BACKGROUND

The invention relates to valves. More particularly, the invention is concerned with valves for utilities.

In the event of a major earthquake, it is common for appliances, such as water heaters, to be upset and for the water and gas supplies to such water heaters to be broken. This can cause serious potential hazard as gas escapes and fills an area with potentially explosive mixtures. Furthermore, water escaping from a broken water line can cause extensive damage to floors, subfloors and cabinets.

It is common instruction for the homeowner to be advised to turn off the gas and water lines to the house, but unfortunately the typical homeowner is unfamiliar with the location of such valves and even if familiar with such location, the valves are not readily manipulated. Typically, the gas valve is operated by turning a metal tab 90°. Such a valve can only be turned with the assistance of a wrench and in an emergency, many times such wrench is not available. Still further, the valve is typically very difficult to turn because such valves are unused for many years.

There is, thus, a need for a method of quickly turning off utilities which may be operated without the need of special _, tools and which is readily accessible to the home, apartment or business owner.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a rapid and easy method for turning off utilities, which does not require the use of tools.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a utility shutoff device which is capable of shutting off two utilities at the same time.

In one form., the present invention permits for turning off valves for utilities, such as gas and water, from a remote location.

The device includes a first spring loaded valve assembly having a valve, a valve seat and a valve stem. The valve and valve stem are urged by a spring toward a closed position and the valve is held open by a latch.

In one preferred form, a first hollow conduit is affixed to the first valve assembly at one end and to a hollow tee member at the other end. A second hollow conduit is affixed to the hollow tee member a one end and to a second spring loaded valve assembly at the other end. A third hollow conduit is also affixed to the hollow tee member and terminates at an area convenient to the operator. A first cable is affixed to the holding latch of the first valve assembly and passes through the conduit to the hollow tee. A second cable assembly is affixed to the holding latch of the second valve assembly and also passes through a hollow conduit to the hollow tee. A third cable is affixed to the first and second cables and passes from the hollow tee through the third conduit and has a pull ring extending outside of the conduit, which pull ring is accessible to the operator. To shut off the valves, the pull ring is pulled and this action travels through the third, second and first cables and trips the two spring loaded valve stem and valve

assemblies thereby closing two utilities at the same time such as a gas line and a water line.

Preferably, the first and second hollow conduits are in line and the third conduit is at about a right angle to the first and second conduits. Also, preferably, rollers are provided within the hollow tee to reduce the friction in the movement of the cables within the conduits.

In another preferred form, an elongated handle is affixed to the releasable catch of the spring loaded valve so that the gas supply to the structure may be readily turned off by operating the elongated angle. Preferably, a protective cover with breakable glass is placed over the elongated angle so that it may not be inadvertently tripped.

In a different preferred form, a door structure to the casing of a valve assembly is levered to the casing and is connected with a short cable to the catch. Manual operation of the door trips the catch. A tool mechanism is needed to reset the catch.

The spring-loaded valve may be mounted in a gas line with the spring of the valve housing in the gas path. Further, the catch is pivotally mounted so that a pivot is towards one end of a lever and the catch is at the opposite end of the lever and the spring acts between the two ends.

DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device for turning off valves for utilities of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an elbow and roller assembly of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front view, partially cut away of the hollow tee member of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a valve assembly of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a gas supply line and a gas meter, which gas supply line includes the manually operated gas shut off assembly of a second embodiment.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view analogous to figure 6 showing the gas valve in a closed configuration.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the manually operated gas valve together with a protective cover.

Figure 9 is a partly cross-sectional- view of a third embodiment illustrating the valve in an open latched position.

Figure 10 is a view along line 10-20 of Figure

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the catch and pivot pin.

Figure 12 is a partly cross-sectional view of the valve of Figure 9 illustrated in a closed position.

DESCRIPTION

The device for turning off valves for utilities shown in Figure 1 is accessible to the user by an exposed pull ring 110 which is mounted in a plate 111 held on the surface of a wall 112. Pull ring 110 is attached to a cable 113 within a length of conduit 114. Length 114 is affixed to an elbow 115 which is shown in an enlarge perspective view in Figure 2. There it can be seen that the cable 113 passes over a roller 116 which is preferably narrowed in the middle to guide cable 113 to the center of roller 116. Roller 116 is rotatingly held on a pin 117 supported by elbow 115.

