Patent ID: 6131878
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: F15B

Abstract:
A control valve for controlling flow of fuel from a fuel tank to a rocket engine, said control valve comprising:a valve body longitudinally displaceable between open and closed positions of the control valve,a piston rod secured in said valve body,a piston secured to said piston rod, said piston being subjected to a pressure gas in a first control chamber to displace the piston to the open position of the valve,a spring urging the valve to the closed position,a locking mechanism including a locking rod operated by the pressure gas and having a locking member for engaging in a groove in the piston rod in said open position of the valve,a switching disk on said locking rod subjected to the pressure gas in a first gas chamber to displace the locking member from said groove in the piston rod so that the locking member is free of contact with the piston rod,said switching disk having a control bore for passage of said control gas through the switching disk to said first control chamber to displace said piston to said open position of the valve against the force of the spring,said first gas chamber being selectively pressurized and de-pressurized to move the switching disk when pressurized to release the locking member from said groove in the piston rod and when said first gas chamber is de-pressurized the piston rod is displaced by said spring to said closed position of the valve, and said control gas is discharged from said first control chamber through said control bore in said switching disk to the de-pressurized first chamber and said locking member is kept out of contact with said piston rod by application to said locking rod of pressure gas in a second gas chamber.