GB2229521A

GB2229521A - Central heating radiators

Info

Publication number: GB2229521A
Application number: GB8904724A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hao Tung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-03-02
Filing date: 1989-03-02
Publication date: 1990-09-26
Also published as: GB8904724D0

Abstract

A radiator system has two primary valves to enable each of the inlet and outlet of a radiator to be opened and closed, and further comprises a secondary valve located between each respective primary valve and the respective radiator inlet or outlet. Each secondary valve is disconnectable from the respective primary valve so that, upon closing all the primary and secondary valves, each pair of adjacent primary and secondary valves can be disconnected and the radiator removed without the need for the latter to be drained.

Description

Title: Improvements in or relating to radiators Field of the invention This invention relates to radiators, such as are used in hot water central heating installations.

Backqround for the invention It is common practice to fit a valve at eact erid of a radiator, the valve at the inlet being used to control the flow. If it is desired to remove the radiator, for example to do some repair work or to decorate the roof, each of the valves is first closed, to isolate the radiator. However, the radiator must then be drained before it can be removed. This can be an inconvenient and sometimes dirty and time consuming operation.

Summary of the invention According to the present invention there is provided a radiator system having two primary valves to enable each of the inlet and outlets to the radiator to be opened and closed (in a manner known per se) and further comprising a secondary valve located between each primary valve and the respective radiator inlet or outlet, each secondary valve being disconnectable from the respective primary valve, whereby upon closing all the primary and secondary valves each pair of adjacent primary and secondary valves can be disconnected and the radiator removed, without the need for the radiator to be drained.

The secondary valve may be built into the radiator or may be installed as a separate item during the plumbing in of the radiator.

As a further alternative the primary and secondary valves may form a two part assembly which is readily disconnected or separated after both have been closed.

The secondary valve may be arranged to be manually adjustable between an open and a closed position.

Alternative3y it may bf arranged that the secondary valve is automatically closed upon disconnection of the primary valve.

The secondary valve may comprise a housing in which ss mounted a valve element rotatable through approxlirtaLely 900 between open and closed positions.

The valve element may be spherical in shape, with aX passage therethrough which aligns with openings in the valve body when in the open position.

Alternatively the element may be cylindrical, again with a passage therethrough, a gasket being arranged around at least the porting of the element which represents the closed position, thereby to seal the element in the closed position to prevent water loss when the radiator is removed.

The invention also lies in a secondary valve adapted to be fitted between a conventional primary valve and a radiator.

The invention also lies in a two valve combination for a radiator which is separable when both are closed, to seal water in the pipes and the radiator.

Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example - only, with reference to the accompanyint, drawings ifl which:- Figure 1 is a side view of the bottom corner of radiator fitted with a two valve combination accord ins to present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the radiator of figure l with the secondary valve removed therefrom; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the secondary valve shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a modification of a secondary valve similar to the one shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is a sectional view of the modified valve taken on the line V-V in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a gasket in the valve of Figures 4 and 5.

Detailed description of the drawings Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown the bottom right-hand corner of a radiator 2 which is provided with an inlet opening 4. A supply pipe 6 is arranged to feed hot water from a central heating boiler (not shown) to a conventional control valve or primary valve indicated generally at 8. Mounted between the inlet 4 and the valve 8 is a secondary valve 10, details of which can best be seen in the exploded view of Figure 3.

The valve 10 has a housing 12 with a male thread 14 adapted to be screwed into a corresponding female thread in the inlet opening 4. A spherical valve element 16 is arranged to be seated in a corresponding spherical mounting (not shown) in the housing i2. The element: i6 has a passage 18 of circular section through which hot water flows when the valve is open. At the top of the element 16 is a slot 20 in which a key 22 of a connecting member 24 fits. The member 24 incorprates a screwdriver slot 25 to enable the member to be turned through 900 between the open and the closed position.

The valve element 20 is mounted between sealing washers 26, and is held in the housing by a ferrule 28. To the right of the ferrule 28 is an olive 30 which tightly engages with the outlet from the control valve 8, when a nut 32 on the ferrule 28 is screwed over the male thread on the control valve.

