Patent US3783899A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3783899A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Valve operator
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1972-02-24
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1992-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A pilot control system for selectively activating a plurality of hydraulically operated devices with power supplied from a remote source through a single conduit. The control system comprises a sequencing unit with a case enclosing a rotating and reciprocating stem. Attached to the end of the stem is an actuating plate which on rotation of the stem registers with various control devices and on reciprocating movement of the stem engages one or more of these control devices to permit pressure from the power source to activate one or more of the hydraulically operated devices. To impart rotational and reciprocal motion to the stem an annular piston is nonrotatingly and slidingly received in an annular space between the stem and case. This annular space is connected to the single conduit from the power source. The stem is provided with a continuous slot traversing its circumference and having upper and lower extremities connected by inclined channels to give a sawtoothlike appearance. The annular piston has a projection thereon which engages the stem slot. By applying pressure to the annular piston, which is spring biased against movement, the piston may be reciprocally moved causing the stem to rotate due to the slot configuration and the engaging piston projection. The stem, which is also spring biased against reciprocal motion, may then be reciprocally moved by a further increase in pressure since the piston projection lies at one extremity of the saw-tooth-like slot. Alternate increases and decreases in pressure will cause complete rotation of the stem due to the slot configuration. If it is not desired to actuate a particular control device by reciprocal movement of the stem, intermediate pressure only is used to re-register the plate engaging device, the higher pressure step, which initiates reciprocal motion, being eliminated. As previously stated, all control devices, hydraulically operated devices, and the sequencing unit are supplied with power from the remote power source through a single conduit.
Inventors
- 👤 J Fowler
- 👤 C Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:21
CPC Classifications
F; F15; F15B; F15B15/00; F15B15/02; E; E21; E21B; E21B33/00; E21B33/02; E21B33/03; E21B33/035; E21B33/0355; F15B13/00; F15B13/02; F15B13/06; F15B13/07; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86389; Y10T137/86445; Y10T137/86461; Y10T137/86911; Y10T137/87048; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/18; Y10T74/18056; Y10T74/18296
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising: a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control, said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means, said pilot control comprising: case means, stem means retained within said case means for axial as well as rotating movement, piston means within said case means, cooperative means on said piston means and said stem means to cause said stem means to rotate and move axially in relation to said case means on said piston means receiving pressure from said pressure source, and actuating means connected to said stem means to actuate said control valves on said axial movement of said stem means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising: a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control, said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means, said pilot control comprising: case means, stem means retained within said case means for axial as well as rotating movement, piston means within said case means, cooperative means on said piston means and said stem means to cause said stem means to rotate and move axially in relation to said case means on said piston means receiving pressure from said pressure source, and actuating means connected to said stem means to actuate said control valves on said axial movement of said stem means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said cooperation means on said piston means and said stem means includes: slot means encircling a portion of said stem means, said slot means having upper and lower extremities connected by inclined channels, said slot means traversing the circumference of said stem means, and slot engaging means on said piston means, a portion of said slot engaging means riding in said slot means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
103 words
The combination of claim 2 including: spring means biasing said piston means in a first direction causing said slot engaging means to be positioned at one of said upper and lower extremities of said slot means, said spring means allowing said slot engaging means to move in said inclined channels to the opposite of said upper and lower extremities causing said stem means to rotate on intermediate pressure being supplied to move said piston means, said spring means allowing said stem means to move in a second direction opposite said first direction on increase of said intermediate pressure to a higher pressure level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said actuating means includes a plate connected to the end of said stem means, said plate having cam means protruding therefrom at predetermined locations to actuate said control valves on said axial movements of said stem means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
174 words
A sequencing unit to program the actuating of valves and other devices comprising: a case means, a cylindrical stem means slidingly disposed within said case means, slot means encircling said stem means, said slot means having an irregular configuration so as to alternately rise and fall within the confines of a cylindrical band around said stem means, slot engaging means, a portion of which slidingly rides in said slot means, said slot engaging means being longitudinally movable relative to said case means, means operable by increase and decrease of pressure to move said slot engaging means longitudinally first one direction than another cooperating with said slot means to rotate said stem means to a plurality of predetermined positions, said means operable on further increase of said pressure to cause said stem means to be moved longitudinally relative to said case means at one or more of said predetermined positions, and aCtuating means attached to said stem means to engage said devices to be programmed on said rotational and longitudinal movement of said stem means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
