Abstract:
The invention relates to a shutter actuator including a translatably guided carriage ( 10 ) rigidly connected to the shaft ( 4 ) in the housing ( 3 ), and comprises: a rack ( 11 ) that meshes with the cog ( 20 ) of the outlet shaft ( 4 ) linked to the flap ( 2 - 1 ) of the shutter ( 2 ); a bearing ( 13 ) for a triggering spring ( 70 ); a bearing member ( 12 ) for a cocking member ( 30 ) that drives the carriage ( 10 ); and a locking notch ( 14 - 1 ) for receiving a locking member ( 42 ) supported by a locking arm ( 40 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application based on International Application Serial No. PCT/FR2010/050498 filed Mar. 19, 2010, which is based on French Patent Application No. 0951781 filed Mar. 20, 2009, the disclosures of which is hereby explicitly incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a valve actuator, in particular the flap of a fire stop valve. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     There are various embodiments of valve actuators, in particular for fire stop valves of the type defined above. However, they have the disadvantage of a relatively complex structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to develop a valve actuator, in particular in order to actuate the flap of a fire stop valve, which is simple to produce whilst ensuring complete reliability in terms of operation and actuation either in accordance with an actuation signal generated by a control circuit which processes the sensor signals, in particular signals from a safety sensor, or allowing controlled manual actuation under simple and safe operating conditions, which also facilitates maintenance work or interventions on the actuator. 
     To this end, the invention relates to a valve actuator of the type defined above, characterised in that the carriage which is guided in translation (in direction D) in the casing between the arming position (direction A) and the actuated position (direction B) comprises: a rack which engages with the pinion of the output shaft which is connected to the flap of the valve, an abutment for a mechanical actuation energy storage spring which acts in the actuation direction, an abutment member for an arming member which drives the carriage from its actuated position to its arming position in order to then become separated from the abutment member at the end of the arming travel, a locking recess for receiving a locking member which is carried by a locking arm, which is pivotably mounted and which is urged by a spring towards the locking position thereof, a lever which co-operates, on the one hand, with a solenoid actuator which retains the lever in a locked position and, on the other hand, with a spring which urges the lever towards the unlocked position and drives the arm towards the unlocked position, and a control circuit which provides the actuation command by means of an action on the solenoid actuator and on the actuation member for the arming movement of the carriage. 
     The actuator according to the invention has the advantage of being very simple to produce owing to the combination of the actuation operations carried out by one component, that is to say, the carriage, which allows the arming and opening movement of the flap and then the actuation movement of the flap by transmitting, during the arming movement, the action of a motor both to the shaft of the flap of the valve in order to open it and to the force storage spring. 
     In the armed position, the carriage ensures that the flap remains open and the energy storage spring remains in the biased position. Finally, in the actuation position, the carriage transmits the drive torque to the flap of the valve in order to close it by converting the translation movement under the urging of the helical storage spring to the shaft which carries the flap. 
     According to an advantageous feature, the carriage is a plate which is provided with an aperture whose edge which is orientated in the translation direction forms the rack, and whose toothed pinion is accommodated in the aperture in the plane of the plate, the locking recess is produced in a slotted member of the plate. 
     This embodiment of the carriage is at the same time simple; it can be produced in a laser cut sheet metal plate, which allows the carriage to be produced in a simple manner with its various drive and retention means in order to engage with the toothed segment carried by the shaft of the flap, to co-operate via its slotted member with the roller which constitutes the locking member and with the spring, forming an abutment surface for the spring and guiding it during the compression during the arming movement. 
     According to another advantageous feature, the slotted member forms a ramp in order to pivot the arm and to repel the lever against the solenoid actuator and engage it at that location by means of magnetic action. 
     In this manner, the slotted member ensures in particular the dual locking function of the carriage in the armed position owing to its locking recess but, owing to its ramp-like shape, it also allows the locking arm to be pivoted in order to block the lever against the solenoid actuator and thus prepare the engagement movement of the roller in the locking recess in response to the urging action of a spring which acts only on the locking arm. 
