Abstract:
A valve for controlling the flow of a pressurized fluid, in particular a medical or industrial gas, a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a internal fluid passage that connects them. A valve for controlling the fluid flow can prevent the circulation of a fluid in this passage, and an actuator utilizing a pivoting lever can be manually actuated by an operator. This lever pivots around a pivot point and can move between at least three stable, angularly staggered positions including a rest position where there is zero fluid flow in the internal fluid passage a intermediary released position where the fluid flow remains zero and an active position with fluid flowing thorough the internal fluid passage at a non-zero rate.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a cock for controlling the flow rate of a fluid, particularly a pressurized gas, and to a gas container, such as a pressurized gas cylinder, equipped with such a cock. 
     Industrial and medical gases are usually packaged in containers such as gas cylinders in which the gas is kept under a pressure that may be as high as 200 to 300 bar, or even more. 
     When there is a desire to use some pressurized gas, it is necessary to extract it from the container in which it was packaged, and to do this, use is made of a device known as a cock that allows the outlet and flow rate of fluid from the container to be controlled. 
     There also exist cocks that incorporate a pressure-reducing part so that the pressure of the fluid leaving the container can be reduced. These are then known as integrated pressure reducing cock assemblies, such an assembly being described in documents EP-A-747796 or EP-A-275242. 
     Many known cocks for gas cylinders have a common and very simple architecture, namely they are made up of a cock body, generally made of metal or metal alloy, such as brass, particularly comprising: a threaded base so that it can be fixed onto the neck of a gas cylinder for example; a gas outlet coupling via which the gas can be removed to the site where it is to be used; an internal passage formed in the cock body, fluidically connecting a gas inlet orifice borne by the base and via which the gas leaving the cylinder enters the cock body, and a gas outlet orifice borne by the outlet coupling and via which the gas which is passed through the cock body reemerges from said cock body and is then removed, via a gas line, for example, to its place of use; a system for controlling the flow rate to control the flow rate of gas in the internal passage formed in the cock body; and a manipulating means that can be actuated by an operator and collaborates with the flow rate control system to allow or prevent, as the operator desires, gas from being channeled through the internal passage and therefore from leaving via the outlet coupling. 
     The assembly comprising the inlet orifice, the internal passage and the outlet orifice is sometimes known as the gas distribution circuit. 
     Most of the time, the cock body also comprises a gas filling coupling with a fill orifice communicating fluidically, via a filling duct also formed in the cock body, with the internal gas passage so that the cylinder can be filled without having to remove the cock. 
     The assembly comprising the fill orifice and the filling duct connected to the internal passage is sometimes known as the gas filling circuit. 
     In most cases, the manipulating means with which existing gas cocks are fitted is or comprises a rotary hand wheel that can be operated by hand by the operator by turning it about its longitudinal axis, that is to say that a screwing-in operation performed by the operator on the hand wheel will partially or completely interrupt the flow rate of gas in the internal passage of the body by shutting off this internal passage via the flow rate control system, whereas a screwing out operation performed on the hand wheel will allow a partial or total flow rate of gas along the internal gas passage. 
     Such operating hand wheels are described in particular in the following documents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,806, EP-A-629812, WO-A-82/01580. 
     Furthermore, certain cocks or assemblies comprising cocks with inbuilt expansion valves comprise a manipulating means consisting of a lever pivoting about a pivot axis comprising a manipulating end allowing the lever to be grasped manually by the operator so that it can be pivoted angularly, and an active end, bearing the pivot axis, collaborating directly or indirectly with the system for controlling the flow rate of the gas so as to allow or, conversely, prevent, gas from being conveyed along the internal gas passage between the inlet orifice and the outlet orifice borne by the outlet coupling. 
     Such devices with manipulating levers are described in particular in the following documents: EP-A-747796, EP-A-990825, FR-A-2801689, EP-A-1026438 and GB-A-723828. 
     The use of a pivoting lever rather than of a rotary hand wheel has the particular advantage that it is quicker for the user to manipulate. 
