Abstract:
An actuator mounting kit and method for mounting an automatic valve actuator to a manually operated valve. The mounting kit includes a mounting bracket and a stem driver. The mounting bracket is connectable to the valve and has a bottom portion with a stem aperture through which a valve stem is extendable and a tongue matingly engageable with a slot of the valve body. The mounting bracket has an upper portion with a driver aperture aligned with the stem aperture. The stem driver has a first end matingly engageable with the valve stem and a second end extendable through the driver aperture in a way that the actuator is matingly enageable with the second end of the stem driver when the actuator is connected to the upper portion of the mounting bracket.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Numerous types of valves exist to regulate fluid flow within a piping system or flow conduit. Some valves restrict flow with an axial movement or displacement of a valve element within the housing or valve body. For instance, most spool valves and globe valves restrict flow with an axial displacement of a needle, plug or spool within the valve body. The force causing the displacement of the valve element may be provided in a number of ways, such as with hydraulic, pneumatic or other pressure control on a different portion of the valve element. Other valves operate based on a rotary movement or pivoting of a valve element relative to the housing. For instance, many ball valves and rotary valves operate based on a rotating a ball or spool relative to the housing without any displacement between the two. Even with displacement type valves, the axial displacement may occur as a result of a screw threaded advance, and thus adjustment of the valve occurs primarily due to a rotational motion. The present invention is applicable to all types of rotationally controlled valves, and particularly applicable to rotary control valves without axial displacement, such as ball valves. 
         [0002]    Within the past several decades it has become common to employ automated control systems to operate valves rather than requiring manual control. The automated control systems include an actuator for each valve in the system. The actuator may include an electrically powered motor or solenoid which controls the position of the valve element based on electrical input to the actuator. 
         [0003]    Often it is desired to retrofit existing piping systems to include an automated control system. The retrofit involves adding actuators to open, close, and/or adjust valves in place of previous manually moved handles. 
         [0004]    Particularly when retrofitting a valve in an existing piping system with an actuator, it is difficult to precisely align the actuator with the valve stem. Misalignment may occur with a displacement component, when the shaft coupling the actuator to the valve is displaced from the axis of the valve stem, even though the shaft axis is parallel to the valve axis. For instance, some valves already include a flange with threaded holes to facilitate mounting of a handle or other external device, and the flange may be used for mounting of the actuator. However, the valve stem axis may not be exactly centered between the threaded holes on the flange. Misalignment may also occur with an angular offset, when the shaft coupling the actuator to the valve stem is disposed at an angle to the valve stem. For instance, the plane formed by the flange may not be exactly perpendicular to the valve stem axis. 
         [0005]    Some valve stems include flats to facilitate rotating the valve stem, but these flats may not be entirely parallel to each other and equally spaced on opposite sides of the valve stem axis. The valve stem itself may not be aligned with the axis of rotation of the valve element, and may not perfectly rotate about its axis. Any of these problems can result in misalignment between the actuator and the valve stem. Some misalignments include both a displacement component and an angular offset component. 
         [0006]    When the valve is manually turned, these existing inaccuracies may not pose major problems. Manual handles are typically mounted directly to valve stems, limiting the effect of any angular offset. The manual handle is left free for grasping, and rarely transmits a residual stress. Forces transmitted to the valve stem are generally not exactly reproduced from rotation to rotation, so any wear problems associated with misalignment are not focused at a particular location. Manual turning also has a great capacity to adjust the turning torque appropriately for the turning force required. 
         [0007]    In contrast, when an automated control system with an actuator is used to turn the valve, any misalignment between the actuator shaft and the valve stem becomes more significant for a number of reasons. First, the actuator shaft extends the valve stem a significant distance, thus any angular offset results in a large difference between the valve stem and the actuator. Second, in contrast to the manual handle, the shaft does not terminate in a free end, and misalignment will often result in a residual stress or bending moment on the valve stem. That is, if the shaft is misaligned to place a bending moment on the valve stem, that bending moment will be constant, and will not relax just because the valve is not being moved. Third, the actuator places forces on the valve stem which are exactly reproduced for each turning of the valve stem, resulting in more focused wear problems. Fourth, if the valve stem itself does not rotate perfectly about its axis, the shaft may place a bending moment on the valve stem with a magnitude that changes upon the rotational location of the valve. For instance, the valve stem may be fairly free of residual stress when the valve is closed, but have a severe bending moment when the valve is open. 
