Portable valve operating machine for use in exercising valves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11326706-B2
Application number	US-202117165019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 14, 2020
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A valve operating machine includes a base having a housing thereon. A motor, and a planetary gearbox are mounted within cavities in the housing. A motor gear, a planetary input gear and an idler gear are mounted within a separate cavity. The motor gear is mounted for rotation with a motor shaft of the motor and the planetary input gear is mounted for rotation with a planetary gear spindle of the planetary input gear. The idler gear is engaged with the motor and planetary input gears. An output socket is connected to the planetary gearbox for connection to a key that is used to exercise a valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A valve operating machine comprising:
a base defining a central axis extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof;
a housing on the base;
a motor within a first cavity in the housing, the motor having a motor shaft extending perpendicular to the central axis and being longitudinally aligned with the central axis;
a planetary gearbox within a second cavity in the housing, the planetary gearbox including a plurality of planetary gears and a planetary gear spindle, the planetary gear spindle extending perpendicular to the central axis and being longitudinally aligned with the central axis;
a motor gear within a third cavity in the housing, wherein the motor shaft extends into the third cavity and the motor gear is mounted on the motor shaft and is configured for rotation with the motor shaft;
a planetary input gear within the third cavity, wherein the planetary gear spindle extends into the third cavity and the planetary input gear is mounted on the planetary gear spindle and is configured for rotation with the planetary gear spindle;
an idler gear mounted within the third cavity between the motor gear and the planetary input gear, the idler gear engaged with the motor gear and with the planetary input gear; and
an output socket connected to the planetary gearbox and extending through the base, wherein a key that is used to exercise a valve can be connected to the output socket.

2. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , further comprising a handle on the second end of the base and aligned with the center axis of the base, wherein the handle is configured to be grasped by operator, and wherein the housing is spaced from the handle.

3. The valve operating machine of claim 2 , wherein the base has a first rectangular section which engages with a first rectangular section of the handle and the base has a second rectangular section which engages with a second rectangular section of the handle, the first and second sections of the base being spaced apart from each other, and wherein the first rectangular section of the handle is wider than the second rectangular section of the handle.

4. The valve operating machine of claim 3 , wherein the second rectangular section is proximate to the second end of the base and the first rectangular section is spaced from the second end of the base.

5. The valve operating machine of claim 2 , further comprising a second handle on the housing.

6. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , wherein the motor gear is removably mounted to the motor shaft and the planetary input gear is removably mounted to the planetary gear spindle, and wherein idler gear can be positioned within the third cavity in a variety of positions relative to the motor shaft and the planetary gear spindle.

7. The valve operating machine of claim 6 , wherein the idler gear can be placed into three different positions relative to the motor shaft and the planetary gear spindle.

8. The valve operating machine of claim 6 , wherein the idler gear comprises a base having an idler shaft extending therefrom, the base of the idler gear having two pins extending therefrom, and a toothed gear rotatably mounted on the idler shaft.

9. The valve operating machine of claim 8 , further comprising a gear cover mounted within the housing and engaged with the idler shaft.

10. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , wherein the idler gear comprises a base having an idler shaft extending therefrom, the base of the idler gear having two pins extending therefrom, and a toothed gear rotatably mounted on the idler shaft.

11. The valve operating machine of claim 10 , further comprising a gear cover mounted within the housing and engaged with the idler shaft.

12. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , further comprising a battery mounted on the base, the battery is in electronic communication with the motor.

13. The valve operating machine of claim 12 , wherein the battery is removably mounted on the base.

14. The valve operating machine of claim 13 , further comprising a cleat on the base, the battery being engageable with the cleat.

15. The valve operating machine of claim 14 , wherein the housing further has a shoulder with which the battery is engaged.

16. The valve operating machine of claim 12 , wherein the battery defines a central axis extending from a first end thereof to a second end thereof, the central axis of the battery being parallel to the central axis of the base.

17. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , further comprising:
a motor controller within a fourth cavity in the housing and configured to control operation of the motor;
a display mounted on the housing; and
a display controller within a fifth cavity in the housing and configured to control operation of the display.

18. The valve operating machine of claim 17 , further comprising a global positioning emitter mounted on the housing.

19. The valve operating machine of claim 18 , wherein the global positioning emitter is mounted within a sixth cavity in the housing.

20. The valve operating machine of claim 17 , further comprising a Universal Serial Bus connector sealingly mounted to the housing.

21. The valve operating machine of claim 20 , further comprising a Universal Serial Bus removably mounted within the Universal Serial Bus connector, and a cover removably attached to the Universal Serial Bus connector, wherein when the cover is sealingly attached to the Universal Serial Bus connector.

22. The valve operating machine of claim 1 , further comprising an opening through the base which is fluid communication with the third cavity, and a plurality of fins formed in the housing.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Pierce Kenneth R
• Gearhart Michael W

Classifications

• F16K31/46

  for remote operation · CPC title

• F16K31/04

  using a motor · CPC title

• B25B21/002 Primary

  for special purposes · CPC title

• F16K31/055 Primary

  for rotating valves · CPC title

• F16K31/53

  with toothed gearing · CPC title