GB2268558A - Quick acting spigot and socket coupling with an isolation valve - Google Patents

Abstract

An isolation valve 10 for a fluid filled unit 12 such as a water filled heating radiator comprises valve body means 20 connected to the fluid filled unit 12, valve body means 20 having fluid flow inhibiting valve means 36 therein resiliently biased towards a fluid retaining position, spigot connector means 22 sealingly engageable with body means 20 to connect a fluid circulation circuit to fluid filled unit 12, spigot means 22 opening valve means 36 on engagement with body means 20, spigot means 22 being associated with fluid flow check valve means (14, Figure 1) and locking means 82 to retain spigot means 22 in sealing engagement with the body means 20. <IMAGE>

Description

ISOLATION VALVE The present invention relates to an isolation valve particularly, though not exclusively, for isolating a water heated radiator.

It is frequently desired to decorate or carry out some other work on the wall or structure behind a heating radiator. In a domestic central heating system, for example, the removal of a radiator usually entails shutting off the flow valves at each end, loosening the union nuts which connect the valves to the radiator and gradually draining the water into a convenient receptacle before the radiator can be removed from the wall.

This procedure frequently results in the spillage of some water which is usually extremely dirty and causes damage to the floor or carpet.

Canadian patent number 948232 describes an isolation valve where the radiator may be removed from the wall without being drained. The valve has two essential components; a wall mounted manifold block connected to the pipework circulating the water and a bayonet fitting rigidly fixed to the radiator and which is engageable with the manifold block. A major disadvantage of the valve described is that the whole radiator and valve unit must be manoeuvred into and out of engagement. When the radiator is full of water, this is especially difficult.

Another serious disadvantage, especially for domestic heating systems is that the valve assembly described is clearly very expensive to manufacture owing to its complexity.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an isolation valve which is convenient to use, economic to manufacture and may be installed into existing heating systems.

According to the present invention there is provided an isolation valve to allow a fluid filled unit connected thereto to be removed without needing to be pre-drained, the isolation valve comprising valve body means connected to the fluid filled unit, the valve body means having fluid flow inhibiting valve means therein resiliently biased towards a fluid retaining position, spigot connector means sealingly engageable with the body means to connect a fluid circulation circuit to the fluid filled unit, the spigot means opening the valve means on engagement with the body means, the spigot means being associated with fluid flow check valve means and locking means to retain the spigot means in sealing engagement with the body means.

The fluid filled body may be a water filled heating radiator.

The isolation valve of the present invention may replace the threaded conduit and collar nut which are commonly used to connect a radiator to its respective flow check valves.

The body means may have an externally threaded conduit portion for screwing into the corresponding female threaded portion of the radiator. The body means also has associated therewith valve means to prevent the egress of water when the spigot connector means are removed. The valve means may comprise a resiliently biased washer assembly or which valve member which closes the water flow passage on removal of the spigot means from the valve body means.

The spigot connector means may comprise a short tubular male conduit having sealing means associated therewith or alternatively, sealing means may be associated with a bore in the valve body means. The sealing means may comprise an "O" ring seal. The spigot means may engage with a female portion of the valve body means and may have Fprorite features to permit the passage of water from the pipework circuit to the radiator on opening of the valve means on insertion.

The spigot connector means may have connector means at the end remote from the radiator to allow it to be connected to a conventional water flow check valve. Alternatively, the spigot means may be manufactured with an integral water flow check valve. The check valve is to stop the water flow in the associated pipework before disconnection of the isolation valve.

Preferably, the locking means may be "quick-release" locking means allowing the valve to be disconnected without the use of tools. The locking means may comprise a sleeve or collar rotatable about the spigot means and substantially coaxial therewith. The sleeve or collar may have a bore which fits over the valve body means in the radiator, the bore and outer surface of the valve body means having mutually interengageable locking and retention means such as, for example, inter-engaging grooves and pins, the sleeve being urged away from the radiator by the resilient biasing means of the valve means to bring the locking means into engagement and prevent inadvertent disengagement.

The spigot means may also be associated with a telescopic tube portion sealingly engaged therewith to facilitate connection and disconnection without undue strain being placed on the pipework.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the water pressure in a radiator may assist closing of the fluid flow inhibiting valve means.