         [0008]    Thus, any misalignment can cause a variety of problems in the piping system and/or the automated control system. As the valve stem is repeatedly and continually stressed over time, the valve stem may warp or be broken off entirely, rendering the valve inoperable. If the automated control system does not have feedback sensors in place, such breakage may not be readily identified, and the actuator may continue to turn the shaft even though the valve element is not being moved. More likely than breakage, the seals around the valve stem are likely to wear excessively and start leaking. If the shaft “binds” or torques differently depending on the position of the valve, the actuator may have trouble turning the shaft, or may not turn the shaft an appropriate amount corresponding to the input signal. 
         [0009]    Accordingly, there exists a need for a kit for mounting an actuator to a valve in a way that reduces repair and maintenance costs. The inventive concepts disclosed herein are directed to such an assembly. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a valve assembly with an actuator mounting kit constructed in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein shown connected to a valve. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 1  shown with an actuator. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 1  with the actuator omitted. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the valve assembly. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of the mounting bracket of the actuator mounting kit. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the mounting bracket of the actuator mounting kit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction, experiments, exemplary data, and/or the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings unless otherwise noted. 
         [0017]    The systems and methods as described in the present disclosure are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for purposes of description, and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0018]    The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. 
         [0019]    As used in the description herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, unless otherwise noted, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. 
         [0020]    Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive and not to an exclusive “or”. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present). 
         [0021]    In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive concept. This description should be read to include one or more, and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise. Further, use of the term “plurality” is meant to convey “more than one” unless expressly stated to the contrary. 
         [0022]    As used herein, any reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one example,” “for example,” or “an example” means that a particular element, feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearance of the phrase “in some embodiments” or “one example” in various places in the specification is not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, for example. 
         [0023]    As used herein, the term “drilling fluid” or “drill fluid” refers to circulating fluid used in rotational drilling to perform various functions during drilling operations. 
         [0024]    Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , shown therein is an embodiment of a valve assembly  10  constructed in accordance with the inventive concepts disclosed herein. In general, the valve assembly  10  includes a valve  11 , an actuator mounting kit  16 , and an actuator  17  operably connected to the valve  11  and supported by the actuator mounting kit  16 . The valve  11  includes a valve body  12 , a valve member  14  disposed in the valve body  12  for rotation between an open position ( FIG. 3 ) and a closed position (not shown), and a stem  15  to which a handle (not shown) is connected for rotating the valve member  14  between the open position and closed position. The valve body  12  may include a first valve body  12   a  and a second valve body  12   b . The first valve body  12   a  is provided with a first bore  22  and a first end  24 . The second valve body  12   b  is provided with a second bore  26  and a second end  28 . The first end  24  of the first valve body  12   a  is connected to the second end  28  of the second valve body  12   b  to form the valve body  12  such that the first bore  22  communicates with the second bore  26 . The first valve body  12   a  may be connected to the second valve body  1   b  with connecting members (not shown), such as bolts. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , in one embodiment of the valve  11 , the second valve body  12   b  is provided with a bore  38  extending upwardly from a valve chamber  46  formed in the second bore  26  of the second valve body  12   b . The bore  38  is configured to receive at least a portion of the valve stem  15 . The valve stem  15  is provided with a pair of parallel, flat surfaces  42 , which leave curved surfaces  44  on an outer surface of the valve stem  15  between the flat surfaces  42  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the valve member  14  has a central bore  50  which aligns with the first bore  22  and the second bore  26  in the open position of the valve member  14  to permit the passage of fluid through the valve  11  when the valve member  14  is in the open position thereof. In the closed position of the valve member  14 , seat assemblies  51   a  or  51   b  engage the exterior surface of the valve member  14  and internal surfaces of the valve body assembly  12  to form fluid tight seals which disrupt fluid communication between the first bore  22  and the second bore  26 . The valve member  14  has an exterior slot  52  for receiving a distal end of the valve stem  15 . The exterior slot  52  is sized with respect to the stem to permit movement of the valve member  14  in an axial direction when the valve member  14  is rotated to the closed position. Thus, the valve member  14  illustrated herein is of the type known in the art as a “floating” valve member or valve ball. 
