Valve operator for butterfly valves or the like

Abstract

A valve operator for controlling the movement of a valve member carried by a rotatable valve shaft of a valve. The valve operator limits the movement of the valve member between a predetermined opened position and a closed position, the valve operator being adjustable without complete disassembly of the same to adjust the closing position of the member when necessary without affecting the overall amount of movement of the valve member as limit stops are operatively positioned on an operating shaft or stem of the valve operator with one of the stops being adjustable to axially move the operating shaft or stem and, thus, simultaneously adjust the other stop. Additionally, the valve operator is provided with coupling means for coupling the same to the rotatable shaft of the valve member, the coupling means being so arranged as to include a coupling sleeve which may be easily replaced by another coupling sleeve to accommodate the valve operator for valves having different diameter valve shafts. This latter feature also does not require the valve operator to be completely disassembled.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A valve operator for controlling the movement of and adjustably controlling the limits of such movement of a valve member carried by a rotatable valve shaft of a valve, said valve operator comprising: a housing member associated with the valve and defining an enclosed chamber;   an operating shaft having one end portion extending through said housing and having threads on a second portion of the same within the housing;   means for supporting said operating shaft in an adjusted axial position and for rotatable movement, said means including an adjustable collar threadedly received in said housing and having an exterior non-circular configuration on a portion extending exteriorly of said housing, a stem bushing fixed to said operating shaft and a stem retainer nut carried by said adjustment collar and retaining said stem bushing axially fixed with respect to the adjustment collar;   an operating nut carried on the threaded portion of said operating shaft and movable axially on said operating shaft when said operating shaft is rotated;   stop means on said adjustment collar for engaging said operating nut and limiting its movement in one direction and a second stop means carried by said operating shaft for engaging said operating nut and limiting movement in an opposite direction;   means coupling the operating nut to the valve shaft for rotating the valve shaft;   and an adjustment cap having a non-circular interior configuration complementary to the non-circular exterior configuration of said adjustment collar and covering the same with an end portion of said operating shaft extending through the cap, said adjustment cap being bolted to said housing and having a slight lost motion play with said adjustment collar whereby said adjustment cap can be unbolted from said housing and rotated in one direction or the other to cause rotation of said adjustment collar to simultaneously adjust said first and second stop means and then rotated in reverse direction for rebolting without affecting the adjustment.   
     
     
       2. A valve operator as claimed in claim 1 in which said operating shaft has an end portion adjacent said second stop means supported in a closed bore in said housing. 
     
     
       3. A valve operator as claimed in claim 2 in which said closed bore is closed by a freeze plug. 
     
     
       4. A valve operator as claimed in claim 2 in which said second stop means includes a nut threaded onto said operating shaft by threads of an opposite hand to the threaded portion of said operating shaft. 
     
     
       5. A valve operator as claimed in claim 1 including a first sealing means between said adjustment cap and said housing and a second sealing means between the end portion of said operating shaft extending through said adjustment cap and the adjustment cap. 
     
     
       6. A valve operator as claimed in claim 1 in which said adjustment collar includes a counterbore for receiving said stem bushing and in which said stem nut is threadedly received in said adjustment collar and has threads of opposite hand to the threaded operating shaft. 
     
     
       7. A valve operator as claimed in claim 1 in which said means coupling the operating nut to said valve shaft includes a bifurcated yoke member having arms with slots therein and nut like members carried by pins on said operating nut and rotatable relative thereto, said nut like members being slideable in said slots when said operating nut rotates said yoke member. 
     
     
       8. A valve operator as claimed in claim 7 including a tubular boss extending from said housing member and having a flanged end for coupling with the valve, said tubular boss having an axis offset from and transverse to the axis of said operating shaft, a tubular coupler member rotatably carried in said boss and having a bore therethrough with one end portion adapted to fit over and be fixed to the valve shaft and the other end portion of non-circular configuration, said yoke member having a bore therethrough of non-circular configuration complementary to the non-circular configuration of the other end portion of said coupler member and a shaft of non-circular cross-section complementary to the non-circular configuration of said bores in said yoke member and said coupler member, respectively, said shaft extending through the bore in said yoke member into the non-circular bore of said coupler member to couple the valve shaft to the yoke member. 
     
     
       9. A valve operator as claimed in claim 8 in which said housing member has opposed sidewalls, at least a portion of each which respectively prevents said nut like members from being removed from said pins of said operating nut. 
     
     
       10. A valve operator as claimed in claim 9 in which at least one of said sidewalls is a detachable cover plate for permitting access to the enclosed chamber of said housing member. 
     
     
       11. A valve operator as claimed in claim 10 in which said enclosed chamber of said housing member is filled with lubricant means. 
     
     
       12. A valve operator as claimed in claim 7 in which said housing member has opposed sidewalls, a portion of each which respectively prevents said nut like members from being removed from said pins of said operating nut. 
     
