Valve body fixing device and valve using the same

Abstract

To provide a fixing device for a valve element and a valve using the same, capable of reliably maintaining the state of stopping the turn of and fixing the valve element, while remarkably improving the workability without the need for a fixture or the like at the time of replacing a speed reducer for example, not only sufficiently securing the strength of a stem.SOLUTION: A valve element 2 is rotatably provided in a valve box 1 via a stem 3, a speed reducer 9 is detachably mounted on an axially mounting part 11 in which the stem 3 is axially mounted, via a spacer 4, a stopper part 20 is provided on the outer periphery of the stem 3 located in the spacer 4, and a fixing member 6 is arranged on the lateral face of the spacer 4. By pushing or locking the fixing member 6 against or to the stopper part 20, the turn of the stem 3 is stopped to fix the valve element 2 to a predetermined position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fixing device for a valve body, and more particularly to a fixing device for a valve body suitable for use in pipes laid underground and a valve using the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a butterfly valve is generally known as a valve used for opening and closing or controlling the intermediate opening degree of a flow path of a pipe laid underground. When a butterfly valve is buried underground, usually, a connection stand is provided on the upper part of the valve box, and an operating machine (reducer) is attached to the upper part of the valve box through this stand. The operating machine is provided so as to be operable from the ground by a handle or the like. By operating the operating machine with this handle, the valve body can be opened and closed through a stem from the operating machine. Since this type of butterfly valve remains buried for a long time after installation, it is more likely to deteriorate compared to a butterfly valve installed in a normal pipeline. In particular, when the operating machine deteriorates, the opening and closing operation becomes difficult, so the operating machine requires regular replacement and maintenance. In this case, usually, in a main water pipe laid underground or the like, the operating machine of the butterfly valve is not detachable in a non-stop water state, and the replacement work of the operating machine is performed in a water-cut state.

[0003] On the other hand, as an example in which the operating machine can be detachably provided in a non-stop water state, a butterfly valve of Patent Document 1 is disclosed. In this butterfly valve, a stand is provided between the valve box and the operating machine (reducer), and plugs are detachably attached to a plurality of fixing holes provided in this stand. Further, a fixing rod is provided so as to be insertable and removable in the fixing holes and through holes formed in the valve rod on the upper side. When removing the operating machine, the plug is removed from the stand to make the fixing holes in a communicating state, and the valve body is rotated to the fully open state so that the through hole is aligned with the fixing hole. Subsequently, by inserting a fixing rod through these fixing holes and through holes, the valve body is fixed at the fully open position, and the operating machine can be removed in this non-stop water state.

[0004] On the other hand, in the butterfly valve described in Patent Document 2, an opening degree fixing jig for braking the valve stem, two rod-shaped guides for restricting the movement of the braking member, and an opening degree splitting fixing jig, which is a separate part from the stand and brakes the valve stem when the reduction gear is separated, are provided, and the reduction gear is detachably mounted to the valve body (see Figures 1-6). When removing the actuator, the opening angle fixing jig is connected to the tip of the valve stem, and the guide is fixed to the top of the valve. With the connection between the reducer and the stand disconnected, the reducer is moved upward along the guide. Next, the opening angle splitting fixing jig is inserted between the reducer, which is now separated from the connection base, and the connection base, and the valve stem is fixed to maintain a state of continuous water flow (valve open). In this state, the actuator can be removed and replaced. Furthermore, in the same document 2, a butterfly valve is disclosed in which the valve stem is fixed and braked from the side using an opening angle fixing jig consisting of two jigs, without using an opening angle fixing jig to fix the tip of the valve stem or a guide, and the reduction gear is removed (see Figures 7-9). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6456097 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-210962 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the former patent document 1, a through hole is formed in the valve stem to fix the valve body in the closed position, which reduces the strength of the valve stem. Moreover, in order to firmly hold the valve stem in the open position, the fixing rod needs to be made thicker, in which case the through hole also becomes larger in diameter, further thinning the valve stem and making it even more difficult to ensure strength. In addition to this, processing to form the through hole in the valve stem is also required, and at this time, a high level of processing accuracy is required to accurately drill the through hole.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to fix the valve stem in a state of continuous water flow (valve open) using a fixing rod, the length of this fixing rod must be at least equal to, or greater than, the sum of the length of the fixing hole and the through hole formed horizontally in the stand. As the fixing rod becomes longer in this way, the load on the fixing rod increases when suppressing the rotation of the valve stem, and when fixing the valve stem in a state of continuous water flow, extra workspace is required for inserting and removing the long fixing rod into the fixing hole and through hole, and for using a jig for insertion and removal. As a result, a valve casing with a large internal space for installing the valve is also required. In order to insert the fixing rod through the through hole and fixing hole, they must be aligned and communicated, and this alignment is also difficult.