     In addition, the position of the lever immediately reflects the status of the cock, that is to say the lever in the rest position corresponds to the passage of gas being interrupted, whereas the lever in the active position corresponds to the passage of gas. This avoids or minimizes the risk that the operator will make a mistake by increasing the safety of use. 
     The object of the present invention is to improve cocks of the lever-operated type. 
     Specifically, in existing lever-operated cocks, the lever usually pivots between two angularly offset stable positions, namely:
         a first position known as the “rest position” in which the conveying of gas through the distribution circuit of the cock body is completely interrupted; and   a second position known as the “active position” or “gas release position” in which the conveying of gas through the distribution circuit of the cock body is allowed, that is to say is no longer interrupted.       

     The switch from the rest position to the active position is accomplished by the operator pivoting the lever from its first angular position corresponding to the rest position of the lever into the second angular position corresponding to the active position. 
     Actuation of the lever gives rise to direct or indirect collaboration of the lever via its active end, with the gas flow rate control system in order to allow gas to pass through the passage opening which was hitherto shut off by the gas flow rate control system. 
     Furthermore, the switch from the active position to the rest position is accomplished by the operator operating the lever the other way. 
     This is clearly explained in document EP-A-747796 which discloses a pressure reducing cock with a pivoting lever pivoting between two extreme positions, open or closed, in which positions the lever is held stably and in a way that is practically insensitive to vibration. 
     Now, it has been found that, in order to better hold the lever in the rest position so as to ensure an effective shutting-off of the gas flow, it was desirable to hold the lever secured to the cock body by appropriate fixing means so as to avoid unwanted opening of the gas passage by unintentional actuation of the lever. 
     From there, a proposal was made to give the lever a catching mechanism allowing it to be secured to the cock body, thus guaranteeing a zero gas flow rate in the internal gas passage when the lever is held in its rest position. 
     However, in practice, it was found that with such a catching mechanism, problems could arise when moving from the rest position to the active position. 
     Specifically, if the catching mechanism holds the lever too firmly secured to the cock body then the operator may experience difficulty in detaching it when he wishes to pivot it and open the gas supply, and this may cause the operator to manipulate the lever excessively violently and cause excessively rapid opening of the gas flow, this being accompanied with the usual risks and problems that result from excessively sharp handling of pressurized gas. This disadvantage is accentuated all the more if the lever is attached to and held in the rest position very close to the cock body because then the space for the operator&#39;s hands or fingers may not be sufficient, especially if he is wearing working gloves. 
     Conversely, if the catching mechanism does not hold the lever sufficiently, then it will not play its part correctly. 
     The object of the invention is therefore to propose an improved lever-operated cock that allows the problem encountered when switching from the rest position to the active position to be solved, particularly when the lever is secured to the cock in its rest position by a catching mechanism. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The solution of the invention is therefore a cock for controlling the flow rate of a pressurized fluid, particularly a gas, comprising a cock body comprising:
         an internal fluid-distribution circuit comprising a fluid inlet orifice, a fluid outlet orifice and an internal fluid passage fluidically connecting the fluid inlet orifice to the fluid outlet orifice,   fluid flow control means acting on the internal fluid passage to allow or prevent fluid from flowing along said passage between the fluid inlet orifice and the fluid outlet orifice,   manipulating means that can be actuated manually by an operator and collaborating directly or indirectly with the fluid flow control means to allow or to prevent said circulation of fluid along said passage, and in which the manipulating means comprise a lever of axis (YY) pivoting about a pivot axis (XX) and able to move between at least three stable and angularly offset positions, said three stable positions being at least:   a rest position in which the lever is held, directly or indirectly, fixed and secured to the body of the cock and in which the fluid flow control means completely shut off the internal fluid passage so as to obtain a zero fluid flow rate in said internal fluid passage,   a liberating intermediate position in which the axis (YY) of the lever is offset by a positive and non-zero angle α with respect to the axis (YY) of the lever in the rest position, in which position the lever is detached from the body of the cock and in which position the fluid control means completely shut off the internal fluid passage so as to provide a zero fluid flow rate in said internal fluid passage, and   an active position in which the axis (YY) of the lever is offset by a positive and non-zero angle β with respect to the axis (YY) of the lever in the liberating intermediate position, in which position the lever is detached from the body of the cock and in which position the fluid flow control means no longer shut off the internal fluid passage so as to allow fluid to circulate at a non-zero flow rate along said internal passage.       

