DE20011521U1 - Temperature sensitive shut-off valve - Google Patents

Description

Stenger, WATZKi;:&:RENC:··..: :: : Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 70

·· ·· ··**··* ".·**·.* D-40547 DÜSSELDORF
PATENT ATTORNEYS

DIPL.-ING. WOLFRAM WATZKE (-1999)

DIPL-ING. HEINZ J. RING

DIPL.-ING. ULRICH CHRISTOPHERSEN

DIPL.-ING. MICHAEL RAUSCH

DIPL.-ING. WOLFGANG BRINGMANN

O* _rp jf PATENT ATTORNEYS

EUROPEAN PATENT ATTORNEYS

Fire Protection AG
Gäuggelistrasse 20

Us. Sign 00-0219

CH - 7001 Chur / GR Our «f.

Your sign
Your ref.

Date 28 June 2000

Temperature-sensitive shut-off valve

The present invention relates to a temperature-sensitive shut-off valve, in particular for gas lines, with a housing having a passage and a valve seat and an assembly consisting of a holding element that can be positioned in the passage and has a bore that is central to the valve seat in the installed position, a closing body with a pin element arranged thereon that can be inserted into the central bore of the holding element, a spring that can be clamped between the holding element and the closing body and a temperature-sensitive element that has a pin arranged in a through-bore that runs transversely to the central bore through the holding element and extends into the central bore, and a bearing element arranged on the outside of the housing, wherein the pin guided in the through-bore of the holding element projects into a bore in the bearing element in the installed position.

Such a temperature-sensitive shut-off valve is known, for example, from German utility model 298 20 264.6. The shut-off valve disclosed in this publication uses a holding element which has a bore in a central section that is central to the valve seat and is supported by webs extending from the central section on a projection formed on the inner wall of the housing. The holding element is secured with a snap ring that engages in an annular groove arranged opposite the shoulder. A pin element, which is connected to a closing body, projects through the central bore in the holding element. Between the closing body and the holding element,

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A spring is arranged in the holding element. A hole is led through one of the webs on the holding element. This hole is aligned with a hole through the housing, and in the area of the housing through which the hole is led, a pot-like element is screwed into the housing. Another hole opens into the pot-like element, and fusible link is let into it. A pin is inserted through the holes mentioned, namely the one in the pot-like element, the one through the housing and the one in the web of the holding element, which rests on the fusible link on one side and on a ball on its other side. The ball extends through the hole through the web of the holding element and engages an annular groove on the pin element connected to the closing body. This arrangement holds the spring-loaded closing body in its open position.

It has been found to be disadvantageous with the shut-off valve shown here that the holding element, which is only secured with the snap ring, can twist slightly in its position due to vibrations. This creates a relative movement between the hole in one of the webs of the holding element and the hole through the housing for guiding the pin. The pin is now jammed in its position by the canting caused in this way, so that additional frictional forces occur which hold the pin in its position and thus delay the release of the closing body from its open position. The shut-off valve no longer releases within the prescribed time at a predetermined temperature; it can even only release at a temperature higher than the predetermined release temperature as a result of such twisting. Such behaviour of the shut-off valve therefore represents a hazard, since, for example, in the event of a fire, the timely closure of gas lines leading to the source of the fire cannot be reliably guaranteed, so that in the worst case, additional flammable gas is supplied to the source of the fire, which in extreme cases can lead to explosions or deflagrations.

Based on this, the present invention is based on the object of further developing a shut-off valve of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that it is insensitive to vibrations and that a reliable triggering of the shut-off valve is guaranteed.

To achieve this object, the invention proposes, in a temperature-sensitive shut-off valve of the type mentioned at the outset, a guide element connecting the bearing element and the holding element, which has an opening in which the pin is guided.

Because the holding element and the bearing element are connected via the guide element, they are fixed relative to one another and cannot be moved against one another even by vibrations. The pin is guided securely in the opening of the guide element. The guide element is arranged in such a way that the opening provided in the guide element interacts with the through hole arranged in the holding element and the hole in the bearing element to guide the pin securely. The pin is guided in the opening of the sensing element and, if necessary, in the through hole or in the hole of the bearing element or in parts of these holes, so that an unclamped, low-friction movement of the pin is possible. The guide element can be connected to the bearing element and the holding element in various ways. For example, it can be firmly formed on one of the elements mentioned, but can also be connected to the elements in a form-fitting, force-fitting or other way.