The isolation valve of the present invention may also have as an additional feature spigot connector means and locking means allowing the radiator to be conveniently drained if desired before removing from the wall.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, an example will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a general view of part of a radiator having an isolation valve according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a cross section through an isolation valve according to a first embodiment of the present invention with the body means and spigot connector means separated; Figure 3 shows part of the body means and spigot means of Figure 2 connected; Figure 4 shows an additional feature of the present invention for allowing the radiator to be conveniently drained; Figure 5 shows a cross section through a second embodiment of a valve of the present invention in the closed position; Figure 6 shows the valve of Figure 5 in the closed ana disconnected condition;; Figure 7 shows the valve of Figure 5 in the open position ; and Figure 8 shows the valve of Figure 5 in the open and latched condition.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 and where the same features have common reference numerals.

A radiator isolation valve is shown generally at 10 in Figure 1. The valve 10 is connected to a radiator 12 (shown in part) by means to be described below and also has a water flow check valve 14 connected thereto by a conduit 70. The check valve 14 is connected to a water circulation circuit, indicated by the conduit 18. The radiator has a similar arrangement of isolation valve (not shown), appropriate water flow valve and conduit to connect to the circulation circuit at the opposite side thereof. The check valves are conventional and may be provided either integrally with the isolation valve 10 or may be connected thereto by conventional means; in any event the check valves will not be described further. The isolation valve 10 comprises a valve body unit 20 and a spigot connector unit 22.

The valve body unit 20 comprises a body member 24 having a cavity 26 in the centre, a plurality of water flow passages 28 formed around the body and a recess 30 substantially coaxial with cavity 26. The cavity 26 has a blind end 32 which retains a spring 34 to urge a sealing washer assembly 36, housed in the recess 30, towards the open end of the recess 30, ejection of the sealing washer assembly is prevented by a retaining ring 40. A seal 42 is provided between the washer assembly 36 and the spring 34. At the radiator side of the valve body unit 20 is a connector 44 and conduit 46 for attaching the isolation valve to the radiator 12 (shown in part only). The connector 44 also includes a bleed valve (shown schematically) 47 for removing air pockets from the valve.At the end of the valve body remote from the radiator is an end-plug assembly 50 which comprises an annular body 52 having an orifice 54 therethrough, the orifice 54 having an annular recess 56 to accept an "O" ring seal 58. At the inner end of the annular body 52 is an annular face 60 which when the valve is disconnected from the radiator is in sealing engagement with the face 62 of the washer assembly 36. A flow basket 64 is provided in the orifice 54 between the " 0" ring seal 58 and the sealing face 62 of the washer assembly. The spigot assembly 22 comprises a conduit 70 having an annular recess 72 adapted to sealingly engage with the "O" ring seal 58 when inserted into the orifice 54. Around the conduit 70 is a connector sleeve 74 having a bore 76 of a size to accept the outer diameter of the valve body 24.The conduit 70 is fitted into the orifice 54, seals with the "0" ring 58 and pushes, via the flow basket 64, the sealing face 62 of the washer assembly 36 out of sealing engagement with the face 58 to allow water flow between the radiator 12 and the water circulation circuit (not shown). The conduit 70 is maintained in position by cooperating grooves 80 in the bore of the connector sleeve and pins 82 fixed to the outer diameter of the valve body 24 and is urged to the right (as shown in Figure 3) by the spring 34. A collar 84 on the conduit 70 provides a driving connection between the conduit 70 and sleeve 74.

The isolation valve therefore provides a "quick release" means of disconnecting individual radiators to allow them to be removed without the need for draining. However, should it be desired to drain the radiator to reduce its weight for example, then this may be accomplished by use of the device shown in Figure 4. Essentially, this device comprises a conduit 90 having a recess 92 for sealing engagement with the "0" ring seal 58 and a sleeve connector 94 similar to that described above with grooves to engage the pins 82 in the valve body. A flexible tube (not shown) is attached to the free end of the conduit 80 and which may be lead away to the outside of the building or to a suitable container to allow the radiator to be drained.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 8 which show a second embodiment of a quick connectidisconnect isolation valve of the present invention and where the same features are denoted by common reference numerals.