         [0027]    A suitable seal  56  fits in a mating groove around the central portion of the valve stem  15  to prevent leakage from the valve chamber  46  through the bore  38  around the valve stem  15 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , in one embodiment, the actuator mounting kit  16  is provided with a mounting bracket  70 , a valve stem driver  72 , a weather seal  74 , a split retainer ring  76 , an alignment bushing  78 , and a valve stem driver seal  80 , and a connector, such as a U-bolt  83  and a plurality of nuts  85 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the mounting bracket  70  of the actuator mounting kit  16  is mounted on the second valve body  12   b  in a slot  66  formed in an outer surface of the second valve body  12   b  with a stem aperture  68  substantially aligned with the bore  38  of the second valve body  12   b . The mounting bracket  70  is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the mounting bracket  70  is generally rectangularly shaped and is provided with the stem aperture  68 , a counterbore  82  in the stem aperture  68 , a tongue  90 , a bottom portion  92 , a top portion  94  with a driver aperture  95 , a plurality of mounting bores  96 , and a plurality of actuator mounting bores  98 . 
         [0030]    The tongue  90  of the mounting bracket  70  has a predetermined width and extends outwardly a predetermined distance from a lower surface of the bottom portion  92  of the mounting bracket  70 . The tongue  90  is shaped and sized to mate with the slot  66  of the second valve body  12   b . A pair of support shoulders  91  extends along the sides of the tongue  90 . As described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,805, the description of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, the slot  66  is provided to matingly receive a locking plate. In use, the stop plate is positioned in the slot  66  and encircles the valve stem  15 . The stop plate has at least one locking opening spaced from the aperture. A locking plate is secured on the valve stem  15  parallel with the stop plate to turn with the valve stem  15  during opening and closing of the valve. The locking plate has at least one locking opening therethrough positioned to mate with the locking opening in the stop plate when the valve is in a fully closed or fully open positioned so that a securing member, such as a lock or seal may be inserted through the openings to secure the valve in the desired position. 
         [0031]    In the embodiment shown, the stem aperture  68  of the mounting bracket  70  extends through a central portion of the lower portion  92  of the mounting bracket  70  and the tongue  90 . The stem aperture  68  may be configured to receive at least a portion of the valve stem  15 . The driver aperture  95  is aligned with the stem aperture  68  and is configured to receive a portion of the valve stem driver  72  through the top portion  94 . In some embodiments, the stem aperture  68  may have a first diameter for receiving the valve stem  15  and the driver aperture  95  may have a second diameter for receiving the valve stem driver  72 . 
         [0032]    The plurality of mounting holes  96  of the mounting bracket  70  extend through the tongue  90  and the bottom portion  92  of the mounting bracket  70  in alignment with the aperture  68 . The mounting holes  96  are sized to allow threaded ends of the U-bolt  83  to pass therethrough and secure the mounting bracket  70  to the second valve body  12   b  with nuts  85  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ). 
         [0033]    The plurality of actuator mounting holes  98  of the mounting bracket  70  may be sized and arranged to allow the actuator  17  to be mounted and secured to the upper portion  94  of the mounting bracket  70  via securing means such as, for instance bolts (not shown) known in the art. 
         [0034]    Referring once again to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the weather seal  74  of the actuator mounting kit  16  has a pair of shoulders (not shown) projecting inwardly and positioned to engage the flat surfaces  42  of the valve stem  15  such that when the valve stem  50  is turned, the weather seal  74  is also turned. 
