Quick disconnect actuator mounting

1. A quick disconnect actuator coupler for mounting an actuator to a valve or damper of an HVAC system, comprising:

a base encircling a rotational axis of a rotational control member of the valve or damper, the rotational control member being moveable about the rotational axis between an open position wherein the valve or damper permits flow and a closed position wherein the valve or damper permits less flow or no flow to at least one outlet, the base being securable to a valve housing or damper housing via assembly substantially exclusively in an axial direction so the base encircles the rotational control member;

an actuator mount encircling the rotational axis, the actuator mount being securable to an actuator body;

wherein the base and the actuator mount have a mating relationship which allows sliding assembly of the actuator mount to the base in an axial direction, which when mating define at least one hole in both the base and the actuator mount extending transversely relative to the rotational axis, the mating relationship preventing rotational movement of the actuator mount relative to the base, the mating relationship preventing lateral movement of the actuator mount relative to the base; and

a bail which slides into the hole to secure the actuator mount to the base against axial movement, with the rotational control member being rotational within the joined actuator mount/base for rotational movement caused by the actuator, sliding of the bail out of the hole allowing toolless removal of the actuator from the valve or damper.

2. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the base and the actuator mount when mating define a set of holes through both the base and the actuator mount on opposing sides of the rotational control member, and wherein the bail is a forked bail having legs which slide into the set of holes, such that, when securing the actuator mount to the base encircling the rotational axis, the rotational axis extends between the legs.

3. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 2 , wherein each hole in the set of holes is comprised of two throughholes in the base and two throughholes in the actuator mount, with all four throughholes being linearly aligned.

4. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the bail mates into the hole with a snap fit holding the bail into the hole.

5. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the bail is molded of a polymeric material which flexes to cause the snap fit.

6. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the hole is comprised of a throughhole in the base and a throughhole in the actuator mount.

7. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 6 , wherein the hole is comprised of two throughholes in the base and two throughholes in the actuator mount, with all four throughholes being linearly aligned.

8. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mount encircles the base around the rotational control member.

9. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 8 , wherein the base has a generally rectangular outer profile mating into a generally rectangular recess in the actuator mount, with walls of the actuator mount fully encircling the rectangular outer profile of the base to prevent lateral movement of the actuator mount relative to the base.

10. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , further comprising a stem coupler, the stem coupler having a recess which joins around a stem of the valve or actuator.

11. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 10 , wherein the stem coupler comprises a splined opposite end, and further comprising a handle which mates around the splined opposite end.

12. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 11 , wherein the base, the actuator mount, the bail, and the handle are all molded of polymeric material, and wherein the stem coupler is formed of a metal.

13. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 12 , wherein the bail is molded of a material which is more flexible than the material of the base or the material of the actuator mount.

14. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 10 further comprising a handle, wherein the actuator rotates the handle, which in turn rotates the stem coupler, which in turn rotates the stem of the valve or actuator.

15. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , for use with a valve or damper as part of an HVAC system, wherein the base is securable to the valve housing or damper housing using threaded screws or bolts and without a yoke.

16. The quick disconnect actuator coupler of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises an alignment plate which takes its alignment and parallelism by making contact with a flat actuator pad of the valve or damper.

17. A method of attaching an actuator to a valve or damper of an HVAC system, comprising:

securing a base to a valve housing or damper housing such that the base encircles a rotational axis of a rotational control member of the valve or damper, the rotational control member being moveable about the rotational axis between an open position wherein the valve or damper permits flow and a closed position wherein the valve or damper permits less flow or no flow to at least one outlet, the securing being achieved via assembly substantially exclusively in an axial direction so the base encircles the rotational control member;

securing an actuator mount to an actuator body;

aligning the base and the actuator mount into a mating relationship by sliding assembly of the actuator mount to the base in an axial direction, the mating relationship preventing rotational movement of the actuator mount relative to the base, the mating relationship preventing lateral movement of the actuator mount relative to the base, such that the actuator mount encircles the rotational axis, and such that the base and the actuator mount define at least one hole in both the base and the actuator mount extending transversely relative to the rotational control member;

attaching the actuator to the rotational control member such that the actuator can move the rotational control member between the open position and the closed position;

sliding a bail into the hole to secure the actuator mount to the base against axial movement, with the rotational control member being rotational within the joined actuator mount/base for rotational movement caused by the actuator, and such that sliding of the bail out of the hole allows toolless removal of the actuator from the valve or damper.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising snapping the bail into a detent to hold the bail into a secured position in the hole.