Patent ID: 8998168
Filing Date: 2015-04-07
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A valve, comprising: a body having a body passage therethrough intersected by a central cavity, the body having a flat side portion with an access opening therethrough; a valve element having a valve passage therethrough and rotatably carried in the cavity for movement between an open position with the valve passage and the body passage aligned and a closed position, the valve element having an end within the access opening, the end having a drive socket formed therein; an adapter plate secured to the side portion of the body, the adapter plate having a central opening in alignment with the access opening; a drive mechanism housing having an inner side wall that abuts and is fastened to an outer side of the adapter plate, the inner side wall of the housing having an inner side opening in alignment with the central opening and the access opening, the housing having an outer side with an outer side opening; a drive sleeve rotatably mounted in the housing and having an outer end protruding through the outer side opening of the housing; a drive mechanism operably coupled to the drive sleeve for rotating the drive sleeve; a drive shaft mounted in the drive sleeve, the drive shaft having an inner end protruding from the drive sleeve into the inner side opening of the housing, the drive shaft having an outer end protruding through the outer side opening of the housing; an extension member having an outer end with a receptacle that receives the inner end of the drive shaft, the extension member extending through the central opening of the adapter plate and having an inner end that inserts into the drive socket of the valve element for rotating the valve element; a shear member between the drive sleeve and the drive shaft that causes rotation of the drive shaft in unison with the drive sleeve and shears in the event the force to rotate the valve element is excessive, resulting in the drive sleeve being rotatable relative to the drive shaft; indicia at the outer side of the housing indicating open and closed positions for the valve element; and an indicator mounted to the outer end of the drive shaft for rotation therewith, the indicator aligning with the indicia, the drive sleeve being rotatable relative to the indicator in the event the shear member has sheared.