     According to another advantageous feature, the lever is mounted on the pivot which carries the arm and the arm carries a stop for the unlocking lever. 
     According to another advantageous feature, the lever is provided with a ferromagnetic plate which co-operates with the solenoid actuator. This configuration, which involves separating the production of the counter-plate, that is to say, the ferromagnetic plate which is intended to co-operate with the solenoid actuator and the lever, facilitates the production of the lever and allows it to be produced, for example, as a portion of a perpendicular corner member. 
     According to another advantageous feature, the carriage comprises a tongue which extends the abutment of the storage spring in order to guide it. This guiding member for the spring is particularly advantageous for safety reasons, in order to prevent any risk of the spring, which must provide significant thrust action, becoming disengaged from its abutment against the carriage owing to flexion. 
     According to another feature, the unlocking arm is constituted by two plates which are located at one side and the other of the carriage and which together carry the roller which forms the locking member. 
     The production of the locking arm in the form of two plates which sandwich the portion of the carriage which is provided with the slotted member constitutes an advantageous safety means, in particular for preventing any risk of the abrupt thrust action of the spring at the time of actuation causing the roller to become disengaged from the slotted member either during the rapid travel of the carriage relative to the roller or at the end of its travel. 
     According to another advantageous feature, the portion of the locking arm comprises a folded lug and the casing accommodates a manual actuation means which is constituted by a shaft which carries a pin which presses against the folded lug of the locking arm, the shaft being provided at the outer side of the casing with a mechanical actuation means in order to rotate this shaft and to bring about the actuation of the actuator. 
     In one form thereof, the present invention provides a valve actuator, in particular the flap of a fire stop valve which is placed in an arming position and which is actuated by an actuation command associated with an event, having a casing and a drive shaft which is carried by the casing and which is fixedly joined to the flap and connected to a storage spring which is biased into an arming position and which returns the flap into an active position and actuation members which are controlled by events (external temperature, internal temperature, electrical actuation, manual actuation), comprising: a carriage which is guided in translation, which is fixedly joined to the drive shaft in terms of movement by means of a toothed wheel and rack type connection, which is provided with an arming stop, an arming device which is connected to the carriage by means of a connection which can be released by means of an actuation device as soon as the carriage is in an arming position, and a lever which is carried by the casing and which co-operates with the stop of the carriage in order to retain it in an arming position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a general view of the actuator according to the invention, combined with a fire stop valve; 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the carriage and the drive pinion of the flap; 
         FIG. 3A  is a plan view of the locking arm; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates the lever engaged with the solenoid actuator; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates the lever released from the solenoid actuator; 
         FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate the main elements of the actuator, wherein: 
         FIG. 4A  is a plan view; 
         FIG. 4B  is a side view from the left; 
         FIG. 4C  is a bottom view; 
         FIG. 5  is a simplified drawing of the carriage and the arming and actuating means acting on the carriage; 
         FIGS. 6A-6D  are partial views of the carriage and the arming member in the various positions of the arming path of the carriage, wherein: 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates the position of the carriage after actuation of the actuator and prior to the arming travel; 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates the arming travel; 
         FIG. 6C  illustrates the end of the arming travel; 
         FIG. 6D  illustrates the removal of the arming member relative to the stop; 
         FIGS. 7A-7D  illustrate four successive characteristic steps of the closure sequence controlled by the actuator, wherein: 
         FIG. 7A  illustrates the arming position; 
         FIG. 7B  illustrates the unlocking position of the carriage; 
         FIG. 7C  illustrates a position of the carriage during the actuation travel; 
         FIG. 7D  illustrates the final position of the carriage in the actuated position; 
         FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrate the characteristic phases of an arming sequence of the actuator, wherein: 
         FIG. 8A  illustrates the actuated position prior to the arming travel; 
         FIG. 8B  illustrates an intermediate arming position; 
         FIG. 8C  is the position of the carriage at the end of the arming travel; and 
         FIG. 8D  illustrates the withdrawal of the actuation member. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, in several forms, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise forms disclosed. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     According to  FIG. 1 , the invention relates to an actuator  1  for controlling the closure of the flap  2 - 1  of a fire stop valve  2  in accordance with actuation signals which are linked to events such as the external temperature or the internal temperature at one side or the other of the valve, an electrical actuation operation which originates from a central station or other signals of this type, and also manual actuation. 
