Patent Publication Number: US-2022228672-A1

Title: Spring return valve handle

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and all benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/137,818, filed on Jan. 15, 2021, for SPRING RETURN VALVE HANDLE, the entire disclosure of which is fully incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to spring return handles. More particularly, the disclosure relates to spring return valve handles for rotary actuated valves. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Manually operated fluid control valves are used in many applications. As one example, a grab sample panel provided with a primary process line includes manually operated sampling valves for selectively dispensing samples of the process fluid in sample containers or bottles. In such applications, the failure of the operator to fully close the valve (e.g., by manually rotating the valve handle to the closed position) can result in undesirable release of fluid and potential resulting safety concerns, contamination, and production losses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In accordance with an exemplary aspect of one or more of the inventions presented in this disclosure, a valve assembly includes a valve body defining an interior cavity extending to a bonnet portion, a valve stem including a valve element retained in the interior cavity of the valve body and an end portion extending beyond the bonnet portion, the valve stem being rotatable between a first limit position and a second limit position, and a spring return handle arrangement. The spring return handle arrangement includes a user graspable valve handle, a stem adapter, and a return spring. The stem adapter includes a first end portion secured to the valve stem and a second end portion secured to the valve handle. The return spring includes a first end portion secured to the valve body, an intermediate spring loaded portion, and a second end portion secured to the stem adapter to apply a torsional load to the stem adapter for returning the valve stem to the first rotational limit position. 
     In accordance with another exemplary aspect of one or more of the inventions presented in this disclosure, a method is provided for installing a spring return handle arrangement on a valve having a valve stem extending from a bonnet portion of a valve body. In the exemplary method, a first end portion of a stem adapter is secured to the end portion of the valve stem, with a second end portion of the stem adapter being secured with a user graspable valve handle. A first end portion of a return spring is secured to the valve body, and a second end portion of the return spring is secured to the stem adapter, such that an intermediate spring loaded portion of the return spring applies a torsional load to the stem adapter for returning the valve stem to the first rotational limit position. 
     In accordance with another exemplary aspect of one or more of the inventions presented in this disclosure, a valve assembly includes a valve body defining an interior cavity extending to a bonnet portion, a valve stem including a valve element retained in the interior cavity of the valve body and an end portion extending beyond the bonnet portion, the valve stem being rotatable between a first limit position and a second limit position, and a spring return handle arrangement. The spring return handle arrangement includes a user graspable valve handle, a stem adapter having a first end portion secured to the valve stem and a second end portion secured to the valve handle, and a return spring having a first end collar secured to the bonnet portion of the valve body, an intermediate spring loaded portion, and a second end collar secured to an outer surface of the stem adapter to apply a torsional load to the stem adapter for returning the valve stem to the first rotational limit position. 
     In accordance with another exemplary aspect of one or more of the inventions presented in this disclosure, a method is provided for installing a spring return handle arrangement on a valve having a valve stem extending from a bonnet portion of a valve body. In the exemplary method, a first end portion of a stem adapter is secured to the end portion of the valve stem, wherein a second end portion of the stem adapter is secured with a user graspable valve handle. A first end collar of a return spring is secured to the bonnet portion of the valve body. A second end collar of the return spring is secured to an outer surface of the stem adapter, such that an intermediate spring loaded portion of the return spring applies a torsional load to the stem adapter for returning the valve stem to the first rotational limit position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a valve assembly with a spring return handle arrangement, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the valve assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a lower perspective view of the return spring of the valve assembly of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a lower perspective view of the stem adapter of the valve assembly. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     This Detailed Description merely describes exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims in any way. Indeed, the invention as claimed is broader than and unlimited by the exemplary embodiments, and the terms used in the claims have their full ordinary meaning. For example, while an illustrated exemplary embodiment disclosed herein describes spring return valve handle arrangements for quarter-turn ball valves, the features of the present disclosure may additionally or alternatively be applied to other types of manually actuated valves (e.g., plug valves, needle valves, diaphragm valves, etc.) or valves having handles operable over different ranges of motion (e.g., half-turn or 180°, three-quarter turn or 270°, or any other suitable degree of rotation). 
