US4893582A — Deck box valve operator and position indicator as…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 406 words

A deck box valve operator and position indicator assembly (10) comprising; housing means (18) for mounting to a support structure (16), spindle means (46) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) said housing means including means for reading said ring means (62), said spindle means (46) having a lower end (56) for connection to the operating shaft (14) of a valve (12), said spindle means (46) having an upper end (58) for receiving a tool for rotating said spindle means (46), ring means (62) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) for indicating the position of the valve (12) between open and shut positions, and transmission means operatively interconnecting said spindle means (46) and said ring means (62) for rotating said ring means in proportion to the rotation of said spindle means (46), said transmission means being characterized by a sprocket (66) supported by said housing means (18) for rotation about a sprocket axis (68) adjacent said spindle means (46), said sprocket (66) having a plurality of radial arms (72) having slots (74) extending thereinto from the distal ends thereof, said sprocket (66) having arcuate peripheries (76) extending between adjacent arms (72), said spindle means (46) having a circular circumference (78) interrupted by a concave recess (80) axially aligned with said sprocket (66), said arcuate peripheries (76) between said arms (72) of said sprocket (66) being complementing to said circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46), said concave recess (80) being concentric to said axis (68) of said sprocket (66) when radially aligned therewith, said arms (72) of said sprocket (66) extending into said concave recess (80) when radially aligned therewith, a coaxial pin (84) supported by said spindle means (46) radially outside of said circular circumference (78) thereof and on the radial center of said concave recess (80) so that said sprocket (66) is prevented from rotating by an arcuate periphery (76) complimentary said circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46) with the adjacent arms (72) extending about said circular circumference (78) until said spindle means (46) is rotated sufficiently to slide said pin (84) into the slot (74) of one of said arms (72) to rotate said sprocket (66) as the pin-engaged arm (72) rotates through said concave recess (80) where the next adjacent arcuate periphery (76) compliments the approaching circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46) and said pin (84) slides radially out of engagement with the pin-engaged arm (72).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 406 words

A deck box valve operator and position indicator assembly (10) comprising; housing means (18) for mounting to a support structure (16), spindle means (46) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) said housing means including means for reading said ring means (62), said spindle means (46) having a lower end (56) for connection to the operating shaft (14) of a valve (12), said spindle means (46) having an upper end (58) for receiving a tool for rotating said spindle means (46), ring means (62) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) for indicating the position of the valve (12) between open and shut positions, and transmission means operatively interconnecting said spindle means (46) and said ring means (62) for rotating said ring means in proportion to the rotation of said spindle means (46), said transmission means being characterized by a sprocket (66) supported by said housing means (18) for rotation about a sprocket axis (68) adjacent said spindle means (46), said sprocket (66) having a plurality of radial arms (72) having slots (74) extending thereinto from the distal ends thereof, said sprocket (66) having arcuate peripheries (76) extending between adjacent arms (72), said spindle means (46) having a circular circumference (78) interrupted by a concave recess (80) axially aligned with said sprocket (66), said arcuate peripheries (76) between said arms (72) of said sprocket (66) being complementing to said circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46), said concave recess (80) being concentric to said axis (68) of said sprocket (66) when radially aligned therewith, said arms (72) of said sprocket (66) extending into said concave recess (80) when radially aligned therewith, a coaxial pin (84) supported by said spindle means (46) radially outside of said circular circumference (78) thereof and on the radial center of said concave recess (80) so that said sprocket (66) is prevented from rotating by an arcuate periphery (76) complimentary said circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46) with the adjacent arms (72) extending about said circular circumference (78) until said spindle means (46) is rotated sufficiently to slide said pin (84) into the slot (74) of one of said arms (72) to rotate said sprocket (66) as the pin-engaged arm (72) rotates through said concave recess (80) where the next adjacent arcuate periphery (76) compliments the approaching circular circumference (78) of said spindle means (46) and said pin (84) slides radially out of engagement with the pin-engaged arm (72).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by said circular circumference (78) and said concave recess (80) being disposed in a groove extending about said spindle means (46), said groove having spaced radial surfaces.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 2 further characterized by said pin (84) extending between said spaced radial surfaces of said groove at a position outside the circle of said circular circumference (78).