     
       13. A valve operator for controlling the movement of a valve member carried by a rotatable valve shaft of a valve, said valve operator comprising: a housing member for attachment to the valve, the housing member defining an enclosed chamber;   a rotatable operating shaft supported by said housing member against axial movement, said operating shaft having threaded portion within said enclosed chamber and another portion extending exteriorly of the housing member for receiving means to rotate the same;   a follower nut threadedly carried on the threaded portion of said operating shaft for movement axially of the operating shaft;   a bellcrank member having one end pivotally mounted on an axis spaced from and transverse of an axis of the operating shaft, and having its other end operatively connected to said follower nut for movement therewith;   means operatively connecting the said one end of said bellcrank member to the rotatable valve shaft, said last mentioned means including a tubular boss extending from said housing member and having an end for coupling with the valve, said tubular boss having an axis concentric with the pivot axis of said bellcrank member, a tubular coupler member rotatably carried in said boss and having a bore therethrough with one end portion adapted to fit over and be fixed to the valve shaft and the other end portion of non-circular configuration, said bellcrank member having a bore therethrough surrounding its pivot axis and of non-circular configuration complementary to the non-circular configuration of the other end portion of said coupler member, and a shaft fixedly connected to said bellcrank member and having a portion of non-circular cross-section complementary to the configuration of said bore in said bellcrank member and said coupler member, respectively, said shaft slideably extending through the non-circular bore in said bellcrank member into the non-circular bore of said coupler member whereby said valve shaft is rotated when said bellcrank member is pivoted by said follower member and whereby said coupler member may be interchanged with other coupler members for use with valves having particular size valve shafts.   
     
     
       14. A valve operator as claimed in claim 13 in which said housing member includes opposed sidewalls, one of which includes said tubular boss and the other of which includes a detachable cover plate which is provided with an interior surface closely positioned to an end of said shaft of noncircular cross-section for retaining said shaft in position in the bores of said bellcrank member and said coupler member. 
     
     
       15. A valve operator as claimed in claim 14 in which said coupler member is pinned to the valve shaft and may remain with the valve shaft when the valve operator is removed from said valve. 
     
     
       16. A valve operator as claimed in claim 15 including a bushing between said coupler member and said tubular boss. 
     
     
       17. A valve operator as claimed in claim 13 in which said rotatable operating shaft is supported at least adjacent both ends thereof and including first stop means adjustably supported by said housing about the end portion of said operating shaft which extends exteriorly of the housing member, said first stop means being arranged to abut and limit the movement of said follower means in one direction, and a second stop means fixedly carried on the other end of said operating shaft for abutting said follower means and limiting movement of the same in an opposite direction. 
     
     
       18. A valve operator as claimed in claim 17 in which adjustment of said first adjustable stop means also simultaneously adjusts said second stop means whereby overall movement of the valve member is maintained the same when adjustment is made to properly close the valve member. 
     
     
       19. In combination with a valve having a rotatable shaft for operating the valve between opened and closed positions, a valve operator for rotating said valve shaft comprising: a housing member operatively connected to the valve;   an operating shaft journaled in said housing member and having threads on at least a portion of the same, said shaft including means to rotate the same;   a follower nut threadedly received on the threads of said operating shaft and movable axially of the same in one direction or the other, depending on rotation of the operating shaft;   means operatively connecting said valve shaft with said follower nut;   a first stop means for limiting movement of said follower nut in one direction;   a second stop means fixed to said operating shaft for limiting movement of said follower nut in an opposite direction;   and means adjustably supporting said first stop means in said housing member and operatively fixing said first stop means to said operating shaft, said adjustment means when operated to adjust said first stop means also simultaneously adjusting said second stop means whereby overall rotation of said valve shaft is maintained when said valve shaft is adjusted to properly close said valve.   
     
     
       20. The combination as claimed in claim 19 in which said adjustment means include an adjustment collar threadedly received in said housing member, a stem bushing fixed to said operating shaft, and a stem retainer nut carried by said adjustment collar and retaining said stem bushing axially fixed with respect to the adjustment collar. 
     
     
       21. The combination as claimed in claim 20 in which said adjustment collar has a non-circular configuration on a portion of the same extending exteriorly of said housing member, and including an adjustment cap having a non-circular interior configuration substantially complementary to the non-circular exterior configuration of the adjustment collar and covering the same, said adjustment cap being bolted to said housing member and having a slight lost motion play with said adjustment collar whereby said adjustment cap can be unbolted from said housing member and threaded in one direction or the other to cause rotation of said adjustment collar to simultaneously adjust said first and second stop means and the rotated in a reverse direction for rebolting without affecting the adjustment. 
     
     
       22. The combination as claimed in claim 21 in which said first stop means is integral with said adjustment collar. 
     
     
       23. The combination as claimed in claim 22 in which said second stop means include a nut threaded onto said operating shaft by threads having an opposite hand from the threads of said operating shaft. 
     
     
       24. A valve operator for controlling the movement of a valve member carried by a rotatable valve shaft of a valve, said valve operator comprising: a housing member for attachment to the valve, the housing member defining an enclosed chamber;   a rotatable operating shaft supported by said housing member against axial movement, said operating shaft having a threaded portion within said enclosed chamber and another portion extending exteriorly of the housing member for receiving means to rotate the same;   a follower nut threadedly carried on the threaded portion of said operating shaft for movement axially of the operating shaft;   a bellcrank member having one end pivotally mounted on an axis spaced from and transverse of an axis of the operating shaft, and having its other end operatively connected to said follower nut for movement therewith;   means operatively connecting the said one end of said bellcrank member to the rotatable valve shaft, said last mentioned means including a tubular boss extending from said housing member and having an end for coupling with the valve, said tubular boss having an axis concentric with the pivot axis of said bellcrank member, a tubular coupler member rotatably carried in said boss and having a bore therethrough with one end portion adapted to fit over and be fixed to the valve shaft and the other end portion of non-circular configuration, and a shaft .[.of non-circular cross-section.]. .Iadd.fixedly connected to said bellcrank member and having a portion .Iaddend.complementary to the non-circular configuration of said bore in said coupler member, said shaft slideably extending through the non-circular bore of said coupler member whereby said valve shaft is rotated when said bellcrank member is pivoted by said follower member and whereby said coupler member may be interchanged with other coupler members for use with valves having particular size valve shafts.