According to one proposal of the invention, the guide element is designed as a separate part and is connected to both the holding element and the bearing element. For this purpose, according to one feature of the invention, a guide tube is proposed as the guide element, which protrudes both into the hole in the bearing element and into the through hole in the holding element. Such a guide tube offers a simple way of connecting the holding element and the bearing element to one another, forming a guide for the pin. The guide tube protrudes at least partially into both the through hole of the holding element and into the hole in the bearing element and is thus positively connected to the parts mentioned. The holes in the holding element or in the bearing element can be designed with an enlarged diameter in the area in which the guide tube protrudes into them. A connecting tube can thus be accommodated in these areas, the inner diameter of which corresponds to the diameter of the non-expanded part of the respective hole. The inner diameter of the connecting tube corresponds to the diameter of the non-expanded part of the respective hole.

·

The inner diameter of the guide tube and the respective holes in which the pin is to be guided are therefore the same and allow the pin to be guided safely.

According to an alternative proposal of the invention, the guide element is designed as a one-piece extension either on the bearing element or on the holding element and projects into the through hole or the hole in the bearing element, with a hole being guided through the extension, which supplements the hole in the bearing element or the through hole to form a common guide for the pin. Such a structure represents a particularly simple design for a guide element, since it is formed as a one-piece on either the holding element or the bearing element. The extension formed on one of the elements projects into the hole of the other element and thus ensures a positive connection between the guide element and the holding element. For this purpose, as in the case of the guide tube, the hole into which the extension projects can be enlarged in diameter in one area to accommodate the extension. Thus, even with the holding and bearing elements connected in this way, a continuous guide for the pin can be achieved, which has a continuous, constant diameter.

For the economical manufacture of the fitting, it is proposed that a support for the holding element be made in the gas passage of the housing and that the holding element be fixed in the housing by a snap ring inserted from the outside. The holding element advantageously has star-shaped webs, with the through-hole extending into the central hole being arranged in one of the webs. The temperature-sensitive element can be inserted into this through-hole. This advantageously comprises a ball in addition to the pin. If the pin element of the closing body has an annular groove, a ball is ideal for fixing the pin element in the central through-hole. The pin presses on the ball and extends through the housing to the outside, where it is held in the bearing element by fusible solder according to a proposal of the invention. If the fusible solder melts, the pin can move into the bearing element, whereby the ball is moved out of the annular groove of the pin element of the closing body, so that the closing body is free and can move into the closed position.

To control the temperature sensitivity, the invention proposes coloring the bearing element black. This makes it more temperature sensitive. According to an advantageous proposal of the invention, a lamella body can also be placed on the bearing element. Alternatively, the lamellae can also be worked directly onto the bearing element. The bearing element and the projecting lamellae can be made from one piece. Such lamellae also increase the temperature sensitivity.

According to a proposal of the invention, the bearing element is screwed into the housing in a gas-tight manner, if necessary with the interposition of sealing washers and/or using sealing adhesives.

For the base of the bearing element, the invention proposes not to machine the usual wrench flats so that the gas consumers cannot unscrew the heat sensor with the commercially available wrenches and "tap" gas at this point, as sometimes happens when there is talk of manipulation and the resulting gas accidents.

Rather, the base of the heat sensor is to be designed in an unusual shape that can only be gripped with a special key provided by the fitting manufacturer.

According to an advantageous suggestion, the housing can be turned in one piece from a metallic material, for example steel or stainless steel. Steel is required for large designs.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the present description with reference to the figures.

In it show

Fig.1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a temperature-sensitive shut-off valve,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a temperature-sensitive shut-off valve and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a lamella body.

The shut-off valve 1 shown in Figure 1 comprises a housing 2, which in principle can also be part of a gas valve, a gas line or the like. In the example shown, the housing 2 is turned in one piece from metal, for example steel or stainless steel, and has flange connections 3. In principle, internal or external thread attachments can also be provided instead of the flanges 3. A gas passage is formed inside, with a first cylindrical piece 4 opening into a shoulder 5, above which a recess 6 is formed, into which a snap ring 11 is placed. An assembly is inserted into the housing 2, consisting of a holding element 8 placed on the shoulder 5, which in the installed position has a sleeve-shaped formation 9 and a central bore 10 central to the valve seat 7. A snap ring 11 is inserted into the recess 6 to fix the holding element in the housing. In the embodiment shown, the holding element 8 has an outer ring area that is placed on the shoulder 5, an inner area formed by the sleeve 9 and concentric with the outer ring, and webs running in a star shape between them. In one of the webs 12 there is a through hole 13 that extends into the central hole 10.

