Patent ID: 7182314

Claim:
An apparatus for actuating a valve, said apparatus comprising: a rotatable control shaft having a first and a second end, said first end of said control shaft being connected to the valve such that when said shaft is rotated, the valve is moved between an open and a closed disposition thereof; a gearbox wheel having a first and a second side, said wheel being secured to said second end of said control shaft such that when said gearbox wheel rotates about a rotational axis of said control shaft, said control shaft is rotated for moving the valve between said open and said closed disposition thereof; said gearbox wheel defining a plurality of gearteeth disposed around a portion of a periphery of said wheel; a worm having a first and a second extremity, said worm having an axis of rotation which is disposed angularly relative to said rotational axis of said control shaft, said worm intermeshing with said gearteeth of said gearbox wheel such that when said worm is rotated, said wheel and said shaft are rotated for moving the valve between said open and said closed disposition thereof; a housing defining an enclosure for the reception therein of said gearbox wheel and said intermeshing worm; a first bearing for rotatably supporting said first extremity of said worm, said first bearing being slidably received in a first direction which is disposed parallel to said rotational axis within a first recess defined by said housing; a second bearing for rotatably supporting said second extremity of said worm, said second bearing being slidably received in a second direction which is disposed parallel to said rotational axis within a second recess defined by said housing, said bearings and said recesses being structured such that when said first and said second extremities of said worm extend respectively through said first and said second bearings, said bearings are slidably disposed in said first and second directions respectively within said first and second recess so that location of said worm into intermeshing relationship with said gearteeth is facilitated; a cover secured to said housing for sealing said enclosure and for retaining said gearbox wheel and intermeshing worm within said enclosure, said cover defining a flange which extends radially from said axis of rotation of said worm so that said first extremity of said worm extends through said flange; and a multi-turn power drive secured to said flange and drivingly connected to said first extremity of said worm for rotating said worm so that the valve is controllably moved between said open and said closed disposition thereof.