LIF, Erik (Flygarevägen 29, Sollentuna, S-191 49, SE)
| CLAIMS 1. A valve arrangement for a collection plant (22) configured to transport products (26) by means of an airflow, which valve arrangement (1) comprises a valve disk (4), which is displaceable between an open and a closed position, a valve seat (6), which has a sealing face (8) cooperating with the valve disk (4), a force member (2), which is connected to the valve disk (4) and is arranged to direct the valve disk (4) into the closed and open position, characterized in that a housing (10) arranged to receive the valve disk (4), the valve seat (6) and the force member (2), and in that the valve disk (4), the valve seat (6) and the force member (2) are detachably mounted in the housing (10). 2. The valve arrangement as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the valve seat (6) is provided with a portion forming a partition in the housing (10), which portion is provided with a slit-shaped opening (38) through which the valve disk (4) is arranged to extend. 3. The valve arrangement as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the slit- shaped opening (38) in the valve seat (6) forms a bearing surface (40) for the valve disk (4). 4. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve seat (6) comprises lugs (28) for fixing the valve disk (4) in the closed position. 5. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the valve seat (6) comprises a groove (29) for fixing the valve disk (4) in the closed position. 6. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the force member (2) comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor. 7. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) comprises an end flange (30), which surrounds an opening (31) of the housing (10). 8. The valve arrangement as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a lid (32) is detachably connected to the end flange (30) of the housing (10). 9. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the force member (2), the valve disk (4) and the valve seat (6) can be installed through the opening (31) in the housing (10). 10. The valve arrangement as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) is provided with connection openings (14), which are arranged to be connected to a conveyor conduit (16) of the collection plant (22). 1 1. A valve seat for cooperating with a valve disk (4), characterized in that the valve seat (6) is configured to be detachably mounted in a housing ( 10) in a valve arrangement according to claim 1. 12. The valve seat as claimed in claim 1 1, characterized in that the valve seat (6) is provided with a portion (36) forming a partition in the housing (10). 13. The valve seat as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the portion (36) is provided with a slit-shaped opening (38) through which the valve disk (4) is arranged to extend. |
The invention relates to a valve arrangement for a collection plant, comprising a valve disk, which is displaceable between an open and a closed position, a valve seat, which has a sealing face cooperating with the valve disk, a force member, which is connected to the valve disk and is arranged to direct the valve disk into the closed and open position, and a housing arranged to receive the valve disk, the valve seat and the force member. The invention also relates to a valve seat for such a valve arrangement.
Valve arrangements are used in collection plants for products such as refuse, recyclables, dirty washing, etc. The valve arrangement is connected to a conveyor conduit, which preferably is buried and runs below the ground. By means of an airflow, the conveyor conduit conveys the products which are led down through the shaft to a collection station forming part of the collection plant. Valve arrangements are normally used to close off sections of the collection plant, for example while it is serviced. It is also possible to use the valve arrangement to regulate the flow in the conveyor conduit. Preferably, however, the valve assumes a fully open position, where products, with the aid of the airflow, pass by the valve arrangement, and a fully closed position, where the conveyor conduit is closed and no products are fed forward by the airflow. It is previously known to connect valve arrangements to conveyor conduits in collection plants which operate on the basis of negative pressure. The valve arrangement is provided with a disk valve, which is opened and closed by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. The product is fed to the conveyor conduit through a shaft, whereafter the product passes through the valve arrangement when this is in an open position. After this, the product is sucked onward to one or more containers in a collection station by means of an airflow formed by the negative pressure. If the product or products is/are constituted by refuse, the container is emptied or fetched for onward transport of the refuse by vehicle to a refuse management facility, such as a trash dump.
Because of wear, however, the valve arrangement needs servicing and must sometimes be repaired. Since the valve arrangement is connected to the conveyor conduit, which is buried below the ground, the valve arrangement also ends up wholly or partially below ground.
It is thus difficult to carry out servicing and repair of the valve arrangement by simple means.
The object of the present invention is to facilitate maintenance of a valve arrangement for collection plants.
A further object of the invention is to provide a separate housing for a valve arrangement for collection plants.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple installation of a valve arrangement in a collection plant. This is achieved with a valve arrangement according to patent claim 1 and a valve seat according to patent claim 1 1.
A configuration of the valve member, the force member and the valve seat such that they are detachably mounted in the housing enables these to be easily removed and installed in the housing for servicing or repair. The valve member, the valve seat and the force member can be easily exchanged for new equivalent components in order thus to reduce the downtime of the plant and of the valve arrangement. As a result, the rate of utilization of the valve arrangement can be increased.
According to one embodiment, the valve seat is provided with a portion forming a partition in the housing, which portion is provided with a slit-shaped opening through which the valve disk is arranged to extend. The force member is thus protected against materials present in the transport duct which might damage the force member.
The slit-shaped opening in the valve seat forms a bearing surface for the valve disk, which means that the movement of the valve disk between the open and closed position is ensured and that the bearing surface has a sealing function which helps to ensure that materials present in the transport duct do not pass through the bearing surface. According to one embodiment, the valve seat preferably comprises lugs for fixing the valve disk in the closed position. Forces acting in a direction which substantially coincides with a normal to the surface of the valve disk will be at least partially absorbed by the lugs, thereby preventing deformation of the valve disk.
According to a further embodiment, the valve seat comprises a groove for fixing the valve disk in the closed position. The groove, which has the same function as the lugs, can be realized in combination with the lugs. The housing preferably comprises an end flange, which surrounds an opening of the housing, and a lid, which is detachably connected to the end flange of the housing. Through the opening in the housing, the force member, the valve disk and the valve seat can be easily installed and removed. The lid prevents foreign bodies from entering the housing and also constitutes a bearing surface if the valve arrangement is buried in the ground, so that the end flange, and thus the lid, ends up level with the ground surface. Preferably, the housing is provided with connection openings, which are arranged to be connected to a conveyor conduit of the collection plant. The installation of the valve arrangement in a collection plant is thereby facilitated.
Further advantages and distinguishing features of the invention emerge from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of the invention with reference to the appended drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a valve arrangement according to the present invention, fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a valve arrangement according to the present invention from the front, fig. 3 shows a valve arrangement according to the present invention in a front view, and fig. 4 shows a valve arrangement according to the present invention in a side view. Fig. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of a valve arrangement 1 according to the present invention. Fig. 2 shows an exploded view of a valve arrangement 1 according to the present invention from the front. The valve arrangement 1 comprises a force member 2 in the form of a pneumatic cylinder, which is arranged to direct a valve disk 4 into a closed and open position, as well as intermediate positions. The force member 2 can also be constituted by a hydraulic cylinder or an electric motor. The valve disk 4 is contrived to, in a closed position, bear sealingly against a valve seat 6, which has a sealing face 8 cooperating with the valve disk 4. In figs. 1 and 2, it is shown how the valve disk 4 fitted to the force member 2 via a connecting element 9. A housing 10 is arranged to receive the force member 2, the valve disk 4 and the valve seat 6. The force member 2, the valve disk 4 and the valve seat 6 can be detachably mounted in the housing 10, so that the force member 2, the valve disk 4 and the valve seat 6 can be easily exchanged in connection with repair and maintenance.
Fig. 3 and fig. 4 show the valve arrangement 1 according to the present invention in a front view and a side view respectively. In figs. 3 and 4, the force member 2, the valve disk 4 and the valve seat 6 are mounted in the housing 10, and the valve disk 4 has been brought into the open position. The housing 10 has an outer shell surface 12 with connection openings 14 for connection to a conveyor conduit 16, which preferably is buried and runs below the ground. By means of an airflow, the conveyor conduit 16 conveys the products which are led down through a shaft 18 to a collection station 20 forming part of a collection plant 22. The shaft 18, the collection station 22 and the collection plant 22 are shown schematically in fig. 4. The products which are to be handled by the collection plant 22 can be refuse, recyclables, dirty washing, etc. The shaft 18 is provided with an opening 24 for receiving the products 26 which are to be handled by the collection plant 22.
The valve disk 4 is configured substantially flat and can be provided with a sealing material for bearing contact against the sealing face 8 of the valve seat 6. Preferably, the valve seat 6 is provided with lugs 28, which fix the valve disk 4 in the closed position. The lugs 28 are disposed on the sealing face 8 and have a shape which preferably is tapered in the direction away from the valve disk 4, so that the products 26 which are transported in the conveyor conduit 16 will not get caught in the lugs 28. The lugs 28 mean that the forces acting in a direction which substantially coincides with a normal to the face of the valve disk 4 will be at least partially absorbed by the lugs 28, thereby preventing deformation of the valve disk 4. According to a further embodiment, the sealing face 8 of the valve seat 6 is provided with a groove 29 for fixing the valve disk 4 in the closed position. The groove 29, which has the same function as the lugs 28, can be realized in combination with the lugs 28.
According to the shown embodiment, the valve disk 4 has a shape which exhibits a circular segment, which means that the valve disk 4 will bear sealingly against the valve seat 6, which has a substantially circular shape at the portion through which the products 26 pass in the open position of the valve arrangement 1. Other shapes of the valve disk 4 and of the valve seat 6 are also possible. The housing 10 has an end flange 30, which surrounds an opening 31 of the housing 10. Preferably, the housing 10 is mounted on the conveyor conduit 16 present under the ground surface in such a way that the end flange 30 of the housing 10, and thus the opening 31 of the housing 10, ends up above or level with the ground surface, which gives access to the opening 31 of the housing 10 and thus access to the force member 2, the valve disk 4 and the valve seat 6 in connection with maintenance and exchange. In order to protect the components disposed in the housing 10, the housing 10 is provided with a lid 32, which is detachably connected to the end flange 30 of the housing 10 by means of screw joints 34.
According to one embodiment, the valve seat 6 is provided with a portion 36 forming a partition in the housing 10, which portion 36 is provided with a slit- shaped opening 38 through which the valve disk 4 is arranged to extend. The force member 2 is thus protected against materials present in the conveyor conduit 16 which might damage the force member 2.
The slit-shaped opening 38 in the valve seat 6 forms a bearing surface 40 for the valve disk 4, which means that the movement of the valve disk 4 between the open and closed position is ensured and that the bearing surface 40 has a sealing function which helps to ensure that materials present in the conveyor conduit 16 do not pass through the bearing surface 40. In order to further improve the guidance of the valve disk 4 in the valve seat 6, the valve seat 6 can be provided with guide rails 42, which bear against the valve disk 4 and give support to the valve disk 4 in both the open and closed position. The force member 2 is detachably fixed in the housing 10 with the aid of a bracket (not shown). The shape of the housing 10 is tailored to the shape of the valve seat 6, so that the valve seat 6 is fixed detachably to the inner walls of the housing 10. For the removal of the valve seat 6, this is drawn out of the housing 10 with the aid of a tool inserted into the slit-shaped opening 38 of the portion 36. For the installation of the valve seat 6, this is pushed in place into the housing 10 through the opening 31 of the housing 10. A passage 44 formed in the valve seat 4, which passage is defined by the sealing face 8 and the portion 36, will thus substantially coincide with the connection openings 14 of the housing 10, so that a centerline of the passage 44 will substantially coincide with a centerline of the connection openings 14.
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