Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3~ 5~
A valve componsnt ~or ~ fr.ictlon3.es~ guided
The prus~nt invention rel~ta5 to e val~ cDmp~n~n~ for ~9
~s part o~ a plato-type non-r~turn valve ~nd mor~ partl~ul~rly
to a frlc~ionle~a yuide mamb~r Por u8e wl~h a valv~ clo~ur~
membs~ whereby a oampasit~ valve pla~,o is ~o~rned. It i~ ~nvi~sgsd
th3 valvu clo3uro m~mber and the compoQite valve plate alao form
part of tha pressht inv3ntion.
Hitherto in ~riction~es3 guided valves, valve plata3 are
known which have b~n integrally ~ormed o~ ~eel and have mainly
1~ ccmprised a main outer, annular valv~ closure portion
normally pravided wl~h ~rcuats S10tB for tha pa~aga of air or
oth3r ga~os, and ~uide m~ans located cantr~lly of the valva
clo3ur3 portion to provid~ what is term3d "frictionle~3 ~uldanc~"
with ssid guid~ me~ns laading tG mountin~ m~ng whloh, ~n use
in ~ valvs, ~rs clamp~d in position betwsan ~heseat and ~uard
of ths vslvs. Hitherto known v~lU8 plat3 h~ve ba~n
totally form~d pf s~e~l or if ~or~ad of ~nokher mat~ l heue
baan ints~rally for~o i.a. the vslv3 closure portion snd ~h~
guidQ therefor hav~ baon on3-piace.
2a
Propo~als have been mada to form valv3 pl~t~ of tltanlum
or pl~stic~ material or matsrial other than s~eel but
difFicultia3 hsvs been encounte~ed. ~ith a plate Formed ~
titanium or plastlcs ~ater;al, fl consit3rsbla raduction ln the
w0ight of the plate can be achiavad which 1 of consldarabla
advantag~ ~inc~ the inartia o~ th~ plata i8 ~aduc~d and tha
opara~ion of a valv~ incorporating ~uch a plate ~ ~nhanca~
~ow~ver, difficul~ia~ ars exp~rianced a8 a rs~ult of th~ poor
flexlns and wa~r characteristio~ c~ thc cantral guide ~aan~
3a which h~a dctractad from th~ advsntages raaulting from tha
savinga in wsight.
Accor~$ng to th~ prss~nt -invQ~tlon a ~uid3 m~mber for U8~ aa
part o~ ~ pla~a ~or us~ in a plata-typ3 non-r0turn valva
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comprise~ central mounting msan~ ~or ~n~bling the guida mamb~r
to be located in pD3ition in a valva, at l~a3t ona rosillently
fl~xlbl~ guide arm extanding outwardly from or located outwardly
o~ ~ald c3ntral mountin~ mean~ and le~ding to or joining ~ith aut~r
S mounting me~ns which parmits the guid0 m~mber to b~ conn~ctad to or
mounted on an out~r valve cloeura member.
Tho guid~ m3mber will be o~ a mat~rial ~4ch as ~ill exhl~it
the r~quired ~loxibility and wsar characterlstlcs end will norm~lly
be oP st3al a8 us3d in known Intsgrally ~ormad valve plats~. The
guida membar will gen~rally be Flst or lie in a ~in~le plane.
Tho guid3 m~mb3r will be o~ a th~ckn~ such ~ to ~xhibit the
rsquired raoilianDa an~ flaxibili~y end may bs of a constant
thicknass or havs r~ducod thickn~ss portions to prov~de anhanc3d
chara~tsri~tics a~ may be dssire~. Ths cantrsl mounting means
mRy be ~ central hub portion pre~arably with a cant~al oircular
ap~rtur~ thsrein or msy be ~orm3d ~rom separate arm portions
laadlng lnwardly ~rom sn outer continuous mounting portion. Tho
c~ntral mountlng means will hsua locatlng mcan~ ~uch a~ cut out
portions to en~ure corract location of the mambsr a~ i3 known
in tha central portion~ o~ knDwn valva plates.
Tha at least one ~lexible o~Ui~ arm may extend splrally
~utwardly o~ the central mounting m~an~ and will run into tha
outer moun~ing msan~ ~lthough 6ny o~her de~ircd arr~ng~m~n~
may b~ previdsd.
Th~ outar meunting m~ani3 will prefar~bly b~ provldod wi~h
m~ans to ansura Cor~3Ct pO8itiOh therao~ r31Otivs to tha valvo
closura ~ambar with which it 13;.to bs usad and this m~y ~omprise
an outwardly extand~ng projection which cooperatos with ~nd ~e
locatable in a corr3sponding ~eces3 ln the inn~r p~riphery o~ the
valva closiura m~mber.