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 3 further characterized by said transmission means including a plurality of gears operatively driving said ring means (62) from said sprocket (66).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 70 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 4 further characterized by said plurality of gears including a first gear (86) co-axially driven by said sprocket (66), an idler gear (88) in meshing engagement with said first gear (86), a drive gear (92) in meshing engagement with said ring means (62) and a second gear (94) co-axially driving said drive gear (92) and in meshing engagement with said idler gear (88).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 77 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said housing means (18) presenting a platform (70) adjacent said spindle means (46) for supporting said plurality of gears, said platform (70) presenting two support positions (96, 98) for said drive (92, 92,) and second gears (94, 94') so that different sizes of drive and second gears may be used to provide different ratios of rotation between said spindle means (46) and said ring means (62).

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 78 words

An assembly as set forth in either one of claims 1 or 5 further characterized by including a cover (100) fixedly supported in said housing means (18) over said ring means (62) and locking bar means (104) operatively supported by said cover (100) for movement between a locked position preventing access to said upper (58) end of said spindle means (46) and an unlocked position for allowing access to said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by said spaced radial surfaces defining upper and lower flanges (82,52), said housing means (18) presenting an annular shoulder (50) below said lower flange (52), and bearing means (54) disposed between said lower flange (52) and said shoulder (50) for rotatably supporting said spindle means (46) in said housing means (18).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 35 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 8 further characterized by said housing means (18) defining a cylindrical upper portion surrounding said ring means (62) and extending upwardly to a threaded cap receiving portion (40).

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 198 words

A deck box valve operator and position indicator assembly (10) comprising; housing means (18) for mounting to a support structure (16), spindle means (46) rotatably supported in said housing means (18), said spindle means (46) having a lower end (56) for connection to the operating shaft (14) of a valve (12), said spindle means (46) having an upper end (58) for receiving a tool for rotating said spindle means (46), ring means (62) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) said housing means including means for reading said ring means (62) for indicating the position of the valve (12) between open and shut positions, and transmission means operatively interconnecting said spindle means (46) and said ring means (62) for rotating said ring means (62) in proportion to the rotation of said spindle means (46), a cover (100) fixedly supported in said housing means (18) over said ring means (62), and characterized by including locking bar means (104) operatively supported by said cover (100) for movement between a locked position preventing access to said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46) and an unlocked position for allowing access to said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 198 words

A deck box valve operator and position indicator assembly (10) comprising; housing means (18) for mounting to a support structure (16), spindle means (46) rotatably supported in said housing means (18), said spindle means (46) having a lower end (56) for connection to the operating shaft (14) of a valve (12), said spindle means (46) having an upper end (58) for receiving a tool for rotating said spindle means (46), ring means (62) rotatably supported in said housing means (18) said housing means including means for reading said ring means (62) for indicating the position of the valve (12) between open and shut positions, and transmission means operatively interconnecting said spindle means (46) and said ring means (62) for rotating said ring means (62) in proportion to the rotation of said spindle means (46), a cover (100) fixedly supported in said housing means (18) over said ring means (62), and characterized by including locking bar means (104) operatively supported by said cover (100) for movement between a locked position preventing access to said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46) and an unlocked position for allowing access to said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 84 words

An assembly as set forth in claim 10 further characterized by said locking means comprising a locking bar (104) pivotally supported by said cover (100) at one end (106) to extend over said upper end (58) of said spindle means (46) in said locked position to a distal end, said distal end of said locking bar (104) and said cover (100) presenting a locking tongue (110) and groove for receiving a lock to prevent pivotal movement of said bar (104) from said locked position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-01-15	1993-07-17	1994-01-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-01-15	1997-07-17	1998-01-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-01-15	2001-07-17	2002-01-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Deck box valve operator and position indicator assembly

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag