Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
  • F16K1/00—Lift valves or globe valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closure members having at least a component of their opening and closing motion perpendicular to the closing faces
  • F16K1/32—Details
  • F16K1/52—Means for additional adjustment of the rate of flow
  • F16K1/526—Means for additional adjustment of the rate of flow for limiting the maximum flow rate, using a second valve

Definitions

• the present invention concerns a device to intercept a fluid, such as for example a valve,, a tap or suchlike, in order to regulate and/or possibly measure and display the flow rate thereof.
• the device according to the invention comprises, in one version, an indicator visible from the outside which, in cooperation with a graduated scale, indicates in real time to the user the flow rate of the fluid passing inside a pipe.
• BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Devices are known, which intercept a fluid passing inside a pipe, used for example along a circuit to feed radiators in correspondence with the relative offtakes.
• Such known devices comprise a regulation screw inserted into the pipe substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis thereof; the screw is normally screwed onto one or two threaded bushings, or joins, provided in correspondence with the opposite walls of the pipe.
• the regulation screw is provided with holes, able to be opened or closed according to the extent that the regulation screw is screwed into the joins, to allow a controlled passage of the fluid from the pipe to the offtake.
• Conventional interception devices thus consist substantially of two elements which, when they are screwed, allow to perform only an empirical regulation of the flow rate of the fluid.
• Interception devices are also known, for example from the world patent application O-A-03/089844 and the German patent applications DE-A-10255522 and DE-A- 10049129, which allow both to regulate and also to measure and display the flow rate of the fluid.
• Such conventional interception devices commonly provide a measuring plunger inserted through inside the regulation screw, the movement of which is contrasted by elastic means.
• a transparent cover provided with a graduated scale, is associated with the upper part or head of the regulation screw, in a position visible from the outside. The graduated scale serves to verify the value of the flow rate of the fluid diverted to the offtake.
• the gap of the transit holes is modified; in this way the flow rate of the fluid diverted to the offtake is regulated and the value is visible on the graduated scale of the cover.
• the upper end of the plunger extends inside the transparent cover and is provided with an indicator element, while its lower end, shaped like a platelet, is immersed in the fluid; therefore, the plunger receives from the fluid an axial thrust proportional to the flow and direction of the fluid inside the regulation screw, and hence the indicator is displaced axially upwards or downwards with respect to the graduated scale in order to signal the flow rate of the fluid delivered to the offtake.
• a first disadvantage of known devices of this type is that, every time that it becomes necessary to remove parts of the regulation device, for example the cover or the plunger, it is necessary to release their constraint to the regulation screw, which entails the loss of the calibration values adopted during the assembly step. This is a particularly serious problem since the water that is drawn, or the condensation that is formed, inside the cover form deposits of dirt that become fixed on its parts and compromise the visibility of the measurement values from outside. This requires frequent cleaning and restoration operations which, due to the loss of calibration, entail the need for the intervention of specialized technicians and, in any case, also long delays in order to return to pre-existing functioning conditions.
• Another disadvantage of known devices is that it is not possible to regulate, with certain repeatability, a maximum opening of the holes, different from the maximum physical size of the same, for example in order to limit to a desired bottom-of-the-scale value the maximum flow rate of fluid that can pass inside the regulation screw.
• Yet another disadvantage is that it is possible that a certain part of water may be drawn inside the screw, and hence into the sliding seating of the plunger, creating risks of leakage of the water when the transparent cover is removed and/or increasing the rapidity of formation of deposits of dirt on the walls of the cover.
• the two types of device, with and without measurement and display on the graduated scale are conceived as different products, without parts in common, with assembly elements not shared and not interchangeable .
• One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a device to intercept a fluid that will allow to remove parts subject to wear and deterioration of the device, in particular the transparent cover, without modifying the regulation calibration adopted during the assembly step.
• Another purpose of the invention is to allow to define, in a univocal and repeatable manner, a desired value of maximum opening of the holes that transmit the fluid, in order to define a desired maximum flow rate that can be delivered to the offtake. Yet another purpose of the invention is to ensure a perfect seal of the device in every working condition of said device. Another purpose of the present invention is to be able to selectively configure the device, simply and quickly, at least between two different conditions, for example a first condition simply for regulation, and a second condition for regulation, measurement and possibly to display the measurement.
