Patent US3656504A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3656504A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Buried valve position indicator
Assignee: Henry Pratt Co LLC
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Filing: 1970-02-27
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Granted: 1972-04-18
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Expires: 1990-02-27
Abstract
Abstract A valve position indicator for buried valves having a rotatable operator shaft extended to ground level. A pipe upright is positioned about the operator shaft and extends to ground level. An indicator housing is non-rotatably mounted in the pipe near ground level and a bearing engages the housing and the operator shaft for transferring side loads from the shaft through the housing to the pipe. A self-contained, sealed indicating gear box unit is slidably mounted over the upper end of the extended operator shaft, with a driving gear rotatably coupled with the operator shaft. The gear box has an outer portion coupled with the the housing, locking the gear box non-rotatably to the housing. The gear box unit has an interior indicia carrying gear movable circumferentially about the gear box less than 360* for multiple turns of the operator shaft, and the gear box has an outer top cover having stationary indicia positionable relative to the indicia carrying gear so as to be indicative of open and closed positions of the valve, the top cover being transparent to permit visual observation therethrough of the relative position of the interior indicia carrying gear.
Inventors
- 👤 George F Topinka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:42
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K37/00; F16K37/0008; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S116/00; Y10S116/21; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/6851; Y10T137/6966; Y10T137/6991; Y10T137/8158; Y10T137/8225
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A valve position indicator for buried valves having a rotatable operator shaft extended to ground level, comprising: an indicator housing having a bearing engaging the shaft and the housing for transferring side loads from shaft to the housing; means securing the housing non-rotatably relative to the buried valve; a sealed gear box indicator having a central opening slidably receiving the shaft endwise and a driving gear in said opening rotatably coupled with the shaft, said indicator having an outer portion coupled with the housing locking the indicator non-rotatably to the housing; and means removably mounted on the housing for access to the shaft at ground level for rotating the shaft to open and close the valve while the indicator gear box receives rotatable input from the shaft without side thrust applied thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A valve position indicator for buried valves having a rotatable operator shaft extended to ground level, comprising: an indicator housing having a bearing engaging the shaft and the housing for transferring side loads from shaft to the housing; means securing the housing non-rotatably relative to the buried valve; a sealed gear box indicator having a central opening slidably receiving the shaft endwise and a driving gear in said opening rotatably coupled with the shaft, said indicator having an outer portion coupled with the housing locking the indicator non-rotatably to the housing; and means removably mounted on the housing for access to the shaft at ground level for rotating the shaft to open and close the valve while the indicator gear box receives rotatable input from the shaft without side thrust applied thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A valve position indicator as specified in claim 1 wherein the gear box indicator has a center gear comprising said driving gear with an opening therethrough to receive the shaft, said gear box having upper and lower stationary annular parts peripherally sealed to each other and movably sealed to said center gear.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A valve position indicator as specified in claim 2 wherein the upper annular part is transparent and carries stationary indicia indicative of open and closed positions of the valve when a movable gear indicia is in register with such stationary indicia.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
96 words
A buried valve position indicator for use with a rotary shaft operated buried valve with an operator shaft extended to near ground level, comprising: a self-contained, sealed indicating gEar box unit slidably mounted over the upper end of the extended operator shaft, the gear box unit having an interior indicating member movable relative to an outer top indicating member as the shaft turns, the top indicating member being transparent to permit visual observation therethrough of the relative position of the interior indicating member, and means holding the gear box unit from turning as the shaft turns.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
96 words
A buried valve position indicator for use with a rotary shaft operated buried valve with an operator shaft extended to near ground level, comprising: a self-contained, sealed indicating gEar box unit slidably mounted over the upper end of the extended operator shaft, the gear box unit having an interior indicating member movable relative to an outer top indicating member as the shaft turns, the top indicating member being transparent to permit visual observation therethrough of the relative position of the interior indicating member, and means holding the gear box unit from turning as the shaft turns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
A valve position indicator as specified in claim 4 wherein the gear box unit has an input gear rotatable with the valve operator shaft and said interior indicating member comprises an indicia carrying gear movable circumferentially of the gear box approximately four to five degrees for each complete turn of the input gear whereby a buried valve may receive multiple turns of its operating shaft to move the indicator less than 360*.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
169 words
A valve position indicator for a buried valve having an operator with an upright rotatable input shaft for effecting valve opening and closing, comprising in combination: a pipe upright over the input shaft to near ground level; an extension shaft operatively connected to the input shaft and extending up through the pipe upright to near ground level; an indicator housing mounted non-rotatably relative to and in the pipe near ground level; a bearing engaging both said housing and said extension shaft for transferring side loads from the shaft through the housing to the pipe; a sealed position indicating gear box slidably mounted over the upper end of and in driven relation with said extension shaft and non-rotatably seated in said housing whereby rotation of said extension shaft effectively operates said indicating gear box, and indicia on the gear box indicative of valve positions; and a nut secured on the shaft above the indicating gear box for receiving torque applied thereto and through the extension shaft to the valve operator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
169 words
A valve position indicator for a buried valve having an operator with an upright rotatable input shaft for effecting valve opening and closing, comprising in combination: a pipe upright over the input shaft to near ground level; an extension shaft operatively connected to the input shaft and extending up through the pipe upright to near ground level; an indicator housing mounted non-rotatably relative to and in the pipe near ground level; a bearing engaging both said housing and said extension shaft for transferring side loads from the shaft through the housing to the pipe; a sealed position indicating gear box slidably mounted over the upper end of and in driven relation with said extension shaft and non-rotatably seated in said housing whereby rotation of said extension shaft effectively operates said indicating gear box, and indicia on the gear box indicative of valve positions; and a nut secured on the shaft above the indicating gear box for receiving torque applied thereto and through the extension shaft to the valve operator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-18 | 1975-10-18 | 1976-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-18 | 1979-10-18 | 1980-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-18 | 1983-10-18 | 1984-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |