Compound express actuator connection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10132422-B2
Application number	US-201615175122-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Dec 31, 2012
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A system for securing a valve actuator to a valve assembly includes an actuator housing with a plurality of housing lugs protruding radially. A cylinder assembly is located within the actuator housing and has a horseshoe connector to engage a valve stem nub of a valve stem and transfer axial movement of the horseshoe connector to axial movement of the valve stem. A bonnet has a plurality of bonnet lugs protruding radially from the bonnet to define a plurality of bonnet slots therebetween, wherein each of the plurality of housing lugs are sized to pass axially through a respective one of the plurality of bonnet slots when the actuator housing is in a released position, the actuator housing being rotatable to a locked position such that the plurality of bonnet lugs prevent axial movement of the actuator housing in at least one direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for securing a valve actuator to a valve assembly, the system comprising:
an actuator housing having an actuator axis, and a plurality of housing lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the actuator housing, the plurality of housing lugs protruding radially toward the actuator axis to define a plurality of housing slots therebetween;
a valve stem, a first portion of the valve stem having a valve stem nub with a nub shoulder, and a second portion of the valve stem operable to be connected to a valve;
a cylinder assembly located within the actuator housing, the cylinder assembly having a horseshoe connector with a horseshoe connector opening and a lip adjacent to the opening, the lip sized to engage the nub shoulder, transferring axial movement of the horseshoe connector to axial movement of the valve stem when the valve stem is positioned within the horseshoe connector opening;
a bonnet having a plurality of bonnet lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the bonnet, the plurality of bonnet lugs protruding radially from the bonnet to define a plurality of bonnet slots therebetween, wherein each of the plurality of housing lugs are sized to pass axially through a respective one of the plurality of bonnet slots when the actuator housing is in a released position, the actuator housing being rotatable to a locked position where at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of housing lugs is axially aligned with a portion of a respective bonnet lug such that the plurality of bonnet lugs prevent axial movement of the actuator housing in at least one direction, and rotation to the locked position secures the housing to the bonnet via the respective lugs while maintaining an axial position of the housing relative to the bonnet.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of housing lugs and the plurality of bonnet lugs are spaced so that the actuator housing is rotatable less than one full revolution between the released and locked positions.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a securing mechanism selectively preventing relative rotation between the actuator housing and the bonnet.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the horseshoe connector opening has a diameter sized to accept a reduced diameter portion of the valve stem nub when the valve stem is moved radially towards the actuator axis.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder assembly includes an inner cylinder that is static relative to the actuator housing and an outer cylinder that is axially moveable relative to the actuator housing, and wherein the horseshoe connector is located at an end of the outer cylinder.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder assembly includes an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, the outer cylinder having an open end for receiving the inner cylinder and a closed opposite end, and wherein an outer diameter of the inner cylinder dynamically seals with an inner diameter of outer cylinder.

7. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising an injection port providing a fluid flow path for injecting a pressure media from an exterior of the actuator housing to an interior of the cylinder assembly, the horseshoe connector being axially moveable with a change in a pressure within the interior of the cylinder assembly.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the valve stem has an annular shoulder that faces towards the first portion of the valve stem that is sized to engage a mating shoulder of the bonnet, limiting axial movement of the valve stem relative to the bonnet.

9. A system for securing a valve actuator to a valve assembly, the system comprising:
an actuator housing having an actuator axis, a valve end and an opposite outer end, and a plurality of housing lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the actuator housing, the plurality of housing lugs protruding radially toward the actuator axis to define a plurality of housing slots therebetween;
a valve stem, a first portion of the valve stem having a valve stem nub with a nub shoulder, and a second portion of the valve stem operable to be connected to a valve;
a cylinder assembly located within the actuator housing, the cylinder assembly having an inner cylinder sealingly engaging an outer cylinder, the outer cylinder axially moveable relative to the inner cylinder by a change of pressure within a piston chamber of cylinder assembly;
a horseshoe connector located at an end of the outer cylinder, the horseshoe connector having a horseshoe connector opening and a lip adjacent to the opening, the lip sized to engage the nub shoulder, transferring axial movement of the horseshoe connector to axial movement of the valve stem when the valve stem is positioned within the horseshoe connector opening;
a bonnet connectable to the valve end of the actuator housing and having a plurality of bonnet lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the bonnet, the plurality of bonnet lugs protruding radially from the bonnet to define a plurality of bonnet slots therebetween, wherein each of the plurality of housing lugs are sized to pass axially through a respective one of the plurality of bonnet slots when the actuator housing is in a released position, the actuator housing being rotatable to a locked position while maintaining an axial position of the housing relative to the bonnet where at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of housing lugs is axially aligned with a portion of a respective bonnet lug such that the plurality of bonnet lugs prevent axial movement of the actuator housing in at least one direction when the actuator housing is in the locked position.

10. The system according to claim 9 , further comprising a biasing member with a first end that engages a biasing retainer of the outer cylinder and a second end that engages the actuator housing, the biasing member urging the outer cylinder in a direction towards the outer end of the actuator housing.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the inner cylinder is fixed to the outer end of the actuator housing and the outer cylinder is axially moveable relative to the actuator housing.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the outer cylinder has an open end for receiving the inner cylinder and a closed opposite end, and wherein an outer diameter of the inner cylinder dynamically seals with an inner diameter of outer cylinder and an inner bore of the inner cylinder and an inner bore of the outer cylinder together define a piston chamber.

13. A method for securing a valve actuator to a valve assembly, the method comprising:
providing an actuator housing having an actuator axis, a plurality of housing lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the actuator housing, the plurality of housing lugs protruding radially to define a plurality of housing slots therebetween, and a cylinder assembly located within the actuator housing, the cylinder assembly having a horseshoe connector;
locating a valve stem nub of a first portion of a valve stem within a horseshoe connector opening of the horseshoe connector so that a lip adjacent to the horseshoe connector opening engages a nub shoulder of the valve stem nub and axial movement of the horseshoe connector can be transferred to axial movement of the valve stem, the valve stem having a second portion operable to be connected to a valve;
providing a bonnet having a plurality of bonnet lugs spaced apart around a circumference of the bonnet, the plurality of bonnet lugs protruding radially from the bonnet to define a plurality of bonnet slots therebetween; and
passing the plurality of housing lugs thr

Assignees

• Ge Oil & Gas Pressure Control Lp

Inventors

• Mcevoy Travis Kyle
• Law Robert Kevin
• Adams Keith M
• Cheatham Lloyd R

Classifications

• F16K31/1223

  one side of the piston being acted upon by the circulating fluid · CPC title

• F16K27/00

  Construction of housing (methods for welding housings B23K); Use of materials therefor · CPC title

• F16K31/1228 Primary

  with a stationary piston · CPC title

• F16K37/0008

  Mechanical means (F16K37/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K35/06

  using a removable actuating or locking member, e.g. a key (F16K35/10, F16K35/12 take precedence) · CPC title