     While various inventive aspects, concepts and features of the inventions may be described and illustrated herein as embodied in combination in the exemplary embodiments, these various aspects, concepts and features may be used in many alternative embodiments, either individually or in various combinations and sub-combinations thereof. Unless expressly excluded herein all such combinations and sub-combinations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventions. Still further, while various alternative embodiments as to the various aspects, concepts and features of the inventions—such as alternative materials, structures, configurations, methods, circuits, devices and components, alternatives as to form, fit and function, and so on—may be described herein, such descriptions are not intended to be a complete or exhaustive list of available alternative embodiments, whether presently known or later developed. Those skilled in the art may readily adopt one or more of the inventive aspects, concepts or features into additional embodiments and uses within the scope of the present inventions even if such embodiments are not expressly disclosed herein. Additionally, even though some features, concepts or aspects of the inventions may be described herein as being a preferred arrangement or method, such description is not intended to suggest that such feature is required or necessary unless expressly so stated. Still further, exemplary or representative values and ranges may be included to assist in understanding the present disclosure, however, such values and ranges are not to be construed in a limiting sense and are intended to be critical values or ranges only if so expressly stated. Parameters identified as “approximate” or “about” a specified value are intended to include both the specified value and values within 10% of the specified value, unless expressly stated otherwise. Further, it is to be understood that the drawings accompanying the present disclosure may, but need not, be to scale, and therefore may be understood as teaching various ratios and proportions evident in the drawings. Moreover, while various aspects, features and concepts may be expressly identified herein as being inventive or forming part of an invention, such identification is not intended to be exclusive, but rather there may be inventive aspects, concepts and features that are fully described herein without being expressly identified as such or as part of a specific invention, the inventions instead being set forth in the appended claims. Descriptions of exemplary methods or processes are not limited to inclusion of all steps as being required in all cases, nor is the order that the steps are presented to be construed as required or necessary unless expressly so stated. 
     In many applications, it may be desirable to provide a mechanism for ensuring that a manually actuated valve is returned to a desired condition (e.g., closed condition) when the manual actuator (e.g., handle) is released by the operator, for example, to prevent undesired fluid flow. Such mechanisms are often referred to as “deadman&#39;s” handles. 
     According to exemplary aspects of the present disclosure, a spring return handle arrangement may be provided with a user graspable valve handle, a stem adapter, and a return spring. In an exemplary arrangement, the stem adapter includes a first end portion secured to a protruding valve stem and a second end portion secured to a user graspable valve handle. The return spring may include a first end portion secured to the valve body, an intermediate spring loaded portion (e.g., torsion spring coil), and a second end portion secured to the stem adapter to apply a torsional load to the stem adapter for returning the valve stem to a first rotational limit position. 
     Many different arrangements may be utilized to secure a return spring to a valve body and stem adapter. As one example, a return spring may include a first end collar secured to the valve body and a second end collar secured to the stem adapter, with an intermediate spring loaded portion (e.g., torsion spring coil). While the return spring end collars may be attached to the spring loaded portion using a variety of arrangements (e.g., fasteners, coil wire end in drilled hole of collar, welding), in an exemplary arrangement, the end collars are integrally formed with the spring loaded portion as a unitary or monolithic component, for example, by machining or additive manufacturing (e.g.,  3 D printing). Such arrangements may avoid an unbalanced side load between the return spring and the stem adapter/valve handle that may result from an offset engagement of the return spring with a fastener, pin/aperture, or other attachment feature. 
       FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a manually actuated valve  200  including a spring return handle arrangement  250 . The valve  200  includes a valve body  210  defining an interior cavity  215  retaining a valve element (e.g., ported ball portion)  225  connected or secured with (e.g., integral to or assembled with) a valve stem  220 . The valve stem  220  is rotatable between a first position (e.g., a closed position in which a ball orifice  226  in the ball portion  225  is misaligned with first and second end ports  211 ,  212  in the valve body  210  to block passage of fluid through the valve  200 ), and a second position (e.g., an open position in which a ball orifice is rotated into alignment with valve body end ports to allow passage of fluid through the valve  200 ). In the illustrated embodiment, the valve includes a seat and stem sealing arrangement  219  in the valve cavity  215  to seal the valve against seat and stem leakage. In other embodiments, other sealing arrangements may be utilized. Further, while the illustrated embodiment includes a valve closure or shutoff valve element, other types of valve elements may be used, including, for example, flow regulating or flow switching valve elements. 
     The interior cavity  215  of the valve body  210  extends to a bonnet portion  216  having an internal threaded portion  217  for assembly of a stem nut  235  retaining the valve stem  220  with the valve body. The valve stem  220  includes an end portion  222  that extends beyond the bonnet portion  216  for attachment to the spring return handle arrangement  250 , as described below. 
