Rising stem valve position indicator

Claim 1

A position indicator adapted for use with a valve having a body, a ball core positioned within a flow passage of the valve body and movable between an opened and a closed position by rotation through an angle of 90°, a stem positioned within a stem passage of the valve body to engage the ball core, said stem having a groove provided in the surface thereof to coact with a pin extending from the body to cause a camming action which rotates the core between opened and closed positions as the stem is raised, lowered and rotated, and a handwheel mechanism to raise and lower the stem by rotating a handwheel through a series of turns about the stem, including a sleeve adapted for attachment to said handwheel mechanism for rotation thereby through the series of turns with the handwheel, a tubular shell of non-magnetic material adapted for attachment to the stem and being disposed within said sleeve and adapted to be raised, lowered and rotated by the stem, at least one magnet supported within said sleeve at a distance from the handwheel mechanism and rotatable with said sleeve about said shell, and a first and a second reed switch with associated wiring supported within said shell separated by at least a distance necessary to raise and lower the stem when opening and closing the valve which in turn raises and lowers the switches relative to the magnet for activating the respective switch at the opened and closed valve positions while limiting any twisting of the wiring to the angle of rotation of the stem.

Claim 4

A device to indicate the opening and closing of a valve, comprising a valve body, a ball core positioned within a flow passage of said valve body and rotatable between an opened and closed position by rotation through an angle of 90°, a stem positioned within a stem passage of said valve body, engaging said ball core and having a groove provided in a surface thereof to coact with a pin extending from said valve body to cause a camming action which rotates the stem and core between opened and closed positions as the stem is raised and lowered, a handwheel mechanism to raise and lower said stem by rotating a handwheel through a series of turns about the stem, a sleeve attached to said handwheel mechanism and rotating through the series of turns with the handwheel, a tubular shell of non-magnetic material attached to said stem and being disposed within said sleeve and raised, lowered and rotated with said stem, at least one magnet supported within said sleeve at a distance from the handwheel mechanism and rotating with said sleeve about said shell, and a first and a second reed switch with associated wiring supported within said shell separated by at least a distance necessary to raise and lower the stem when opening and closing the valve which in turn raises and lowers the switches relative to the magnet for closing the respective switch at the opened and closed valve positions while limiting any twisting of the wiring to the angle of rotation of the stem.

Claim 5

A device to indicate the opening and closing of a valve, comprising a valve body, a ball core positioned within a flow passage of said valve body and rotatable between an opened and closed position by rotation through an angle of 90°, a stem positioned within a stem passage of said valve body, engaging said ball core and having a groove provided in a surface thereof to coact with a pin extending from said valve body to cause a camming action which rotates the stem and core between opened and closed positions as the stem is raised and lowered, a handwheel mechanism to raise and lower said stem by rotating a handwheel through a series of turns about the stem, a sleeve attached to said handwheel mechanism and rotating through the series of turns with the handwheel, a tubular shell of non-magnetic material attached to said stem and being disposed within said sleeve and raised, lowered and rotated with said stem, at least one magnet supported within said sleeve at a distance from the handwheel mechanism and rotating with said sleeve about said shell, and a first and a second reed switch with associated wiring supported within said shell separated by at least a distance necessary to raise and lower the stem when opening and closing the valve which in turn raises and lowers the switches relative to the magnet for closing the respective switch at the opened and closed valve positions while limiting any twisting of the wiring to the angle of rotation of the stem.