To the left of the radiator, at its outlet end, is a similar secondary valve 10 and an adjacent conventional valve, although the latter will not normally be operable to control the flow of water through the radiator.

In use, when it is desired to remove the radiator, for example for its repair or for decorating the room in which the radiator is fitted, the control valve 8 is shut off, and similarly the other conventional valve at the outlet of the radiator. A screwdriver is next inserted into the slot 25 of the member 24 and rotated through 900 to cause the spherical valve element 16 to be closed. The secondary valve at the outlet of the radiator is similarly closed. The nut 32 is then unscrewed at each end of the radiator, so that the radiator can be removed from between the valve 8 and the corresponding valve at the outlet.

Since all the water in the radiator is now trapped between the two secondary valves 10 only a small amn;nt t wete will be lost between each secondary valve and its ad?ani valve, such as valve 8.

When the repair to the radiator has been completed, or the room has been decorated, the radiator can be connected back into position by the reverse procedure, whereupon opening of the primary and secondary valves enables tune flow of water through the radiator to be resumed, without any topping up or bleeding of the radiator being required.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 there is shown a somewhat simpler modified contruction of a secondary valve suitable for fitting between the control valve 8 and the radiator 2.

In this construction the valve element 40 is substantially cylindrical and is mounted in a one-piece housing 42. To the right of the housing 42 is an olive 30 and a nut 32, as previously.

Rotation of the valve element 40 is by means of an actuating member 44 closely similar to the member 24 of valve 10.

The valve element 40 has a passage 41 of rectangular section, and is sealed from the cylIndrical seating in the housing 42 by an integral rubber gasket 46, shown in perspective in Figure 6. This comprises a pair of upper and lower o-rings 48. Between the O-rings are four sealing strips 50, of circular section similar to and connected between the O-rings. The strips 50 fit in axial grooves (not shown) in the valve element 40 so that ifl the closed position they seal off the inlet to the radiator (or, at the other end of the radiator, the outlet). The element 40 has a rectangular opening 41 through which water normally fiows.

The operation of the modified secondary valve is similar to that described above with reference to the valve lO.

Claims

1. A radiator system comprising a radiator, having an inlet, an outlet and two primary valves to enable each of the inlet and outlet to be opened and closed, the system further comprising a secondary valve located between each respective primary valve, and the respective radiator inlet or outlet, each secondary valve being disconnectable from the respective primary valve, whereby upon closing all the primary and secondary valves each pair of adjacent primary and secondary valves can be disconnected and the radiator removed, without the need for the radiator to be drained.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which one or both the secondary valves are built into the radiator.

3. A system according to claim 1 in which one or each of the secondary valves are installed as a separate itm during the plumbing in of the radiator.

4. A system according to claim 1, in which each pair of adjacent primary and secondary valves forms a two part assembly which is readily disconnected or separated after both have been closed.

5. A system according to any one of the preceeding claims in which at least one of the secondary valves is arranged to be manually adjustable between an open and a closed position.

6. A system according to any of claims l to 4 in which at least one of the secondary valves is automatically closed upon disconnection of the primary valve.

7. A system according to any of the preceeding claims in which at least one of the secondary valves comprises a housing in which is mounted a valve element rotatable through approximately 90" between open and closed positions.

8. A system according to claim 7 in which the valve element is spherical in shape, with a passage therethrough which aligns with openings in the valve body when in the open position

9. A system according to claim 7 in which the valve element is cylindrical, with a passage therethrough; a gasket being arranged around at least the portion of the element which represents the closed position, thereby to seal the element in the closed position to prevent water loss when the radiator is removed.

10. A secondary valve for use in a system according to any of the preceeding claims, the secondary valve being adapted to be fitted between a conventional primary valve and a radiator.

ll. A two valve combination adapted for use in a system according to any of the preceeding claims, the combination comprising a primary valve and a secondary valve adapted to be connected to the inlet or outlet of a radiator, the arrangement being such that in use, when both valves are closed, the valves may be separated whilst the secondary valve seals the inlet or outlet to which it is connected.

12. A system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A two valve combination substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A two valve combination substantially as described herein with reference to, and a illustrated in, figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, when modified in accordance with figures 4 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.