GB2188040A

GB2188040A - Pressure container valve

Info

Publication number: GB2188040A
Application number: GB08706237A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Chandler; Bernt Ipsen
Original assignee: Micro Matic AS
Current assignee: Micro Matic AS
Priority date: 1986-03-18
Filing date: 1987-03-17
Publication date: 1987-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2007-03-17
Also published as: GB2188040B; DK124286A; GB8706237D0; DK124286D0; DK153780B; DK153780C

Abstract

A valve for a pressure container can be detachably secured to a neck ring (4) in a wall (5) of the container. The valve comprises a valve body (2) and a valve housing (3), and these two valve members may be coupled together. The valve body (2) is formed with a projection (6) having such radial extent and axial location that the valve body (2) when separate from the valve housing (3) can be moved down through the neck ring (4) at an angle until the projection (6) has passed right down through it. When coupled in this position with the valve housing (3), the valve body (2) cannot or can only partly again move up through the neck ring (4). The valve body (2) is coupled together with the valve housing (3) by means of a special tool comprising an outer and an inner tool (16, 17). The valve cannot again be removed completely from the pressure container by ordinary tools and cannot therefore cause accidents during dismantling. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pressure container valves and methods of mounting The invention concerns a valve, in particular for a pressure container, and comprising a valve housing which may be detachably secured to a neck ring in the container wall, and a valve body which may be coupled with the valve housing so that the valve housing partly surrounds the valve body.

Pressure containers with valves of this type are extensively used, e.g. as transportable containers for distribution of beverages under pressure, such as beer, wine, cider and mineral water. Many millions of such transportable containers are employed in industrialised countries, and some of them reach persons who may not be experienced in the proper use of pressure containers and are therefore not aware of the danger involved in handling the containers. Known valves are merely secured to the containers with a threaded joint and can readily be screwed off the container using an ordinary tool even though the container is under pressure.This has happened in many cases and has often had serious consequences because the valve, as soon as it is clear of the container threads, is shot out of the container by the superpressure as a projectile and may strike the head of a person who is bent over the container, engaged in screwing off the valve. In some cases, such incidents have produced serious injuries which have proved fatal.

Thus the present invention provides a valve which may not be removed completely from the container when un-screwed with an ordinary tool, and thus minimises danger to inexperienced persons who might try to remove the valve.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a valve, in particular for a pressure container, and comprising: a valve housing to be detachably secured to a neck ring in the container wall, and a valve body to be coupled with the valve housing so that said valve housing partly surrounds the valve body, wherein the valve body is formed with at least one projection extending radially and disposed such that the valve body when separate from the valve housing can be moved down into the neck ring until the projection has been passed completely through it, and when coupled in this position with the valve housing said valve body is prevented by the projection from returning through the neck ring. Then the valve may be connected and mounted in the container where it serves filling and tapping purposes in a manner well known.Like the known valves, the valve may also be screwed completely or partially off the threads of the neck ring, but, even if it is completely clear of the threads of the neck ring and the container is under pressure, the valve can only be ejected so much from the container that the projection abuts the underside of the neck ring. The valve stops in this position so that it is prevented from hitting and causing injury to the person who tries to remove it.

According to the invention, the projection may be formed as an extension of a coupling tongue on a coupling member disposed on the valve body, the coupling tongues of said coupling member serving to couple the valve housing with the valve body upon engagement with slots in a skirt on said housing. This structure is particularly simple and expedient since the projection is supported by the skirt of the valve housing, which therefore absorbs the axial forces acting on the projection when it hits the neck ring upon ejection of the valve body.

Further, according to the invention, the coupling member of the valve body may have two diametrically opposite coupling tongues, which extend such that the distance between their outermost ends in a radial direction is greater than the internal diameter of the neck ring. This effectively stops the valve when the air pressure tries to eject it from the container because it is retained by axial forces at two diametrically opposite areas on the next ring.

Moreover, according to the invention, the distance between the outermost end of the projection in a radial direction and the outer side of the skirt of the valve housing may be greater than the internal diameter of the neck ring. In this case, the valve is stopped with a partial clamping effect because the projection abuts the underside of the neck ring and the skirt the inner side of the neck ring.