[0008] In the case of the butterfly valve shown in Figures 1-6 of the latter Patent Document 2, extra space is required to install a rod-shaped guide and an opening angle fixing jig for connecting to the tip of the valve stem. These guides and opening angle fixing jigs increase the number of parts used to fix the valve stem, which in turn increases the number of man-hours required when replacing the speed reducer. The butterfly valve shown in Figures 7-9 of the same document 2 has a reduced diameter in the fitting portion that secures two opening angle fixing jigs to the valve stem from the side, which reduces the strength of the valve stem. Furthermore, because the fitting portion has opposing planes that are parallel and fits into recesses formed in the opening angle fixing jigs, machining the fitting portion to the valve stem is difficult and requires high dimensional accuracy.

[0009] When fixing the valve stem, Patent Document 1 requires a fixing member, and Figures 1-6 of Patent Document 2 require two rod-shaped guides, an opening degree fixing jig, and an opening degree division fixing jig. Figures 7-9 of the same document require an opening degree fixing jig consisting of two jigs. These are required separately from the components of the stand, which necessitates transporting these parts and jigs to the construction site, and also necessitates management when they are not in use.

[0010] The present invention was developed to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its objective is to provide a valve fixing device and a valve using the same that can reliably maintain a fixed state by stopping the rotation of the valve body, ensure sufficient strength of the stem, and significantly improve workability by eliminating the need for fixing devices when replacing the gearbox, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, the invention according to claim 1 provides a valve body fixing device in which a valve body provided in a valve casing is rotatably mounted via a stem, a reduction gear is detachably mounted on a shaft mounting portion to which the stem is shaft mounted via a spacer, a stopper portion is provided on the outer circumference of the stem located within the spacer, a fixing member is arranged on the side of the spacer, and the rotation of the stem is stopped and the valve body is fixed in a predetermined position by pressing or locking the fixing member against the stopper portion, The aforementioned fixing member is also placed within the spacer even when the valve body is not fixed. Built into the spacer This valve body fixing device is characterized by the fact that it can be fixed without locking the valve body to a locking part, and the unfixed state can be visually confirmed by the position of the head of the fixing member.

[0012] The invention according to claim 2 is a valve body fixing device in which the stopper portion is a flat portion or stopper groove formed on the outer surface of a stopper ring integrally provided on the outer circumference of a stem located within a spacer.

[0013] The invention according to claim 3 is a fixing device for valve bodies, in which the fixing member is arranged at least two or more locations on the side of the spacer at predetermined intervals.

[0015] Claim 4 The invention relates to a valve body fixing device in which the fixing member is a fixing bolt, and this fixing bolt is screwed into the side of the spacer and the tip of the fixing bolt is pressed against or locked to the stopper portion.

[0016] Claim 5 The invention relates to the fact that the fixing bolt is screwed in through the collar, and if the valve body is not to be fixed, By attaching it to the collar, Tightening the fixing bolts does not fix the valve body in place. kill This is a device for fixing the valve body.

[0017] Claim 6 The invention relates to a valve body fixing device in which an O-ring case is provided in the shaft mounting portion, a plurality of O-rings are fitted in the inner diameter portion of the O-ring case, and an O-ring made of fluororubber is fitted on the upper end opening side of the O-ring case.

[0018] Claim 7 The invention relating to this is a valve that uses a valve body fixing device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the invention according to claim 1, since the rotation of the stem is stopped by the stopper portion provided on the outer periphery of the stem positioned in the spacer and the fixing member, and the valve body is fixed at a predetermined position, there is no need to perform special processing for fixing the fixing member to the stem. While ensuring the solid state and large diameter state of the stem and sufficiently ensuring the strength, the valve body can be fixed in a predetermined rotation state and this fixed state can be maintained. By providing the fixing member in the spacer and storing it, when replacing the speed reducer, etc., the fixing operation of the stem can be performed while significantly improving the workability without requiring external parts such as fixtures. By preventing the exposure of the fixing member from the spacer, the overall size increase can be prevented, and even in a narrow work space, it is possible to replace and maintain the speed reducer, and it is also possible to replace and maintain internal parts. Furthermore, since the fixing member is arranged in the spacer even when the valve body is not fixed, when replacing the speed reducer, etc., the fixing operation of the stem can be performed while significantly improving the workability without requiring external parts such as fixtures. Furthermore, The fixing member is, When the valve body is not fixed Built into the spacer it can be made not to fix the valve body by locking it to the locking component, so that the stem can be fixed in the valve open state or switched to a rotatable state. Furthermore, when the stem is not fixed and when it is fixed, since the degree of insertion of the head of the fixing member into the spacer is different, by visually recognizing the position of the head of the fixing member from the outside, it is possible to grasp whether the stem is in a non-fixed or fixed state.