     The actuator  1  comprises, accommodated in a casing  3 , a control circuit  5  and a carriage  10  which ensure the combination of the actions to be applied to the flap  2 - 1  of the valve  2 . This carriage  10  is normally ready to be actuated in order to drive the flap  2 - 1  and ensure the closure or, if necessary, after a closure operation, the reopening of the flap. 
     The actuator  1  comprises an actuation means and an arming means and a closure torque generator. 
     The arming movement involves placing the carriage in an arming position, storing energy for an optional actuation operation, and placing the valve in an open position. 
     The actuation movement involves, from the arming position, releasing the actuator, that is to say, the carriage  10  which allows the closure movement of the flap of the valve to be ensured with the stored mechanical energy. The various actions are brought about by means of the carriage  10  which combines the action of the torque generator for the valve, that of the arming means and that of the actuation means, the control of the operations being ensured by the control circuit  5  which receives the SGi signals linked with events, processes these signals and generates control signals SC 1 , SC 2 . 
     A manual actuation of operational control allows the carriage  10  to be released directly regardless of the signals sent by the control circuit  5 . 
     The carriage  10  and the various means are accommodated in the casing  3  which is provided with an arming crank handle which is not illustrated as well as connection means for the sensors which provide the SGi signals and the supply AL which ensures the electrical power supply and also the mechanical connection means between the output shaft  4  and the flap of the valve  2 . 
     According to  FIG. 1 , the actuator  1  comprises a carriage  10  which is guided in translation in the direction D in order to carry out an arming movement (arrow A) or an actuation movement (arrow B). The carriage  10  comprises: a rack  11  which engages with a pinion  20  which is carried by the output shaft  4  which is connected to the flap  2 - 1  of the valve  2  and an abutment  13  for a spring  70  which acts as a spring for storage of mechanical actuation energy, acting in the translation direction D in the actuation direction B, an abutment member  12  for an arming member  30  which drives the carriage  10  from the actuated position to the arming position thereof (direction A) in order to become separated at the end of movement of the abutment member  12 , and a locking recess  14 - 1  for receiving a locking member  42  carried by a locking arm  40  which is controlled in the locking direction and unlocking direction by a solenoid actuator  60  in accordance with actuation signals SC 1  provided by a control circuit  5 . 
     The locking arm  40  is pivotably mounted about a pivot  41  of the casing  3 . The arm  40  is urged by a spring  44  towards the locking position thereof, that is to say, the position in which the locking member  42  thereof is engaged in the locking recess  14 - 1 . 
     The actuator  1  also comprises a lever  50  which co-operates, on the one hand, with the solenoid actuator  60  which retains the lever in the locking position and, on the other hand, with a spring  53  which urges the lever  50  towards the unlocked position and drives the arm  40  towards the unlocked position thereof. 
     The actuator  1  comprises a control circuit  5  which ensures the actuation command by a signal SC 1  which acts on the solenoid actuator  60  in order to release it briefly and a signal SC 2  which controls the actuation member  30  for its arming movement of the carriage  10  then its return movement which releases the carriage  10 . 
     These various means are integrated in the casing  3  which is removably connected to the drive shaft  4  of the flap  2 - 1  of the valve  2  via an engagement connection by form-fitting, such as interlocking which is not set out in detail. 
