A SELF-CLOSING VALVE ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: A self-closing valve arrangement includes a valve housing (1) having an inlet (2) and an outlet (3). Arranged therebetween is a valve (11, 17) which has an inlet (12) and an outlet opening (13) in connection with the outlet. A movable valve body (17) is coupled to a valve operating mechanism (21), which is guided by a lever (26). Arranged downstream of the outlet opening (13) is a passage or line (35-38) which connects the outlet (4) with a cylinder (39), and arranged in the cylinder is a movable thrust body (40) which co-acts with a piston rod (42) to activate the lever, and therewith the valve operating mechanism, to reset the valve to its closing position.

Description: A Self-Closlnq Valve Arrangement The present invention relates to a self-closing valve arrangement, comprising a valve housing having a valve which is located between an inlet for pressure liquid and an outlet leading to a liquid-consuming device, and which is arranged to take a first position in which the inlet is connected to the outlet, and a second position in which the inlet is isolated from the outlet; and regulating means controlled ^ by the pressure in the liquid in a manner to return the valve to the second position subsequent to the valve having been set to the first position, after a given time interval. Self-closing valves of this kind are used in many contexts, and have mainly been provided for the purpose of avoiding wasting water unnecessarily, or in those cases when a determined volume of water is required. Examples of areas in which such valves are used include so-called flushing valves for use in C-basins to which a given volume of water shall be delivered, showers, wash basins, etc., in public buildings. Known constructions are based on the use of the pressure of the pipe water upstream of the shut-off valve, time clock or equivalent means. For maintenanc and cost reasons, it is preferred to control the regulating means by the pressure liquid. In known valves which are controlled by pressure liquid, a part stream of the liquid is lead away upstream of the shut-off valve and caused to act upon a diaphragm or a piston, which generates the force required to close the valve. Thus, the part flow is subjected to the full pipe pressure, and the channel or passage which conducts the part flow to the diaphragm or piston must therefore be made very narrow, in order to achieve a given closing time. A frequent drawback with such passages is that they tend to become blocked after being in use for only a very short period of time, and consequently the time taken to flush, for example, the toilet basin becomes longer and longer, gradually to approach infinity; and when the passage becomes totally blocked the flow of water is not stopped. Another disadvantage with known valve arrangement is that the closing time varies with the pressure of the liquid. Moreover, the known arrangements include a large number of seals, control devices, etc. which during stationary periods, i.e. periods in which the flush is not used, are subjected to the whole of the pipe pressure, therewith increasing thedemands placed on said seals and also on the risk of leakages. Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a valve arrangement of the kind mentioned in the introduction which does not exhibit the aforementioned drawbacks. This obje ct is fully realized by means of the invention set forth in the following claims and described hereinafter with reference to an embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanyin drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional side-view of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the stationary valve plate; Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the movable valve plate; Figure 5 illustrates a modified regulating means; and Figure 6 illustrates a modified valve. The illustrated self-closing valve means includes a valve housing 1 having an inlet 2, which is connected to a pressure-water pipe or line 3, or to a pipe or line for some other form of liquid under pressure, and a water outlet 4. In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet 4 is shown to be connected to a shower head 6 by means of a pipe 5, although, as mentioned in the OMPI introduction, the water can be delivered to any other device whatsoever, such as a WC-baεin for example. The inlet 2 communicates with a channel or passage 7, while the outlet 4 communicates with a channel or passage 8. The exit orifices of the two channels lie in a common plane in the valve housing 1 and connect with a chamber 9, which has a lower flange 10 located in said plane, said flange being of rectangular configuration in the illustrated embodiment. Resting on the lower flange 10 is a stationary valve plate 11, which has an inl opening 12 and an outlet opening 13. As will best be seen from Figure 3, there two openings are separated by a wall 14. The inlet opening 12 coincides with the exit orifice of the channel 7, and the outlet opening 13 coincides with the exit orifice of the channel 8. The plate 11 is made of a ceramic material, for example aluminium oxide, and has an upper planar surface 15 which sealingly abuts the lower planar surface 16 of a movable ceramic plate 17 (Figure 4) . Arranged on the under-surface of • the plate 17 is a recess 18 which when the movable valve plate 17 is located in the Figure 1 position, forms a throughflow cavity leading from the inlet opening 12 to the outlet opening 13. On the upper surface of said movable plate 17 there is provided a recess 19 for receiving a ball 20 mounted on an operating arm 21, which is pivotably mounted on a shaft 