A sequencing unit to program the actuating of valves and other devices comprising: a case means, a cylindrical stem means slidingly disposed within said case means, slot means encircling said stem means, said slot means having an irregular configuration so as to alternately rise and fall within the confines of a cylindrical band around said stem means, slot engaging means, a portion of which slidingly rides in said slot means, said slot engaging means being longitudinally movable relative to said case means, means operable by increase and decrease of pressure to move said slot engaging means longitudinally first one direction than another cooperating with said slot means to rotate said stem means to a plurality of predetermined positions, said means operable on further increase of said pressure to cause said stem means to be moved longitudinally relative to said case means at one or more of said predetermined positions, and aCtuating means attached to said stem means to engage said devices to be programmed on said rotational and longitudinal movement of said stem means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for remote operation of a plurality of valves in different combinations and sequences comprising: a remote pressure source, a plurality of valve operators attached to said valves, a plurality of control devices, each control device capable of actuating one or more of said valve operators, a pilot control, a portion of which may be rotated in one direction on alternating between a low pressure and an intermediate pressure level from said pressure source to align engagement means with one or more of said control devices, said portion being longitudinally movable in response to a high pressure level from said pressure source to cause said engagement means to engage said control devices for activation of said valve operators, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
135 words
Apparatus for remote operation of a plurality of valves in different combinations and sequences comprising: a remote pressure source, a plurality of valve operators attached to said valves, a plurality of control devices, each control device capable of actuating one or more of said valve operators, a pilot control, a portion of which may be rotated in one direction on alternating between a low pressure and an intermediate pressure level from said pressure source to align engagement means with one or more of said control devices, said portion being longitudinally movable in response to a high pressure level from said pressure source to cause said engagement means to engage said control devices for activation of said valve operators, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
121 words
The combination of claim 6 in which said rotatable portion of said pilot control is a cylindrical stem concentrically disposed within the cylindrical interior of a case leaving an annular space therebetween an annular piston being slidingly and nonrotatable disposed in a portion of said annular space, one end of said piston being exposed to pressure from said pressure source, said stem having a sawtooth like slot traversing the circumference thereof within the confines of a cylindrical band, and slot engagement means being attached to said piston, a portion of said engagement means riding in said sawtooth slot to impart rotational movement to said stem means through movement of said piston on said alternating between said low and intermediate pressure level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
144 words
The combination of claim 6 in which said longitudinally movable portion of said control means is a stem concentrically disposed within the interior of a case, a spring being mounted concentrically with said stem within said case, said spring having an annular ring mounted at one end thereof, said annular ring having a tapered shoulder thereon, a plurality of ball bearings being mounted adjacent said retainer ring, said ball bearings partially resting on the tapered shoulder of a groove within the interior of said case means so longitudinal movement of said stem is resisted by said spring and the normal forces of said groove transmitted through said ball bearings, said ball bearings being inwardly movable along said tapered shoulder of said groove to completely be free of said groove to cause immediate and substantial reduction of resistance to said longitudinal movement of said stem.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
238 words
A control device comprising: case means having a generally cylindrical interior, cylindrical stem means slidingly retained in said case means with an annular space therebetween, slot means completely encircling a portion of said stem means, said slot means having upper and lower extremities connected by inclined channels, said slot means traversing the circumference of said stem means, annular piston means within a portion of said annular space between said case means and said stem means, said piston means having guide means thereon to prevent rotation of said piston means relative to said case means, slot engaging means on said piston means, said engaging means riding in said slot means on said portion of said stem means, spring means biasing said piston means and said slot engaging means in one direction, pressure means sealingly connected to a portion of said annular space between said case means and said stem means to cause said piston means to move said slot engaging means from said upper extremities of said slot means through said inclined channels to said lower extremities to partially rotate and reciprocate said stem means on introduction of intermediate pressure level and to cause said stem means to further reciprocate on increase of said intermediate pressure Level to a higher pressure level, and means connected to said stem means to transmit said rotational and reciprocating movement of said stem means to devices to be controlled by said control device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
238 words
