Patent ID: 8322685

Claim:
A quarter-turn valve having a valve body, a flow regulator, and a non-collinear valve actuator, wherein said non-collinear valve actuator comprises: (a) a valve lever having a first end and a second end with said first end attached to and extending from said flow regulator and pivotally constrained to said valve body for purposes of operating said flow regulator housed within said valve body; (b) a drag link having a first end and a second end with said first end movably affixed to said second end of said valve lever; (c) a transmission link having a first end and a second end with said first end movably affixed to said second end of said drag link and said second end of said transmission link rotably affixed to said valve body whereby said drag link can transfer rotational force of said transmission link into said valve lever; (d) a primary actuating system having a first end and a second end with said first end movably affixed to said transmission link and said second end pivotally constrained to said valve body; and (e) a return spring system having a first end and a second end with said first end movably affixed to said transmission link between said first end of said primary actuating system and said second end of said transmission link while said second end of said return spring system is pivotally constrained to said valve body.