The Duter mounting me~ns will ba such ~8 to caopsrate with
msani3 provided in ~h~ ~nner port1on or port~o~si of the valve
clo~ur~ mamb~r to ~nsure adequats retsntiDn, Pr~era~ly the
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mounting means ~ill compriss t~o arm~ extending circularly f~om the
end of the flexibl~ guide ~rm in opposite directions and ~armin~ting
wlth a sp~ce th~reb~t~3~n and being suf~icicntly resili~nt ln the
pl~na of the plat~ ~o a~ to b~ ang~gaable with a co~espondin~
circul~r groovo or ohsnr7~1 ln the inner periphe~:y o~ ~h~ valve
0103ur~ membar which i~ provid~d for r~ceiving ~uch ln the m~nner
oP sn internal oirclip arranyemen~. Sultable apertura~ w~ll
bs providsd on tha free ends of the mounting arms to permit
engagsmant by ~ui~abla tools such a~ ~ pair o~ olrolip pliers.
Th~ guid~ mamber thus wlll normally bs integrally ~ormed
oP one piece material prafsrably ste31 and be locatablo in 8
epsc~ally formad valve oloeura memoer 80 a~ to provid~ for ~riction-
lass guidance thereo~ in ~3~r3d mannar.
Also accordiny to ths presen~ invsntlon a valvo clo~ure
memb3r compr~aes a generally ~nnular or othsrwi~e ~h~psd plate
member with th~ough passages ~ormed th3rain &nd heving a o~ntral
ap~rture therain ~or retainably raceiv~ng a g~id~ me~bar th~rain
~hioh is to provide fric~onless guldance for th3 valve closurs
msmb3r.
The valve closure member iS normslly of a matsrisl of le~ser
dcn~ity than ~t301 and may be of any dasir3d ~orm and msy b3 shapsd
to corraQpond to the valve cloaurs port~on~ o~ knnwn lntegr~lly
~orm~d plat~ v~lve membora - thore being ab~ont ths c~ntral
~r~ctionle~s guidsnc~ portlo~ and mounting po~tion an~ there
b~ing previd~d ~aans ~or enaolln~o location o~ th~ guid~ mamber
oentrally o~ th~ valvo closure m3mbar.
The maan~ ~or permittin~ locatlon of th~ guid~ m~mber
centrally o~ the vslve closu~s member may oomprlso ~ ci~cular
groove or channql o~ any de~lrad cross-sectlo~ sx~nding ~rownd
tha inn~r pariphery of tha valvo closure member and bclng o~ such
a sh~p~ a~ to cooparat~ wlth th~ o~ter mounting means o~ ~ gu~ds
membsr 30 as ~0 ret~in such therein. I~ the guld~ mamber lJer~
to hi~va on ~t3 outar pariphery a num~er o~ ~psced apart projaction39
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th~n one arrangement ~or lo~t~on oP the guide m~mber might ~e
to prouido ~lots ronnlng into a groove or ohannel ln th3 innar
psriphory o~ tha valv~ closure mamber 90 a9 to permlt insertion
of tho projoction~ into said groous o~ ohan~al ~nd r~tantion by a
tuisting movsmen~ of th~ gufde memb~r relative to the v~lvo
closure memb~r with ~ub~q~ent po~Qltlon~l ratsntlon ~lng ~hiov~d
by tho loca~ing pln~ ~tc, of th~ val~ o pre~qn~ unda31r~d
dlQlo~gement of tha g~ida memb~r From the valv~ clo~ure member.
Al~o according to the pre3ent ~nvention a composite valva
plate for usa in a plate-typ~ non-rsturn valv~ compri.s3s an
outer u~lve clos~re membar having a c~ntral apartura and a guide
msmbsr locat~ble in ~aid can~ral aperturs and b~ing c~pable oP
providing frict~onless ~uidance of ths v~lve olosuro memb~ lth
sa~d guld~ mambQr bsing locatable ~ithin said ~parture by
looation mean~,
ThQ locatlon m~ans ~111 pra~cr2bly be int3r-coop~r~t~on means
on the guida m~mber and valv~ closure mamber and pr~fera~ly oompri8
an annular groove o~ channel in the inn~r periph~ry o~ the valva
clcsurs m~mbs~ lying in the sa~a plane ~ the valvs clo~ure ~embar
a~d into which channel or ~roov3 spring arms in ~h9 form of an
in~srnal circlip may b~ lecatablo ~or ret~nt~on purpo~s. Othcr
loCat~Gn m3a~9 may be prDvld~d by w~y o~ pr3~ction or rivattin~
or bond~ng or ather~e s~curing tha guide ~mbsr in posit~on i~
the v~lv~ closure m~mbsr.