     According to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the carriage  10  is constituted by a plate which is in particular composed of sheet metal, which is, for example, laser cut and which is mounted so as to slide between guides  3 - 1  of the casing  3  with which the carriage  10  co-operates via its sides which form guiding edges  16  and via a rectilinear slotted member  18  which complements the guiding of the carriage and which retains it on the casing via a pin which is not illustrated and which straddles the slotted member  18 . The movement direction of the carriage  10  is illustrated by the double-headed arrow D which, depending on the movement direction, corresponds to the arming travel or the actuation travel. 
     The carriage  10  comprises an aperture  15 , one side of which is provided with the rack  11  which is cut in terms of thickness so as to co-operate with the pinion  20  which is constituted by a toothed segment  21 . The pinion  20  carried by the output shaft  4  of the actuator is constituted by a plate in the form of a quarter circle sector  22  so that the toothed segment  21  corresponds to the pivoting movement of a quarter-turn of the flap between the open position and the closed position thereof, without reduction of movement whilst being located in the plane of the plate of the carriage  10  and in the space available constituted by the aperture  15  between the rack  11  and the edge  19  of the aperture. 
     The travel of the carriage  10  can be limited in the actuation direction by a stop which is carried by the casing and, if necessary, by the slotted member  18  or the end of the segment  14 - 4  of the slotted member  14 . The carriage  10  also comprises a tongue  17  which is aligned in the sliding direction D and which acts as a guide for the storage spring  70  which presses via one end  71  against the casing  3  and, via the other end  72 , against the abutment  13 . The tongue  17  prevents the deflection of the powerful storage spring  70 , in particular in the compressed position. 
     The spring  70  stores mechanical energy which urges the carriage  10  in the actuation direction (arrow B). 
     One edge of the carriage  10  comprises a slotted member  14  which receives a locking member  42  which is constituted by a roller carried by the locking arm  40  whose operation will be described below. The slotted member  14 , which is generally aligned in the sliding direction D of the carriage  10 , is composed of an end which forms a recess  14 - 1 , followed by a straight portion  14 - 2 , then a ramp-like portion  14 - 3  and finally it terminates with a straight portion  14 - 4 . The recess  14 - 1  is a locking recess to hold the carriage  10  in an arming position co-operating with the roller which constitutes the locking member  42  of the arm and the ramp  14 - 3  which prepares the engagement position of the carriage  10 . Finally, the carriage  10  carries the stop  12  which acts as an abutment for the rearming member  30 . 
     The arming and actuation movements of the actuator  1  use a locking arm  40  which is illustrated alone in  FIG. 3A  and in combination with a lever  50  and the solenoid actuator  60  in two different positions in  FIGS. 3B and 3C . 
     According to  FIG. 3A , the locking arm  40  which co-operates with the carriage  10  is formed by a panel which is carried by a pivot  41  which is fixedly joined to the casing. The end of this panel carries the roller  42  which constitutes the locking member which is accommodated in the slotted member  14  of the carriage  10 . 
     The locking arm  40  comprises a branch  43  which is provided with a stop  45  in the form of a pin. The locking arm  40  is urged by a spring  44  in the locking direction (arrow R 1 ). 
     According to  FIG. 3B , the arm  40  co-operates with a lever  50  which is also mounted on the pivot  41  of the arm  40 . This lever  50  has two branches  51 ,  52  in the form of a right-angle in this instance. The first branch  51  co-operates with the stop in the form of a pin  45  of the arm  40  and the second branch  52  co-operates with the solenoid actuator  60 . To this end, regardless of the material of the lever  50 , the branch  52  carries a ferromagnetic counter-plate  54  which is attracted by the solenoid actuator  60 . The solenoid valve  60  is fixed to the casing  3 . It normally retains the counter-plate  54  by means of its natural magnetisation and an electrical pulse (signal SC 1 ) applied to the solenoid actuator  60  by the control circuit  5  allows its magnetic field to be neutralised for a short period of time so that the counter-plate  54  is no longer retained. 
     The second branch  52  of the lever  50  is urged by a spring  53  which acts in the opposite direction to the magnetic attraction applied by the solenoid actuator  60  in order to pivot the arm  40  in the direction R 2  about the pivot  41 . 
     It should be emphasised that the spring  44  applied to the lever  40  has the tendency to cause it to pivot in the engagement direction, that is to say, in the direction R 1  opposed to the direction R 2 . 
     The geometry of the lever  50 , the arm  40  and the various elements of this assembly is such that when the lever  50  is retained by the solenoid actuator  60  by way of its counter-plate  54 , the arm  40  is urged via its spring  44  so that the stop  45  thereof is pressed against the branch  51  and so that the roller  42  is thereby accommodated in the recess  14 - 1  of the slotted member  14  and remains held at that location. 
     In contrast, according to  FIG. 3C , when the solenoid actuator  60  has released the ferromagnetic counter-plate  54 , the branch  52  of the lever  50  can be repelled by the spring  53  so that, by means of pivoting (R 2 ) about the pivot  41 , the branch  51  repels the stop  45  counter to the action of the spring  44 , the spring  44  applying a torque which is less than that of the spring  53  relative to the pivot  41 . This pivoting movement of the arm  40  in the direction of the arrow R 2  thus releases the locking member  42 , that is to say, the roller  42  from the locking recess  14 - 1  of the slotted member. As soon as the counter-plate  51  is disengaged from the solenoid actuator  60 , the magnetic field is no longer sufficient to return the counter-plate  54  and the lever  50  against the solenoid actuator  60 . 
       FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate in a detailed manner the elements which co-operate with the carriage  10 . 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates the solenoid actuator  60  which is fixed to a lug  61  which is fixedly joined to the casing. The counter-plate  54  is fixed to the branch  52  and the spring  53  is carried by a rod  62  which is fixedly joined to the lug  61 . The lug  61  is also provided with a rod  63  which acts as a guide for the spring  44  pushing against the pin  45 . This spring and the guide are split ( FIG. 4B ). 
     The view from the left according to  FIG. 4B  illustrates that the locking arm  40  is formed by two plates  40 A, B of the same shape at one side and the other of the carriage  10 , carrying the roller  42  in their gap. The bottom plate  40 B of the locking arm  40  has a folded lug  46  to co-operate with an actuation means  80  which allows mechanical or manual actuation. This actuation means  80  comprises a pin  81  which is pressed against the folded lug  46 . This pin is carried by the unlocking shaft  82  which is pivotably mounted in bearings  83 . The pivoting of the unlocking shaft  82  repels the folded lug  46  via the pin  81 , thus releasing the carriage  10 . 
     The shaft  82  is maneuvered manually via a lever or a similar member at the outer side of the casing  3 . 
       FIG. 4C  illustrates the shaft  81 , the shaft  82  and the perpendicularly folded lug  46  of the portion  40 B of the locking arm  40 . 
     In addition to  FIGS. 4A-4C ,  FIG. 5  illustrates the relative arrangement of the various means acting on the carriage  10 , such as the arming member  30 , the locking arm  40  and the lever  50  thereof, the solenoid actuator  60 , the storage spring  70  and the toothed segment  21  of the pinion  20  which is connected to the output shaft  4  without a manual actuation member  80 . 
     The position illustrated is an intermediate position which is occupied by the carriage  10  following actuation. The carriage  10  is driven in the actuation direction (arrow B) urged by the storage spring  70 , the locking arm  40  urged by the unlocking spring  53  which has released the roller from the locking recess  14 - 1 . This Figure illustrates that the stop  12  carried by the carriage  10  has moved closer to the end  32  of the rod  31  of the arming member  30 . 
     The actuation described can be caused by a signal sent by the control circuit  5  or a manual action on the shaft  82  of the manual actuation means  80 . 
