Valve opening degree indicator structure and opening / closing stand using the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a valve opening degree indicator structure that allows the valve opening degree to be easily visually confirmed from the outside through the opening degree indicator, and prevents foreign matter from entering from the outside by preventing gaps from forming in the opening degree indicator. [Solution] An opening 23 is formed at the location where the opening degree indicator 15 is formed, and the cover 32 is fixed to the seat surface 22 with a plate-shaped member 30 and a packing 31 housed between the seat surface 22 and the cover 32, which are provided around the opening 23. A space 50 is provided between the seat surface 22 and the cover 32, and the seat surface 22 and the plate-shaped member 30 are sealed by the packing 31 in this space 50, which allows deformation due to warping and expansion of the plate-shaped member 30.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , ,

[0003]

[0001] The present invention relates to an opening degree display structure for displaying the opening degree of a valve and an opening and closing platform using the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as an example of an opening and closing platform provided with an opening degree display section for indicating the opening degree state of a valve, there is known an opening and closing platform. The opening and closing platform is used to perform an opening and closing operation of a valve or a gate at a short distance, such as underground burial, underwater installation, or installation in a pit, by extending an operation line with an additional valve rod and performing the opening and closing operation on the ground or on an upper floor. An opening degree display section is provided to indicate its opening degree.

[0003] In this case, a valve rod directly connected type opening and closing platform for valve opening and closing generally includes a casing, a valve rod connected to the valve, a rotary handle for opening and closing operation, a scale plate provided with a scale for opening degree display, and an indicating needle for indicating the scale of the scale plate. The opening degree display section is constituted by components including these casing, scale plate, and indicating needle. The scale plate is usually formed of a transparent resin material to confirm the position of the indicating needle and is attached to the casing. When the rotary handle for opening and closing operation is operated and the indicating needle is moved up and down as the valve rod rotates, in the opening degree display section, the position of the indicating needle is visually recognized from the outside through the scale plate through a long hole-shaped opening formed in the casing, and the valve opening degree is confirmed.

[0004] Such an opening and closing platform may be required to be installed in a place where sanitation is required. In this case, an opening and closing platform, also called a so-called sealed type opening and closing platform, configured to seal the opening of the casing is often used. <0000As an example of this type of opening / closing stand equipped with an opening degree indicator, the opening / closing stand disclosed in Patent Document 1 is shown. In this opening / closing stand, a transparent, elongated plastic scale plate is fixed to the casing at two points, the upper and lower ends, by screws, with a sealing material such as a rubber plate sandwiched between the elongated opening and the scale plate. This ensures that the sealing of the scale plate is maintained through the sealing material, even when the opening / closing stand is installed in a state exposed to the outside air.

[0005] On the other hand, in the valve opening / closing stand of Patent Document 2, the casing is made of reinforced plastic, and a long slit is formed in this casing. This slit is covered with a long, transparent cover made of acrylic resin, and a scale indicator plate for displaying the valve opening degree is fixed to this cover with screws. In this case as well, the scale indicator plate is fixed to the casing at two points, on its upper and lower sides.

[0006] As described above, a valve opening indicator structure in which an opening is formed in the casing, and a transparent resin scale plate is used to allow the movement of the indicator needle to be seen through this opening, and the valve opening degree can be confirmed by visually observing it from the outside through this scale plate, is commonly used in devices other than opening / closing stands and various other equipment. In particular, in such an opening indicator section, by providing an elongated opening, the position of the indicator needle moving through this elongated opening can be easily seen from a distance, and it is used in a wide range of fields as an opening indicator structure using a scale plate, not only when extending the operating wire from the valve or gate.

[0007] By the way, when attempting to fix the opening degree indicator section by tightening screws at two locations, the upper and lower ends of the scale plate or cover, as in the opening / closing stands of Patent Documents 1 and 2, the scale plate is elongated, so the tightening force of the screws is less effective at the central end compared to the upper and lower end screw tightening positions, and the force pressing down on the central end is weaker than that on the upper and lower ends. Therefore, in particular, in opening degree indicator structures for valves that require airtightness, such as sealed opening / closing stands, it is necessary to tighten the screws so that the central end of the scale plate is also pressed down on the seating surface when assembling the opening degree indicator section. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-33858 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 51-7723 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] As described above, in the opening degree indicator section of the opening / closing stand, such as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when the scale plate or cover is fixed with screws at two points on the upper and lower ends, the central part of these is far from the screw tightening position, so the force pressing in the direction of the opening is weaker. Furthermore, if these opening and closing platforms are located on the ground or on an upper floor, the resin scale plates and covers are susceptible to temperature changes from the outside air. Over time, these temperature changes can cause them to warp or expand and contract, primarily from the center outwards. This deformation is particularly pronounced at the upper and lower ends in the longitudinal direction, which can result in gaps forming between the scale plates or covers and the seating surface of the casing.

[0010] In addition to the above, when tightening screws, the compression near the center of the sealant weakens, resulting in insufficient sealing force in this area. This can lead to gaps being created when the scale plate or cover is assembled. Even if a sealing material is installed between the casing seat and the scale plate or cover, it can still be difficult to completely prevent gaps from forming between the casing seat and the scale plate or cover throughout the entire device.

[0011] As described above, if a gap occurs in the opening indicator, there is a risk that insects and other organisms from outside, as well as dust, debris, and other foreign objects, may enter the inside of the opening / closing stand through the opening. In this case, it may become impossible to maintain the hygiene of the opening / closing stand, foreign objects may get stuck in the drive mechanism of the indicator needle, preventing the opening from being displayed correctly, or foreign objects may adhere to the scale plate and indicator needle, making it difficult to see the valve opening from the outside. To address these issues, even if the thickness of the scale plate is increased to improve its strength against warping, this is undesirable because the transparency of the scale plate decreases with the increase in thickness, making it even more difficult to see from the outside.

[0012] The present invention was developed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a valve opening degree indicator structure that allows the valve opening state to be easily visually confirmed from the outside through the opening degree indicator, and prevents foreign matter from entering from the outside by preventing gaps from forming in the opening degree indicator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] To achieve the above objective, the invention according to claim 1 is a valve opening indicator having a transparent or translucent plate-shaped member, a packing that seals the plate-shaped member, a cover for attaching them, and an opening indicator that indicates the opening degree of the valve, wherein an opening is formed at the position where the opening indicator is formed to display the state of the opening indicator, the plate-shaped member and the packing are housed between the seat surface and the cover provided around the opening, the cover is fixed to the seat surface, a space is provided between the seat surface and the cover, and the seat surface and the plate-shaped member are sealed by the packing in a state in which deformation due to warping or expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member is permitted by this space, is a valve opening indicator structure.

[0014] The invention according to claim 2 is a valve opening degree indicator structure in which a plate-shaped member has a scale for indicating the opening degree of a valve, and the opening degree indicator part has an indicator needle for indicating the scale.

[0015] The invention according to claim 3 is a valve opening degree indicator structure in which the opening is formed in the shape of an elongated hole, and the cover is fixed to a seating surface on at least both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening.