A valve 100 is shown on its own, but may be fitted in the same manner with a male threaded portion 102 to a radiator (not shown) as in the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Similarly, the valve 100 may be fitted to a standard water flow check valve (not shown) by means of the collar nut 104 which has a female thread 106. The valve 100 comprises a body member 108 having a valve member 110, a spigot member 112 having a telescopic tube portion 114 sealingly engaged therewith and a collar nut 104 for connection with a water flow check valve (not shown). The valve body member 108 has a male threaded portion 102 to engage with a female threaded portion in a water filled radiator (not shown), a valve member 110 slidable in an annular restriction 116 and resiliently biased by a spring 118 to the right. The spring 118 is retained by a circlip 119. The valve member 110 has a bore 120 part-way therethrough and a flow port 122 in the wall 124.The left hand end 126 of the valve member 110 is solid and has a flange portion 128 which, under the action of the spring 118, compresses an "0" ring seal 130 against the left hand face of the annular restriction 116 to prevent the flow of water through the port 122 and bore 120.

At the right hand end of the body member 108 is a bore 132 having a groove 134 for retaining an "0" ring seal 136 therein.

.. i Figure 5 shows a tubular spigot member 112 entered in the bore 132 and sealing with the "0" ring seal 136. In Figure 5, the spigot 112 has not opened the valve member 110 by pushing it to the left. The spigot may be pushed to the left by a retaining collar 140 which engages with a circlip 142. In urging the spigot in the left hand direction, the valve member 110 is pushed to the left against the spring 118 and causes the port 122 and bore 120 to communicate with the water flow passage 144 in the valve body 108 as shown in Figure 7. The valve 100 is held in the open position by grooves 146 on the collar 140 which cooperate with pins 148 in the outer surface 150 of the body member 108 as shown Figure 8.The spigot member 112 sealingly slides within the telescopic tube portion 114 which has an olive 154 thereon to engage with a sleeve nut 104 to sealingly connect the valve 100 to a water flow check valve (not shown). The spigot 112 slidingly seals with the telescopic tube portion 114 by means of an "0" ring seal 156. The spigot 112 has a flange 158 to allow the collar 140 to urge the spigot in the right hand direction when being disconnected. The telescopic portion 114, allows the spigot member 112 to be fully withdrawn from the valve body 108 without any excessive strain being placed on the associated water circulation pipework (not shown).

This second embodiment of the present invention has the advantage that on disconnection of the spigot member 112 from the valve body 108, the water pressure in the radiator (not shown) tends to assist closing of the valve member 110.

Many variations of detail may be made to the isolation valves described without affecting the scope of the invention. For example, the flow basket 64 of Figures 2 and 3 may be omitted and the end of the conduit 70 suitably cut away to allow water flow when the end of the conduit 70 bears directly against the face 62 of the washer assembly 36.

The collars 22 and 140, may for example be replaced with items having screw threads to engage with cooperating screw threads on the valve body.

Various modifications may be made to the water flow passages and washer arrangement without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. An isolation valve for a fluid filled unit, the isolation valve comprising valve body means connected to the fluid filled unit, the valve body means having fluid flow inhibiting valve means therein resiliently biased towards a fluid retaining position, spigot connector means sealingly engageable with the body means to connect a fluid circuit to the fluid filled unit, the spigot means opening the valve means on engagement with the body means, the spigot means being associated with fluid flow check valve means and locking means to retain the spigot means in sealing engagement with the body means.

2. An isolation valve according to claim 1 wherein the valve means has a male threaded portion for connecting the valve to the fluid filled unit.

3. An isolation valve according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the fluid flow inhibiting valve means comprises a resiliently biased washer assembly, sealingly engagable with an annular sealing face in said valve body means.

4. An isolation valve according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the fluid flow inhibiting valve means comprises a resiliently biased valve member, the valve member being slidable in and sealable with respect to a bore in said valve body means.

5. An isolation valve according to claim 4 wherein the valve member has a bore part-way therethrough and a fluid flow port communicating between the outside of said member and said bore.

6. An isolation valve according to either claim 4 or claim 5 wherein fluid pressure in said fluid filled unit assists in keeping said valve member in a fluid retaining position on disconnection of said spigot connector means.

7. An isolation valve according to any one preceding claim wherein said spigot connector means is retained in position by quick connect/release locking means as hereinbefore defined.

8. An isolation valve according to any one preceding claim wherein said spigot connector means is slidably and sealingly engaged with a tube portion to allow complete withdrawal of the spigot means from said valve body means.

9. An isolation valve according to claim 8 wherein said spigot connector means and said tube portion are telescopically engaged.

10. An isolation valve according to any one preceding claim wherein said fluid filled unit is a water filled heating radiator.

11. An isolation valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying description and Figures 1 to 3; or Figures 5 to 8 of the drawings.