Valve for abruptly relieving fluid under pressure

Claim 2

A valve operable to abruptly allow a fluid under pressure to flow, comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet, means connecting said inlet with a source of fluid under pressure, a valve seat surrounding said inlet, a valve member pivotally mounted in said housing for movement between an open position and a closed position in which it is seated on said valve seat and is subjected to said fluid under pressure which exerts a force on said valve member in a direction to move it to open position, a link mechanism comprising a first link pivotally connected at one end to said valve member and a second link having one end pivotally connected to the opposite end of said first link and having the opposite end pivotally connected to a portion of said housing generally opposite said valve seat for free pivotal movement, one of said links having a ferromagnetic portion near the pivotal connection between the links, said first and second links constituting a toggle linkage movable between a first position, when said valve member is seated on said seat to close said valve, in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a minor angle to one another to resolve the force exerted on said valve member by said fluid under pressure into a major component force approximately in line with said links to hold the valve member seated and a minor component force approximately normal to the longitudinal axes of said links and acting in a direction to unseat the valve member and a second position in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a major angle to one another and the valve member is in open position, magnet means in said housing in position to attract said ferromagnetic portion to hold said first and second links in said first position against said minor component force, and means for rendering said magnet means ineffective and thereby permitting said first and second links to be moved to said second position by said minor component force to open said valve.

Claim 3

A valve according to claim 1, in which said valve member has a radial extension pivotally connected to said housing at one side of said valve seat and in which said second link in moving from said first position to said second position swings about its pivotal connection to the housing in the same rotational direction as said valve member in moving from closed to open position.

Claim 4

A valve according to claim 1, in which said inlet and outlet are disposed generally at right angles to one another and said pivotal mounting of said valve member in said housing is disposed at such position that said valve member when in open position is oblique to said valve seat to guide said fluid from the inlet to the outlet of said housing.

Claim 5

A valve according to claim 1, in which said housing is provided with a portion shaped and located to provide an abutment engageable by said link mechanism when said valve member is in open position and siad first and second links are in said second position to thereby limit movement of said link mechanism and said valve member.

Claim 6

A valve according to claim 4, in which said portion engageable by said link mechanism is of shock absorbing material.

Claim 7

A valve according to claim 1, in which said magnet means comprises a magnetic core and a solenoid coil surrounding said magnetic core for magnetizinG said magnetic core when energized, and in which said means for rendering said magnet means ineffective includes switch means for controlling deenergizing of said solenoid coil.

Claim 8

A valve according to claim 1, in which one of said links has a substantial portion formed of a magnetic material in position to be attracted by said magnet means.

Claim 9

A valve according to claim 1, in which a magnetic member is fixedly mounted on one of said links in position to be attracted by said magnet means.

Claim 10

A valve operable to abruptly allow a fluid under pressure to flow, comprising a housing having a valve seat therein, a valve member movable in said housing between an open position and a closed position in which it is seated on said valve seat and is subjected to said fluid under pressure which exerts a force on said valve member in a direction to move it to open position, a link mechanism comprising a first link pivotally connected at one end to said valve member and a second link having one end pivotally connected to the opposite end of said first link and having the opposite end pivotally connected to a portion of said housing generally opposite said valve seat, one of said links having a ferromagnetic portion near the pivotal connection between the links, said first and second links constituting a toggle linkage movable between a first position when said valve member is seated on said seat to close the valve, in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a minor angle to one another to resolve the force exerted on said valve member by said fluid under pressure into a major component force approximately in line with said links to hold the valve member seated and a minor component force approximately normal to the longitudinal axes of said links and acting in a direction to unseat the valve member and a second position in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a major angle to one another and the valve member in in open position, permanent magnet means in said housing in position to attract said ferromagnetic portion to hold said first and second links in said first position against said minor component force, electromagnetic means in position to counteract said permanent magnet means when said electromagnet means is energized to thereby render said permanent magnet means ineffective and permit said first and second links to be moved to said second position by said minor component force to open said valve, and electric circuit means controlling the energization of said electromagnet means.

Claim 11

A valve operable to abruptly allow a fluid under pressure to flow, comprising a housing having a valve seat therein, a valve member movable in said housing between an open position and a closed position in which it is seated on said valve seat and is subjected to said fluid under pressure which exerts a force on said valve member in a direction to move it to open position, a link mechanism comprising a first link pivotally connected at one end to said valve member and a second link having one end pivotally connected to the opposite end of said first link and having the opposite end pivotally connected to a portion of said housing generally opposite said valve seat, one of said links having a ferromagnetic portion near the pivotal connection between the links, said first and second links constituting a toggle linkage movable between a first position when said valve member is seated on said seat to close the valve, in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a minor angle to one another to resolve the force exerted on said valve member by said fluid under pressure into a major component force approximately in line with said links to hold the valve member seated and a minor component force approximately normal to the longitudinal axes of said links and acting in a direction to unseat the valve member and a second position in which the longitudinal axes of said first and second links are disposed at a major angle to one another and the valve member in in open position, permanent magnet means in said housing in position to attract said ferromagnetic portion to hold said first and second links in said first position against said minor component force, electromagnetic means in position to counteract said permanent magnet means when said electromagnet means is energized to thereby render said permanent magnet means ineffective and permit said first and second links to be moved to said second position by said minor component force to open said valve, and electric circuit means controlling the energization of said electromagnet means.

Claim 12

A valve according to claim 9, in which said electromagnet means comprises a coil and said permanent magnet means comprises a permanently magnetized core of said coil.