[0016] The invention according to claim 4 is a valve opening degree indicator structure in which the packing is formed in an annular shape, and the plate-shaped member is housed between the seating surface and the cover in a state where the packing is attached to at least one of the front and back sides of the outer peripheral edge thereof and sealed with the seating surface or the seating surface side.

[0017] The invention according to claim 5 is a valve opening degree indicator structure in which the packing is formed in an annular shape with a groove on its inner circumference, the outer edge of the plate-shaped member is fitted into the groove, and the plate-shaped member and the seating surface or the seating surface side are sealed by the packing and housed between the seating surface side and the cover.

[0018] The invention according to claim 6 is a valve opening degree indicator structure in which an annular protruding sealing portion is provided at least one location on the side facing the seating surface of the opening or on the side facing the cover in the packing.

[0019] The invention according to claim 7 is a valve opening indicator structure in which the cover has a flange-shaped annular mounting portion for attachment to a seat surface, an annular bent portion is provided on the outer circumference of the annular mounting portion, the annular bent portion has an outer shape that is slightly larger than the outer edge of the seat surface, and is bent in an umbrella shape at an appropriate angle in the direction that covers the outer edge.

[0020] The invention according to claim 8 is an opening / closing stand using a valve opening degree indicator structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the invention according to claim 1, the opening degree state of the valve can be easily visually recognized from the outside through the opening degree display portion, and can be attached to the opening side by the cover in a state where the deformation of the plate-like member can be absorbed by the packing. When deformation such as warping or expansion / contraction of the plate-like member is about to occur due to thermal contraction of the plate-like member caused by temperature changes such as outside air or tightening of a screw, it can be suppressed by allowing this deformation in the space portion. In this case, the packing elastically deforms within the space portion while absorbing the deformation of the plate-like member and maintaining the sealing state between the seat surface side and the plate-like member, so that the state where the seat surface side and the plate-like member are sealed by the packing is maintained, and the generation of gaps between the plate-like member, the cover in the opening degree display portion, and the seat surface side is prevented, maintaining the airtightness of the opening degree display portion. Thereby, it is possible to surely prevent organisms such as external insects and foreign substances such as dust and dirt from entering through the opening, maintaining a hygienic state, ensuring the operation and visibility of the opening degree indicating portion in a normal state, and maintaining the visibility of the valve opening degree in a good state. At the time of assembling the opening degree display portion, since the cover can be integrally fixed to the seat surface side in a state where the plate-like member and the packing are accommodated between the seat surface side of the opening and the cover, the workability is good, and the plate-like member can also be attached to the seat surface of the existing attachment-side opening in a state where it is positioned at a predetermined position of the cover.

[0022] According to the invention according to claim 2, since the plate-like member has a scale for indicating the opening degree of the valve, the opening degree of the valve can be indicated by this plate-like member, and the warping or expansion / contraction of this plate-like member is absorbed by the packing, and particularly, the accuracy of the scale can be maintained by absorbing the elongation of the entire outer periphery thereof. Further, since the opening degree indicating portion includes an indicating needle for indicating the scale, according to the opening degree state of the valve, the indicating needle indicates the scale of the plate-like member, enabling accurate opening degree indication.

[0023] According to the invention according to claim 3, since the opening is formed in a long hole shape and the cover is fixed to the seat surface in the length direction of the opening, by providing a long plate-shaped member in the opening, the valve opening degree can be easily visually recognized even from a position away from it. In this case, by fixing the cover to the seat surface at least on both sides in the length direction of the opening, even for a plate-shaped member that is long and is likely to have large deformations such as warping or expansion / contraction on its end side, by allowing the deformation in the space part and reliably suppressing it, the generation of a gap in the opening degree display part can be prevented.

[0024] According to the invention according to claim 4, the packing is formed in an annular shape, and the plate-shaped member has the packing attached to at least one of the front surface side and the back surface side of its outer peripheral edge part, and is housed between the seat surface side and the cover in a state of being sealed with the seat surface or the seat surface side. Therefore, the packing can be formed in a simple planar shape, and while appropriately attaching this packing according to the structure on the seat surface side of the opening and the shape of the cover, the plate-shaped member can be attached to form the opening degree indicating part. Moreover, even when the packing is attached to either the front surface side or the back surface side, the sealing performance of the opening degree display part is ensured, and since the packing can be housed between the seat surface side and the cover in a state of being covered by the cover, the durability and weather resistance are enhanced.

[0025] According to the invention according to claim 5, the packing is formed in an annular shape having a concave groove on the inner peripheral side, and the plate-shaped member fits its outer peripheral edge part into the concave groove, and is housed between the seat surface side and the cover in a state of sealing the plate-shaped member and the seat surface or the seat surface side with the packing. Therefore, the workability is good, and by simply attaching the plate-shaped member with the packing attached to the cover side, these can be attached to a predetermined position of the cover. Subsequently, the plate-shaped member can be positioned at a predetermined position on the seat surface of the opening and accurately attached, and after the attachment, a fine and accurate valve opening degree display becomes possible. By sealing the surface side, which is one side of the plate-shaped member, and the cover side with the packing, in particular, the dust sealing function is exerted to prevent the entry of dust and the like from the outside. By sealing the back surface side, which is the other side of the plate-shaped member, and the seat surface side with the packing, in particular, the sealing function is exerted to prevent the entry of rainwater and moisture from the outside. Since the packing is covered by the cover in a state of being housed in the housing part, the durability and weather resistance are enhanced.

[0026] According to the invention of claim 6, in the packing, an annular protruding sealing portion is provided at least one location on the side facing the seating surface of the opening or on the side facing the cover. When the packing is sealed, the protruding sealing portion increases the pressure sealing force between the seating surface and the plate-like member, thereby reliably preventing foreign matter from entering the inside of the opening from the outside.

[0027] According to the invention of claim 7, the cover has a flange-shaped annular mounting portion for attachment to the seat surface, and the annular bent portion provided on the outer circumference of this annular mounting portion has an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer edge of the seat surface and is bent in an umbrella shape at an appropriate angle in the direction of covering this outer edge, so that the seat surface can be covered with this cover and foreign objects will not enter. Moreover, the annular bent portion makes it difficult for insects and other living things, foreign objects such as dirt, rain and wind to enter from the side between the plate-like member and the seat surface.