Cable 113 passes through a hollow conduit 118 which is connected to a hollow tee member 119 which is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 3. Conduit 118 is affixed to hollow tee member 119 by a conventional fitting 120. Hollow tee member 119 includes a pair of rollers 121 and 122 which are held so that their axes of rotation 123 and 124 are at a right angle in respect to cable 113 or with respect to cables 125 and 126. Cable 125 passes through a hollow conduit 127 which is affixed to hollow tee member 119 by a fitting 128. Similarly, cable 126 passes through hollow conduit 129 which is affixed to hollow tee member 119 by a fitting 130. Hollow conduit 127 is affixed to a spring loaded valve assembly 131 by a fitting 132.

Cable 125 is attached to the end of a holding levered latch or catch 133 which is pivoted at pin 134 and which has a hook 135 which holds a pin 136 attached to a valve stem 137. Valve stem 137 has a valve 138 at its lower end. Above valve 138 is a spring 139 which urges valve 138 toward valve seat 140. The water flows in the direction of arrows 141 and passes between valve 138 and valve seat 140 in normal operation.

When cable 125 is pulled, the holding latch 133 releases pin 136. Valve stem 137 and valve 138 are urged toward valve seat 140 by spring 39 thereby turning off the flow of water. Once the emergency has been resolved, the valve stem 137 can be opened by pulling pin 136 so that it once again fits into hook 135 of latch 133. The gas valve 142 is of identical construction as valve assembly 131 and, thus, is not described again.

Cables 125 and 126 are affixed to cable 113 by a crimp sleeve 143 and cable 126 is, in fact, continuous with cable 113. By providing a right-angled pull with respect to cable 113 and cables 125 and 126, the two holding latches are pulled at the same time. If one latch is released before the second latch, that further reduces the pull and increases the release of the second latch. Of course, the conduits 127 and 129 may include tees, such as tee 115 with rollers, such as roller 116, so that the cable may be directed between the pull ring and the gas line in an unobtrusive manner. It is preferable that the shutoff valves 131 and 142 be located near the source of utilities to the property so that a rupture in a gas or water line may be downstream with respect to the shutoff valves 131 and 142.

In a second embodiment a manually operated gas shut off valve 10 is located in the gas main 11 and is connected to a gas meter 12.

The internal construction of the manually operated gas shut off valve is shown in Figures 6 and 7. The gas line 11 leads from the gas main to the inlet 15 of valve 10. The gas passes through a valve seat 16 and out through outlet 14. A valve 17 is urged downwardly by a spring 18, but this downward movement is restrained by a pin 19 which passes through valve stem 20. Pin 19 is held upwardly by a levered catch or latch 21. In use of a spring-loaded valve, latch 21 is contained within cover 22 and is affixed to a cable which passes through conduit

25. In the modified construction of the present invention, latch 21 has an elongated handle 23 which passes through an opening 24 in cover 22.

When elongated handle 23 is moved upwardly, latch 21 releases pin 19 which allows valve 17 to close against valve seat 16 shutting off the flow of gas.

In order to reduce the turning off of the valve by vandals, a protective cover 28 is preferably mounted over valve 10. Protective cover 28 is preferably mounted over valve 10. Protective cover 28 has a hinged door 29 with a glass front 30. In order to operate elongated handle 23, glass 30 must be broken. A lock 31 permits the opening of door 29 for service or the turning off of the gas valve in a nonemergency situation as by a serviceman.

In Figures 9 through 12, the embodiment is illustrated with the short cable 200 between a latch 201 and a door member 202 to the valve assembly 203. The latch 201 is pivoted through pin 204 which passes through holes 205 at one end of the latch. The opposite end of the latch lever 201 is a hook member 206 which engages pin 207 of the valve stem. By pulling the door 202 as indicated by finger 208 about the lever pivot point 209 the cable 200 pulls the latch 201 from the valve stem pin 207 and the valve member 208 closes on the seat 209 of the valve.

Recocking of the valve is effected by a tool which engages the lateral pins 207 and is pulled upwardly against the spring 210 until the pin 207 engages with the hooks 207 of the latch 201. A spring 211 urges the latch 201 towards the position of the lateral pins 207 of the valve stem. The gas flow through the valve is indicated by arrows 212 and in the illustrated embodiment the gas flow is such that the spring 210 is in the gas path of the gas line. The cable 200 is made of a flexible steel

material and its one free end is crimped at 212 and the other free end is crimped at 213 so as to be firmly secured between the door 202 and the latch 201. The cable 200 passes through the aperture 214 in the latch 201 prior to crimping at 212. The lateral pins 207 are located to either side of the valve assembly and are accessible through a sort 215 to either side of the valve assembly body. The pins 207 may protrude or be flush with the valve body.

The embodiments are illustrative only. The invention is determined by the appended claims.