It i9 of ceur30 impo~t~nt ~or ths guide m4mber to.be retaln~d
a9aillBt ~ot3tion ralativ~ to tho vslv~ closure m~mb~r 30 ~8 to
3~ ~aintain thc passage6 in alignmer7t with appropr.i~ts p~r~ ~n
th~ ~21va houeln~ etc. ~nd in thi~ re~pact m3ans ars provided
to prev~nt rota~ion of the guide m4m'osr ~n th9 locat1on ~ana about
a c~ntrsl axis tr~nsv~rs3 to ths m~mber. S~op maang may
co~pri o a radislly sxtending p~ojection and correspondin~
radlally ~xtending r4cs~ which ars coopcrable to pr3vsnt th~
ment~onad rotation snd m8y b3 providod on the gui~3 member ~nd
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closur~ m~mber Qr vlc~ v~rs~. The sam~ conside~ations a~
regards ro~lliance ~nd ~13xlbility and lsteral st~bility
of ~h~ yuida memb~r a~ ~xi~t with the ~rickionless guLde
pDrtions of known valva plate~, for exampl0 whan tha g~ids
m~mber ins~rt according to ~he pr~acnt inv~ntlon 18 rn~ 0~
steel or any other ma~erial suitable to provids ths n~o~s~ry
latsral sti~fn~s~3 i.~. to prsv~nt undu~ mDvom~nt of th~ vslve
clo~ur~ memb~r in th~ plane in which it lia3 wh~lst at the
3ame t~me providing the rsquisite r~ilianos For frictionlass
guid~noe with oth~r rsquired charactsristics of, ~or
9x~mpls, lon~o li~0.
It is ~180 impDrtant ~or the gUidB mambBr ~D flnd it9 o~n
csntral position or locatlon conc~ntrlcally w~thin ~he valve
and ln thi~ respect whon, for exampla, th~ outer mounting
mssn~ ara in th3 form o~ opposit~ly direotad arcuate ~prlng
~rm~ to provid3 an lnt~rnal circlip arrangemsnt looatabl~
wlthin a groovc withln the cantral psriph~ry of tha aperture
o~ the ~alve closure msmbe~, it i~ important for such spring
arms to ~l~x out~rdly in oppos~t~ directions in the plane in
which th~ membsr lie9 SO ~hat when locat~d in tha groov~ or
channel of tha v~lva clos~re msmbsr th~ c~ntral mounting m~ans
atc. ~nsure that the V~iV9 closure m3mber iB concantrically
locstsd within ths vslve hou~ing,
It is ~ccordin~ly to be appreciat~d tha~ the concapt o~ tha
~n~ntion enabla~ a composite valv~ plate to ba provid~d whsrein
the ou~er valve closure member may ben3~it from mat9ri819 ~hich
~nhanc3 ~alve effic~ency, fùr ~xample, ~h3n o~ tltsnium ur
cortaln pla~tics matarial considerablc wal~ht raduction and
thcrafore re~uc~lon in inartia i ach~eved ~hllst at th~ sama
tima p~oviding the ro~LIi~its desirable charaotaristics of
frictionl~ss guidance i.e. guidanc~ ~ithout sliding ccntact.
The guide ~ambor wlll normally bo made of steel ~S slmilar or
equivalant io ths ccntral F~iotionl~s gu~d~ portiDns o~
kno~n guido platos. ~t iB of courso to be appraciated
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that the thickness of -the plate from which the guide member
is made and indeed -the thickness of the guide memher may be
considerably less than -the -thickness of the valve closure
member -to provide the requlred resilient flexibilit~ somewha-t
a~ong the lines of the central frictionless gui~e por-tion of
known valve plates wherein the resilien-t yuide arms are made
of reduced thickness relative to the remainder of the valve
plate.
According to a further broad aspect of the presen-t inven-
tion there is provided a composite valve plate for use in a
plate-type non-return valve comprising a flat outer valve
closure member having a central aperture and a guide member
locatable in the central aperture and being capable of
providing frictionless guidance of the valve closure member.
The guide member is locatable within the aperture by location
means. The location means of the guide member when located
in the central aperture lies or lie in the space defined
between the planes in which the opposite surface of the valve
closure member lie, and the guide member lies within the
central aperture of the valve closure member during an
unstressed state and is connected by the location means to
the valve closure member so that during a given lift the
valve closure member can move on either side of the planes
on which said guide member lies.