22. The shaft 22 is, in turn, firmly mounted on a plate-like wall 23, which is attached to a cover 24. The cover 24 covers the chamber 9, and is fixedly mounted in the valve housing 1, in a manner not shown. The cover has provided therein an elongate slot or groove 25 which allows the operating arm 21 to swing about the pivot 22. Also journalled to the pivot 22 is a double-arm angular operating lever 26, one arm 27 of which is bifurcate and extends downwardly, along the operating arm 21. The two legs 28,29 of the bifurcate arm 27 on a respective side of a fixed peg 30 on the arm 21 , with a certain amount of play between said peg 30 and respective legs. As shown in Figure 2, the valve of this embodiment has arranged on the cover or cap 24 thereof a second wall means 31, which, together with the first wall means 23, carries a pin 32. Mounted on the lever 26, on the opposite side of the pivot shaft 22 is a fixed peg 33, while between the peg 33 and the pin 32 there is arranged a tension spring 3 . As will be seen from Figure 1, a passage or channel 35, which exits into a chamber 36 in the valve housing 1 , communicates with the outlet 4 at a location beneath the outlet opening 13 in the stationary plate 17. A further channel 37 extends horizontall from the chamber 36 to a vertical channel 38. This channel 38 exits into a pressure cylinder 39, at a location beneath a cylindrical piston 40 arranged for axial movement in said cylinder. Extending peripherally around the piston 40 is a groove which accommodates an O-ring 41, which sealingly abuts the wall of the cylinder 39. Mounted on the upper surface of the piston 40 is a piston rod 42, which protrudes through an opening in a cover member 43 enclosing the cylinder 39, said cover membe for example, being screwed into the upper opening of the cylinder. As will best be seen from Figure 2 , the upper end of the piston rod 42 is directed towards the lever 26. In the illustrated embodiment there is arranged between the upper surface of the piston 40 and the cover member 43 a thrust spring 44. In order to enable the through flow area of respective channels 37, 38 to be altered, if and when desired, there is provided a screw-type needle valve 45 having a needle 46, which can be screwed into the area where said spacious channels intersect, to choke said channels to a greater or lesser extent. The described arrangement has the following mode of operation: The lever 26 is moved down to the position shown in Figure 1 , either manually, electromagnetically, or in some other suitable manner, and the bifurcate arm 27, as it swings around the pivot shaft 22, engages the peg 30 on the operating arm 21, which is consequently swung to the illustrated position, whereup the movable valve plate 17 is moved to the right in the Figure, to the illustrated position, through the engagement of the ball 20 with said plate 17. When the plate 17 occupies said illustrated position, the inlet opening 12 communicates with the outlet opening 13, through the cavity 18, and water from the pipe or line 3 will thus flow into the channel 7, through the inlet opening 12, through the cavity 18, through the outlet openin 13, to the channel 8 and the outlet 4, and from there through the pipe or line 5, to the shower head 6. Due to the flow losses in the pipe or line 5 and in the shower head 6, there is obtained in the channel 8 a pressure which causes the water to be led into the cylinder 39, through thsline 35, 36, 37 and 38, and consequently the piston 40 will move upward in the cylinder 39 against the action of the spring 44. When the " piston 40 is moved upwards, the piston rod 42 'is also moved upwards,to engage the lever 26 and begin to swing the same clockwise in Figure 1. During this initial movement of the lever 26, the leg 28 is disengaged from the peg 30, although the operating arm 21 and the movable valve plate 17 remain in the position shown in Figure 1. When the pivot shaft 22 lies beneath a straight line extending between the two attachment points 32 and 33 of the spring 34, sai spring will accompany the pivoting movement of the lever and the leg 29 will strike against the peg 30, whereupon the operatin arm is swung clockwise around the pivot shaft 22 and moves the movable valve plate 17 to the left in Figure 1, so that the trailing part of the plate covers and seals the inlet opening 12, whereupon the water ceases to flow and the spring 44 is able to move the piston 40 to its bottom position, at the same time as the water located beneath the piston exits through the channels 37 and 38, the chamber 36 and the channel 35, to the outlet 4. If desired, a non-return valve 47, through which the water can rapidly depart, may be arranged in the bottom of the cylinder 39. It should be observed that a full stream of water is maintained until that moment when the spring 34 takes over the pivoting movement, since the operating arm 21 is not activated until the leg or abutment 29 reaches the peg 30, and consequently positive closure is obtained, even when the pressure is low. If a very low pressure is used, i.e. if it is desired to keep the flow losses at a low level, the spring 44 can be omitted. In the case, the piston 40 is pressed down at th > -2HI same time as the lever 26. The described and illustrated embodiment can be modified in many ways, within the scope of the following claims. For example, the pivot shaft for the lever 26 can be separate from the operating arm 21, in which case the two pivot shafts extend parallel to one another. It has also been assumed that the valve comprises ceramic plates which are movable relative to one another. It will be understood, however, that other kinds of- valves can be used. In the embodimen illustrated in Figure 5, the piston 40 has been replaced with a diaphragm 48, the periphery of which is attached to the wall of the cylinder in a manner not shown. The diaphragm 48 is provided with mutually coaxial, circular corrugations and has a central planar portion 49 to which the lower end of the piston rod 42 is welded or attached in some other suitable way. When water flows ' in beneath the diaphragm, through the aforementioned channels, the diaphragm 48 will flex upwardly, sufficiently for the lever 26 in Figure 1 to be swung over its dead centre position. The diaphragm 48 can be made of any material suitable for the purpose, for example metal or plastics material. When the diaphragm is smooth, it is suitably made of rubber. Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of the valve, in which the stationary valve plate 11 in Figure T is replaced with a cylinder 50, one end of which is closed by means of a cover member 51. Arranged in the cylindrical cavity is a piston 52, which sealingly abuts the wall of the cylinder. The inner end surface of the piston 52 lies behind an inlet opening 12 in the cylinder, and arranged in the cylindrical surface of the piston is a groove which accommodates the ball 20 on the operating arm 21. When the operating arm is swung clockwise, as described with reference to Figure 1, the piston 52 will be moved to the left in Figure 6, and sealingly cover the inlet opening 12. Other types of valves can also be used, such as ball vaJjie≤L t^ for

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A self-closing valve arrangement including a valve housing (1) having a valve which is arranged between a pressure-liquid inlet (2) and a water-consuming device (5,6), and which is arranged to take a first position in which the inlet (2) communicates with the outlet (4), and a second position in which the inlet is isolated from the outlet; and further including regulating means (39, 40 42) controlled by the pressure of the liquid and arranged to return the valve to the second position subsequent to the valve having been set to the first position, after a given time interval, characterized in that the valve includes an inlet opening (12) which communicates with the inlet (2), and an outlet opening (13) which communicates with the outlet (4), and a slidably arranged, movable valve body (17; 52) which is arranged to place the inlet opening (12) and the outlet opening (13) in communication with each other in said first position of the valve, and to isolate the inlet opening from the outlet opening in said second position of the valve; a valve operating mechanism (21) which is coupled to the valve body and to an operating lever (26) which is pivotally moun on a pivot shaft (22) and which is arranged to activate the valve operating mechanism in a manner to cause displacement of the movable body between said first and said second position; a control flow line (35,36,37,38) arranged downstream of the outlet (13) for conducting a flow of regulating liquid between a cylinder (39) and the outlet (4) , said cylinder having arranged therein a movable thrust means (40; 48) which is intended to co-act with a piston rod (42) extending out of the valve housing (1) and arranged to be moved by said thrust means, towards the operating lever, for setting the movable valve body (17, 52) to said second position, through the agency of said valve operating mechanism. 2. A self-closing valve according to Claim 1, characterized in that the thrust means (40) is arranged to be moved against the action of a spring (44) in response to pressure 3. A self-closing valve arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized by adjustable regulating means (45,46) arranged in said flow line (35,36,37,38) for adjusting the size of the through-flow area. 4. A self-closing valve arrangement according to any- one of Claims 1-3, characterized in that the operating lever (26) is provided with two mutually spaced abutments (28,29) between whi'ch is arranged, with a certain amount of play in respect of said abutments, a dogging peg. (30) mounted on an operating arm (21), one end of which arm is connected to the movable valve body (17; 52) and the other end of which is pivotably mounted on a pivot shaft which is parallel with the pivot shaft of the operating lever. 5. A self-closing valve arrangement according to Claim 4, characterized in that the operating lever (26) and the operating arm (22) are pivotably mounted on a common pivot shaft (22) ; and in that the two abutments (28,29) are formed on a bifurcate member (27) , which is fixed to the operating lever and extends al the operating arm (21). 6. A self-closing valve arrangement according to Claim 5, characterized in that a tension spring (34) is arranged between an attachment point (33) on the operating lever (26) and an attachment point which is located on the valve housing (1) and which is stationary relative to the operating lever, said two attachment points lying on a respective side of the common shaft (22) , the arrangement being such that as theoperating lever (26) is swung to move the movable valve body (17; 52) to said second position, the tension spring generates the force required for said pivoting movement, when the shaft (22) is located beneath a straight line between the two attachment locations (32,33) . 7. A self-closing valve arrangement according to Claim 6, characterized in that the abutments (28,29) on the operating lever (26) are spaced at such a distance apart that as the ^-m^ n OMP

Inventors: PERSSON BENGT ARNE, PERSSON, BENGT, ARNE
Applicants: PERSSON BENGT ARNE, PERSSON, BENGT, ARNE
Application year: 1984
Main classification: F16K31
IPC codes: F16K21, F16K31