A closing body 14 is connected to a pin 15 by means of a screw connection. The pin 15 has an annular groove 16. A spring 17 is clamped between the holding element 8 and the closing body 14. The closing body 14 has a conical head that can be inserted into the funnel-shaped valve seat 7 and can seal it there in a gas-tight manner.

The housing 2 has a through hole 18, and the holding element 8 is inserted into the housing 2 in such a way that the hole 13 in the web 12 is aligned with the through hole 18 in the housing 2. The through hole 18 is widened towards the outside of the housing to form a threaded hole.

A guide tube 26 is guided through the through-hole 18 in the housing into the through-hole 13 in the web 12 of the holding element 8. For this purpose, the through-hole 13 in the web 12 of the holding element 8 has a hole 27 with an enlarged diameter in one area. This enlarged diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the guide tube 26, which has an inner diameter that corresponds to the diameter of the non-enlarged through-hole 13 in the web 12. The guide tube 26 projects through the through-hole 18 in the housing 2 and is guided to the outside of the housing. A ball 19 is first inserted into the guide tube 26 and through the hole 13 in the star-shaped web 12 of the holding element 8, which ball projects into the annular groove 16 in the pin 15. Then a pin 20 is inserted which ends inside the guide tube 26 but protrudes from the outside of the housing. Finally, the remaining internal volume of the guide tube on the outside of the housing is filled with fusible link 22 and a bearing element 21 is screwed into the threaded hole from the outside of the housing. The guide tube 26 is received in a hole 25 in the bearing element 21. The pin 15 is fixed in the central hole 10 via the fusible link 22, the pin 20 and the ball 19, which is positioned in the annular groove 16 of the pin 15, and the closing body 14 is thus positioned against the force of the spring 17 relative to the holding element 8. When the temperature increases, the fusible link 22 melts so that the pin 20 and the ball 19 can move towards the outside of the housing. The pin 19 is released and the closing body 14 moves into the closed position in the valve seat 7. The bearing element 26 and the holding element 8 are connected to one another via its web 12 by the guide tube 26, which projects into the through hole 13 in the web 12 as well as into the hole 25 in the bearing element 21. The through opening in the guide tube 26 receives the pin 15 and serves to guide it. The pin 15 is guided both in the guide tube 26 and in the part of the through hole 13 with a smaller diameter that runs through the web 12, resulting in a continuous, step-free guide for the pin 15. This ensures that even in the event of vibrations, the pin 15 is prevented from jamming due to a relative movement between the bearing element 21 and the holding element 8. The bearing element 21 can be colored black to improve temperature sensitivity.

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Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a shut-off valve. The shut-off valve shown here is similar in basic structure to the shut-off valve shown in Figure 1 and described above. With regard to the description, reference is made to the description of Figure 1. The difference between the shut-off valve shown in Figure 2 and the shut-off valve shown in Figure 1 lies in the design of the guide element. A guide tube is not provided in this embodiment, but instead an extension 23 is formed on the bearing element 21, which projects through the through-hole 18 in the housing 2 and extends into the through-hole 13 in the web 12 of the holding element 8. The area of the through-hole 13 that projects into the extension 23 is designed with an enlarged diameter. Since in this case no guide tube protrudes into the bearing element 21, the bore 24 guided into the bearing element 21 in this embodiment has a smaller diameter than the bore 26 from Figure 1. The bore 24 is also guided through the extension 23 and corresponds in terms of the inner diameter of the through-bore 13 in the web 12 in the region with a smaller diameter.

In this case, to assemble the shut-off valve, with the retaining element fixed, the ball 19 is inserted through the through hole 18 provided in the housing and through the through hole 13 in the web 12, followed by the pin 20. The pin 20 protrudes from the outside of the housing and is finally fixed by slipping over the bearing element 21, which is filled with fusible link 22. The bearing element 21 is screwed gas-tight into the threaded hole provided on the outside of the housing.

