Gas control assembly

Abstract

The gas control assembly includes a housing threaded to a vessel neck to extend into the vessel containing pressurized fluid, a fitting threaded into the housing bore and a valve body threaded to the fitting outwardly of the neck with a valve body threaded thereto. The housing and fitting having a first passageway that opens to the ambient atmosphere and to a relief device at the housing inner end to permit fluid exhausting through the first passageway upon the temperature and/or pressure in the vessel exceeding a preselected valve. The housing, fitting and valve body provide a second passageway opening to the vessel interior and an outlet connection. The fitting and housing mount a main valve in the second passageway while a solenoid is mounted to the valve body and when energized, through a rod, operates the main valve to an open condition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A gas control assembly mountable to the neck of a vessel for containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the vessel interior, comprising: an axially elongated housing having an outer end portion removably mountable to the neck of the vessel and axial intermediate and inner end portions extendable within the vessel interior, said housing having a main bore extending axially therethrough, a relief device mounted to the housing inner end portion and opening to the housing bore for blocking fluid flow therethrough to the housing bore until exposed to at least one of a pressure and a temperature exceeding a preselected level and then permitting fluid flow therethrough, a fitting having an inlet end portion extending within the housing bore and an outer end portion outwardly of the vessel when the housing is mounted thereto, a valve body mounted to the fitting outer end portion and having a main outlet, at least one of the housing and fitting having a first fluid flow passageway opening through the housing bore to the relief device and to the ambient atmosphere through at least one of the housing outer end portion and the fitting outer end portion, the housing, fitting and valve body having a second fluid flow passageway for conducting fluid exterior of the housing from axially inwardly of the housing outer end portion to the main outlet, a main valve in the second passageway and operable between an open position permitting fluid flow therethrough and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the second passageway, said main valve being mounted in the housing bore, a solenoid mounted to the valve body remote from the housing, said solenoid having a solenoid coil and a plunger movable to an extended position upon energizing the solenoid coil and means for being moved by the plunger moving to its extended position to operate the main valve to its open position.  
     
     
         2 . The gas control assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the fitting and valve body defines a main chamber and a pressure regulator is incorporated with the valve body in the second passageway intermediate the main chamber and the main outlet for permitting fluid flow from the main chamber to the main outlet as long as the pressure at the main outlet is below a preselected value.  
     
     
         3 . The gas control assembly of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the fitting and valve body defines a main chamber, an inlet check valve is mounted to the valve body in fluid communication with the main chamber to have fluid under pressure applied therethrough to the main chamber while blocking fluid flow therethrough from the main chamber.  
     
     
         4 . The gas control assembly of  claim 1  wherein the main valve includes a valve stem axially movable between a valve open position and a closed position and means for resiliently urging the valve stem to its valve open position and the means for being moved by the plunger comprises an axially elongated rod axially movably mounted by the fitting and having one end abuttable against the plunger and an opposite end abuttable against the valve stem.  
     
     
         5 . The gas control assembly of  claim 1  wherein the main valve includes a valve seat, a valve stem axially movable between a valve open position and a closed position, said valve stem extending through the valve seat and having a bore extending axially therethrough, the first passageway in part being defined by the valve stem bore, and means for resiliently urging the valve stem to its valve open position.  
     
     
         6 . The gas control assembly of  claim 5  wherein the valve seat and at least one of the housing and fitting form first and second annular clearance spaces with the valve seat being axially therebetween and the first clearance space being axially more closely adjacent to the relief device than the second clearance space and a cross bore opening to the first clearance space and to the interior of the vessel when the housing is mounted to the vessel neck, the second passageway including the first and second clearance spaces and the cross bore.  
     
     
         7 . The gas control assembly of  claim 6  wherein the fitting has a central bore extending axially therethrough, the fitting bore having an outer end, the means movable by the plunger being an axially elongated rod having one end abuttable against the plunger and an opposite end abuttable against the valve stem, the rod in combination with the wall defining the fitting bore forming a first passage axially elongated third clearance space that at one end opens to the valve stem bore and an opposite end, the fitting having a bore fluidly connecting the opposite end of the third clearance space and providing the opening of the first passageway to the ambient atmosphere when the housing Is mounted to the neck of the vessel.  
     
     
         8 . The gas control assembly of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the fitting and valve body defines a main chamber that comprises a part of the second passageway, the fitting extending through the main chamber and there is a pressure regulator in the second passageway between the main chamber and the main outlet for reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing from the main chamber to the outlet.  
     
     
         9 . The gas control assembly of  claim 8  wherein a manually operated off-on valve is disposed in the second passage intermediate the pressure regulator and the main chamber, the pressure regulator and valve body form a control chamber, the regulator having means for reducing the fluid pressure of the fluid flowing from the off-on valve to the control chamber and permitting fluid flow from the off-on valve to the control chamber when the fluid pressure at the main outlet is below a preselected level, a pressure sensor mounted by the valve body to sense the pressure in at least one of the control chamber and at the main outlet, and a outlet relief device mounted to the valve body to open to the second passageway intermediate the control chamber and the outlet to exhaust fluid when the fluid pressure is above a preselected level in the control chamber.  
     
     
         10 . A gas control assembly mountable to the neck of a vessel for containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the vessel interior, comprising: a valve subassembly that has a threaded portion for being threadedly mountable to the neck, an inner end portion locatable in the vessel interior and an outer end portion locatable exterior of the vessel when threaded to the neck, a first fluid flow passageway having a first end in the interior of the vessel and a second end opening to the ambient atmosphere when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck and a second fluid flow passageway having a first end and a second end opening to the vessel interior when the threaded portion is threaded to the neck, a relief device mounted to the subassembly inner end portion and opening to the first passageway first end for blocking fluid flow through the first passageway until at least one of pressure and temperature exceed a preselected level and then permitting fluid flow through the first s passageway, a main valve in the second passageway and having a valve seat through which the second passageway extends and a valve stem extending through the valve seat and movable between a closed position to block fluid flow through the second passageway and an open position permitting fluid flow through the second passageway and means for resiliently urging the valve stem to its closed position, means for acting against the valve stem to selectively move the valve stem to its open position, the valve stem having a bore extending axially therethrough and forming a part of the first passageway that permits fluid flow therethrough regardless of whether the valve stem is in either one of its open and closed positions.  
     
     
         11 . The gas control assembly of  claim 10  wherein a valve body is mounted to the valve assembly outer end portion, the valve body having a main outlet and a passage fluidly connecting the second passageway first end to the main outlet and a pressure regulator in the passage for controlling the pressure at the main outlet.  
     
     
         12 . The gas control assembly of  claim 11  wherein the means for acting against the valve stem includes a solenoid mounted to the valve body and having a solenoid coil and a plunger movable to an extended position by energizing the solenoid coil and means for being moved by the plunger moving to its extended position to move the valve stem to its open position.  
     
     
         13 . The gas control assembly of  claim 11  wherein the valve subassembly includes an axially elongated housing having the subassembly threaded portion and inner end portion, an outer peripheral surface portion within the vessel interior when threaded to the neck and a first bore extending axially therethrough, the valve seat and the means for resiliently urging being located in the housing first bore, the relief device opens to the housing bore, the housing having a second bore opening through the peripheral surface portion and to the housing bore axially opposite the valve seat from the second passageway first end, the housing first and second bores defining part of the second passageway.  
     
     
         14 . The gas control assembly of  claim 13  wherein the valve subassembly includes an axially elongated fitting having an intermediate portion threadedly mounted to the housing and extending within the housing bore and an outer end portion, one of the fitting outer end and intermediate portions having the second passageway first end, the fitting having a passage in fluid communication with the valve stem bore and to the first passageway first end, the fitting passage constituting a part of the first passageway.  
     
     
         15 . The gas control assembly of  claim 14  wherein the fitting has a central bore extending axially therethrough and has an axially intermediate bore portion and an inner end portion in fluid communication with the valve stem bore, the means for being moved by the plunger comprises an elongated rod having one end abuttable against the valve stem and an opposite end abuttable against the plunger, the first passageway in part being defined by the fitting intermediate bore portion and the rod forming an annular clearance space.  
     
     
         16 . The gas control assembly of  claim 14  wherein the valve body has a bore extending therethrough and opening to the fitting bore, the valve body bore and the fitting having cooperating wall portions defining an annular main chamber which forms the second passageway first end, the valve body passage opening to the main chamber, an inlet check valve is mounted to the valve body and opens to the main chamber to permit high pressurized fluid flowing therethrough and into the main chamber while preventing fluid in the main chamber exhausting therethrough, a manually operated valve is mounted by the valve body to extend in the passage to permit blocking fluid flow through the passage, and a pressure regulator is provided in the valve body passage intermediate the manually operated valve and the main outlet for reducing the pressure of the fluid flowing from the main chamber to the main outlet.  
     
     
         17 . A gas control assembly mountable to the neck of a vessel for containing fluid under pressure and extendable into the vessel interior, comprising: an axially elongated housing having an outer end portion removably mountable to the neck of the vessel and axially intermediate and inner end portions extendable within the vessel interior, said housing having a main bore extending axially therethrough, the housing inner end portion having a peripheral surface portion, a fitting removably mounted to the housing, said fitting having an inlet end portion extending within the housing bore and an outer end portion outwardly of the vessel when the housing is mounted thereto, a valve body removably mounted to the fitting outer end portion and having a main outlet, a valve seat located in the housing bore, a valve stem movably extending within the housing bore for axial movement relative to the valve seat between open and closed positions, said valve stem extending through the valve seat and having an enlarged diametric portion abuttable against the valve seat axially opposite the fitting, means in the housing bore for resiliently urging the valve stem to its closed position with the enlarged diametric portion abutting against the valve stem, a valve body removably mounted to the fitting axially opposite the housing and in combination with the fitting providing a main chamber, said valve body having a main outlet and a first passage fluidly connecting the main chamber to the main outlet, the fitting having a second passage opening to the main chamber and to and through the housing bore to open to the valve seat axially opposite the valve stem enlarged diametric portion, the housing having a fluid passage opening through the peripheral surface and to the housing bore opposite the valve seat from the fitting, a solenoid mounted to the valve body and having a solenoid coil and a plunger movable to an extended position upon energizing the coil and means for being moved by the plunger moving to its extended position for moving the valve stem to its open position, said means being axially movable mounted by the fitting and having one end abuttable against the plunger and an opposite end abuttable against the valve stem.  
     
     
         18 . The gas control assembly of  claim 17  wherein a pressure regulator is provided in the first passage, the fitting has a bore extending axially therethrough and having one end opening to the valve stem and an opposite end, the valve body has a bore extending therethrough in alignment with the fitting and the plunger is mounted in alignment with the valve body bore opposite the fitting, the means being axially moved by the plunger movably extending through the valve body bore and at least partially through the fitting bore.  
     
     
         19 . The gas control assembly of  claim 18  wherein the fitting has an inner end portion abuttable against the valve seat and extends within the housing bore to in combination therewith form an annular clearance space that forms part of the second passage and the valve stem extends into the fitting bore.