According to a further broad aspect of the present inven-
tion there is provided a guide member for use as part of a
plate for use in a plate-type non-return valve comprising
central mounting means for enabling the guide member to be
located in position in a valve, at least one resiliently
flexible guide arm extending outwardly from orlocated outwardly
of the central mounting means and leading to or joining with
outer mounting means which permits the gui~e member to be
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be connected to or moun-ted on an outer valve closure member.
The mounting means comprises two arms extending circularly
from the end of the guide arm of the guide member in opposi-te
direc-tions and -terminating with a space therebe-tween and
being sufficiently resilient in -the plane of -the plate wi-th
which it is to be usecl so as -to be engageable wikh a corres
ponding circular groove or channel in the inner periphery oP
the valve closure member when provided for receiving such in
the manner of an internal circlip arrangement.
According to a still further broad aspect of the present
invention there is provided a valve closure member and guide
therefor comprising a generally annular or othérwise shaped
plate member which is of titanium, plastics material, or of
other material of lesser density than steel and has through
passages formed therein, and having a central aperture therein
retainably receiving retention means of a guide member which
provides frictionless guidance for the valve closure member.
The guide member lies within the central aperture of the valve
closure member during an unstressed state and is connected
to the valve closure member so that during a given lift, the
valve closure member can move on either side of a plane on
which the guide member lies.
According to a still further broad aspect of the present ~-
invention there is provided a composite valve plate for use
in a plate-type non-return valve comprising an outer valve
closure member ~ormed totally of plastics material and having
a central aperture, and a guide member of metal locatable in
the central aperture and being capable of providing friction-
less guidance of the valve closure member. The guide member
has a central mounting means lying in a plane and the guide
member is locatable within the central aperture of the valve
closure member by location means and rests in the central
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aperture when ln an uns-tressed state and is connected by -the
location means to the valve closure member such that duriny
a given lif-t in use, -the valve closure member is able to move
on either side of said plane ln which the central rnountiny
means lies.
The invention will be described fur-ther, by way of example,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FigO 1 is a plan view of a guide member according to the
present invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the guide member of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of a composite valve plate according
to the present invention incorporating the guide member of
Figs. 1 and 2 and including an outer valve closure member
also according to the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a section on the line X-X of Fig. 3 but with the
guide member being omitted; and
Fig. S is a sectional view of a modified form of construc-
tion of the valve in which the valve plate is made of plastic.
In Figs. 1 and 2 a guide member 1 is illustrated comprising
a central mounting means 2 in the form of an annular hub with
cut-outs 2a, 2b for location purposes on pins within the
valve housing (not shown). The hub 2 merges via a transition
portion into a resiliently flexlble spring arm or guide arm
3 which in the embodiment is concentric with the hub 2
although may in other embodiments be of spiral or other shape
extension. The guide arm 3 merges via transition portion
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lnto outer mounting means 4 and 5 comprising two oppositely
directed resilient spring arms 4 and 5 whlch are spirally
tapered and lead -to enlarged end portions 4a and 5a which
have apertures therein for receiving circlip pliers -to en~ble
the arms 4 and 5 to be moved together to perrnit insertion of
the guide member within an ou-ter valve closure member as will
be described subsequently. It will be appreciated that the
arms 4 and 5 have to be resiliently flexible in the plane of
the guide member 1 and spring apart upon release of the
circlip pliers to engage in the grooves of a valve closure
member and preferably when in such engaged position there
will be certain pressure on the groove walls to ensure some
abutment contact. A projection 6 extends from one side of
the guide member and is cooperable with a recess 7 in -the
valve closure member 8 to ensure that the guide member 1 and
closure member 8 do not move relative to one another once the
guide member has been located so as to ensure correct align-
ment of the valve closure member within a valve housing. The
guide member 1 in this embodiment is formed of steel and is
of a thickness and characteristic as to provide the required
resilient flexibility to ensure pliable frictionless guidance
whilst providing the necessary actual stability as is required
with frictionless guidance portions of known integrally
formed valve plat~e. The guide member 1 is of constant thick-
ness although may be fashioned as desired.
The outer valve closure member 8 illustrated in Figs. 3,
4 and 5 in the embodiment is made of plastics material or
may be formed of suitable metal such as titanium to provide
desired characteristics such as lightweight relative to
known valve plates or at least the known outer valve closure
portions of known integrally formed valve plates. It will be
appreoiated that bhe outer valve closure member may be of any
suitable arrangement to close and open the valve ducts
of a plate-type non-return valve and thus the partlcular
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~rr~ngament is given by way o~ cxample anly, Tha closure
ma~bar 8 has a c~ntral circular epertwr~ 9 and a contlnu
annual or groove 10 la provid~d ~ location m~an~ Por ~h~
guid~ m3mbDr 1 and receivas th3 rasill~ arrn8 4 ~d 5.
