GB2458921A

GB2458921A - Radiator valve

Info

Publication number: GB2458921A
Application number: GB0805921A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James George Alexander Clark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-04-01
Filing date: 2008-04-01
Publication date: 2009-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2028-04-01
Also published as: GB2458921B; GB0805921D0

Abstract

A radiator valve comprises a valve body 1 containing a sealing washer 2 and pin 3 held centrally by a conical spring 5 which exerts a positive force to attain sealing and is retained by a spring clip 6 within the valve body. The sealing washer 2 is supported and located by two retaining collars 4 attached to the actuating pin 3 to centralize and position it. In addition, a threaded end 9 uses a preapplied compound to create a permanent water tight seal with a radiator. The end of the body opposite the threaded end 9 is attached to a standard shut off / thermostatic / lockshield valve. The device allows a radiator to be removed from its mounting brackets whilst leaving the central heating system and the remaining radiators functioning and obviates the need for the draining of any fluids from the central heating system.

Description

17 STA TEMENT OF INVENTION: 2458921 19 A problem arises whenever a radiator has to be removed from its mounting brackets for whatever reason, i.e. maintenance, re-decoration 21 or even just cleaning, without draining the central heating system of its 22 liquid content, the radiator cannot be removed. This procedure involves 23 expertise, time and money.

A modified valve used in conjunction with the existing shut off! 26 thermostatic and lockshield valves as fitted to the vast majority of 27 domestic water to air central heating radiators as in a typical domestic 28 central heating system will overcome this problem. A typical central 29 heating system refers to gas and oil fired boilers heating water, pumped from the boiler and distributed to any number of water to air convection 31 panel radiators, this hot water is distributed through a system of pipe 32 work which culminates in its connection to the aforesaid radiator by 33 means of flow control and lockshield valves mounted to the inlet and 34 outlet of each radiator. The flow control valve can either be of the standard screw down type of valve or a thermostatic radiator valve.

37 The primary function of this invention is to allow a radiator or multiple 38 radiators to be removed from their mounting brackets for any of the 39 criteria listed above whilst leaving the heating system and the remaining radiators functioning.

42 This invention negates the need for the draining of any fluids from the 43 central heating system by incorporating an additional valve into the tail 44 of the fitting which attaches the standard shut off I thermostatic valve and lockshield valve to the inlet and outlet ports of the radiator. In 46 addition, it also means that the central heating system will remain 47 functioning whilst any radiator or multiple of radiators are removed for 48 any of the criteria listed above. 53 -l

4 BACKGROUND:

56 GB2084295 is a patent for a radiator valve device which discloses a 57 tubular connector for joining a flow control valve to a hot water central 58 heating radiator to facilitate the removal of an individual radiator from a 59 system without the need for prior draining. It is based on a ball valve within a connector which is threaded into the radiator. A ball is sealed 61 by "0" rings, plastic spacers, washers and locking nut. The internal 62 flange had a hexagonal bore to act as a socket for inserting the 63 connection into a radiator. This device has been at conceptual stage 64 and has never been made commercially, as the design has been such that the high volume manufacturing has not been feasible. Since this 66 patent was applied for, there are now two types of "tail" which can be 67 used with their respective types of valves for domestic central heating 68 radiators and consequently this prior art now no longer covers the 69 range of fittings available on the market at present.

71 Summary of Invention

73 The present invention overcomes the design problems of the 74 GB2084295 invention and makes availability of low cost functional valves possible.

77 The concept of a valve is not new, as shown by the prior art but this 78 modified valve now can be incorporated with the latest generation of 79 radiator valve fittings 81 The main embodiment of this invention is the new design features of the 82 valve and the ease with which it can be manufactured.

84 Another embodiment of invention is that the radiator valve device is based on a sealing washer and pin used in conjunction with a conical 86 spring which exerts a positive force to attain sealing and is retained by a 87 spring clip within the valve body.

89 Another embodiment of invention is that the radiator valve device is based on a sealing washer which is supported and located by two 91 retaining collars attached to the actuating pin to ceritralise and position 92 it.

94 Another embodiment of invention is that the radiator valve device has at the other end of the valve body, a tapered thread pre coated with a 96 sealing compound which allows the valve to be fitted to the radiator 97 without the need for pre wrapping with P.T.F.E. tape or a similar type of 98 sealing product.

Another embodiment of invention is that the device and its internal 101 components can be manufactured from a variety of materials including 102 brass, bronze, copper, aluminium and its derivatives, anodised or 103 otherwise, ceramic, specialised rubber, nylons and plastics, malleable 104 iron, steel, anodised or otherwise, and or stainless steel.

106 Finally with the improvements mentioned above, the Radmoval Valve is 107 easier to manufacture, easier for the heating engineer to install, easier 108 to remove the radiator and consequently easier on the pocket

109 compared with the prior art.

112 DESCRIPTION

114 Detailed Description:

The Radmoval Valve is a cylindrical device with one end being threaded 116 and pre coated with a sealant to allow a watertight connection to a 117 radiator, whilst the other end has a smooth cylindrical body the diameter 118 of the orifice of the shut off / thermostatic / lockshield valve assembly, 119 typically 15mm, this allows the fitting of a hexagonal nut and an olive to create a watertight seal between the shut off! thermostatic /lockshield 121 valve body and the Radmoval Valve. The present device is designed 122 to be compliant with the industry standard female threaded hole of a 123 domestic central heating radiator, being � inch B.S.P. but the possibility 124 is that the concept would work in larger and smaller scale situations i.e. larger size female threaded holes> % inch B.S.P or smaller scale io situations < inch B.S.P. The present invention relates to a valve body 127 (1) for the connection of a domestic central heating panel radiator (not 128 shown) to a shut off / thermostatic / lockshield valve (not shown). Within 129 the valve body is a sealing washer (2) which is supported and located between two retaining collars (4) attached to an actuating pin (3). The 131 pin and sealing washer have a positive pressure exerted upon it by the 132 force of a conical spring (5) which also helps to centralise the sealing 133 washer when it is in the "open" position, this whole assembly is then 134 held in position by a retaining spring clip (6) which locates in a detent (7) in the valve body. Due to the inlet / outlet of the shut off I 136 thermostatic / lockshield valve being of a larger diameter than that of 137 the actuating pin, there is a requirement to have a washer (8) for 138 locating the tip of the actuating pin, allowing the actuating pin and 139 sealing washer to move into an "open" position when pushed against and secured by the retaining nut and olive (not shown) allowing liquid to 141 flow. At the other end of the valve body, a tapered thread (9) pre coated 142 with a sealing compound allows the valve to be fitted to the radiator 143 without the need for pre wrapping with P.T.F.E. tape or a similar type of 144 sealing product. Flat areas (10) are formed immediately in front of the thread to allow the tightening of the valve body into the radiator by 146 means of a spanner or similar.

148 The device and its internal components can be manufactured from a 149 variety of materials including brass, bronze, copper, aluminium and its derivatives, anodised or otherwise, ceramic, specialised rubber, nylons 151 and plastics, malleable iron, steel, anodised or otherwise, and or 152 stainless steel.

154 Most modern central heating systems work at pressures of 1 bar (cold) and between 1 -2 bar (hot), with maximum pressures venting at -3 156 bar, the Radmoval Valve will work at pressures exceeding the 157 maximum operating pressures of these systems.

The removal of a radiator can then be done in three simple operations: 164 1. Turn the shut off/thermostatic / lockshield valves to their respective OFF positions 166 2. Loosen and fully undo the hexagonal securing nut whilst firmly 167 holding the shut off/thermostatic / lockshield valve against the 168 Radmoval Valve. When the hexagonal nut is fully undone, the shut off / 169 thermostatic / lockshield valve is moved away from the body of the Radmoval Valve, allowing the washer to seal and retain the fluid in the 171 radiator 172 3. The radiator can then be removed from its mounting brackets still 173 full of its liquid content.

When the radiator is required to be re fitted it is as easy an operation 176 as the removal process, just reversing the three steps as described 177 previously.

179 When completed, the system requires NO topping up of fluids either from a gravity fed header tank or by topping up through a "fill and loop 181 system". (D