• the Applicant has devised, tested and embodied this invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages .
• a device to regulate the flow rate of a fluid according to the present invention is used along a pipe in correspondence with a join of an offtake, in order to divert thereto a desired quantity of the fluid.
• the device comprises: - a bushing screwed to the pipe, with an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the latter; and
• a regulation screw arranged coaxial to the bushing;
• a threaded sleeve having radial holes for the passage of the fluid, a first outer threading with which it is able to be selectively screwed to the bushing, and a second inner threading, of a standardized type, in which the regulation screw is selectively able to be screwed.
• the presence of the threaded sleeve located between the bushing and the regulation screw allows to make the screwing of the sleeve to the bushing independent from the reciprocal screwing of the sleeve and other parts of the device associated inside it, such as the regulation screw, or others .
• the regulation screw or others .
• the inner threading of the sleeve allows in fact to regulate, in a repeatable and univocal manner, the maximum opening of the holes that allow the passage of fluid inside the device. This allows to carry out the regulation of the maximum flow rate to a value that is not limited by the size of the holes of the threaded sleeve.
• the threaded sleeve in correspondence with the opposite side of the pipe with respect to the bushing, couples axially with a tube, provided with lateral holes from which, when the offtake is open, the fluid taken from the main pipe, to be diverted to the offtake, emerges.
• the tube is solidly attached to the pipe and extends for a certain segment inside the pipe.
• the fluid transits normally inside the threaded sleeve and emerges through the lateral holes present in the tube, so as to be directed into the offtake.
• the relative position of the threaded sleeve and the tube causes the upper edge of the tube to act as an abutment, possibly with a certain pressure, against an annular packing attached to the bushing and arranged, on the pipe, opposite the part of the pipe to which the tube is attached.
• the front edge of the threaded sleeve acts in abutment against an annular packing arranged on the bottom of the tube.
• This configuration creates a perfect watertight seal which prevents every possible drawing of the fluid to internal parts of the device, and allows to remove parts of the device without risks of water leaking outside the device.
• the threaded sleeve axially has a through seating in which the second threading is made so as to selectively and alternately accommodate either a regulation screw of a first type, or a regulation screw of a second type.
• the regulation screw of the first type is configured, for example, to cooperate with a screwing tool, by means of which the flow of fluid diverted into the offtake can be regulated only;
• the regulation screw of the second type is configured to regulate, measure and display to the outside the value of the flow rate of the fluid diverted into the offtake.
• the removal of the interchangeable regulation screws from the standard threaded sleeve does not require the hydraulic circuit to be interrupted, since the threaded sleeve by itself isolates the zone affected by the replacement.
• - fig. 1 is a three-dimensional, partly exploded view of the interception device according to the present invention in a first configuration
• - fig. 2 is a three-dimensional, partly exploded view of the interception device according to the present invention in a second configuration;
• - fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section of the device in fig. 1;
• a device 10 to intercept a fluid according to the present invention is assembled on a pipe 11 of a hydraulic plant, in correspondence with a join of an offtake 12, in order to divert the flow of a fluid in a controlled manner.
• the plant may be, for example, of the type to feed the radiators in a heating plant.
• the device 10 is attached on two opposite walls of the pipe 11; on one side it is screwed onto a bushing 13 solid with the pipe 11, and on the opposite side it is inserted into a tube 21, solid with the offtake 12.
• the interception device 10 comprises, arranged substantially coaxial with each other, from outside to inside, a threaded sleeve 16, a regulation screw 17 and a measuring plunger 19. Outside the pipe 11, on the upper end of the regulation screw which, in this case, can be selectively either of a first type, indicated generally by the reference number 17 in figs. 1 and 3, or of a second type, indicated generally by the reference number 117 in figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6.
• the threaded sleeve 16 substantially cylindrical in shape, comprises an outer threading 15 that allows it to be screwed coaxially to the bushing 13, and is hollow inside, so as to define a through seating 14 provided, in an inner part, with a standardized threading 24 on which either the regulation screw 17, or alternatively the regulation screw 117, can be screwed.
