The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Jan. 22, 1999
Robert W Castle, Pawtucket, RI (US);
SPARCO Inc., Warwick, RI (US);
Abstract
A valve actuating device for opening and closing a valve is disclosed. The valve has a valve housing, a valve member sealingly engageable with a valve seat formed in the valve housing and a valve stem attached to the valve member for moving the valve member from an open position to a closed position, the valve member being biased to the open position. The valve actuating device includes a housing which is constructed to be attachable to the valve housing of the valve, a bidirectional motor mounted on the housing and a pinion gear which is coupled to the motor by a shaft, the pinion gear being drivable by the motor via the shaft. The device further includes a rack including a body having an end portion which is engageable with the valve stem of the valve and a side portion having a number of teeth thereon for meshing with teeth of the pinion gear, the rack being moveable, by the motor driving the pinion gear, between a first position in which the valve is in its open position and a second position in which the end portion of the rack engages the valve stem for maintaining the valve stem in its closed position.