Angle Cocks

Abstract

A railroad angle cock in which the O-ring seal in the bonnet is located above the bonnet locking arrangement which holds the valve member in the valve body. This prevents ice and dirt or corrosive car lading from seeping into the valve and interfering with the operation of the angle cock.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There has always been a problem with angle cocks on railroad cars being difficult to operate properly because of sticking or freezing so that the operating handle cannot be moved to open or close the valve member to control the air flow in the brake pipe. Adverse weather conditions had an effect because rainwater, ice and snow would enter the valve mechanism through the bonnet and freeze solid, preventing the valve from being operated. Also should the railroad car carry corrosive lading such as salt for example, this material would seep into the valve mechanism and cause binding or wear. Dust and dirt as well could enter the operating parts on top of the valve and cause extreme wear or binding to the operating mechanism. A factor contributing to this problem is that the angle cock is mounted on top of the end of the center sill of the railroad car and canted at a 30.degree. angle so that the top of the valve bonnet is not horizontal but tilted so that the underside of the bonnet is more or less exposed to the elements.

It is an object of the invention therefore to provide a new and improved angle cock arranged to avoid the foregoing disadvantages and to incorporate the various novel features in an angle cock of the type disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,212 of applicant's to which reference is hereby made.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the angle cock of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan top view;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the valve member; while

FIG. 4 is a top view with the operating handle and valve member removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The angle cock comprises generally a body portion 5 having an inlet 6 and a threaded outlet end 7 together with a ball-shaped valve member 8 for controlling the airflow through the valve. The outlet 7 connects with the usual flexible hose connection between two railway cars while the inlet 6 connects with the rigid air pipe 9 extending throughout the length of the railway car. The airtight connection to the rigid pipe 9 may be as shown and described in the aforesaid patent and need not further be explained.

The valve member 8 shown detached in FIG. 3 consists of a single unitary structure inserted in the bore 10 of the body 5, the bottom end 11 of the valve being journaled in the body recess 12. The valve member 8 is of hollow ball shape and has a transverse passage 13 therethrough which is rotatable in the bore 10 for controlling the passage of air through the valve. The ball valve member 8 is supported and formed integral with a connecting portion 14 of the bonnet 15 and is rotatable therewith. The bonnet 15 closes the top opening of the bore 10 and is provided with an overhanging lip 16 and recess which is adapted to ride around on an upturned lip 17 formed around the top of the body opening 10, as the valve is rotated. This overhanging lip 16 helps to seal off the bore 10 and ball valve 8 from entry of foreign matter while permitting good guidance and smooth operation of the ball valve member.

An O-ring seal 20 is arranged in an annular recess 21 formed in the top end of the bonnet 15 and prevents outward leakage of air through the valve body and ball member as well as preventing moisture and foreign substances from entering the same. This O-ring 20 it is to be noted, is located immediately below the lip 17 and provides further protection at the point where entry of moisture is most apt to occur. It had been formerly difficult to provide adequate and proper sealing at this point due to the fact that the angle cock is not mounted horizontally in practice as depicted in FIG. 1, but is canted or positioned about 30.degree. axially so the side of the valve and bonnet is exposed to the elements and most vulnerable to entry of extraneous matter such as ice, snow, dirt and dust. The combination of the overhanging lip 16 and ridge 17 together with the O-ring 20 effectively prevents this undesirable condition. Another favorable factor is that the operation of the ball valve 8 is much smoother, binding is precluded, and better guiding action is provided as the parts are rotated.

The valve member 8 and bonnet 15 are removably held and locked in the body 5 by means of locking lugs 25 and 26 formed in the bonnet portion 14 above the valve unit 8 on opposite sides thereof, the lugs riding in associated body bore recesses. The lugs are located midway between the bonnet 15 and ball valve 8. These locking lugs 25 and 26 are adapted to be rotated in annular groove 27 formed in the bore 10 and be meshed or locked under oppositely disposed lugs 28 and 29 formed in the wall of the bore 10 and engaging associated bonnet recesses as shown. An annular bearing and guiding ring 30 is formed around the bonnet portion 14 and at its top surface forms one wall of the O-ring recess 21 and at the bottom surface rides as a bearing on the top of the locking lugs 28 and 29 in the body. The bearing ring 30 is therefore located between the lugs 28 and 29 and the O-ring 20 as shown.

The valve member 8 and its bonnet 15 is inserted in the bore 10 from the top of the valve body 5 so that the locking lugs 25 and 26 on the valve member 8 are registered with the spaces or pockets 31 and 32 between the lugs 28 and 29 formed in the body 5. The valve member 8 is then rotated 155.degree. clockwise until the locking lugs 25 and 26 are moved under the body lugs 28 and 29, thereby locking the valve member 8 and bonnet 15 in place in the valve body 5 as seen in FIG. 1. Formerly as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,212, the spaces 31 and 32 formed between lugs 28 and 29 served as pockets where moisture, dirt and ice collected and froze so that it was impossible to rotate the operating handle 35. The cooperating lips 16 and 17 and the O-ring 20 all located above these spaces now protect the same from entry of foreign matter to cause clogging.