• the threaded sleeve 16 comprises, in a segment arranged outside the pipe 11 and of the bushing 13, a grooved surface 22 on which a clamping ring-nut 23 which, in the case of figs. 1 and 3, covers the regulation screw 17 and keeps it inside the threaded sleeve 16, whereas, in the case of figs.
• the clamping ring-nut 23 comprises snap-in attachment means, of a conventional type and not shown in detail.
• the threaded sleeve 16 also comprises, in a position that always remains inside the pipe 11, a first 18 and a second 25 circular sealing packing, or O-ring.
• radial holes 26 are also made, able to allow the water to pass from the pipe 11 to the through seating 14 and from here to the join of an offtake 12.
• the tube 21 has a sliding seating 39 in which the terminal part of the threaded sleeve 16 slides, and a head wall 40 facing towards the join of the offtake 12.
• the head wall 40 comprises a sealing packing or O-ring 42, and on the periphery a plurality of radial holes 41 able to allow the water to pass from the through seating 14 of the threaded sleeve 16 to the join of the offtake 12.
• a sealing packing or O-ring 42 By screwing or unscrewing the threaded sleeve 16 with respect to the bushing 13, the position of the radial holes 26 with respect to the tube 21 is modified, and it is thus possible to regulate the amplitude of the opening gap and hence the flow rate of the water passing inside the join of the offtake 12.
• the radial holes 26 are arranged completely inside the tube 21; in this position an upper edge 21a of the tube 21 rests with a determinate pressure against the O-ring 25 arranged on the outside of the sleeve 16, and moreover a front edge 16a of the sleeve 16 acts against the O-ring .42 present inside the head of the tube 21.
• the device 10 is in a closed position and its inside is perfectly sealed with respect to the fluid flowing in the pipe 11, forming a perfectly watertight chamber 43 which isolates the zone affected by the replacement of the screws 17 or 117.
• the formation of the watertight chamber 43 thus allows to replace the screw 17 with the screw 117, or vice versa, without having to interrupt the flow of fluid in the pipe 11, and without the risk that said fluid might leak from the interception device 10, even if the screws 17 or 117 are completely absent.
• the screw 17 or the screw 117 is screwed to the standardized threading 24 of the threaded sleeve 16 and comprises a sealing packing or O-ring 30, cooperating with the through seating 14 of the sleeve 16, so as to prevent the water passing in the pipe 11 to leak from the device 10.
• the screwing or unscrewing of the regulation screws 17, 117 in practice entails the regulation of the maximum opening of the radial holes 26.
• the axial displacement of the screw 17 or 117 with respect to the threaded sleeve 16 determines a greater or lesser interference of the lower end of the screw 17, 117 with the holes 26, modifying the value of the transit gap. In this way it is possible to determine a maximum bottom-of-the-scale value of the flow rate of the water passing inside the through seating 14.
• the device 10 also comprises a U-shaped rod 28, able to be associated transversely to the threaded sleeve 16, and able to cooperate with the through seating 14, to function as an end-of-travel element above the regulation screw 17, 117, so as to prevent them from accidentally coming out of the sleeve 16.
• a first type of regulation screw 17 is associated with the threaded sleeve 16, able only to regulate the flow rate of the fluid passing in the pipe.
• the regulation screw 17 is substantially cylindrical in shape and has, at an upper end, a hexagonal hollow 44 which allows to accommodate a tool, such as for example an Allen wrench, to perform the screwing or unscrewing with respect to the standardized threading 24.
• a tool such as for example an Allen wrench
• any type of seating may be provided, according to the type of screwing tool used to screw/unscrew the screw 17.
• screwing or unscrewing the screw 17 with respect to the sleeve 16 determines the opening or closing of the holes 26, empirically establishing the maximum bottom-of-the-scale value of the flow rate of the water.
• a second type of regulation screw 117 is associated with the threaded sleeve 16, which regulates, measures and allows the flow rate of the fluid diverted into the offtake join to be seen from the outside.