A control device comprising: case means having a generally cylindrical interior, cylindrical stem means slidingly retained in said case means with an annular space therebetween, slot means completely encircling a portion of said stem means, said slot means having upper and lower extremities connected by inclined channels, said slot means traversing the circumference of said stem means, annular piston means within a portion of said annular space between said case means and said stem means, said piston means having guide means thereon to prevent rotation of said piston means relative to said case means, slot engaging means on said piston means, said engaging means riding in said slot means on said portion of said stem means, spring means biasing said piston means and said slot engaging means in one direction, pressure means sealingly connected to a portion of said annular space between said case means and said stem means to cause said piston means to move said slot engaging means from said upper extremities of said slot means through said inclined channels to said lower extremities to partially rotate and reciprocate said stem means on introduction of intermediate pressure level and to cause said stem means to further reciprocate on increase of said intermediate pressure Level to a higher pressure level, and means connected to said stem means to transmit said rotational and reciprocating movement of said stem means to devices to be controlled by said control device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
164 words
The combination of claim 9 in which said spring means includes: first helical spring around a portion of said stem means between said piston means and one of said case, said first helical spring allowing said piston means to move downward in said slot means to rotate said stem means on said introduction of said intermediate pressure level, second helical spring mounted concentrically with said stem means with a bearing retainer means adjacent thereto, groove means within said case means having a frustoconical shoulder therein, latch retainer ring attached to the upper end of said second helical spring, said latch retainer ring having an upwardly converging frusto-conical surface thereon, and ball bearing means adjacent said bearing retainer means, partially resting on said frusto-conical shoulder of said groove means, said ball bearing means to be forced inwardly of said groove along said shoulder therein to release said stem means for rapid downward movement on increase of said intermediate pressure level to a higher pressure level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus comprising: a plurality of fluid pressure operated devices, control valve means to control the fluid for operation of said devices, a pilot system adapted to selectively operate said control valve means to cause fluid to flow to any one of various combinations of said fluid pressure operated devices without structural rearrangement of said pilot system and without a predetermined operation sequence of any other of said fluid pressure operated devices, a single fluid line supplying all of said fluid pressure operated devices, said pilot system and said control valve means being solely controlled and operated through said single fluid line; and said pilot system comprising actuator means turnable about an axis to different azimuthal positions from each of which it can be moved axially to actuate a different selection of one or more of said control valves, means to turn said actuator means to the desired position, and means to move said actuator axially when in the desired position.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus comprising: a plurality of fluid pressure operated devices, control valve means to control the fluid for operation of said devices, a pilot system adapted to selectively operate said control valve means to cause fluid to flow to any one of various combinations of said fluid pressure operated devices without structural rearrangement of said pilot system and without a predetermined operation sequence of any other of said fluid pressure operated devices, a single fluid line supplying all of said fluid pressure operated devices, said pilot system and said control valve means being solely controlled and operated through said single fluid line; and said pilot system comprising actuator means turnable about an axis to different azimuthal positions from each of which it can be moved axially to actuate a different selection of one or more of said control valves, means to turn said actuator means to the desired position, and means to move said actuator axially when in the desired position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 including means responsive to fluid pressure for moving said actuator means to three different axial positions according to the pressure, including one extreme position in which the actuator means actuates the selected one or more control valves corresponding to the azimuthal position of the actuator means, and first and second indexing positions in which said selected one or more control valves is not actuated by said actuator means, and positioning means actuated by movement of said actuator means axially between said first and second indexing positions to turn said actuator means about said axis to different azimuthal positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising; a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control, said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
119 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising; a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control, said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus comprising: a plurality of fluid pressure operated devices, control valve means to control the fluid for operation of said devices, a pilot system adapted to selectively operate saiD control valve means to cause fluid to flow to any one of various combinations of said fluid pressure operated devices without structural rearrangement of said pilot system and without a predetermined operation sequence of any other of said fluid pressure operated devices, and a single fluid line supplying all of said fluid pressure operated devices, said pilot system and said control valve means being solely controlled and operated through said single fluid line.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus comprising: a plurality of fluid pressure operated devices, control valve means to control the fluid for operation of said devices, a pilot system adapted to selectively operate saiD control valve means to cause fluid to flow to any one of various combinations of said fluid pressure operated devices without structural rearrangement of said pilot system and without a predetermined operation sequence of any other of said fluid pressure operated devices, and a single fluid line supplying all of said fluid pressure operated devices, said pilot system and said control valve means being solely controlled and operated through said single fluid line.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control; said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means; said pilot control comprising actuating means that is movable to a plurality of different positions adapted in each of said positions for further movement for actuating a different one or more of said control valves without actuating non-selected one or more of said control valves and positioning means for moving said actuating means to the desired position.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