     A stable position is to be understood as meaning an angular position with respect to the axis (XX) in which the axis (YY) of the lever is in equilibrium, that is to say that it holds itself or is held in this position in a way that is lasting without perceivably deflecting from this position. 
     The cock of the invention may have one or more of the following technical features as the case may be:
         the fluid flow control means comprise a shut-off means allowing the internal fluid passage to be shut off, preferably the shut-off means is a shutter normally pushed back against its valve seat by an elastic means such as a spring.   the pivoting lever comprises a manipulating end via which the operator can manually grasp the lever, and an active end situated on the same side as the pivot axis (XX), collaborating directly or indirectly with the shut-off means for shutting off the internal fluid passage.   the pivoting lever collaborates, via its active end, with the fluid flow control means (4) by way of at least one moving part able to move in translation in a housing situated between said active end of the lever and the shut-off means shutting off the internal fluid passage.   the cock body is covered with an external structure forming peripheral cladding for said body, said external structure being secured to the body, and in that, in the rest position, the lever is held indirectly secured to the body of the cock by being fixed to the external structure by way of catching means.   in the rest position, the lever is secured to the body of the cock by way of catching means while at the same time being kept fixed to said body or to an external structure forming peripheral cladding of said body or a connecting piece borne by said body.   in the liberating intermediate position, the axis (YY) of the lever is angularly offset by an angle of between 10° and 70° to the axis (YY) of said lever in the rest position, preferably by an angle α of between 20° and 50°.   in the active position, the axis (YY) of the lever is offset by an angle β of between 20° and 150° to the axis (YY) of said lever in the liberating intermediate position, preferably by an angle β of between 30° and 120°.   when the lever is pivoted from the liberating intermediate position into the active position, the active end of the lever, situated on the same side as the pivot axis (XX), comprising a cam-forming portion, collaborates with the shut-off means for shutting off the internal fluid passage by way of the moving part able to move in translation in the housing by exerting, via the cam-forming part, a pressure force on the moving part so as to cause said moving part to move in translation in the direction that tends to move said moving part away from said cam-forming part so as to allow a flow rate of fluid to circulate in the internal fluid-distribution circuit.   the fluid inlet orifice is borne by a base of the body comprising a peripheral external screw thread and the fluid outlet orifice is borne by a fluid outlet coupling.   it further comprises a pressure gauge connected to the internal fluid distribution circuit by a pressure tapping formed in the body in such a way as to cause said pressure gauge said internal fluid-distribution circuit to communicate fluidically.   it further comprises a filling coupling comprising a fill orifice in fluidic communication with the internal fluid-distribution circuit by way of an internal fluid-distribution circuit filling circuit.   it further comprises a rigid external structure forming peripheral cladding for at least part of the cock, said structure being borne by and secured to said body, preferably the rigid external structure forming peripheral cladding is formed of a shaped and cured polymer material.   in the rest position, the lever is kept secured to the rigid external structure forming peripheral cladding by way of catching means comprising a spherical head borne by the lever and a complementary receptacle borne by the external structure sized and shaped to accommodate and hold securely within it the spherically-headed stud borne by the lever.       

     The invention also relates to a pressurized-fluid container equipped with a cock according to the invention, preferably the container is a gas cylinder. 
     The cock of the invention is particularly well suited to use in the field of welding to contain gas at pressures in excess of 100 bar, typically between 150 and 350 bar, but may also be used in the fields of special gases (laboratory, calibration, etc), in the medical, electronic and foodstuffs fields, etc. 
     The cock of the invention has numerous advantages, particularly improved ease and comfort of use and speed of opening and of closing without risk, and therefore in complete safety. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a further understanding of the nature and objects for the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a three-dimensional view of an apparatus in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a view from above an apparatus in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of an apparatus in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a view in section on B-B depicted in  FIG. 2  in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a view in section A-A of  FIG. 2  in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a view in section C-C of  FIG. 2  in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrate a side view of an apparatus in rest position in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a side view of an apparatus in rest position, in the liberating intermediate position, and in the active position in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     One embodiment of the cock of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the attached figures. 
