Hydrocarbon monitoring valve

Abstract

A hydrocarbon monitoring valve which is operative to close whenever hydrocarbons are present in a fluid passing therethrough has a hollow hydrocarbon-sensitive canister mounted in a generally vertically disposed portion of a housing of the valve. The presence of hydrocarbons within fluid passing through the canister produces rapid deterioration of the canister, with the result that mechanical linkage coupled to the canister acts to close a valve element within a generally horizontally disposed portion of the valve adjacent an inlet, thereby shutting the valve from further flow of fluid therethrough. In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical linkage includes a spring-loaded plunger disposed to move in response to deterioration of the canister, a first lever mounted on a shaft or the valve element, and a second lever normally engaging an end of the first lever but biased to rotate out of engagement with the first lever in response to movement of the spring-loaded plunger to permit rotation of the shaft and closure of the valve element. In an alternative embodiment, a spring-loaded plunger which moves in response to deterioration of the canister pivots a lever to move a bar assembly coupled to the lever. Movement of the bar assembly rotates a shaft on which the valve element is mounted to close the valve element.