       FIGS. 6A-6D  illustrate four successive positions which are characteristic of the arming movement (direction A) from the actuated position illustrated in  FIG. 6A . The carriage  10  is driven by the arming member  30  which is fixedly joined to the casing and which is constituted by a back-geared motor which is provided with a rod  31  which is moved in translation in the direction A (or then in the direction B) by means of a screw/nut type connection which converts the rotation movement of the motor of the arming member  30  into a translation movement of the rod  31  in the direction which is dependent on the rotation direction of the electric motor, the assembly thus constituting a back-geared motor. 
     The arming member  30  is in abutment against the stop  12  when the carriage  10  is in an actuated position, the end  32  of the rod  31  being engaged in the housing  12 - 1  in order to retain the rod  31  during the arming movement. 
     In accordance with  FIG. 6B , the signal SC 2  of the control circuit actuates the arming member  30  which repels the carriage  10  towards the arming position thereof (arrow A). 
     According to  FIG. 6C , the rod  32  has guided the carriage  10  into its arming position in which it remains held by the engagement of the locking member  42  of the locking arm  40  in the locking recess  14 - 1  of the slotted member (as has been seen above). 
     The travel end position of the rod  31  is detected by a travel end sensor which is not illustrated and which transmits a corresponding signal to the control circuit  5 . This stops the rotation of the motor of the arming member  30  and controls (signal SC 3 ) the rotation movement in a reverse manner in order to retract the rod  32 . 
     According to  FIG. 6D , the back-geared motor of the actuating member  30  retracts the rod  31  practically as far as its stop position for the carriage  10  moving into the closure position. 
     The operation of the actuator  1  will be described in detail below for the closure sequence of the flap  2 - 1  of the valve  2  in accordance with  FIGS. 7A-7D  and for the opening sequence of the flap using  FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrating the relative movement of the carriage  10  and the pivoting of the locking arm  40 . 
       FIG. 7A  illustrates the initial position of the actuator  1 , assumed to be in the locked and armed state, that is to say, engaged. The carriage  10  is retracted. The storage spring  70  is compressed and pushes on the carriage  10  which is immobilised by the engagement of the roller  42  of the locking arm  40  in the recess  14 - 1  of the slotted member  14  of the carriage  10 . The storage spring  70  pushes on the carriage  10  but cannot move it. 
     According to  FIG. 7B , an unlocking pulse (SC 1 ) is sent by the control circuit  5  to the solenoid actuator  60  which thus releases the counter-plate  54  of the second branch  52 . The lever  50  is able to pivot in the direction of the arrow R 2 , repelling the stop  45  counter to the action of its spring  44 , which also causes the locking arm  40  to be pivoted in the direction R 2 . The roller  42  is released from the locking recess  14 - 1 , which releases the sliding action of the carriage  10 . 
       FIG. 7C  illustrates that, under the action of the storage spring  70 , the carriage  10  is released and moves to the actuated position (direction B), that is to say, the closure position of the flap of the valve  2 . The roller  42  first travels along the straight segment  14 - 2  at the outlet of the locking recess  14 - 1 , then the segment  14 - 3  which forms a ramp. 
     The movement of the roller  42  on the ramp  14 - 3  causes the arm  40  to pivot in the direction of the arrow R 1 . At the end of the ramp  14 - 3 , the arm  40  will have pivoted and, via its stop  45 , it has driven the counter-plate  54  into abutment against the solenoid actuator  60 . This movement is carried out counter to the thrust action applied by the spring  53 . 
       FIG. 7D  illustrates the counter-plate  54  pressed against the solenoid actuator  60 , whose magnet thus blocks the lever  50 . The arm  40  remains free for any movement or play which separates the stop  45  from the branch  51 , that is to say, any movement in the direction R 2 . 
     The movement of the roller  42  in the slotted member  14  is a relative movement, the carriage  10  moving in translation longitudinally in the direction D and the slotted member  14  passing over the roller  42  and forcing it to describe a small circular arc centred on the pivot  41  of the arm  40 . 
     It should be noted that, during the movement illustrated in  FIGS. 7A-7D , the pinion  20  has been driven by a quarter-turn by the movement of the plate  10  and the rack  11  thereof. 
       FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrate the opening sequence of the flap  2 - 1  by the arming movement of the carriage  10  from the closure position of the flap or actuated position illustrated in  FIG. 8A  (identical to the position of  FIG. 7D ) in order to arrive at the arming position illustrated in  FIG. 8D . 
     In the closed position according to  FIG. 8A , the lever  50  is adhesively bonded via the counter-plate  54  thereof to the solenoid actuator  60  and the roller  42  of the arm  40  is located at the end  14 - 4  of the slotted member  14 . The opening sequence of the flap, that is to say, for arming the actuator, is carried out by means of the actuator which causes the pinion  20  to pivot in the reverse direction to the closure movement by means of its engagement in the rack  11  and the translation movement of the carriage  10  in the arming direction A pushed by the action of the arming member  30 . The control circuit  5  acts on the arming member  30  which urges the carriage  10  as far as its arming position by means of its rod  31 . 
       FIG. 8B  illustrates an intermediate position during the opening movement. The electromechanical arming member  30  repels the carriage  10  (arrow A) counter to the force developed by the spring  70  and compresses it in order to store energy for future actuation. 
     The lever  50  is blocked by the solenoid actuator  60  but the arm  40  remains free to pivot about the pivot  41  thereof in order to allow the ramp  14 - 3  of the slotted member  14  to repel the roller  42 , that is to say, the arm  40 . The translation movement (arrow A) of the carriage  10  produces the pivoting action of the flap by means of the engagement of the toothed segment  21  in the rack  11 . 
     According to  FIG. 8C , the carriage  10  continues its movement beyond the ramp  14 - 3  on the straight segment  14 - 4  and counter to the action of the spring  70  so that the roller  42  engages in the recess  14 - 4  when it is opposite the roller  42 ; the spring  44  pushes the arm  40  in order to cause it to pivot. During this movement, the lever  50  is fixed since its branch  52  is engaged via the counter-plate  54  against the solenoid actuator  60 . The pivoting continues until the stop  45  arrives against the first branch  51  of the lever  50 . The geometry of the components is configured so that, in this position, the roller  42  is at the base of the locking recess  14 - 1  of the slotted member  14 . 
     The movement of the carriage  10  is ensured by the arming member  30  as far as this position of the carriage  10  that corresponds to the opening position of the flap  2 - 1  of the valve  2 . 
     According to  FIG. 8D , the control circuit  5  detects the travel end position of the carriage  10  in the arming direction and that of the rod  31 . It stops the motor of the actuating member  30  then reverses the rotation direction thereof in order to retract the rod  31  and thus to release the carriage  10  for a future actuation operation. The carriage  10  is in the arming position. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
           1  Actuator 
           2  Valve 
           2 - 1  Flap 
           3  Casing 
           3 - 1  Guide 
           4  Output shaft of casing 
           5  Control circuit 
           10  Carriage 
           11  Rack 
           12  Stop for arming member 
           13  Storage spring abutment 
           14  Slotted member 
           14 - 1  Locking recess 
           14 - 2  Straight segment 
           14 - 3  Ramp 
           14 - 4  Segment 
           15  Aperture 
           16  Guiding edge 
           17  Tongue 
           18  Rectilinear slotted member 
           20  Pinion 
           21  Toothed segment 
           22  Quarter-circle sector 
           30  Arming member 
           31  Rod 
           32  End of the rod 
           40  Locking arm 
           40 A Plate 
           40 B Plate 
           41  Pivot 
           42  Locking member (roller) 
           43  Branch 
           44  Spring 
           45  Stop 
           46  Folded lug 
           50  Lever 
           51  First branch 
           52  Second branch 
           53  Spring 
           54  Counter-plate 
           60  Solenoid actuator 
           61  Lug 
           62  Rod 
           70  Storage spring 
           80 , 90  Mechanical actuation means 
           81 , 91  Pin 
           82 , 92  Unlocking shaft 
           83 , 93  Bearing