The embodiment shown here has the advantage that the manufacture of an additional part, namely the guide tube 26, can be dispensed with, and that only the bearing element 21 is shaped in such a way that it has an extension 23 which, as described, can engage in the through hole 13 of the web 12. Of course, instead of the extension 23 on the bearing element 21, an analogously shaped extension can also be provided on the web 12 of the holding element 8 for engaging in the hole 24 of the bearing element 21.

For this purpose, the bore 24 in the bearing element 21 would have to be widened accordingly in the area in which such an extension engages.

Figure 3 shows a lamella element 28, for example made of aluminum, which in turn can be placed on the bearing element 21, whereby the temperature sensitivity is increased even further. The temperature sensitivity can be influenced by the color of the bearing element, the type of lamella, the amount of fusible link and the wall thickness of the bearing element, so that the desired closing temperatures can be set. Alternatively, the bearing element and lamella can also be made from one piece.

The described embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not restrictive.

List of reference symbols

1 shut-off valve

2 housing

3 Flange

4 cylindrical gas passage

5 paragraph

6 Puncture

7 Valve seat

8 Holding element

9 Sleeve

10 Bore

11 Snap ring

12 Bridge

13 Through hole

14 Locking body

15 pen

16 Ring groove

17 Spring

18 Through hole

19 ball

20 pen

21 Bearing element

22 Fusible link

23 Extension

24 Bore

25 Bore

26 guide tubes

27 Bore

28 Slat element

Claims (12)

1. Temperature-sensitive shut-off valve, in particular for gas lines, with a housing ( 2 ) having a passage ( 4 ) and a valve seat ( 7 ) and an assembly consisting of a holding element ( 8 ) which can be positioned in the passage ( 4 ) and has a bore ( 10 ) which is central to the valve seat ( 7 ) in the installed position, a closing body ( 14 ) with a pin element ( 15 ) arranged thereon which can be inserted into the central bore ( 10 ) of the holding element ( 8 ), a spring ( 17 ) which can be clamped between the holding element ( 8 ) and the closing body ( 14 ) and a temperature-sensitive element which has a pin ( 20) arranged in a through-bore (13 ) which runs transversely to the central bore (10 ) through the holding element ( 8 ) and extends into the central bore ( 10 ), and a Housing ( 2 ) arranged bearing element ( 21 ), wherein the pin ( 20 ) guided in the through-bore ( 13 ) of the holding element ( 8 ) projects in the installed position into a bore ( 24 , 25 ) in the bearing element ( 21 ), characterized by a guide element ( 23 , 26 ) connecting the bearing element ( 21 ) and the holding element ( 8 ), which has an opening in which the pin ( 20 ) is guided. 2. Shut-off valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide element ( 26 ) is designed as a separate part and is connected both to the holding element ( 8 ) and to the bearing element ( 21 ). 3. Shut-off valve according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide element ( 26 ) is designed as a guide tube that projects both into the bore ( 25 ) in the bearing element ( 21 ) and into the through-bore ( 13 ) in the holding element ( 8 ). 4. Shut-off valve according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide element ( 23 ) is formed in one piece as an extension either on the bearing element ( 21 ) or on the holding element ( 8 ) and projects into the through-bore ( 13 ) or the bore ( 24 ) in the bearing element ( 21 ), wherein a bore is guided through the extension ( 23 ) which supplements the bore ( 24 ) in the bearing element ( 21 ) and the through-bore ( 13 ) to form a common guide for the pin ( 20 ). 5. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding element ( 8 ) is fixed in the housing ( 2 ) by a snap ring ( 11 ). 6. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding element ( 8 ) has star-shaped webs, wherein in at least one of the webs ( 12 ) the through-bore ( 13 ) extending into the central bore ( 10 ) is arranged, into which the temperature-sensitive element is inserted. 7. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the temperature-sensitive element has a ball ( 19 ) which is pressed by the pin ( 20 ) against the pin element ( 15 ) of the closing body ( 14 ). 8. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that fusible link ( 22 ) is arranged within the bearing element ( 21 ), which fixes the pin in a holding position. 9. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing element ( 21 ) is colored black. 10. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lamellar body ( 28 ) is placed on the bearing element ( 21 ). 11. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing element ( 21 ) is screwed gas-tight into the housing ( 2 ). 12. Shut-off valve according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 2 ) is a one-piece metallic turned part.