         [0035]    The alignment bushing  78  is secured to the valve stem  15  by the split retainer ring  76  mounted in mating grooves in the curved portions  44  of the outer surface of the valve stem  15 . The alignment bushing  78  has an outer diameter that is substantially the same as the first diameter of the aperture  68 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , a bottom surface of the alignment bushing  78  is adjacent to a flat surface provided by the slot  66  of the valve body  32  and aligns the valve stem  15  in the aperture  68  of the mounting bracket  70 . 
         [0036]    The valve stem driver  72  is generally cylindrically shaped and provided with an actuator connecting portion  100  formed in one end, a valve stem connecting portion  101  ( FIG. 2 ) formed in an opposite end, and the valve stem driver seal  80 . The actuator connecting portion  100  may be configured to be mated to an actuator shaft (not shown) and may form a square as shown in  FIG. 1 . The valve stem connecting portion  100  of the valve stem driver  72  extends a predetermined distance upward from the end and is configured to receive at least a portion of the valve stem  15  to allow rotation of the valve stem  15  when the valve stem driver  72  is rotated, for instance, by the actuator, thus moving the valve member  14  between an open or a closed position. 
         [0037]    The valve stem driver seal  80  fits in a mating groove around a portion of the valve stem driver  72  to prevent passage of fluid and/or debris into the aperture  68  around the valve stem driver  70 . 
         [0038]    The mounting bracket  70  and the stem driver  72  may be provided with corresponding valve position indicator markings. In one embodiment, the stem driver  72  is provided with indicia  104   a  and  104   b  indicating open and closed, respectively. Such indicia are spaced at a 90° interval. The indicia  104   a  and  104   b  are alignable with a mark  106  on the mounting bracket  70  to provide a visual indication of the position of the valve. 
         [0039]    To automate the valve  11  with the actuator  17 , the stop plate and stop plate are first removed from the valve. The alignment bushing  78  may then be installed over the valve stem  15 . The mounting bracket  70  is connected to the valve body  12  with the valve stem  15  extending through the aperture  68  and the tongue  90  matingly engaged with the slot  66 . The counterbore  82  receives the alignment bushing  78 . The mounting bracket  70  may be secured to the second valve body  12   b  with the U-bolt  83 . The weather seal  74  may then be positioned over the valve stem  15 . 
         [0040]    The stem connecting portion  101  of the stem driver  72  in then engaged with the valve stem  15  in a way that the actuator connecting portion  100  extends through the driver aperture  69 . The actuator  17  is then connected to the upper portion  94  of the mounting bracket  70  and matingly engaged with the actuator connecting portion  100 . 
         [0041]    In embodiments such as those shown in  FIGS. 1-6 , alignment of the valve stem  15  in the aperture  68  with the alignment bushing  78  ensures that the mounting bracket  70  is aligned with the second valve body  12   b . This alignment in turn assures that a longitudinal axis of the valve stem driver  72  is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the valve stem  15 . In addition, fitting the tongue  90  of the mounting bracket  70  in the slot  66  of the second valve body  12   b  prevents rotational movement of the mounting bracket  70  when the actuator applies rotational movement to the valve stem driver  72  which in turn applies rotational movement to the valve stem  15 . These features work together to ensure that off-axis movement is not applied to the valve stem  15  by the actuator  17  which could damage one or more components of the valve assembly  10 . 
         [0042]    While the valve assembly  10  is described herein as having first and second valve bodies  12   a  and  12   b  which are secured together to form the valve body  12 , it should be noted that in some embodiments, the valve assembly  10  may be provided with a different valve body design such as, for instance, a unibody design similar to the one shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,323,805, so long as the mounting bracket may be engaged with or locked to the valve body in a way that prevents rotation of the mounting bracket relative to the valve body. 
         [0043]    It should also be noted that although the valve assembly system  10  has been shown and described herein as a ball-type valve, the presently disclosed concepts are applicable to all types of rotationally controlled valves. 
         [0044]    From the above description, it is clear that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the inventive concepts disclosed herein. While presently preferred embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the scope and coverage of the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein.