Valve assembly and lockout mechanism

Abstract

A valve assembly including a valve body with an inlet port and an outlet port, a flow passage and a valve element disposed within the flow passage, an actuator and a lockout mechanism configured to maintain the position of the valve assembly in an opened position or a closed position. The lockout mechanism can include at least one screw.

1 . A valve assembly, comprising:
 a valve body having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage therebetween;   a valve element movably disposed within a valve body flow passage;   an actuator operably coupled to the valve element, the actuator operable between a first position and a second position, to move the valve element between an opened position and a closed position, respectively;   a lockout mechanism, comprising a lockout screw, the lockout screw adapted to maintain the actuator in one of the first position and the second position; and   a receiver including the lockout screw.   
     
     
         2 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lockout screw has a longitudinal axis and is movable along the longitudinal axis to a locked position maintaining the actuator in one of the first position and the second position, and an unlocked position allowing the actuator to move. 
     
     
         3 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a protrusion including an opening, the opening of the protrusion overlying the receiver when the actuator is in one of the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The valve assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the actuator can be locked into one of the first position and the second position by receiving the lockout screw in the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The valve assembly of  claim 4 , wherein a first set of threads are disposed on the lockout screw and a second set of threads are located on the receiver, the second set of threads configured to mate with the first set of threads. 
     
     
         6 . The valve assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the lockout screw includes a set-screw having a socket head, and wherein the set-screw is tapered at a neck adjacent the socket head. 
     
     
         7 . The valve assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising a cover plate mounted to the valve body and having an aperture corresponding to the receiver, wherein the socket head is smaller in width than the aperture and the first set of threads are wider than the aperture. 
     
     
         8 . The valve assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the protrusion is an override arm and the lockout screw is moveable between a stowed position out of engagement with the override arm and a locked position engaging the override arm. 
     
     
         9 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lockout screw is moveable between an unlocked position out of engagement with the actuator and a locked position engaging the actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly is adapted for use in an aircraft and the lockout mechanism includes primary means and secondary means for maintaining the lockout screw in an unlocked position and the lockout mechanism includes a primary means, a secondary means, and a tertiary means for maintaining the lockout screw in a locked position. 
     
     
         11 . The valve assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lockout screw is a first lockout screw and the receiver is a first receiver, the lockout mechanism comprising a second lockout screw and a second receiver, wherein a opening of a protrusion overlying the second receiver when the actuator is in one of the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         12 . A valve assembly, comprising:
 a valve body having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage therebetween;   a valve element movably disposed within a valve body flow passage;   an actuator operably coupled to the valve element, the actuator operable between a first position and a second position, to move the valve element between an opened position and a closed position, respectively;   a lockout mechanism, comprising a set of lockout screws, the set of lockout screws adapted to maintain the actuator in a desired position including the first position or the second position, and a set of receivers with each of the set of receivers including one of the set of lockout screws, further comprising a cover comprising a plurality of openings.   
     
     
         13 . The valve assembly of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the set of receivers comprises a cavity configured to contain the set of lockout screws and the set of lockout screws is moveable between an unlocked position out of engagement with the cover and a locked position engaging the cover, wherein the set of lockout screws are located within one of the plurality of openings in the locked position. 
     
     
         14 . The valve assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the cover includes three openings and the set of lockout screws is operable to move and be locked into an intermediate position between the first position and the second position and wherein the valve element is correspondingly moved to a partially-opened position when the set of lockout screws is in the intermediate position. 
     
     
         15 . The valve assembly of  claim 13 , wherein a first set of threads are disposed on the set of lockout screws and a second set of threads are located within at least one of the set of receivers, the second set of threads configured to mate with the first set of threads. 
     
     
         16 . The valve assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the set of lockout screws includes a setscrew having a socket head and a neck adjacent the socket head, and wherein the socket head is smaller in width than each of the plurality of openings and the first set of threads are wider than each of the plurality of openings. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly for use with a valve assembly having a valve element disposed within a valve body flow passage, the assembly comprising:
 an actuator operably coupled to the valve element, the actuator operable between a first position and a second position, to move the valve element between an opened position and a closed position, respectively;   a housing provided with one of the actuator or the valve assembly;   a lockout mechanism, comprising a lockout screw, the lockout screw adapted to maintain the actuator in one of the first position and the second position, and   a receiver including the lockout screw, wherein the actuator can be locked into a desired position by engaging the lockout screw in an opening of the housing.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the lockout screw has a longitudinal axis and is movable along the longitudinal axis to a locked position maintaining the actuator in one of the first position and the second position and an unlocked position allowing the actuator to move. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 17 , further comprising a cover plate mounted to a valve body and having an aperture corresponding to the receiver wherein a socket head is smaller in width than the aperture and a first set of threads are wider than the aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the lockout screw is moveable between an unlocked position out of engagement with the actuator and a locked position engaging the actuator.