1~ rC~Qoo 7 i3 proVldbcl tl:~ co4p~ratf3 wlth th~ pr~,~ectlnns G
so a~ to p~rmit the guid9 m~mbar 1 to b~ lnaerte~ in the
cantr~l ap3rtura g in tha v~lve closura member B and ~or the
srms 4 and 5 to be located ln ~he groove 10 but is 3uch
a~ to prev~nt ro~ation o~ guide mombar 1 r31atlve tc closurc
mam~r 2 once tha location ha~ basn e~f~cted, Whîlst tha
groov~ 10 ln th~ section 4 ia illustrated a baing o~
~ctsngul~r sactlon ~uch may be of any ~uitabla sh~pe or
msy ln f~ct 'oa c~ la~ar roll~f, l~e. o~ less~r d~pth.
It will be appreclated that var~ous modi~icatisns and
ohanges may be e~fected without d~partlng ~rom the scopa
c~ tho present inventlon. For axamplc? in a valva plate
arrangement ~h~reby ~rictionless 9ui~ahce or uthar g~idsnce i3
e~f~c~cd by way of a guids portion be~ng outwardly o~ ths
valve closura portion, ths sama oons~deration as regard~
COmpDaita con~tr~otion and ~ormation o~ the guid~ member of
one ~ulta'ole moterial and the vàlve closur3 membar o~ another
suit~bla and d3~1rabla material may be achi~vcd.
2S ~18c whil~t the p~s~ant invantion i~ ~énsrally related to
a valw ~lat~ it is slsa al~n~rlnr~n~ t.n h~ .h~ .h~ o~ o~
tha prcsont inv~nt~Dn to provlde an equivalent ~rr~ngsmant in
a valve component 3uch a~ guide washor3, ~pring pl~tee, cuahion
plata~, d~mper plate~ and the l~ke. AB an exampla of an
altsrnat~va arrangement ~or loca~ion of ths guido memb~r with~n
the cloaur3 memb3r, 3sparata proj~ctlons may be providad on
tha euter sur~ce of the guide membe~ almoet in the form o~
c~atell~tlons and be ln3artable vi3 corraapondlng sa~tellst~d
rac3qse3 in the p~riphéry ~f tha central 2perture o~ the
valvs clo~ura member le~ding to a groove therein or grcove~
thareln wlth suitablo locking msan3 to pravant ramoval
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possibly so~hat in a mann~r of ~ bayon~t clip ~rrsng~m~nt.
Alt~rnativaly pro~ections or rivets may be provided for tho
locatien and ~ecurement.
,
Aa a ~urthe~ d~velopm~nt o~ tha inventivs oonc~pt o~
the pres~nt ~nvention e compo~lt~ valve pl~te comp~is~s ~n
intogrally ~ormed m~tal pl~te p~rt hsvi~g an ou~er portion
encapsulated, embadd~d or othgrw~e bonded to o pl88~10
met~rial or othar mat~rial oF le~s1r dsn31ty than that o~ tho
mctol from which ~aid pl~to is composed ond ~n inn~r
portion comprising central moun~in~ m~an and at le~st one
re311iently flaxi~le guide arm sx~snolng outwardly from or
located outwa~dly D~ e~id c~ntral mounting maans and joining
with theo~er pl~te portion; said out3r plate portlon
corraspondin~ in shape to a valvs clos~re portion or otherwi~e
ext~nding from sa~d central portion to act as interconnaction
means wlth said plastics material which i3 ~hep~d so a~ to
fDrm the valv~ olosuro pa~t of the plat3. Thls developm~nt
o~ the concept enable6 the waight o~ th3 v~lv~ plato to be
2~ reduced rclatlve to known valve plate~ form3d wholly of
m~tal whll3t taking advantsoe of the desira'ole oharact3r~-stlos
o~ res~lienc~, flexibility ~nd long ll~e en~oysd by
the fr~c~ionlass guldsnce o~ m3tal plates i.a. nor~ally :
o~ ~teel. The matal plate part may be for~ed in the shapc
2S o~ a known valve plate bu~ with at l~ast the valvc closure
portion being of consid~rsbly reduc~d thickna3s relstive
to known pl~tos thereby achieving consider~bl~ we~yht
reduction, The plastic9 matarisl may bs i~tYgr~lly mouldad
arouno ths outsr plat~ portion or ~or~ a l~minate wlth
two annular Qhee~ bond~d eLthcr sid~ o~ the outer plat~
portion and forming thc valve closu~Q portion.
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