Additionally, according to the invention, a downwardly facing flap, preferably extending in a radial direction, may be provided on the projection to lie immediately externally of the skirt of the valve housing. This flap serves to transfer the moment, which acts on the projection when it hits the neck ring, to the shell of the valve housing so that the projection is not bent downwardly at the transition to the coupling tongue of which it forms an extension.

Aiso, according to the invention, the valve body may have a reinforcing member disposed opposite the downwardly facing flap of the projection, said reinforcing member extending in a radial direction almost right out to the inner side of the skirt of the valve housing. The bending moment on the peojection may thereby be transferred from the downwardly facing flap via the shell and the reinforcing member to the overall valve structure, which is a great safeguard against ejection of the valve from the container even though the pressure in the container is high.

The invention also concerns a method of mounting a valve of the type stated in the opening paragraph in a pressure container.

According to the invention, this method is characterized in that the valve housing and the valve body are coupled together only after the valve body with its projection has been moved down through the neck ring, and that, in this coupling, a valve seal at the top of the valve body is first pressed down past liquid openings upwardly in the valve body by means of an outer tool, which is simultaneously engaged in torque transferring relationship with the valve housing, and that inwardly facing claws on an inner tool are then caused to engage these openings, following which the valve housing and valve body are coupled together by axial movement upwards and rotation of the inner tool with respect to the outer tool. Then the tool is removed, and the valve is finally clamped in the threads of the neck ring and is then ready for use.Removal of the valve takes place by the same procedures in reverse order, and this has the special advantage that the pressure in the container is immediately relieved when dismantling begins since the valve seal must first be pressed down before the mounting tool can be engaged. This causes discharge of the gases in the container, and the dismantling can be performed without any danger to the operator.

Such a dismantling can moreover only be performed by operators who have the mentioned special tool at their disposal, while ordinary tools cannot be used.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a valve body, partly in section, for a valve according to the invention where the valve body has been moved obli queiy partly down through a neck ring in a container.

Figure 2 shows the same, but with the valve body now in place in the container, ready for coupling with the valve housing of the valve, Figure 3 shows, partly in section, the coupling of the valve housing and the valve body in the container by means of a special tool, and Figure 4 shows the assembled valve, partly in section, in its mounted position in the container.

The drawings show an embodiment of a valve according to the invention which is generally designated by 1. Correspondingly, a valve body and a valve housing are designated by 2 and 3, respectively. As shown more clearly in Figure 4, the assembled valve 1 is secured to a neck ring 4 in the container wall 5.

A projection 6 is provided a distance down the valve body 2, extending preferably radially outwardly from the valve body 2. In the embodiment shown, there is just one projection, but it may he advantageous to have two or more in others. This projection 6 does not extend further out and is so axially positioned that the valve body 2, as shown in Figure 2, may be moved obliquely down through the neck ring 4 until the projection 6 has come right down below the neck ring. However, the projection 6 is of such an extent that, as shown in Figure 4, it protrudes beyond the opening of the neck ring 4 when the valve 1 is assembled. This means that the valve 1 can now only be moved a small distance out of the container because, even after having released the neck ring threads, it will be stopped by the projection 6 which abuts the underside of the neck ring 4.The valve 1 will therefore be stopped before causing any injury to a person who might try to remove the valve while superpressure prevails in the container.

In the embodiment shown, the valve body 2 has a coupling member 7 with outwardly protruding coupling tongues 8. The two valve members 2, 3 are coupled together by causing these coupling tongues 8 to engage slots 9 in a skirt 10 on the valve housing 3-(Fig- ure 4). In this case, the projection 6 is formed as an extension of one of the coupling tongues 8. Two projections (not shown) may also be provided, in the form of extensions of two substantially diametrically opposite coupling tongues. These two projections may have the same extent or different extents, the only prerequisite being that the distance between their ends must be greater than the internal diameter of the neck ring 4, while the distance must not be greater than the valve body 2 can only just be edged down through the neck ring.The provision of the projection as an extension of a coupling tongue is particularly advantageous because the thrust from the collision with the neck ring is transferred to the skirt 10 of the valve housing 3.

