Valve with actuation sub-assembly
View Patent ↗A valve assembly includes a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber extending between the inlet and the outlet and an actuation sub-assembly. Positioned in the chamber is a flow restrictor, which is positionable between a valve open position wherein the fluid communication between the inlet and outlet is open and a valve closed position wherein the fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet is closed. A slow-close actuation sub-assembly includes a stem for engaging the flow restrictor, and includes a handle and plurality of annular members disposed around a shaft for resisting rotation of the shaft via the handle.
1. A valve assembly comprising:
a valve body, said valve body having a valve body wall, an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber;
a flow restrictor having a restrictor body, said flow restrictor being positionable between a valve open position wherein said flow restrictor allows fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet and a valve closed position wherein said restrictor body blocks the fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet;
a slow-close actuation sub-assembly for rotatably driving said flow restrictor, said slow-close actuation sub-assembly including a stem and a shaft, and further including first and second annular members, said first annular member being rotatable with said shaft relative to said second annular member, said first annular member further having an annular wall defining a slotted opening;
a handle coupled to said stem and operable to rotate said stem, said handle extending through said slotted opening of said annular wall of said first annular member and operable to rotate said first annular member via engagement of said handle with said annular wall at said slotted opening;
a resistive element disposed between said shaft and said second annular member, said resistive element operable to resist rotation of said shaft relative to said second annular member; and
wherein said handle, said first annular member, said shaft, and said stem together are rotatable relative to said second annular member and said valve body wherein said resistive element resistively permits rotation of said shaft relative to said second annular member, and when said slow-close actuation sub-assembly is mounted at said valve body said stem extends through said valve body wall for engagement with said flow restrictor.
2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said resistive element comprises a hydraulic fluid.
3. The valve assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a fluid chamber defined between said second annular member and said shaft for receiving said hydraulic fluid.
4. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shaft directly engages said stem so that rotation of said handle imparts rotation directly to both said stem and said first annular member, whereby said shaft is rotatable in response to rotation of said stem and said first annular member by said handle.
5. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
an adapter for coupling said slow-close actuation sub-assembly to said valve body;
a pin extending between said adapter and said second annular member; and
wherein said second annular member is held substantially fixed relative to said valve body by said pin.
6. The valve assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a stop plate including at least one tab, said stop plate coupled to said stem for rotation with said stem, and said adapter further comprising stops corresponding to the valve open position and the valve closed position of said flow restrictor, respectively, wherein said at least one tab limits the rotation of said stem when said at least one tab contacts said stops.
7. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein said stop plate comprises a non-circular opening for receiving said non-circular portion of said stem.
8. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third annular member coupled to said second annular member, each of said second and third annular members defining a respective circular central opening for rotatably receiving a respective circular portion of said shaft, and wherein said second and third annular members are both non-rotatable relative to said valve body.
9. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said handle is coupled only indirectly to said shaft via at least one of said stem and said first annular member.
10. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said stem comprises a non-circular portion and said handle comprises a non-circular opening for receiving said non-circular portion of said stem.
11. The valve assembly of claim 10 , wherein said shaft comprises a non-circular portion and said first annular member comprises a non-circular central opening for receiving said non-circular portion of said shaft.
12. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said shaft comprises a non-circular portion and said first annular member comprises a non-circular central opening for receiving said non-circular portion of said shaft.
13. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein said stem includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion engaging said engagement surface of said valve ball, and said upper surface for engagement by said handle.