WO2004077189A1

WO2004077189A1 - Control valve

Info

Publication number: WO2004077189A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/050142
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Edward Lewthwaite
Original assignee: John Edward Lewthwaite
Priority date: 2003-02-25
Filing date: 2004-02-25
Publication date: 2004-09-10

Abstract

The invention provides a control valve comprising a body member (43) having a flow passage therethrough for a primary fluid (A), a valve seat in the flow passage; and a valve closure (12) movable towards the valve seat to close the valve, and away from the valve seat to open the valve; a sensor (7) for determining characteristics of a secondary fluid, the sensor being in communication with the valve closure (12), to cause movement thereof towards or away from the valve seat in accordance with the characteristics of the secondary fluids within the body of the valve, characterized in an adjustor (41) body within which the sensor (7) is disposed and which is adjustable to move the sensor towards and away from the primary valve closure.

Description

CONTROL VALVE

Field of the Invention

THIS invention relates to a control valve particularly, but not exclusively, for

controlling the flow of a primary liquid in accordance with the characteristics

of a secondary liquid.

Background to the Invention

The Applicant's co-pending Patent Application WO 03/071372 A1 which is

included herein by way of reference provides for a control valve which

comprises a body member having a flow passage therethrough for a primary

fluid; a valve seat in the flow passage; and a valve closure movable towards

the valve seat to close the valve, and away from the valve seat to open the

valve; a sensor for determining characteristics of a secondary fluid, the

sensor being in communication with the valve closure, to cause movement

thereof towards or away from the valve seat in accordance with the

characteristics of the secondary fluid, and separation means separating the primary and secondary fluids within the body of the valve.

Obieei of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to disclose a further development of

the control valve set forth in Applicant's co-pending Patent Application

WO 03/071372 A1.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention, a control valve comprises a body member

having a flow passage therethrough for a primary fluid; a valve seat in the

flow passage; and a valve closure movable towards the valve seat to close

the valve, and away from the valve seat to open the valve; a sensor for

determining characteristics of a secondary fluid, the sensor being in

communication with the valve closure, to cause movement thereof towards or

away from the valve seat in accordance with the characteristics of the

secondary fluid, and separation means separating the primary and secondary fluids within the body of the valve, characterized in an adjustor

body within which the sensor is disposed and which is adjustable to move the

sensor towards and away from the primary valve closure. Preferably the

sensor will be mounted in a holder which is removably receivable in the

adjustor I

Also according to the invention the adjustor body includes one or more

transverse passages which intersect the secondary passage, the

arrangement being one wherein at least a portion of the sensor is disposed

within the transverse passages so as to be exposed to the secondary fluid.

From a constructural point of view the invention provides for the sensor

holder to be mounted within the adjustor body which is tubular, and the latter

includes a threaded zone which threadediy engages the valve body so that

rotation of the adjuster body adjusts the sensor towards or away from the

valve closure.

Brief Description of the Drawings In order more clearly to illustrate the invention, an embodiment thereof is

described hereunder purely as an example with reference to the

accompanying drawing which is a schematic sectioned elevation of a control

valve in accordance with the invention.

Detailed Description of Drawings

Referring to the drawing, a control valve of the type disclosed in the

Applicant's co-pending Patent Application WO 03/071372 A1 is illustrated.

The specification of this prior patent application is included herein by way of

reference and the numbering in the present drawing coincides with that of

Patent Application WO 03/071372 A1.

The modification in the present invention comprises the provision of a holder

40 for the thermostat 7, such holder 40 being removably received in an

adjustor body 41 and held in position by means of a spacer 42 and a circlip

42a. The adjustor body 41 in turn engages the main valve body 43 by

means of screw threads 44. With this arrangement the adjustor body 41 includes a plurality of transverse

apertures 45 which intersect the secondary passage 6, 8, and through which

the secondary fluid flows.

II will be noted that the thermostat 7 projects into the adjustor body 1 , so

that the secondary fluid which flows through the apertures 45 will contact the

thermostat 7. The arrangement of the transverse apertures 45 is such that in

any angular position of the adjustor body 41 , second fluid will flow at least

through some of these apertures 45.

It is a further feature of the invention that the adjustor body 45 is

longitudinally adjustable so that the actuator pin 9 of the thermostat 7 can be

moved towards or away from the follower 10 of the valve closure 12. In this

way the characteristics of the thermostat 7 can be adjusted in accordance

with requirements.

In the arrangement illustrated, the adjustment of the adjustor body 41 will be

effected by rotation thereof so that the threaded interaction between the adjuster body 41 and the main valve body 43 will permit the adjustor body 41

to be screwed towards or away from the follower 10. For adjusting purposes,

the invention envisages that a unique engagement formation 46 will be

provided on the outer structure of the adjuster body 41. Such unique

engagement formation could for example comprise spaced apertures which

are adapted to be engaged by a special tool, not shown.

Doubtless variations of the invention exist without departing from the

principles set out in the consistory clauses and it is intended that such

variations should fall within the scope of this disclosure. For example, an

annular wiper 47 of a foam type material can be provided on the stem portion

12a of the valve closure 12. It has been found that such annular wiper 47 will

ensure that the ingress of dirt, scale and the like between the stem 12a and

the interior of the bonnet structure 10 is prevented or at least minimised.

Also, the invention provides seals in the form of O-rings 48 between the

adjuster body 41 and the main body 43 and also an O-ring 49 between the

holder 40 and the adjuster body 41.

Claims

1. A control valve comprising a body member having a flow passage

therethrough for a primary fluid; a valve seat in the flow passage; and

a valve closure movable towards the valve seat to close the valve, and

away from the valve seat to open the valve; a sensor for determining

characteristics of a secondary fluid, the sensor being in

communication with the valve closure, to cause movement thereof

towards or away from the valve seat in accordance with the

characteristics of the secondary fluid, and separation means

separating the primary and secondary fluids within the body of the

valve, characterized in an adjustor body within which the sensor is

disposed and which is adjustable to move the sensor towards and

away from the primary valve closure.

The control valve according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is mounted

in a sensor holder which is removably receivable in the adjuster body.

3. The control valve according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the sensor is

a thermostat adapted to expand linearly in accordance with an

increase in the temperature of the secondary fluid, to engage the

valve closure and to urge the valve closure towards the valve seat

progressively to close the valve and to contract with a decrease in

temperature to move away from the valve closure to allow the valve

closure to move away from the valve seat progressively to open the

valve.

4. The control valve according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the

adjuster body includes one or more transverse passages which

intersect the secondary passage, the arrangement being one wherein

at least a portion of the sensor is disposed within the transverse

passages so as to be exposed to the secondary fluid.

5. The control valve according to any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the

sensor holder is mounted within the adjuster body and the latter is of a

tubular cross-sectional construction, the tubular adjuster body having a threaded zone which threadedly engages the body member.

6. The control valve according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the

adjuster body includes a threaded zone which threadedly engages the

body member so that rotation of the adjuster body adjusts the position

of the sensor towards and away from the valve closure.

A control valve according to claim 1 substantially as herein described

and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.