As shown, the projection 6 has a downwardly directed flap 11 with an inner edge 12 extending almost right up the outer side of the skirt 10. The bending moment on the projection 6 is therefore absorbed by the skirt, so that the projection can withstand the collision with the neck ring without bending down in the relatively thin area where the extended tongue 8 engages with the slots 9 of the skirt 10. A reinforcing member 13 on the valve body 2 extends opposite the flap 11 almost right to the inner side of the skirt 10. This reinforcing member 13 serves to additionally transfer the bending moment on the projection 6 to the entire valve structure, which can therefore withstand very great loads, when it is ejected toward the neck ring in a dismantling attempt.

Figure 3 shows how the valve is assembled.

The valve body 2 is first moved obliquely down through the neck ring 4 to the position shown, and then the valve housing 3 is placed on top of the valve body 2. An outer tool 16, which is simultaneously in torque transferring relationship with the valve housing, serves to press a valve seal 14, forming a seal for both pressurized gas and liquid, down past liquid openings 15 through which the liquid is discharged upon tapping.Claws 18 on an inner tool 17 are now engaged with these openings, and the valve body and the valve housing are then coupled together by first moving the inner tool 17 upwardly in the outer tool in the direction of the arrow, so that the coupling tongues 8 are passed right up into the vertical portion of the slots 9 in the skirt 10, and the inner tool 17 is then rotated about its own axis with respect to the outer tool, so that the coupling tongues, as shown in Figure 4, are caused to engage the horizontal portion of the slots 9. The two valve members are now coupled together and the assembly is completed by screwing the assembled valve down in the neck ring. Dismantling of the valve is performed without any risk by the same procedures in reverse order, the superpressure in the container being relieved immediately when the mounting tool is engaged with the valve. The valve cannot be removed completely from the container without using the described special tool, and no accidents can therefore happen if inexperienced persons should try to dismantle the valve with ordinary tools.

The embodiments of the valve of the invention shown in the drawing and described above just serve as examples, and many other embodiments are conceivable. Thus, instead of a bayonet coupling between the two valve members there may be a screw connection, and the projection may be provided at any suitable location on the valve body.

Claims

1. A valve, in particular for a pressure container, and comprising a valve housing to be detachably secured to a neck ring in the container wall, and a valve body to be coupled with the valve housing so that said valve housing partly surrounds the valve body, wherein the valve body is formed with at least one projection extending radially and disposed such that the valve body when separate from the valve housing can be moved into the neck ring until the projection has been passed completely through it, and when coupled in this position with the valve housing said valve body is prevented by said projection from returning through the neck ring.

2. A valve according to Claim 1, wherein the projection is formed as an extension of a coupling tongue on a coupling member disposed on the valve body, the coupling tongue of said coupling member serving to couple the valve housing with the valve body upon engagement with slots in a skirt on said housing.

3. A valve according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the coupling member of the valve body has two diametrically opposite coupling tongues which extend such that the distance between their outermost ends in a radial direction is greater than the internal diameter of the neck ring.

4. A valve according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the outermost end of the projection in a radial direction and the outer side of the skirt of the valve housing is greater than the internal diameter of the neck ring.

5. A valve according to any of Claims 1-4, wherein a downwardly facing flap preferably extending in a radial direction, is provided on the projection to lie immediately externally of the skirt of the valve housing.

6. A valve according to any of Claims 1-5, wherein the valve body has a reinforcing member disposed opposite the downwardly facing flap of the projection, said reinforcing member extending in a radial direction almost to the inner side of the skirt of the valve housing.

7. A method of mounting the valve of Claim 1 in a pressure container, wherein coupling the valve housing and the valve body together takes place only after the valve body with its projection has been moved down through the neck ring.

8. A method according to Claim 7, comprising the steps of: first pressing a valve seal at the top of the valve body by means of an outer tool, which is simultaneouly engaged in torque transferring relationship with the valve housing, down past liquid openings upwardly in the valve body, and then causing inwardly facing claws on an inner tool to engage these openings, following which the valve housing and the valve body are coupled together by axial movement upwardly and rotation of the inner tool with respect to the outer tool.

9. A method of mounting a valve according to any of Claims 1-7 substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings,