling it is necessary to remove the seal and to achieve this an apparatus is provided comprising a frame member 1 which is positioned in a fixed relative location to the valve assembly, the frame carrying a movable carriage 2, slideable in a fore-aft direction through drive means 3, in this instance comprising a pneumatic piston and ram assembly. Mounted on carriage 2 is a second drive means 4, also comprising a pneumatic piston and ram assembly which serves to drive a slidable member 5 in a fore-aft direction along the carriage 2.

The member5 carries a U shaped wire loop 6 constituting a hooking member and mounted to the end of the carriage 2 is an arcuate clamping member 7 which includes lateral grooves which receive the side limbs ofthe hooking member. The nose ofthe clamping member7 is shaped to conform with the curvature of the end ofthe hooking member 6 and as may be seen, operation of ram 4 in a rearward direction will cause the hooking member to be drawn towards and finally into engagement with the clamp member 7.

To remove the seal S from the valve assembly an initial position is assumed as illustrated in figure 2.

From this position the ram 3 is operated so as to bring carriage 2forwardty and the end of hooking member6 is driven on to the surface of seal Sso as to penetrate betweentheouterperipheral edge of the seal and the inner peripheral edge ofthe flange Fthereby finally locating beneath the seal. The hooking member6 is resilient so as to deform as it strikes the inner surface offlange Fthis position being illustrated in Figure 3.

Following this operation ram 4 is then actuated so as to draw back the hooking member thus relatively moving the hooking member and clamp member to firmly holdthe seal as illustrated infigure4.

The ram 4 thereafter maintains a constant force between the hooking member and clamping member during which phase ram 3Operatesto move the carriage 2 rearwardlythereby stripping seal S from the valve assembly as illustrated in figure 5.

The embodiment of apparatus shown in figures 6ta 8 ofthe drawings is generally similar in operation but certain details ofthe construction differ. Referring to these drawings, a frame member 10 includes an annular locating means 11 which is arranged to fit over the flange F of a valve housing thereby to positively position the apparatusfor subsequent operations. The frame 10 supports a carriage 12 which is slideably mounted thereon so as to move in a fore-aft direction, movement being effected in this instance by means of an air driven motor 13.As in the previous embodiment a wire U shaped hooking member 14 has its ends secured to a block 15 which is slideable on the carriage 12 in a fore-aft direction and moved by means of an air motor 16.Theend of carriage 12 again includes a clamping member 17 of similar shape as beforethe arrangement being such that operation of motor 16 draws back block 15to pull the hooking memberwire 14 into e lagementwith the arcuate peripheral surface of block 17.

The mode and sequence of operations of this embodiment correspond to thatalready described in conjunction with figures 1 to 5.

In a further embodiment not illustrated in the drawings, the block member 17 isintegral with a handleandthe hook members movable relative thereto by means of a screw thread arrangement or other clamp device. This embodiment is intended for manual use and the hook member 14 is driven ate suitable angle into the seal and thereafter brought up by the clamp device against member 17 to hold the seal which may thereafter be stripped from the housing by a drawing action applied manually to the handle ofthe device.

The hooking member will preferably comprise a loop of stainless steel wire which is forced againstthe seal at a steady controlled rate by the cylinder and ram or air motors. By this means the end ofthe wire will find its way around the back ofthe seal and maythen be withdrawn again at a slow controlled rate by the ram or air motor so as to steadily pull the seal from the housing.

It will be apparentthatthe motors or rams used may be simply controlled from an automatic sequencing apparatus thereby rendering the method of withdrawing the seal an automatic one which is adaptabeto current racking systems used in breweries. It has been found in practice that the method has excellent reliability and a very small percentage of extraction failures.

Claims (13)

1. A method for removing a seal from a valve assembly, the assembly having concentric valve parts with an annularspacetherebetween defining a seating closed by a resilient seal, the valve parts and seal defining a generally planar face surface for receiving a coupling, the method comprising the steps: a) driving a U-shape hooking member obliquely at the surface of the seal to displace same sufficiently to allow the base limb ofthe U of said hooking member to lie beneath the seal, b) moving relativelytothe hooking member a clamp mehberto engage compressively the upper surface of the seal whereby a portion of the seal perimeter is secured between the hooking member and clamping member, and c) withdrawing the hooking and clamping members so as to progressively strip the seal from the seating between the valve parts.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the clamping member lies within the limits ofthe hooking member and spaced from the basethereof in the initial position,the members being moved together during the driving step (a), and the clamping member being thereafter driven towards the hooking member and subjectto a preset force, the hooking member and clamping member being thereafter withdrawn together.

3. An apparatus for removing a seal from a valve assembly, the assembly having concentric valve parts with an annular space therebetween defining a seating closed by a resilient seal, the valve parts and seal defining a generally planar face surface for receiving a coupling, the apparatus comprising:: a) a U-shape hooking member means to drive said member obliquely atthe surface of the seal to displace same sufficiently to allow the base limb of the U of said hooking memberto lie beneath the seal, b) a clamp member movable relatively to the hooking member to engage compressively the upper surface of the seal whereby a portion ofthe seal perimeter issecured between the hooking member and clamping member, and c) means to withdraw the hooking and clamping members so as to progressively strip the seal from the seating between the valve parts.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the clamping member lies within the limits ofthe hooking member and spaced from the basethereof in the initial position.

5. An apparatusforremoving a seal, the apparatus comprising: 1) a U-shaped hooking member.

2) a carriage mounting the hooking member and movable by a first drive means forward and back along a track, 3) a clamping member positioned between the limbs ofthe hooking member and movable relatively and parallel to the limbs towards and away from the base ofthe member, 4) the clamping member or hooking member being moved forward and back by a second drive means mounted to the carriage, 5) the track being connected with a guide means to position the apparatus relative to a valve assembly.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the hooking member comprises a loop of wire which is non-permanently deformable during the driving op- eration.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the clamping member comprises a block with lateral grooves to receive the limbs of the hooking member and an end conforming with the curvature of the end of the hooking member.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the hooking member has a curved end forming the base ofthe U.

9. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding Claim 3 to 8, wherein the hooking member comprises a loop of stainless steel wire which is forced against the seal at a steady controlled rate by a cylinder and ram or air motors, whereby the end of the wire will find its way around the back ofthe seal and maythen be withdrawn again art a slow controlled rate by the ram or air motor so astosteadily pull the seal from the housing.

10. Apparatus in accordance with any preceding Claim 3to9, whereinthemotors or rams used are controlled from an automatic sequencing apparatus.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim 3 to 10, for manual use wherein the hooking member is attached to a handle with the clamping member movable by a lever or clamp screw or the like to grip the seal whereafterthe handle can be used to strip the seal from the valve assembly by pulling.

12. Method for stripping the seal from a valve as described herein and exemplified.

13. Apparatus for removing a seal from a valve substantially as herein described with reference to either Figures 1 to 5 or Figures 6 to 8 of the drawings.