[0028] According to the invention of claim 8, the valve opening state can be easily seen from the outside through the opening indicator, and the plate-shaped member can be attached to the opening side by a cover in a state where deformation of the plate-shaped member can be absorbed by a packing. When deformation such as warping or expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member is about to occur due to thermal contraction of the plate-shaped member due to temperature changes such as outside air, or due to tightening of screws, this deformation can be suppressed by allowing it in the space. In this case, the state in which the seating surface side and the plate-shaped member are sealed by the packing is maintained, and the airtightness of the opening indicator is maintained by preventing the occurrence of gaps between the plate-shaped member and the cover and seating surface side of the opening indicator. As a result, even when the operating wire is extended with an extension valve stem and installed on the ground or on an upper floor for opening and closing operations of valves and gates buried underground, installed underwater, or installed in a pit, it is possible to reliably prevent insects and other living things, dust and debris and other foreign matter from entering through the opening from the outside, maintain a hygienic state, ensure the operation and visibility of the opening indicator in a normal state, and provide an opening / closing stand that maintains good visibility of the valve opening. Even if it is already set, the plate-shaped member can be positioned and attached to the cover in a predetermined location, allowing for a precise and accurate opening degree display to be confirmed from a distance from the valve or gate. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing a first embodiment of the opening / closing platform. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3] (a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section C in Figure 2. (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of section BB in Figure 1. (c) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the packing. [Figure 4] (a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a second embodiment of the opening / closing platform. (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a third embodiment of the opening / closing platform. (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a fourth embodiment of the opening / closing platform. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part showing the fifth embodiment of the opening / closing platform. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view showing a sixth embodiment of the opening / closing platform. [Figure 7] (a) is a plan view of the bush. (b) is a longitudinal section of the bush. [Figure 8] (a) is a plan view of the bracing plate. (b) is a central longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bracing plate. [Figure 9] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part showing the seventh embodiment of the opening / closing platform. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The valve opening degree indicator structure and the opening / closing stand using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a front view of the opening / closing stand using the valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view AA of Figure 1. The opening / closing platform 1 is connected to the top of valves such as gate valves (not shown) or gates, which are buried underground, installed underwater, or installed in a pit, via an extension valve rod. This opening / closing platform 1 allows the valves or gates to be opened and closed from a location away from the ground or upper floors.

[0031] In the figure, the opening / closing stand 1 has a body (stand) 10, a valve stem 11, and a handle 12 for rotational operation. The body 10 is equipped with an opening degree indicator 15 that displays the valve opening degree to the outside. The body 10 is formed in a roughly frustoconical cylindrical shape from a metal material such as plated cast iron, and its surface is coated with a resin material such as fluororesin. A flange-shaped mounting portion 16 is formed at the lower part of the body 10 with an enlarged diameter, and the body 10 is fixed to a predetermined mounting position through this mounting portion 16 using anchor bolts (not shown) or the like.

[0032] Inside the body 10, a valve stem 11 is rotatably mounted by attaching a bushing 17 to its upper part, and a handle 12 is fixed to the upper end of the valve stem 11 by a nut member 19 through a washer 18. The valve stem 11 is provided to be rotatable by the rotation of the handle 12, and a male threaded portion 20 is formed approximately in the center of its length (vertical direction in Figures 1 and 2), and a cylindrical portion 25 with a smaller diameter than the male threaded portion 20 is formed above this male threaded portion 20. The cylindrical portion 25 can be formed to any length, and in this example, it is formed to be extra long from the start. This provides an adjustment range in the cylindrical portion 25, and through the length of this adjustment range (cylindrical portion 25), the valve stem 11 can be mounted to the body 10 in a state where the position of the lower end, which is the connection side with the valve stem, can be adjusted in the vertical direction.

[0033] The opening degree indicator 15 is located approximately in the center of the body 10 in the longitudinal direction. At the location where the opening degree indicator 15 is formed on the body 10, an oval-shaped annular projection 21 is formed protruding vertically from the body surface. A flat seat surface 22 is provided on the side of this annular projection 21 that constitutes the opening degree indicator 15, and a long, narrow opening 23 is formed by drilling a hole in the center of this seat surface 22. In other words, the seat surface 22 is provided around the opening 23, and the state of the opening degree indicator 24, which will be described later, can be displayed through the opening 23.

[0034] The opening degree indicator unit 15 comprises a plate-shaped member 30, a packing 31, a cover 32, and an opening degree indicator unit 24, and is located approximately in the center of the body 10 in the vertical direction.

[0035] The plate-shaped member 30 is formed from a resin material such as transparent or translucent acrylic resin, in an elongated oval shape with an outer diameter slightly larger than the opening 23. This plate-shaped member 30 has a scale 33 for indicating the valve opening degree, and this scale 33 is provided with a display section 34 that shows, for example, the fully closed and fully open states of the valve, or the percentage of the opening degree from fully closed to fully open. The plate-shaped member 30 is installed so as to be attachable to the body 10 through the cover 32 with the packing 31 attached.

[0036] The packing 31 is formed in an annular shape from a rubber material such as EPDM for sealing the plate-shaped member 30, and a groove 35 is provided along its entire inner circumference. The packing 31 is provided with a diameter that allows it to be attached to the plate-shaped member 30, with a thickness of, for example, about 1.5 mm, while holding the outer peripheral edge 30a on the front side and the outer peripheral edge 30b on the back side of the plate-shaped member 30, respectively, and is designed to maintain sealing performance by elastically deforming in accordance with the deformation of the plate-shaped member 30.

[0037] In other words, the plate-shaped member 30 is fitted into the groove 35 with its outer peripheral edge 30a on the front side and outer peripheral edge 30b on the back side, and the packing 31 is installed. At this time, the amount of clearance for the packing to the outer peripheral edges 30a and 30b of the plate-shaped member 30 is ensured to be sufficient. The packing 31 is installed in a state that provides a seal to the outer peripheral edges 30a and 30b on both sides of the plate-shaped member 30, and after installation, displacement or detachment from the plate-shaped member 30 is prevented.

[0038] In Figures 1(a) to 3(c), on the packing 31, a ribbed sealing portion 40 is provided protruding in an annular shape along the circumferential direction on the lower side facing the seating surface 22 of the opening 23, and on the upper side facing the inner surface 38a of the inner circumferential flange portion 38 of the housing portion 36 of the cover 32. On the other hand, a ribbed sealing portion 41 is provided protruding in an annular shape along the circumferential direction on the side (outer surface) facing the inner circumferential surface 37a of the side wall portion 37 of the housing portion 36 of the cover 32. These three ribbed sealing portions 40 enable sealing in a pressure-contact state between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 22, between the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner circumferential surface 37a of the side wall portion 37, and between the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner surface 38a of the inner circumferential flange portion 38.

[0039] The cover 32 is made of a metal material such as stainless steel and has an outer shape that is approximately oval in shape, with the entire surface being larger than the seat surface 22. It is provided for attaching the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 31 to the body 10. In the center of the cover 32 is a concave housing portion 36 for housing the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 31. The housing portion 36 is formed to have a volume that is about the same as or slightly larger than the volume of the plate-shaped member 30 when the packing 31 is attached. This housing portion 36 includes an inner circumferential flange portion 38 that abuts against the outer peripheral edge portion 30a on the surface side of the plate-shaped member 30 to prevent it from coming out, a side wall portion 37 formed in a stepped shape from the inner circumferential flange portion 38, and an annular mounting portion 42 that extends from the side wall portion 37 and is for attachment to the seat surface 22.

[0040] The annular mounting portion 42 is formed in a flange shape to face the seat surface 22, extending outward from the side wall portion 37 of the housing portion 36 of the cover 32, and is approximately the same size as the seat surface 22. An annular bent portion 43 is formed on the outer circumference of the annular mounting portion 42. This annular bent portion 43 is provided to have an outer diameter slightly larger than the outer edge 22a of the seat surface 22, and is bent in an umbrella shape at an appropriate angle to cover the outer edge 22a.

[0041] In Figures 1 and 2, the opening degree indicator section 24 is provided to indicate the opening degree of the valve and includes an indicator needle 45 that indicates the scale 33 of the plate-shaped member 30. The indicator needle 45 is formed to a width that allows it to be inserted into the opening 23 with a gap on one side, and a scale indicator section 46 is provided at its tip, which is colored in an appropriate hue such as vermilion for easy visibility from the outside. The other end of the indicator needle 45, opposite the scale indicator portion 46, is provided with a female thread portion 47 that can be screwed into the male thread portion 20 of the valve stem 11. The indicator needle 45 is attached to the valve stem 11 with the male thread portion 20 and the female thread portion 47 screwed together, and the end of the indicator needle 45 with the scale indicator portion 46 side inserted into the opening 23.

[0042] In this mounting configuration, when the valve is operated by rotating the valve stem 11 with the handle 12, the tip of the indicator needle 45 is locked against the inner circumferential surface of the opening 23, restricting its rotation. As a result, the female thread portion 47 rotates relative to the male thread portion 20, causing the indicator needle 45 to move upward or downward. By visually observing the position of the scale indicator portion 46 relative to the scale 33 at this time, the valve opening degree can be confirmed from the outside.

[0043] In Figures 1 and 2, when the opening degree indicator unit 15 described above is installed on the body 10 of the opening / closing stand 1, the indicator needle 45 of the opening degree indicator unit 24 is attached to the valve stem 11 in advance, and in this state, the opening degree indicator unit 15 is installed at the position of the opening 23 of the body 10.

[0044] At this time, the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 31 are housed in the housing portion 36 between the seat surface 22 side of the opening 23 and the cover 32 in advance, and these are integrated into a single unit, which improves the ease of assembly to the body 10. With the plate-shaped member 30 with the packing 31 attached between the seat surface 22 and the cover 32 in this manner, the cover 32 is fixed to the seat surface 22 side. At this time, the cover 32 can be fixed to the seat surface 22 on at least both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening 23. In this example, the cover 32 is fixed to the seat surface 22 by screws 48 at two locations, upper and lower, on the extensions of both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening 23.

[0045] By tightening the screw 48, the plate-shaped member 30 with the packing 31 attached is housed in the housing portion 36 between the seat surface 22 and the cover 32, with the outer peripheral edge 30a on the front side and the cover 32 side, and the outer peripheral edge 30b on the back side and the seat surface 22 side, sealed by the packing 31. In other words, the plate-shaped member 30 and the seat surface 22 are sealed by the packing 31.

[0046] After the cover 32 attaches the plate-shaped member 30 to the opening 23 side, a space 50 is provided between the seating surface 22 side of the opening 23 and the housing portion 36 between the cover 32, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b). In this case, the upper part of the packing 31 in the cross-sectional direction is in contact with the inner circumferential surface 37a of the side wall portion 37, so that the plate-shaped member 30 is housed in the housing portion 36 through the packing 31, and the space 50 is provided between the lower part of the packing 31 and the inner circumferential surface 37a. Thus, the packing 31 only needs to be mounted so that at least a part of its outer circumferential surface in the cross-sectional direction is in contact with the cover 32 (housing portion 36) by the space 50, and furthermore, the space 50 may be provided only on the upper and lower ends in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped member 30.

[0047] As described above, in this embodiment, the space 50 is mainly provided between the outer circumferential surface of the packing 31 and the side wall portion 37 of the housing portion 36, and the seating surface 22 side and the plate-shaped member 30 are sealed by the packing 31 while the deformation due to warping and expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member 30 is permitted by this space 50.

[0048] In the above embodiment, the opening / closing stand 1 is constructed by providing a scale 33 for indicating the valve opening degree on a single plate-shaped member 30. However, this plate-shaped member may be composed of multiple members. For example, a plate-shaped member without a scale can be formed from a transparent or translucent resin material such as acrylic resin, and a separate frame-shaped or plate-shaped indicator plate with a scale can be placed on top of this plate-shaped member to create a plate-shaped member made of two members (not shown). In this case as well, as described above, these plate-shaped members, the indicator plate, and the packing can be housed in the housing of the cover, and the cover can be fixed to the seat surface. On the other hand, in addition to marking the plate-shaped member or indicator plate, it is also possible to mark the cover side.

[0049] The packing is provided in a U-shaped cross-section with a groove on the inner circumference, but it is not always necessary to provide a groove. For example, it can be provided in various cross-sectional shapes such as a rectangular cross-section, a roughly circular cross-section, or an L-shaped cross-section. In all cases, including when the packing is formed in an annular shape with a groove on its inner circumference and the outer edge of the plate-shaped member is fitted into the groove, the packing is formed in an annular shape and is installed on at least one side of the outer edge of the plate-shaped member, either the front or back side, ensuring a sealed state, while being housed between the seat side of the opening and the cover, with the plate-shaped member and the seat surface or the seat surface side sealed by the packing. In addition to forming the packing in an annular shape, it is also possible to provide the packing in the form of a single string and attach this string-shaped packing by wrapping it around the outer circumference of the plate-shaped member.

[0050] Furthermore, although the packing 31 has annular protruding sealing portions 40 at three locations, these protruding sealing portions 40 may be formed annularly at at least one location on the side of the opening of the packing facing the seating surface or facing the cover, as long as they can be pressed and sealed between the seating surface 22 and the plate-shaped member 30.

[0051] As described above, the plate-shaped member does not necessarily have to have a scale, while the opening degree indicator may include components other than the indicator needle. By combining these, for example, the plate-shaped member can be made of a transparent or translucent resin plate without a scale, the opening degree indicator can be made as an integrated unit having a scale plate and an indicator needle, and this opening degree indicator can be mounted inside the body.

[0052] The annular bend in the cover can be omitted; in this case, the annular mounting portion should be formed to match the size of the seating surface.

[0053] Next, the operation of the above embodiment of the opening / closing stand using the valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention will be explained. In the above embodiment, the opening / closing base 1 is constructed such that the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 31 are housed in a housing portion 36 provided between the seating surface 22 side of the opening 23 and the cover 32, and the cover 32 is fixed to the body 10, and the seating surface 22 side and the plate-shaped member 30 are sealed with the rubber packing 31. Therefore, after tightening the screw 48, the gap between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 22, and the gap between the plate-shaped member 30 and the housing portion 36 of the cover 32 are sealed by the elastic deformation of the packing 31, preventing gaps. At this time, the gap on the central side in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped member 30 is also sealed through the packing 31, and sealing performance is achieved in the entire circumferential direction of the seating surface 22.

[0054] Furthermore, with the packing 31 holding the entire plate-shaped member 30, the frictional force of the packing 31 prevents displacement with the seating surface 22, while the plate-shaped member 30 can be fixed within the housing 36. This allows the plate-shaped member 30 to be installed in a state that prevents misalignment with the indicator needle 45 of the opening degree indicator unit 24, enabling highly accurate indication of the valve opening degree.

[0055] When the plate-shaped member 30 is subjected to temperature changes in the outside air or heated to high temperatures, and over time it warps from near its center or expands or contracts in the length direction, excessive deformation tends to occur, particularly around the upper and lower ends of both ends.

[0056] In contrast, a space 50 is provided between the seat surface 22 and the cover 32, and the plate-shaped member 30 is attached in a state that allows deformation due to warping and expansion / contraction of the plate-shaped member 30 by this space 50. Therefore, the force that would mainly deform the upper and lower sides of the plate-shaped member 30 can be released to the space 50 side by the deformation of the packing 31 into the space 50.

[0057] This allows the flexible packing 31 to absorb deformation of the plate-shaped member 30 around its entire circumference, preventing deformation not only in the upper and lower parts of the plate-shaped member 30 where excessive deformation is likely to occur, but also near the center, thus reliably preventing the formation of a gap with the seat surface 22. As a result, visibility of the opening indicator 24 from the outside can be ensured, and the plate-shaped member 30 can be made thinner to increase its transparency and further improve visibility, while maintaining that visibility over a long period of time.

[0058] In this embodiment, as described above, since the packing 31 is provided with three protruding sealing portions 40 and 41, the protruding sealing portions 40 and 41 press-seal the gaps between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 22, between the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner circumferential surface 37a of the side wall portion 37, and between the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner surface 38a of the inner circumferential flange portion 38 with small contact surfaces, thereby further improving the airtightness between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 22 through these three sealing locations.

[0059] Furthermore, by providing the protruding sealing portion 40 on the upper and lower surfaces of the packing 31, this protruding sealing portion 40 can easily move in accordance with any deformation of the plate-shaped member 30, whether expansion, contraction, or warping. Consequently, the packing 31 can reliably absorb the deformation of the plate-shaped member 30 while being able to elastically deform within the space 50, thereby dramatically improving the sealing performance between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seat surface 22 or the seat surface 22 side. By providing the protruding sealing portion 40 on the upper and lower surfaces of the plate-shaped member 30 in a symmetrical shape, the plate-shaped member 30 can be attached without being concerned with the orientation of the front and back surfaces.

[0060] On the other hand, by providing a ridged sealing portion 41 on the side surface (outer circumference) of the packing 31, this ridged sealing portion 41 reduces the contact surface between the inner circumference 37a of the side wall portion 37 and the packing 31, thereby suppressing the sliding resistance between the plate-shaped member 30 to which the packing 31 is attached and the inner circumference 37a, making it possible to easily attach the plate-shaped member 30 to the housing portion 36. Moreover, the ridged sealing portion 41 makes it easier to position the plate-shaped member 30.

[0061] The packing 31 is provided in an annular shape with a groove 35 on its inner circumference, and the outer edges 30a and 30b of the plate-shaped member 30 are fitted into this groove 35. Therefore, by pre-assembling the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 31 as a single unit, the ease of installation is improved. When the plate-shaped member 30 is placed in the housing portion 36, the entire outer circumference of the packing 31 comes into contact with the inner circumferential surface 37a of the side wall portion 37, allowing it to be mounted in a positioned state.

[0062] Next, Figures 4(a) to 4(c) show the second to fourth embodiments of the opening / closing stand using the valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention, respectively. In the following embodiments, the same parts as in the previously described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0063] In these second to fourth embodiments, the packing 60 is formed in an annular shape with a rectangular cross-section, and the plate-shaped member 30 is housed between the seat side of the opening 23 and the cover, with the packing 60 attached to at least one of the front and back sides of its outer peripheral edge, sealing it to the seat surface or the seat surface side.

[0064] The following describes each of these embodiments in detail. In the opening / closing base 70 of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4(a), one packing 60 is used for sealing. This packing 60 is attached only between the back side (back side outer edge 30b) of the outer peripheral edge of the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 22, and is superimposed on the lower side of the plate-shaped member 30. The plate-shaped member 30 is then housed in the cover housing 36 with the packing 60 sealed, and the cover 32 is fixed to the seating surface 22 of the opening 23 with screws 48. In this case, the seat surface 22 and the back surface of the plate-shaped member 30 are sealed by the packing 60, preventing gaps from forming between them.

[0065] In the opening / closing base 71 of the third embodiment shown in Figure 4(b), one packing 60 is used for sealing. This packing 60 is mounted between the surface side (surface side outer edge) 30a of the outer peripheral edge of the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner surface 73 of the cover 72, and is superimposed on the upper side of the plate-shaped member 30. The plate-shaped member 30 is then housed between the seating surface 74 and the cover 72 with the packing 60 sealed, and the cover 72 is fixed to the seating surface 74 of the opening 23 with screws 48.

[0066] In this embodiment, a stepped annular recess 75 is formed on the inner circumference of the seat surface 74, and an enlarged annular recess 76, which is larger in diameter than the annular recess 75, is formed on the upper side of the annular recess 75. The plate-shaped member 30 is housed in the annular recess 75 through the space 50, and the packing 60 is installed in the enlarged annular recess 76 with its side surface (outer circumference) in contact with its side surface.

[0067] On the other hand, the cover 72 is formed flat over its entire surface, from the side attached to the seat surface 74 to the side opposite the packing 60 and the plate-shaped member 30, and is attached so as to cover the annular recess 75 in which the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing 60 are mounted. In this case, the front surface of the plate-shaped member 30, the back surface of the cover 72, and the annular recess 75 on the seating surface 74 are sealed by the packing 60, and the outer circumferential surface of the packing 60 seals against the side surface of the enlarged annular recess 76, thereby preventing the formation of a gap between the plate-shaped member 30 and the seating surface 74.

[0068] In the opening / closing base 80 of the fourth embodiment shown in Figure 4(c), two of the above-mentioned packings 60 are used for sealing. These packings 60 are fitted between the front and back sides of the outer peripheral edge of the plate-shaped member 30 (front side outer peripheral edge 30a, back side outer peripheral edge 30b) and the inner surface 38a of the inner flange portion 38 of the seat surface 22 and cover 32, respectively, and are superimposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the plate-shaped member 30. The plate-shaped member 30 is then housed in the cover housing portion 36 with the plate-shaped member 30 sealed by the two packings 60, and the cover 32 is fixed to the seat surface 22 of the opening 23 with screws 48. In this case, the seat surface 22 and the back surface of the plate-shaped member 30, and the front surface of the plate-shaped member 30 and the inner surface 38a of the inner circumferential flange portion 38 of the cover 32 are each sealed by the packing 60, thereby preventing gaps from forming between them.

[0069] In any of the second to fourth embodiments described above, similar to the first embodiment described above, a space 50 is provided between the seat surface and the cover, and the seat surface and the plate-shaped member 30 are sealed by the packing 60 while the space 50 prevents deformation due to warping or expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member 30. In these cases, by attaching a packing 60 to the plate-shaped member 30 in advance, the packing 60 prevents the plate-shaped member 30 from shifting toward the seating surface, allowing it to be positioned and then fixed in place by the cover 32.

[0070] On the other hand, Figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the opening / closing stand using the valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention. In this opening / closing base 90, the cover 91 is provided to be fixed to the seating surface on one side in the longitudinal direction of the opening. The lower side of the cover 91 is provided in the same shape as the annular mounting portion 42 in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, and this portion is provided to be fixed to the seating surface 22 by a screw 48.

[0071] On the other hand, a hook portion 92 with a U-shaped cross-section is provided on the upper side of the cover 91 in a roughly arc shape, and this hook portion 92 is provided so as to be able to engage with a locking recess 93 formed in a roughly arc shape on the upper side of the annular projection 21. In this case, the aforementioned umbrella-shaped annular bend portion may be omitted.

[0072] When attaching the cover 91 to the seat surface 22, first, the hook portion 92 is hooked onto the locking recess 93 from above to temporarily attach the cover 91 to the seat surface 22, and then the lower side of the cover 91 is secured to the seat surface 22 with screws 48. As a result, the cover 91 can be fixed to the seat surface 22 with the lower screw 48 while it is aligned with the upper hook portion 92 and the locking recess 93, making it easy to fix the cover 91 to the predetermined position on the seat surface 22. Therefore, when fixing the cover 91, it is not necessary to hold it in place by hand while precisely aligning its upper and lower sides and tightening the screw 48.

[0073] As long as the cover is fixed to the seating surface on at least both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening, it is also possible to fix only one side as described above and fix the other side with a locking structure consisting of a hook and a locking part. Furthermore, in addition to such locking structures, it is also possible to fix one side of the cover with various locking structures or temporary fastening structures while fixing the other side with screws or the like.

[0074] Furthermore, in addition to fixing both sides along the length of the opening, the cover can be secured with screws or the like at two points on both the left and right sides near the center of the cover in Figure 1, for a total of four points of fixation. Alternatively, if the cover is longer, it can be secured with screws or the like at intermediate points on both sides along its length.

[0075] When the cover is provided in a manner that it is fixed with screws at two locations on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the aforementioned opening, the screw positions are aligned with the screw holes of the opening degree indicator section of the existing opening / closing stand when the cover is formed. This allows the cover to be attached to the existing opening / closing stand during maintenance or other means to constitute the valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention.

[0076] The valve opening degree indicator structure of the present invention can be configured in various ways other than the first to fifth embodiments described above, as long as a plate-shaped member and a packing are housed between the seating surface of the opening and the cover, the cover is fixed to the seating surface, a space is provided between the seating surface and the cover, and the seating surface and the plate-shaped member are sealed by the packing while the space allows deformation due to warping or expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member. Furthermore, it can be applied to various opening degree indicator structures other than valve opening degree indicator structures, or used as an indicator structure to display the operating status of various devices.

[0077] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of the sixth embodiment of the opening / closing platform. In this embodiment of the opening / closing platform 100, a bushing 102 and a sway-preventing plate 103 are attached to its body 101. Figure 7 shows the bushing 102 in Figure 6, which is mounted on the upper part of the opening / closing base 100. Figure 8 shows the anti-sway plate 103 in Figure 6, which is mounted on the lower part of the opening / closing base 100.

[0078] Furthermore, the valve stem 11 is provided with a socket 105 for connection to the valve stem side, and this socket 105 is provided so as to be connectable to a cap 104 on the valve stem side. The cap 104 is attached to the top of the stem (not shown), and when the socket 105 is connected to this cap 104, the rotational operation of the handle 12 is transmitted from the valve stem 11 through the socket 105 and cap 104 to the stem, and the valve body of the valve connected to this stem is provided so as to be able to open and close.

[0079] In Figure 6, a female thread 110 is formed on the upper side of the body 101 so as to pass through it, and a bush 102 is attached to the upper side of the body 101 through this female thread 110. On the other hand, an annular mounting recess 111 is formed on the bottom side of the mounting portion 16 of the body 101, and the anti-vibration plate 103 is attached to the bottom side of the body 101 through this mounting recess 111. The mounting recess 111 is provided in a manner that has an outer peripheral step portion 112 formed in a concave shape on the outer circumference, and an inner peripheral step portion 113 formed in a more concave shape and deeper on the inner circumference side than the outer peripheral step portion 112. Furthermore, four screw holes 114 are provided at equal intervals on the outer diameter side of the mounting recess 111, and countersunk screws 115, which will be described later, are provided in these screw holes 114 so that they can be screwed in.

[0080] The bushing 102 shown in Figure 7 has a lower insertion portion 120 and an upper thin plate-shaped mounting portion 121, with a through hole 122 formed in the center of the bushing 102. The through hole 122 is provided with a diameter that allows the upper part of the valve stem 11 to rotate in a fitted state when the upper part is inserted.

[0081] The insertion portion 120 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a male thread 123 that can be screwed into the female thread 110 of the body 101 is formed on its outer circumference. An annular inner groove 124 is formed at a predetermined position in the through hole 122 on the insertion portion 120 side, and a sealing member 130, shown by the dashed line, is fitted into this inner groove 124. The mounting portion 121 is formed as a regular octagon that is radially larger than the insertion portion 120, and in this example, it is provided in a thinner plate shape than the insertion portion 120. An annular mounting groove 131 is formed on the bottom side of the mounting portion 121, and a sealing member 132, shown by the dashed line, is fitted into this mounting groove 131.

[0082] The sealing members 130 and 132 described above consist of O-rings and are formed from an elastic material such as NBR rubber (nitrile rubber), which has high corrosion resistance and durability. The sealing members may also be made of rubber materials other than NBR rubber (nitrile rubber) or other elastic materials.

[0083] The vibration-damping plate 103 shown in Figure 8 is provided in the shape of a thin disc, with a through-hole 140 formed in its center. The through-hole 140 is provided with a diameter that allows the corresponding portion of the valve stem 11 to rotate in a fitted state when the valve stem is inserted. An annular inner circumferential recessed groove 141 is formed at an appropriate position in the through-hole 140, and a sealing member 142, shown by the dashed line, is fitted into this inner circumferential recessed groove 141.

[0084] The upper surface of the anti-vibration plate 103, which is the side attached to the body 101, is provided with an outer annular portion 143 on the outer diameter side and an inner annular portion 144 on the inner diameter side of the outer annular portion 143. The outer annular portion 143 has an outer diameter that allows it to be fitted into the outer peripheral stepped portion 112 of the body 101, and its height is set so that, after attachment to the body 101, the bottom surface of the bracing plate 103 and the bottom surface of the mounting portion 16 are flush or lower than flush. The outer annular portion 143 has four insertion holes 145 at equal intervals corresponding to the positions of the screw holes 114 of the body 101, and these insertion holes 145 are formed by countersinking so that the head side of the countersunk screw 115 can be accommodated.

[0085] The inner annular portion 144 is provided with an outer diameter and height that allows it to be fitted into the inner circumferential step portion 113 of the body 101, and an annular step portion 146 is formed on the outer circumferential end side of this inner annular portion 144. A sealing member 147, shown by the dashed line, is attached to the annular step portion 146 from the outside. The sealing members 142 and 147 attached to the bracing plate 103 are made of O-rings, similar to the sealing members 130 and 132 provided on the bushing 102 side, and are formed from an elastic material such as NBR rubber.

[0086] Next, we will explain how to assemble the opening / closing base 100 mentioned above. In Figures 6 to 8, first, the sealing members 130 and 132 are fitted into the inner circumferential groove 124 and mounting groove 131 of the bush 102, respectively, and then the bush 102 is attached to the body 101 by screwing the male thread 123 and the female thread 110 together. In this case, since the mounting portion 121 of the bushing 102 is provided in a regular octagonal shape, the bushing 102 can be easily attached and detached by gripping the two parallel surfaces 121a, which are opposing parts of the mounting portion 121, with a tool such as a wrench (not shown) and rotating it. Therefore, even if the mounting portion 121 is provided in a thin plate shape as in this example, the bushing 102 can be firmly fastened to the body 101. The mounting portion 121 may also be a regular polygonal shape other than a regular octagon, and in that case as well, it can be easily attached and detached in the same way as above by gripping the two opposing parallel surfaces with a tool and rotating them.

[0087] Next, the valve stem 11, with the indicator needle 45 screwed onto the male threaded portion 20, is inserted into the body 11 from the mounting portion 16 side in a predetermined orientation, and the upper side of the valve stem 11 is inserted into the through hole 122 of the bushing 102 and made to protrude to the outside.

[0088] Even after the handle 12 is installed, the bush 102 remains firmly fixed to the body 101, with the seal between it and the valve stem 11 sealed by the seal member 130 and the seal between it and the body 101 sealed by the seal member 132. The mounting portion 121 of the bush 102 is provided in a thin plate shape, which allows it to be attached to the body 101 without interfering with the handle 12, and enables the handle 12 to be mounted closer to the body 101.

[0089] In the above state, with the sealing members 142 and 147 attached to the inner circumferential concave groove 141 and annular stepped portion 146 of the bracing plate 103, the bracing plate 103 is fitted into the mounting recess 111. At this time, the four insertion holes 145 of the bracing plate 103 are aligned with the screw holes 114 of the body 101, and the valve stem 11 is inserted through the through hole 140.

[0090] In this state, the countersunk screws 115 are screwed into the screw holes 114 from each insertion hole 145 and tightened. After tightening the countersunk screws 115, the vibration-retaining plate 103 can be firmly fixed to the body 101 with the vibration-retaining plate 103 sealed with the sealing member 142 between the vibration-retaining plate 103 and the valve stem 11, and the vibration-retaining plate 103 sealed with the sealing member 147 between the vibration-retaining plate 103 and the inner circumference step portion 113 of the body 101.

[0091] After the anti-vibration plate 103 is fixed in place, the socket 105 is attached to the lower end of the valve stem 11. The socket 105 has a rectangular hole 150 on the side that attaches to the valve stem 11, into which a rectangular prism portion 151 formed on the lower end side of the valve stem 11 can be fitted. A bolt 152 for tightening the rectangular prism portion 151 is attached to the socket 105 so as to pass through the rectangular hole 150. A concave, truncated square pyramidal fitting hole 153 is formed on the side of the socket 105 that connects to the cap 104, and a truncated square pyramidal fitting portion 154 formed on the upper end side of the cap 104 can be fitted into this fitting hole 153. The socket 105 is fixed integrally to the lower end of the valve stem 11 by tightening the bolt 152, with the rectangular columnar portion 151 fitted into the rectangular hole portion 150.

[0092] Next, the plate-shaped member 30 and the packing are housed in the housing section 36 of the cover 32 to form a unit, and this unitized part is placed in a predetermined position in the opening 23 of the body 101 and fixed with two screws 48 to be assembled integrally with the body 101.

[0093] By assembling the opening / closing base in the order described above, the valve stem 11 can be fitted into the body 101 via the bushing 102, and then the anti-vibration plate 103 can be fixed to the body 101. This allows the valve stem 11 to be smoothly inserted and installed in the predetermined position inside the body 101 without touching the male threaded portion 20 of the valve stem 11.

[0094] When installing the opening / closing base 100 on a mounting base 160 such as a concrete slab, the body 101 is placed on the mounting base 160 so that the valve stem 11 is positioned concentrically with respect to the valve stem, and this mounting part 16 is fixed to the mounting base 160 with anchor bolts or the like. In this state, the socket 105 attached to the lower end of the valve stem 11 is connected to the cap 104 attached to the upper end of the stem.

[0095] In this case, even if the height of the underground cap 104 (upper end of the stem) is different, the valve stem 11 can be moved up and down relative to the body 101 through the adjustment allowance of the cylindrical part 25, and the height of the socket 105 can be adjusted to a position where it can be connected to the cap 104. Therefore, the fitting part 154 of the cap 104 can be properly fitted into the fitting hole 153 of the socket 105, and they can be connected while accurately aligning them in the vertical direction. This ensures reliable connection even if the upper end of the stem of the valve installed underground is in a different position, or if the distance between the valve and the switch is large.

[0096] Furthermore, by adjusting the position of the indicator needle 45 relative to the male threaded portion 20 of the valve stem 11, whose height has been adjusted through the adjustment allowance, it becomes possible to align the scale indicator 46 with the fully open or fully closed position of the scale 33 on the plate-shaped member 30. Therefore, while connecting the stem side and the valve stem 11 with their height positions aligned, it is possible to accurately position the indicator needle 45 on the scale 33 of the plate-shaped member 30 and provide a highly accurate opening degree indicator 15. As a result, even if the opening angle of the valve does not match the opening angle of the valve stand 100, the valve stem 11 can be moved up or down to adjust the opening angle while the valve stand 100 remains fixed in place.

[0097] As described above, when adjusting the height of the valve stem 11, the height of the threaded portion 20 also changes. Therefore, it is desirable to make the length of the threaded portion 20 longer than the scale 33 in advance, allowing for some leeway. In this case, even when adjusting the position of the valve stem 11 in the vertical direction, the indicator needle 45 screwed into the threaded portion 20 can be reliably aligned to the reference position on the scale 33.

[0098] In addition to the height alignment of the cap 104 and socket 105 described above, by installing the opening / closing stand 100 with the valve stem 11 centered relative to the valve stem, the vibration between the valve stem 11 and the stem side is suppressed, improving the transmission efficiency from the valve stem 11 to the stem side and enabling the valve body to be rotated at an accurate valve opening.

[0099] Finally, a washer 18 is placed over the top of the valve stem 11 and the handle 12 is secured with a nut member 19. This prevents the valve stem 11 from coming out downward relative to the body 101, and allows the valve to be opened and closed by rotating the valve stem 11 with the handle 12.

[0100] On the side where the bushing 102 is attached, the opening / closing base 100 prevents foreign objects from entering from the outside to the inside using sealing members 130 and 132, and on the side where the anti-vibration plate 103 is attached, it prevents foreign objects from entering from the bottom to the inside using sealing members 142 and 147. In this way, in addition to ensuring the sealing performance on the opening degree indicator 15 side as described above, the sealing performance on the bushing 102 side and the anti-vibration plate 103 side can be ensured, thereby maintaining the airtightness inside the opening / closing base 100, and thus reliably preventing the entry of organisms, dust, and debris from the outside.

[0101] Furthermore, on the side where the anti-vibration plate 103 is attached, it reliably prevents the intrusion of atmospheres and fluids from underground water treatment facilities and other sources beneath the installed opening / closing base 100. In particular, by preventing corrosion of metal parts such as the opening degree indicator 24 and valve stem 11 due to chlorine gas contained in these atmospheres and fluids, the accuracy of the opening degree display on the opening degree indicator 15 is maintained while ensuring good visibility of the valve opening degree.

[0102] As mentioned above, the valve stem 11 is supported by a pivot structure in which its upper side is inserted into the inner circumference of the bushing 102 and held at the position of the anti-vibration plate 103. After the opening / closing base 100 is assembled, the bushing 102 and the anti-vibration plate 103 prevent vibration of the valve stem 11 on the socket 105 side, which is the side connected to the valve. Therefore, when installing the assembled opening / closing base 100 on the mounting base 160, the socket 105 can be connected while maintaining concentricity with the cap 104 on the valve stem side that is laid in the underground piping. With this connection, when rotating the handle 12 to open or close the valve body (not shown) after connecting the cap 104 to the valve stem 11, smooth operation is possible without any uneven load being applied from the cap 104 to the stem side.

[0103] In this embodiment, a socket 105 is attached to the side of the valve stem 11 that connects to the stem, and the fitting portion 154 of the cap 104 on the stem side is fitted into the fitting hole 153 inside the socket 105 to connect the valve stem 11 to the stem side. However, the connection may be made by means other than this fitting.

[0104] Since the bracing plate 103 is fixed to the body 101 by screwing it with a countersunk screw 115, it can be assembled more easily compared to when the bracing plate 103 is press-fitted into the body 101. After tightening the countersunk screw 115, the head 115a of the countersunk screw 115 is housed in the insertion hole 145, preventing it from protruding from the bottom side of the mounting part 16. Therefore, when the opening / closing base 100 is placed on the mounting base 160, the countersunk screw 115 is prevented from contacting the mounting base 160, and the opening / closing base 100 can be installed in a state that prevents tilting.

[0105] Figure 9 shows a seventh embodiment of the opening / closing stand. In this embodiment, the opening / closing stand 170 is provided with a joint 171 at the lower end of the valve stem 11 for directly connecting the valve stem 140, and the valve body can be opened and closed by rotating the valve stem 180 via this joint 171.

[0106] A square-shaped hole 172 is formed in the center of the joint 171 for fitting the prismatic portion 151 of the valve stem 11 and the fitting portion 181 of the valve stem 180. This square hole 172 is provided in the center of the joint 171, penetrating from the top to the bottom. As a result, either side of the valve stem 11 or the stem 180 can be connected to the square hole 172, and therefore the joint 171 can be used without being limited to an up or down orientation.

[0107] When installing the opening / closing base 170 and connecting the valve stem 11 to the stem 180 through the joint 171, the lower bolt 152 is tightened in advance with the fitting part 154 fitted into the square hole 172 to fix the joint 171 to the upper end of the stem 180.

[0108] In this state, the rectangular column portion 151 of the valve stem 11 is fitted into the rectangular hole portion 172 from above, and the upper bolt 152 is tightened to fix the joint 171 to the lower end of the valve stem 11. This allows the stem 180 and the valve stem 11 to be connected integrally through the joint 171. In this case, similar to the case using the socket 105 in Figure 6, the valve stem 11 can be adjusted vertically and connected to the stem 180 with the joint 171. At this time, the valve stem 11 can be properly connected to the upper end of the stem 180 at different height positions while being adjusted to the appropriate height position.

[0109] When connecting the valve stem 11 and the stem 180 using the joint 171, the opening / closing base 170 can be installed while preventing the stem 180 from coming loose from the valve stem 11 side by tightening the two bolts 152, 152.

[0110] The socket 105 and joint 171 in the above-described embodiment can be arbitrarily modified in accordance with the shape and dimensions of the rectangular column portion 151 of the valve stem 11 and the fitting portion 154 of the stem 180, respectively, thereby enabling the installation of the opening / closing stand with the valve stem accurately connected to accommodate the stem of any valve.

[0111] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as described in the claims of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0112] 1, 70, 71, 80, 90, 100, 170 Opening / Closing Platform 15 Opening degree display 22, 74 seat 23 Opening 24 Opening degree indicator 30 Plate-shaped member 30a Surface side outer edge 30b Outer peripheral edge on the back side 31 Packing 32, 72, 91 Cover 35 grooves 40, 41 Protruding seal section 42 Annular mounting section 43 Circular bend 45 Indicator needle 50 Space section

Claims

1. A valve opening indicator comprising a transparent or translucent plate-shaped member, a packing for sealing the plate-shaped member, a cover for mounting these, and an opening indicator for indicating the valve opening, wherein an opening is formed at the position where the opening indicator is formed to display the state of the opening indicator, the plate-shaped member and the packing are housed between the seat surface and the cover provided around the opening, the cover is fixed to the seat surface with a space provided between the seat surface and the cover, and the seat surface and the plate-shaped member are sealed by the packing in a state where deformation due to warping or expansion and contraction of the plate-shaped member is permitted by this space.

2. The valve opening degree indicator structure according to claim 1, wherein the plate-shaped member has a scale for indicating the opening degree of the valve, and the opening degree indicator part has an indicator needle for indicating the scale.

3. The valve opening degree indicator structure according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed in the shape of an elongated hole, and the cover is fixed to the seat surface on at least both sides in the longitudinal direction of the opening.

4. The valve opening degree indicator structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the packing is formed in an annular shape, and the plate-shaped member is housed between the seating surface and the cover with the packing attached to at least one of the front and back sides of its outer peripheral edge, and sealed with the seating surface or the seating surface side.

5. The valve opening degree indicator structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the packing is formed in an annular shape with a groove on its inner circumference, the outer edge of the plate-shaped member is fitted into the groove, and the plate-shaped member and the seating surface or the seating surface side are sealed by the packing and housed between the seating surface side and the cover.

6. The valve opening degree indicator structure according to claim 5, wherein the packing has an annular projection sealing portion at least at one location on the side facing the seating surface of the opening or on the side facing the cover.

7. The valve opening indicator structure according to claim 1, wherein the cover has a flange-shaped annular mounting portion for attachment to the seat surface, and an annular bent portion is provided on the outer circumference of the annular mounting portion, and the annular bent portion has an outer shape slightly larger than the outer edge of the seat surface and is bent in an umbrella shape at an appropriate angle in the direction of covering the outer edge.

8. An opening / closing stand using the valve opening degree indicator structure described in claim 1.

Images