Positive drive actuated valve for reciprocating compressor and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10830231-B2
Application number	US-201314397959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2013
Priority date	May 2, 2012
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

Positive drive valve actuating mechanisms useable to operate a valve of a reciprocating compressor for oil and gas industry and related methods are provided. The valve actuating mechanism includes a driver configured to perform a rotating motion and a follower connected to a mobile part of the valve and to the driver. The follower is configured to transform the rotating motion of the driver into a reciprocating motion to open the valve and to close the valve, respectively.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A positive drive valve actuating mechanism for operating a linear valve of a reciprocating compressor for use in the oil and gas industry, the valve actuating mechanism comprising:
a rotatable driving mechanism comprising a first cam and a second cam configured to rotate around an axis, wherein elongated parts of the first cam and the second cam, respectively, are located at different angular positions; and
a follower connected to a valve shaft of the linear valve and to the rotatable driving mechanism, and configured to transform a rotating motion of the rotatable driving mechanism into a reciprocating motion of the valve shaft to open and close the linear valve, the follower comprising a first arm having a cam-contact end in contact with profiles of the first cam and the second cam, a second arm having a shaft-contact end attached to the valve shaft, and a rigid joint connecting an end of the first arm opposite the cam-contact end to an end of the second arm opposite the shaft-contact end,
wherein the shaft-contact end of the second arm is a fork that engages the valve shaft in a groove.

2. The positive drive valve actuating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the cam-contact end of the first arm is bifurcated into a first portion and a second portion.

3. The positive drive valve actuating mechanism of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the cam contact end of the first arm is in direct contact with the first cam and the second portion of the cam-contact end of the first arm is in direct contact with the second cam.

4. The positive drive valve actuating mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the groove has a smaller diameter around a location where the shaft-contact end of the second arm engages the valve shaft.

Assignees

• Nuovo Pignone Srl

Inventors

• Bagagli Riccardo
• Tognarelli Leonardo

Classifications

• F04B39/10 Primary

  Adaptations or arrangements of distribution members · CPC title

• F04B53/10

  Valves; Arrangement of valves · CPC title

• F16K31/528

  with pin and slot · CPC title

• F16K31/524 Primary

  with a cam · CPC title

• F04B49/225 Primary

  with throttling valves or valves varying the pump inlet opening or the outlet opening · CPC title