Quarter turn valve including supervisory switch assembly

Claim 2

A quarter-turn valve including a body having a flow passage extending therethrough; a valve member disposed in said flow passage and carried on a stem rotatably mounted in said body, said stem having an outer end portion extending outwardly from said body; operating means connected to said stem for rotating said stem through a quarter turn to open and close said valve member; and a supervisory switch assembly adapted to be connected to an electrical system for producing a warning signal in response to an unauthorized movement of said valve member or to someone tampering with said switch assembly, said switch assembly including a housing mounted on said body and enclosing said outer end portion of said stem, an electrical switch mounted in said housing, said switch being adapted for connection to the electrical system, being movable between one position to close an electrical circuit and another position to interrupt an electrical circuit, and having an actuation means for moving said switch from one position to the other in response to being engaged, cam means mounted on said outer end portion of said stem for common rotation therewith and arranged to selectively engage said switch actuation means, in response to rotational movement of said stem, to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other; and tamper means for causing movement of said switch from one position to the other in response to someone tampering with said housing.

Claim 3

A valve according to claim 1 wherein said tamper means comprises said cam means being arranged to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other in response to said housing being moved relative to said valve body.

Claim 4

A valve according to claim 1 wherein said supervisory switch assembly includes a pair of said switches; and said cam means is arranged to selectively engage the actuation means of both of said switches to cause substantially simultaneous movement of both of said switches from one position to the other.

Claim 5

A valve according to claim 1 including a shaft member connected to said cam for common rotation with said stem and having an outer end portion extending exteriorly of said housing; and means mounted on the outer end portion of said shaft means for visually indicating the position of said valve member.

Claim 6

A valve according to claim 1 wherein said switch actuation means includes a plunger which is biased towards an unactuated position wherein said switch is in one position and is depressible to an actuated position wherein said switch is in the other position; and said cam means is arranged to engage and depress said plunger to the actuated position when said valve member is in one position and to disengage said plunger and allow it to return to the deactuated position in response to movement of said valve member towards the other position.

Claim 7

A valve according to claim 1 wherein said cam means is arranged to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other in response to said housing being lifted away from said valve body.

Claim 8

A butterfly valve including a body having a flow passage extending therethrough; a disc assembly disposed in said flow passage and carried on a stem rotatably mounted on said body, said stem having an outer end portion extending outwardly from said body; operating means connected to said stem for rotating said stem through a quarter turn to open and close said disc assembly; and a supervisory switch assembly adapted to be connected to an electrical system for producing a warning signal in response to unauthorized movement of said disc assembly or to someone tampering with said switch assembly, said switch assembly including a housing mounted on said body and enclosing said outer end portion of said stem, an electrical switch mounted in said housing, said switch being adapted for connection to the electrical system, being movable between one position to close an electrical circuit and another position to interrupt an electrical circuit, and having a plunger which is biased toward an unactuated position wherein said switch is in one position and is depressible to an actuated position wherein said switch is in the other position, and cam means mounted on said outer end portion of said stem for common rotation therewith, said cam being arranged to engage and depress said plunger to the actuated position when said valve member is in one position and to disengage said plunger and allow it to return to the deactuated position in response to movement of said disc assembly towards the other position and being further arranged to cause movement of said plunger from one position to another in response to said housing being moved relative to said valve body.

Claim 9

A butterfly valve including a body having a flow passage extending therethrough; a disc assembly disposed in said flow passage and carried on a stem rotatably mounted on said body, said stem having an outer end portion extending outwardly from said body; operating means connected to said stem for rotating said stem through a quarter turn to open and close said disc assembly; and a supervisory switch assembly adapted to be connected to an electrical system for producing a warning signal in response to unauthorized movement of said disc assembly or to someone tampering with said switch assembly, said switch assembly including a housing mounted on said body and enclosing said outer end portion of said stem, an electrical switch mounted in said housing, said switch being adapted for connection to the electrical system, being movable between one position to close an electrical circuit and another position to interrupt an electrical circuit, and having a plunger which is biased toward an unactuated position wherein said switch is in one position and is depressible to an actuated position wherein said switch is in the other position, and cam means mounted on said outer end portion of said stem for common rotation therewith, said cam being arranged to engage and depress said plunger to the actuated position when said valve member is in one position and to disengage said plunger and allow it to return to the deactuated position in response to movement of said disc assembly towards the other position and being further arranged to cause movement of said plunger from one position to another in response to said housing being moved relative to said valve body.

Claim 10

A butterfly valve according to claim 7 wherein said cam means is arranged to cause movement of said switch plunger from one position to the other in response to said housing being lifted away from said valve body.

Claim 11

A butterfly valve according to claim 7 wherein said supervisory switch assembly includes a pair of said switches; and said cam means is arranged to selectively engage the plunger of both of said switches to cause substantially simultaneous movement of both of said switches from one position to the other.

Claim 12

A butterfly valve according to claim 7 including a shaft member connected to said cam means for common rotation with said stem and having an outer end portion extending exteriorly of said housing; and means mounted on the outer end portion of said shaft means for visually indicating the position of said disc assembly.

Claim 13

A supervisory switch assembly for a quarter turn valve including a body and a valve member carried on a stem which is rotatably mounted in said body and has an outer end portion, said switch assembly being adapted to be connected to an electrical system for producing a warning signal in response to an unauthorized movement of the valve member and to someone tampering with said switch assembly after installment on a valve, said switch assembly including a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve body to enclose the outer end portion of the valve stem; an electrical switch mounted in said housing, said switch being adapted for connection to the electrical system, being movable between one position to close an electrical circuit and another position to interrupt an electrical circuit, and having actuation means for moving said switch from one position to the other in response to being engaged, and cam means adapted to be mounted on the outer end of the valve stem for common rotation therewith, said cam means being arranged to selectively engage said switch actuation means, in response to rotational movement of the valve stem, to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other and being further arranged to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other in response to said housing being moved relative to the valve body.

Claim 14

A supervisory switch assembly for a quarter turn valve including a body and a valve member carried on a stem which is rotatably mounted in said body and has an outer end portion, said switch assembly being adapted to be connected to an electrical system for producing a warning signal in response to an unauthorized movement of the valve member and to someone tampering with said switch assembly after installment on a valve, said switch assembly including a housing adapted to be mounted on the valve body to enclose the outer end portion of the valve stem; an electrical switch mounted in said housing, said switch being adapted for connection to the electrical system, being movable between one position to close an electrical circuit and another position to interrupt an electrical circuit, and having actuation means for moving said switch from one position to the other in response to being engaged, and cam means adapted to be mounted on the outer end of the valve stem for common rotation therewith, said cam means being arranged to selectively engage said switch actuation means, in response to rotational movement of the valve stem, to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other and being further arranged to cause movement of said switch from one position to the other in response to said housing being moved relative to the valve body.

Claim 15

A supervisory switch assembly according to claim 11 including a pair of said switches and wherein said cam means is arranged to selectively engage the actuation means of both of said switches to cause substantially simultaneous movement of both of said switches from one position to the other.