     According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the spring return handle arrangement  250  includes a stem adapter  251  connecting a valve handle  255  to the valve stem  220  and a return spring  260  having a first end portion  261  secured to the valve body  210 , a second end portion  262  secured to the stem adapter  251 , and an intermediate spring loaded portion  263  under torque to apply a torsional load to the stem adapter  251  and valve stem  220 , for returning the valve stem  220  to the first (e.g., closed) rotational limit position. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the stem adapter  251  includes a first end portion  252  securable to the valve stem end portion  222  and a second end portion  253  securable to the valve handle  255 . Many different securing mechanisms may be used to secure the stem adapter  251  to the valve stem end portion  222 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion  252  of the stem adapter  251  includes a stem bore  254  receiving the valve stem end portion  222  and a radially extending threaded bore  257  that intersects the stem bore  254  and retains a stem engaging member (e.g., set screw)  259  that engages a flatted portion  223  on the valve stem end portion  222 . Many different securing mechanisms may be used to secure the stem adapter  251  to the valve handle  255 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second end portion  253  forms a stem extension having a flatted portion  258  for attachment to the valve handle  255  (e.g., using set screw  268 ). In other embodiments (not shown), the valve handle may be integrally formed with the stem extension to secure the valve handle to the stem adapter. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion  252  of the stem adapter  251  includes a protrusion (e.g., quarter-circular broach)  256  that engages an end portion (e.g., semicircular broach)  213  of the bonnet  216  to define the first and second limit positions of the valve stem  220 . 
     The first and second end portions  261 ,  262  of the return spring  260  may be secured to the valve body  210  and stem adapter  251  using a variety of configurations. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion  261  of the return spring  260  is a first end collar secured to the bonnet portion  216  of the valve body  210 . In an exemplary embodiment, the first end collar  261  may include an internal threaded portion  265  threadably assembled with an outer threaded portion on the bonnet portion  216  of the valve body  210 . As shown, the first end collar  261  may include two or more flats to facilitate wrench-tightening of the first end collar on the bonnet portion  216 . Additionally or alternatively, as shown, the first end collar  261  may include a threaded fastener  264  installed through a fastener bore  267  that spans a split collar portion  261   a , with the fastener being tightened for clamping engagement of the first end collar  261  with the bonnet portion  216  of the valve body  210 . As shown, an opposite side of the first end collar  261  may include a slotted portion  261   b  aligned with the split collar portion  261   a  to facilitate clamping compression of the split collar portion. In some such embodiments, the internal threading of the first end collar may be eliminated, with clamping engagement of the first end collar against the bonnet portion sufficient to secure the first end collar in a desired rotational position. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the second end portion  262  of the return spring  260  is a second end collar secured to an outer surface  251   a  of the stem adapter  251  by one or more set screws  266  installed through threaded aperture  269  and tightened against corresponding flatted portions of the outer surface  251   a . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the return spring may be a unitary or monolithic component, with the first and second end collars  261 ,  262  integrally formed with, and extending from, the helical coiled intermediate spring loaded portion  263 . As shown the second end collar  262  may have an outer diameter that substantially matches an outer diameter of the intermediate spring loaded portion  263  of the return spring  260 . Use of a machined torsion spring, as shown, may allow for custom attachments, such as the end collar attachments described herein, thereby eliminating additional torsion-bearing connections between the spring and the valve stem and handle. As a result, the unitary spring may apply a “pure moment,” meaning that the return spring does not apply a translative (side load) force. This may allow for the elimination of one or more external stabilizing components that could otherwise be needed. Additionally, the exterior appearance of the integrally formed return spring, as an external component, may be more aesthetically pleasing than other spring and spring connection arrangements. 
     In an exemplary method of installing the spring return handle arrangement  250  on the valve  200  having a valve stem  220  extending from a bonnet portion  216  of the valve body  210 , the end portion  222  of the valve stem  220  is inserted into the stem bore  254  in the first end portion  252  of the stem adapter  251 , and the set screw  259  is tightened against the flatted portion  223  of the valve stem end portion. The return spring  260  is installed or slipped over the stem adapter  251 , and, if the first end collar  261  is provided with internal threads  265 , the first end collar is threaded onto the bonnet portion  216  of the valve body  210 . The second end collar  262  of the return spring  260  is secured to the outer flatted surface  251   a  of the stem adapter  251  by tightening the set screw(s)  266 . The valve handle  255  is secured to the stem extension  253  of the stem adapter  251  by tightening set screw  268 . With the valve handle  255 , stem adapter  251 , and valve stem  220  rotated to the first limit position (e.g., closed position), the first end collar  261  is positioned (e.g., by further rotation) on the bonnet to maintain a torsional load or torque on the intermediate spring loaded portion  263 . The split collar portion  261   a  of the first end collar is then tightened against the bonnet portion  216  to secure the first end collar  261  in this torque maintaining rotational position, such that when the valve handle  255  and stem  220  are rotated away from the first limit position and released, the torsional load of the intermediate spring loaded portion  263  is sufficient to return the valve handle and stem to the first limit position. 
     The inventive aspects have been described with reference to the exemplary embodiments. Modification and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.