The operating handle 35 for opening and closing the valve is arranged for up and down movement as well as rotary movement. It is pivoted by pin 41 in a pair of upstanding lugs 42 formed on the top of bonnet 15. A curved leaf spring 43 normally biases the handle end in the downward position shown. The valve handle 35 is locked in the valve-open position, that is passage 13 is open between the inlet 9 and outlet 7, by a lug 44 formed under the handle and resting in a recess 45 formed in the body 5. To close the valve, the handle 35 is first lifted upward against the tension of spring 43 to clear the lug 44 from the recess 45. Then the handle is rotated 90.degree. counterclockwise and released whereupon the handle lug 44 drops into another recess 46 formed in the side of the body. The spring 43 holds the handle 35 positively locked in either of its positions against vibrations and shocks produced under service conditions. The projecting stops 47 and 48 formed in the valve body 5 limit the rotation of the handle 35 within the 90.degree. movement, between the open and closed position of the valve.

When it is necessary to remove the valve member 8 from the valve body 5 for inspection or repair purposes, the handle pivot pin 41 is first driven out through the lugs 42 and removed, enabling the handle 35 to be taken off the top of the valve body. By placing a tool between the lugs 42 it is then possible to rotate the valve member and bonnet counterclockwise to a position beyond that occupied by the body stop 48, since the handle is no longer attached to the bonnet. In this position the locking lugs 25 and 26 on the valve member 8 are removed from under the confines of locking lugs 28 and 29 and are now in the spaces 31 and 32. The valve unit may now be withdrawn directly out of the bore 10 in the valve body. This arrangement insures that the valve member cannot be removed or the valve interior damaged by unauthorized persons.

It will be assumed that prior to the above action of removing the valve member 8 from the body, the ball-sealing elements 50 and other parts will have been removed outward from the inlet side 9 of the valve body, in the manner as pointed out in the aforesaid U.s. Pat. No. 3,184,212.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. In an angle cock, a body having an inlet and an outlet flow passage therethrough, a ball valve member in said body for controlling said flow passage, a bonnet on top of said body having a bonnet portion extending down into a bore formed in said body, said ball valve member being supported by and formed integral with the lower end of said bonnet portion, an overhanging annular lip portion formed around said bonnet, said bonnet having an annular recess formed therein located inward and adjacent said overhanging annular lip portion, an upstanding lip portion formed around the entrance to said body bore engaging said bonnet recess, said overhanging lip portion cooperating with said bonnet recess to form a seal therebetween to prevent entry of foreign substances from outside the valve body into said bore and bonnet portion, said overhanging annular lip radially overlapping said upstanding lip so that said upstanding lip rides in said annular bonnet recess when said bonnet is rotated, an O-ring arranged in a second recess in said bonnet portion and in slidable engagement with said body bore, said O-ring being located immediately below both of said lip portions to further provide a seal to prevent entry of foreign substances from outside the valve body as well as prevent leakage outward from inside the valve body, oppositely disposed lugs formed on said bonnet portion, other oppositely disposed lugs formed on said body bore, said bonnet portion and said body bore having recesses formed therein for the reception of said lugs for locking said bonnet and valve member in place in said body bore while permitting rotary movement of said valve member, said lugs and recesses being located below the position of said O-ring and an annular guiding ring formed on said bonnet portion located between said O-ring and said lugs and recesses.

2. The angle cock as claimed in claim 1, in which the top of the bonnet has an operating handle attached to it for rotating said ball valve and bonnet.

3. The angle cock as claimed in claim 1, in which the top of the bonnet is provided with upstanding lugs upon which an operating handle is pivoted, said operating handle adapted for vertical unlocking movement and for rotary movement to operate said bonnet and valve member.

4. The angle cock as claimed in claim 1, in which the guiding ring forms one wall for the O-ring recess and the opposite side of the ring rests upon the lugs in the body bore to serve as a guide and bearing for the ball valve.

5. The angle cock as claimed in claim 1, in which the overhanging lip on the bonnet is around the periphery of the bonnet and the upstanding lip lies in the bonnet recess in cooperative sliding engagement therewith, said upstanding lip being arranged on the body and around the upper edge portion of the body bore.

6. The angle cock as claimed in claim 1, in which the spaces between the oppositely disposed lugs on the bonnet portion and the body bore are protected and sealed off from entry of moisture, dirt and foreign substances by being located in the valve body below the O-ring and the lips around the top of the body.

7. In an angle cock, a body having a flow passage, an opening in said body communicating with said flow passage, a valve member in said flow passage for controlling flow therethrough, said valve member having a portion extending through said opening, cooperating mating annular flanges on said valve member portion and body for closing said opening, a seal member between said body and valve member portion directly adjacent said mating flanges, and interlocking lugs on said body and valve member portion, positioned between said seal member and flow passage, for locking said valve member in said body.