       FIG. 1  depicts a three-dimensional view of one embodiment of a cock according to the invention, where there can be seen the body  1  of the cock, generally made of metal or metal alloy, such as brass, with a base  17  intended to be fixed by way of a peripheral external screw thread  18  onto a gas cylinder, for example, the base  17  bearing a fluid inlet orifice  31  allowing pressurized gas to enter the body  1 , which conveys it, via an internal gas-distribution circuit  3 ,  31 ,  32 , as far as the outlet orifice  32  borne by the outlet coupling  19 , to which a user connector may be coupled. 
     The body  1  also comprises a pressure gauge  40  connected to the internal fluid distribution circuit  3 ,  31 ,  32  by a pressure tapping  41  formed in the body  1  so as to cause said pressure gauge  40  and the internal passage  3  of the internal fluid-distribution circuit to communicate fluidically and thus allow the pressure of the gas flowing through the cock body  1  to be measured and indicated as detailed in  FIG. 6 . 
     The body  1  further comprises a filling coupling  50  comprising a fill orifice  51  in fluidic communication with the internal distribution circuit  3 ,  31 ,  32  by way of a filling circuit and allowing the cylinder, when empty, to be filled with pressurized gas and for this to be done without there being a compulsory need to remove the cock from the container on which it is mounted. 
       FIG. 2  is a view from above of the cock of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  is a side view of the cock of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a view in section on B-B depicted in  FIG. 2  showing in detail the fact that the body  1  comprises an internal fluid-distribution circuit  3 ,  31 ,  32  comprising a fluid inlet orifice  31  borne by the base  17 , a fluid outlet orifice  32  borne by the outlet coupling  19  and an internal fluid passage  3  fluidically connecting the inlet orifice  31  to the outlet orifice  32  serving to convey the gas inside the body  1 . 
     Fluid flow control means  4  act on the internal fluid passage  3  to allow, or, conversely, prevent, any circulation of gas along the passage. These flow control means  4  conventionally comprise a shut-off means, such as a moving shutter normally pushed back against a valve seat formed on the internal gas passage  3  by an elastic means, such as a spring. 
     According to the invention, the body  1  of the cock of the manipulating means comprising a lever  2  that can be operated manually by an operator, collaborate directly or indirectly with the fluid flow control means to allow or prevent the circulation of fluid along said passage by acting directly or indirectly on said shutoff means  4 . 
     More specifically, the manipulating means comprise a lever  2  of principal axis YY, pivoting about a pivot axis XX, which lever is able to move and be moved between at least three stable and angularly offset positions (PS 1  to PS 3 ) as shown in  FIG. 8 , namely:
         a first stable position (PS 1 ) known as the rest position, in which the lever  2  is held, directly or indirectly, fixed and secured to the body  1  of the cock and in which the flow control means  4  completely shut off the internal passage  3  so as say in this rest position the lever  2  is immobilized in the rest position and the gas does not flow along the internal gas circuit.   a second stable position (PS 2 ) known as the liberating intermediate position, in which the axis YY of the lever  2  is offset by a positive and non-zero angle α, for example an angle α of the order of 30 to 45°, to the axis YY of the lever  2  when the latter is in its rest position, the vertex of the angle α being the point P of intersection of the axis XX with the axis YY as shown in  FIG. 2 . In this position, the lever  2  is detached from the body  1  of the cock, that is to say freed from said body, but the fluid flow control means  4  continue to perform their part by completely shutting off the internal passage  3 . In other words, even though the lever  2  has been moved angularly in a circular arc of angle α, in this second stable position the lever  2  still does not act on the flow control means  4  and these therefore continue to prevent any circulation of fluid along the passage  3  toward the outlet orifice  32 , that is to say that the shutter  4  is still pushed back against its seat, thus shutting off the passage  3 .   a third stable position (PS 3 ) known as the active position, in which the axis YY of the lever  2  is offset by a positive and non-zero angle β, for example by an angle of 20° to 100° from the axis YY of the lever  2  in its liberating intermediate position. In the active position, the lever  2  is detached from the body  1  of the cock and the fluid flow control means  4  no longer shut off the internal fluid passage  3 , and this allows gas to circulate at a non-zero flow rate along said internal passage  3 .       

     The axis XX is defined as being the axis of pivoting of the lever  2  on the body  1  of the cock, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Furthermore, the position of the lever  2  at rest serves as a reference for defining the starting axis YY and the angles α and β. For greater simplicity, the axis YY will be chosen as shown in  FIG. 2 , the axes; however, in order to define the axis of the lever  2 , it would also be possible to choose some other straight line passing through the point P and perpendicular to the pivot axis XX because the most important thing is always to use the same frame of reference in terms of axes. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram in section on A-A of  FIG. 2 , showing the architecture of the gas outlet coupling  19  bearing the outlet orifice  32 . This figure also shows a shutter  45  that can move in terms of translation. 
     Furthermore,  FIG. 6  is a diagram in section on C-C of  FIG. 2 , providing an understanding of how the lever  2  collaborates with the flow control means, particularly the shutter  4 , by way of the moving part  5  able to move in its housing  15 , which is normally pushed back in the direction of the active end  12  of the lever  2  under the influence of an elastic pushing force which is imparted to it by a sprung means  13  arranged in the housing  15 . 
     More specifically, when the operates manipulates the lever  2  to move it from the first angular position known as the rest position to the second angular position known as the intermediate liberating position, the active end  12  of the lever  2  does not exert pressure (or alternatively exerts very light pressure) on the moving part  5  which therefore remains in position and the shutter  4  remains firmly against its seat  24  under the influence of the pushing force imparted by the spring  14 , thus keeping the gas passage  3  shut off. 
     By contrast, when the operator manipulates the lever  2  to move it from the second angular position known as the intermediate liberating position into the third position known as the active position, the active end  12  of the lever  2  which pivots about the axis XX acts, in the manner of a cam, on the upstream end  5 ″ of the moving part  5 , exerting thereon a pressure force stronger than the opposite force of the spring  13 , thus causing the moving part  5  to move in translation in its housing  15 , compressing the spring  13 . This movement of the moving part  5  then causes the shutter  4  to move off its seat  24  under the influence of the pressure force imparted to said shutter by the downstream end  5 ′ of the moving part  5 , this pressure force being stronger than the opposing force of the spring  14 . The lifting of the shutter  4  off its seat will then liberate the passage  3  and thus allow the gas to flow toward the outlet orifice  32  of the coupling  19 . 
     As a preference, the cock body  1  is covered with an external structure  25  forming partial or complete peripheral cladding of said body  1  and secured to said body  1 , being fixed thereto. The rigid external structure  25  is formed for example of several subparts made of a shaped and cured polymer, for example two rigid plastic half shells assembled together to clad the body  1  of the cock in order to give it a shape that is pleasant to look at (design). 
     As shown schematically in  FIG. 7 , in the rest position, the lever  2  is kept indirectly secured to the body  1  of the cock by being fixed to said external structure  25  (sectioned view in  FIG. 7 ) by way of catching means  8 ,  9  comprising a stud with a spherical head  8  borne by the lever  2  and a complementary stud receptacle  9 , such as a housing, borne by the external structure  25  and sized and shaped to accommodate and hold securely within it said spherically-headed stud  8  borne by the lever  2 . 
     In the rest position, the spherically-headed stud  8  of the lever  2  fits firmly into the complementary stud receptacle  9  so as to hold the lever firmly in its rest position and thus prevent any unwanted or accidental opening of the flow rate. 
     Conversely, in the intermediate position and in the active position, the stud  8  is disengaged from the complementary receptacle  9 , and this allows the lever to pivot. 
     The cock of the invention can be used on gas cylinders but may also be used on other pressurized gas containers or receptacles, and to equip a fluid pipeline or network of pipelines. 
     It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.