176 words
Apparatus for remotely operating a plurality of valves comprising a remote pressure source, valve operators attached to a plurality of valves, control valves to control opening and closing of said valves by allowing or preventing flow from said pressure source to said valve operators, pilot control adapted to activate any selected one or more of said control valves without structural alteration of said pilot control and in no predetermined activation sequence with any other said control valve, and single conduit means connecting said remote pressure source to said valve operators and said pilot control; said pilot control and said valve operators being remotely controlled and operated only by pressure emanating from said pressure source through said single conduit means; said pilot control comprising actuating means that is movable to a plurality of different positions adapted in each of said positions for further movement for actuating a different one or more of said control valves without actuating non-selected one or more of said control valves and positioning means for moving said actuating means to the desired position.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for operating a selected one of a plurality of values, comprising a valve operator operably connected to each of said plurality of valves; and control means operably engageable with each of said valve operators to cause actuation thereof, said control means including a source of fluid pressure at a first pressure and at a higher pressure, stepping means operable in response to fluid pressure pulses from said source at said first pressure level to be indexed in steps to and from actuation positions for each of said valve operators, and actuation means operable in response to said higher fluid pressure level from said source to actuate a selected one of said valve operators, whereby said control means may be indexed to any one of said actuation positions by a plurality of pressure pulses at said first pressure level so that the valve operator corresponding to said one actuation position may be actuated by application of said higher fluid pressure.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
160 words
Apparatus for operating a selected one of a plurality of values, comprising a valve operator operably connected to each of said plurality of valves; and control means operably engageable with each of said valve operators to cause actuation thereof, said control means including a source of fluid pressure at a first pressure and at a higher pressure, stepping means operable in response to fluid pressure pulses from said source at said first pressure level to be indexed in steps to and from actuation positions for each of said valve operators, and actuation means operable in response to said higher fluid pressure level from said source to actuate a selected one of said valve operators, whereby said control means may be indexed to any one of said actuation positions by a plurality of pressure pulses at said first pressure level so that the valve operator corresponding to said one actuation position may be actuated by application of said higher fluid pressure.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for operating a selected one of a plurality of valves, comprising a valve operator operably connected to each of said plurality of valves, and control means operably engageable with each of said valve operators to cause actuation thereof, said control means including a source of fluid pressure at a first pressure and at a higher pressure, and actuation means operable in response to fluid pressure at said first pressure level to index to a position for actuating one of said valve operators and operable in response to fluid pressure at said higher pressure level to cause actuation of said one of said valve operators.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
105 words
Apparatus for operating a selected one of a plurality of valves, comprising a valve operator operably connected to each of said plurality of valves, and control means operably engageable with each of said valve operators to cause actuation thereof, said control means including a source of fluid pressure at a first pressure and at a higher pressure, and actuation means operable in response to fluid pressure at said first pressure level to index to a position for actuating one of said valve operators and operable in response to fluid pressure at said higher pressure level to cause actuation of said one of said valve operators.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus as defined by claim 17 wherein said control means includes a pilot valve connected between said source and each valve operator, and means on said pilot valve operably engageable by the actuation means when the actuation means has been indexed to the position corresponding to the pilot valve and said higher pressure has been applied to allow flow of said higher pressure fluid to the valve operator to which it is connected.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for operating a selected one of a plurality of fluid operated valves, comprising controlling the flow of operating fluid to said valves by a control device, indexing the control device by the application of a series of pressure pUlses at a first pressure level to a position for providing operating fluid for said one valve, and applying fluid pressure to the control device at a higher pressure level to actuate the control device to allow operating fluid to flow to said one valve.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for operating a selected one of a plurality of fluid operated valves, comprising controlling the flow of operating fluid to said valves by a control device, indexing the control device by the application of a series of pressure pUlses at a first pressure level to a position for providing operating fluid for said one valve, and applying fluid pressure to the control device at a higher pressure level to actuate the control device to allow operating fluid to flow to said one valve.
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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) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |