GB2228305A - A valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A valve (12) in a handset of a lance for spraying herbicides, comprises a valve member 36 within a housing 32, moving in the direction of the fluid flow from inlet 45 to outlet 44 between open and closed positions. The valve 12 is operated by a trigger operated member (24, Fig. 2) which extends through a slot (48, Fig. 4) in the housing 32 into a transverse bore 50 in the valve member 36. Axial bores 52 in valve member 36 allow for the passage of fluid and are sealed from slot (48) by sealing rings 61, 63. <IMAGE>

Description

A VALVE This invention relates to a valve, and particularly, although not exclusively, to a valve which is suitable for installation in line in a tube carrying fluids.

Conventional valves for selectively allowing the flow of fluid along a duct, such as a tube or pipe operate by the movement of a valve member in a direction perpendicular to the duct. Therefore it is necessary to allow extra space in the region of the valve to accommodate the protruding valve member, and also the means by which it is operated.

Such a valve is disclosed in U.K. Patent No.

2207299 in connection with equipment for delivering herbicides over the ground. The equipment includes a handset provided with a container of herbicide which is connected to a spinning disc which distributes the fluid. The valve is provided in the handset, so that the flow of fluid may be switched on or off.

In many cases, it would be more convenient to have a valve which could be installed so that, in operatings its valve member moves lengthwise of the duct, so reducing the space required around the duct.

According to the present invention there is provided a valve comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and a valve member situated within the housing, the valve member being operable, by an operating member, between open and closed positions, the valve member having an internal passage which, in the open position of the valve member, provides communication between the inlet and the outlet, the housing having an aperture for receiving the operating member, sealing means being provided for isolating the aperture from fluid within the housing.

A valve according to this invention may be installed as part of a tube requiring a minimum amount of space, the device merely having a diameter which is somewhat larger than that of the tube.

In a preferred embodiment, the inlet and outlet are provided at opposite ends of the housing, and the valve member is moveable in the direction between the inlet and the outlet. The housing has a tapering wall against which the valve member makes a sealing contact when in the closed position.

Preferably, the internal passage is one of two internal passages which open at one end at recesses, which may be in the form of slots, which extend to a side face of the valve member. At the other end, the passages open into a common recess which itself opens at an end face of the valve member. The valve member may have a transverse bore which extend between the passages to receive an operating member projecting through the aperture in the housing. The transverse bore preferably extends parallel to a plane containing the passages.

The transverse bore is preferably situated axially between two sealing rings provided on the valve member to prevent the leakage of fluid between the valve member and the housing to the aperture in the housing.

The aperture may be a slot to provide guided movement of the operating member, and thus the slot may extend in the direction of movement of the valve member.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a lance for delivering herbicides; Figure 2 is a sectional side view of the handset of the lance of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a valve provided in the handset; Figure 4 is a side view of the valve; and Figure 5 is an end view of the valve.

The lance shown in Figure 1 comprises a handset 2 from which extends a rigid support member in the form of a tube 4. The tube 4 carries a delivery device in the form of a spraying head 6 which accommodates an electric motor for driving a distribution element 8 in the form of a spinning disc.

A duct 10, in the form of a flexible tube, extends from the handset 2 through the tube 4 to the spraying head 6. The handset 2 is provided with a valve 12 which can be operated by means of a trigger 14.

The handset as shown in Figure 2 comprises a somewhat U-shaped body made up of a first limb 16, which receives the tube 4, a second limb 18 which constitutes a handle member, and a connecting portion 20. The tube 10 enters the limb 16 and is connected to the outlet of the valve 12. The valve 12 is operated from the trigger 14, which is in the form of a pivotable thumb-operated switch provided on the handle 18, through a linkage comprising rods 22 and 24 which are operatively connected to each other by a rocker 26.

The valve is shown in more detail in Figure 3 and comprises a housing 32 and a valve member 36. The housing 32 has a cylindrical body portion 40 which is closed at one end by a cap 41 to define a chamber 43 in which the valve member 36 is situated. The housing 32 has a tapering section 42 at the other end terminating in a barbed connector nozzle 44. A similar barbed connector nozzle 45 is provided on the cap 41.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, at the wider end of the housing 32 there are lugs 46 for locating the valve 12 within the handset 2. Slots 48 are situated opposite each other in the side wall of the main body portion 40 of the housing 32 to provide access to a transverse bore 50 in the valve member 36.

The valve member 36 has generally the same shape as the chamber 43, and is dimensioned to fit closely within it. It has a main body portion 51, a tapering section 53 and a projection 55.

The projection 55 of the valve member 36 has a substantially cross-shaped cross-section, which serves to guide the movement of the valve member 36 within the nozzle 44 of the housing 32 without preventing the flow of fluid.

Two bores 52 extend in the axial direction through the main body portion of the valve member 36. The transverse bore 50 extends between the axial bores 52.

At the end away from the projection 55 they open into a recess 54, and at the other end they open into two transverse slots 56 disposed opposite one another.

An annular groove 58 is provided on the tapering section 53 between the slots 56 and the projection 55, and receives a sealing ring 59. Two further grooves 60, 62 are provided at the ends of the main body portion 51 and receive sealing rings 61, 63.

When installed in the handset 2, the flexible tube 10, is fitted over the barbed connector nozzle 44, which forms the outlet of the valve 12. At the inlet end, the barbed connector nozzle 45 of the cap 41 is connected to a fitting (not shown) which is secured within the housing. This fitting engages an outlet element of a container 30 of herbicide mounted releasably on the handset 2. The end 28 of the rod 24 is connected to valve member 36 by means of a part which extends through the slots 48 into the transverse bore 50.

When the valve 12 is in the closed position (as shown in Figure 3) the sealing ring 59 makes sealing contact with the inner surface of the tapering section 42 of the housing 32, so that fluid flowing through the nozzle 45 to the chamber 43 may not pass to the nozzle 44 at the other end.

To open the valve 12, the trigger 14 is moved into the position shown in Figure 2. This action moves the rocker 26 in the anti-clockwise direction and the end 28 of the rod 24 is caused to move to the left, as shown in the Figure. Thus the valve member 36 moves towards the cap 41. Fluid may then flow from the container 30 through the nozzle 45 in the cap 41 into the recess 54, through the axial bores 52 to the slots 56, where it may pass between the sealing ring 59 and the inner wall of the housing to the nozzle 44 and the duct 10, leading down the tube 4 to the spraying head 6.

The movement of the rod 24 during opening of the valve 12 causes the rod 24 to operate a microswitch 25 to supply power to the motor in the spraying head 6 to rotate the disc. Thus operation of the trigger 14 serves the dual function of opening the valve to supply fluid and operating the microswitch 25.

As described above, the movement of the valve member 36 is in the direction of the fluid flow.

Leakage of fluid in this direction between the valve member 36 and the housing 32 is prevented by the sealing rings 61 and 63, and thus fluid cannot escape into the region of the slots 48.

Claims (14)

1. A valve comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, and valve member situated within the housing, the valve member being movable, by an operating member, between open and closed positions, the valve member having an internal passage which, in the open position of the valve member, provides communication between the inlet and the outlet, the housing having an aperture for receiving the operating member, sealing means being provided for isolating the aperture from fluid within the housing.

2. A valve as claimed in claim 1, in which the inlet and the outlet are provided at opposite ends of the housing.

3. A valve as claimed in claim 2, in which the valve member is moveable in the direction between the inlet and the outlet.

4. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the housing has a tapered wall against which the valve member makes sealing contact when in the closed position.

5. A valve as claimed in claim 4, in which the valve member carries a sealing ring which engages the tapered surface in the closed position.

6. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the internal passage opens at one end at a recess, which extends to a side face of the valve member.

7. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the internal passage is one of two internal passages.

8. A valve as claimed in claim 7, in which the passages open into a common recess which itself opens at an end face of the valve member.

9. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the valve member has a transverse bore to receive an operating member projecting through the aperture in the housing.

10. A valve as claimed in claim 9 when appendant to claim 7 or 8, in which the transverse bore extends between the passages and perpendicular to a plane containing the passages.

11. A valve as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which the transverse bore is situated axially between two sealing rings provided on the valve member.

12. A valve as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the aperture is a slot which provides guided movement of the operating member and extends in the direction of movement of the valve member.

13. A valve substantially as described herein with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

14. Equipment for delivering herbicides including a valve in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.