Fort Vale Engineering Limited

Other

Edward S Fort

Alan George Smithson

Stephen H Davenport

A handle assembly for operating a valve of the type having a valve body and a pivotally mounted actuating spindle extending from the valve body has a mounting means to secure the assembly to the spindle, a handle portion connected to the mounting means and a pivotally mounted locking member. The locking member is pivotable, either by camming surfaces on the handle portion and the locking member or by a key, between a first, locked position in which it engages with a portion of the valve body, and a second, unlocked position in which it is free from the valve body and enables the valve spindle to be rotated by the handle portion. The locking member is provided with a number of apertures which can be aligned with corresponding apertures in the mounting means and the handle portion when the locking member is in its locked position. The apertures are shaped to receive tamper-sensitive tape or wire or the shackle of a padlock, to indicate or prevent unauthorized use of the valve.

Valve operating handle

A valve is in the form of a valve body having a valve inlet, a valve outlet and a valve seat disposed between the inlet and the outlet. A valve closure member is movable between a first, closed position in abutment with the valve seat and a second, open position in which it is displaced from the valve seat. A shaft is pivotally mounted within the valve body and one end is connected to an actuating handle, by means of which it is pivotable. An arm is connected to the shaft and to the valve closure member, whereby movement of the actuating handle causes opening and closing of the valve. The positioning of the pivoting portions of the valve and the spring within the valve body (i.e. in an aperture actually within the material forming the valve body) means that the only item other than the valve closure member in the path of the material being discharged is the arm, and that when in the open position the valve closure member causes no constriction of the bore.

Valve assembly

A manlid for a tubular pressure vessel has a one-piece pressed stainless steel skin having an upwardly facing undulating annular groove and a downwardly-facing tapered annular seal groove. The lid assembly is provided with an inner reinforcing member located in the upwardly facing annular groove and an outer, annular peripheral reinforcing member located across the inner reinforcing member and having one arm in abutment with the exterior surface of the seal groove. The inner and outer reinforcing members are formed into a number of angularly-spaced lugs for receipt of conventional threaded swing bolts for securing the manlid in position. The provision of an inner reinforcing member between the pressed skin and the outer reinforcing member allows a pressed skin from a lower pressure-rated manlid to be used in a higher pressure-rated design.

Manlid for a container tank

A seal, especially for a valve, comprises a substantially rigid support member 10, an abutment envelope 22 made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) defining a volume between it and the support member, and a resiliently deformable, compressed, rubber sealing member 18 positioned in the volume. The PTFE envelope 22 is relatively chemically inert and allows the seal to be used in chemically harsh environments, the rubber sealing member 18 provides the necessary resilience and the rigid support member produces positive sealing. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing member 18, the abutment envelope 22 and the support member 10 are annular.

Seal

A pressure relief valve adapted in use to relieve excess pressure within a vessel. The valve comprises a valve seat (20) and a moveable valve member (28) which is resiliently biased towards the valve seat (20) by coil springs (30) to maintain the valve in a normally closed position. A valve seal (52) is carried by the moveable valve member (28), between the moveable valve member (28) and the valve seat (20), to seal the gap therebetween when the valve is closed. The valve seal (52) has an annular pressure sealing face (54) which in the valves normally closed position sealingly co-operates with the valve seat (20). A resilient biasing member (58) is disposed behind the annular pressure sealing face (54) so that in the valves normally closed position, the annular pressure sealing face (54) is maintained in sealing contact with the valve seat (20) formed integrally with the annular pressure sealing face (54) and disposed radially inward thereof, locating means (80) locate the valve seal (52) on the moveable valve member (28).

Valve seals

A valve assembly comprising a movable valve member which is urged resiliently toward a valve seat and which is actuated by a connecting rod. In order to ensure that the connecting rod does not become accidentally disengaged from the movable valve member, but is nevertheless releasable therefrom, the connecting rod is arranged to be received in a pocket in the movable valve member, which pocket is closed by a slotted plate. The slot allows the end of the connecting rod to be inserted into the pocket in one relative angular position while preventing it from being removed when in any other angular position. The end of the connecting rod is T-shaped and is rotated 90.degree. after being passed through the slot. The pocket has a groove which receives the head of the T-shaped end to prevent relative rotation of the valve member in use. The connecting rod is operated by way of a crank which goes over center when the valve is fully open.

Valves

A lid for a pressure vessel comprising an inner skin having a seal groove formed in the periphery thereof by pressing, and a reinforcing member which is contiguous with at least a portion of the inner skin. In one embodiment, the reinforcing member comprises an L-shaped annular ring which backs up the seal groove region of the inner skin. In another embodiment the reinforcing member completely covers the inner skin. In this embodiment the central section of the inner and outer skins are part spherical and are contiguous with one another. An air gap exists radially inwardly of the seal groove between the two skins. In another embodiment the inner and outer skins are spaced apart over their central section and on insulating may be disposed in the space so formed.

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Clitheroe, United Kingdom

Edward S Fort