• a measuring plunger 19 and a transparent cover 20 are associated with the regulation screw 117.
• the cover 20 is mounted outside the pipe 11, on the upper end of the regulation screw 117, and the upper part of the measuring plunger 19 extends inside it.
• the regulation screw 117 comprises an axial seating 27 for the measuring plunger 19 to slide, and a calibration head 29 which extends outside the threaded sleeve 16, and to which the transparent cover 20 is attached.
• the calibration head 29 also comprises an outer surface 34 shaped so as to cooperate selectively with part of the inner surface of the clamping ring-nut 23. In this way, the clamping ring-nut 23 allows to constrain the threaded sleeve 16 to the regulation screw 117 in a defined angular position.
• the measuring plunger 19 has an elongated shape, and comprises a lower end conformed as a platelet 31, while there is an indicator 32 on its upper end which is arranged inside the transparent cover 20.
• the platelet 31 is substantially cylindrical in shape, or like a truncated cone, and is immersed in the water passing inside the through seating 14, so that the flow in transit causes a displacement, normally downwards, of the measuring plunger 19 proportional to the flow rate of the water diverted to the offtake 12.
• the indicator 32 comprises a disk 33, advantageously colored.
• a helical spring 35 is arranged, able to contrast the thrust exerted by the flow on the measuring plunger 19 and to return it to an inactive position when the device 10 is taken to the closed position.
• the cover 20 in this case is screwed to the calibration head 29 and a graduated scale 36 is made on its surface. In this way, by sighting the disk 33 with respect to the graduated scale 36, it is possible to detect the value of the flow rate diverted to the offtake 12 according to the flow acting on the platelet 31 of the measuring plunger 19.
• the transparent cover 20 is attached in bayonet manner, or with any other known system, to the regulation screw 117.
• the tube 21 is inserted coaxially and in watertight manner, by means of a sealing packing or O-ring 37, to the join of the offtake 12.
• an initial condition (fig. 4)
• the threaded sleeve 16 is screwed to the bushing 13, so that its radial holes 26 are outside the tube 21, thus allowing the full flow of water to be diverted to the offtake 12.
• the clamping ring-nut 23 is in its lowered position, so as to allow the regulation screw 117 to be screwed or unscrewed on the standardized threading 24 of the threaded sleeve 16.
• This screwing/unscrewing of the regulation screw 117 in practice, entails the regulation of the maximum opening of the radial holes 26.
• the axial displacement of the regulation screw 117 with respect to the threaded sleeve 16 determines a greater or lesser interference of the lower end of the regulation screw 117 with the holes 26, modifying the value of their free transit gap. In this way, a maximum bottom-of-the-scale value of the flow rate of the water passing inside the through seating 14 can be determined.
• the regulation screw 117 and the sleeve 16 are constrained together and the maximum value set for the opening of the radial holes 26 remains fixed, and hence univocal and repeatable, even when some of its components are removed, or when the regulation device 10 is opened or closed, by screwing or unscrewing the sleeve 16 with respect to the bushing 13 on the outer threading 15. Should it become necessary to clean the transparent cover 20, the device is taken to the closed position, acting on the clamping ring-nut 23 until the front edge 16a of the threaded sleeve 16 is taken into cooperation with the O-ring 42, and the front edge 21a of the tube 21 is in abutment with the O-ring 25, thus defining the sealed chamber 43.
• the screw 117 is axially clamped with respect to the threaded sleeve 16, and it is therefore possible to remove the transparent cover 20 in order to clean or replace it, without running the risk of losing the calibration performed before, and without risk of accidental leakages of water due to water losses and infiltrations along the axis of the plunger 19.
• modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the device 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.
• the radial holes 26 can be made on the tube 21, instead of on the threaded sleeve 16 which, in this case, acts as a stopper. It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of interception device, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims, and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)

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Citations (5)

• 2005
  • 2005-05-16 EP EP05744563A patent/EP1766272B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-05-16 DE DE602005015448T patent/DE602005015448D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-05-16 ES ES05744563T patent/ES2329918T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2005-05-16 WO PCT/EP2005/005327 patent/WO2005111479A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (5)

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