[0020] According to the invention according to claim 2, since the stopper portion is a flat portion or a stopper groove formed on the outer peripheral surface of a stopper ring integrally provided on the outer periphery of the stem located within the spacer, this stopper portion can be easily formed on the stopper ring. When the fixing member is pressed against or locked, by applying a force to the outer diameter side with respect to the stopper ring, a strong force acts in the rotational direction of the stem to firmly maintain the stopped state of the valve body. By attaching the stopper ring to the stem in a rotated state or by changing the formation position of the flat portion or the stopper groove, the stem can also be fixed at an arbitrary intermediate opening degree.

[0021] According to the invention according to claim 3, by fixing the stopper portion with the fixing member from at least two or more locations at a predetermined interval, the torque applied to each fixing member from the stem is halved to reduce the load on each fixing member, and the stem can be firmly fixed by these two fixing members. In particular, if the fixing members are arranged at an interval of approximately 90°, the resultant force when fixing them can be transmitted to the stem to further improve the force for fixing the stem. Furthermore, even when one of the fixing members loosens, the other one can maintain the fixed state of the stopper portion.

[0023] Claim 4According to the invention, a general-purpose bolt can be used as a fixing member, and this fixing bolt can be screwed into the side of the spacer using a general-purpose tool, with its tip pressed against or locked to the stopper portion. This allows the fixing force to be increased by utilizing the tightening torque when the bolt is fastened, and the frictional force of the bolt tip prevents the fixing bolt from loosening, maintaining the fastening force and reliably holding the stem in a state of being prevented from rotating. Furthermore, by increasing the outer diameter of the stopper ring, the length of the fixing bolt that is pressed against or locked to its outer surface is shortened, suppressing deformation of the fixing bolt when fixing the stem. Also, as the distance from the center of the stem to the stopper portion increases through the outer diameter of the stopper ring, the moment that suppresses the rotational torque of the stem increases, reliably preventing the stem from rotating even when a large rotational torque is applied to the stem by fluid or the like. The fixing bolt can be screwed into the spacer and integrated regardless of whether the stem is fixed or not, so loss of the fixing bolt can be prevented, and the fixing bolt is not exposed to the outside from the spacer, thus preventing an increase in the overall size.

[0024] Claim 5According to the invention, the stem can be fixed in the valve open state or made rotatable by tightening a fixing bolt through a collar inserted into the opening of the spacer. Normally, the collar is inserted with the locking flange facing the opening, and the fixing bolt is screwed into the opening from above. When the fixing bolt is tightened and the bolt head engages with the locking flange, the tightening of the fixing bolt is restricted. At this time, contact between the tip surface of the fixing bolt and the stopper ring is prevented, leaving the stem unfixed, and the stem can be freely rotated by the reduction gear to adjust the valve to the open or closed state or an intermediate opening. On the other hand, when fixing the stem, the collar is inserted with the locking flange facing the back of the opening, and the fixing bolt is screwed into the opening from above. In this case, when the fixing bolt is tightened, the tip of the fixing bolt presses against the stopper ring, and the tightening torque prevents the stem from rotating, fixing it in the valve open state. At this time, when the bolt head abuts against the locking flange, excessive tightening of the fixing bolt is restricted, preventing excessive force from being applied to the stem by the fixing bolt. 。

[0025] Claim 6 According to the invention, the sealing portion is unitized by an O-ring case, and the shaft sealing performance is improved by multiple O-rings. This ensures that leakage to the outside is reliably prevented even when the stem is fixed in the valve open position for a long period of time, or when the stem is repeatedly rotated when it is not fixed. Moreover, the O-ring made of fluororubber provided on the upper end opening side of the O-ring case is durable, and its lifespan can be extended without adding any other O-rings.

[0026] Claim 7According to the invention, sufficient strength of the stem can be ensured without applying special processing to the stem for fixing the fixing member, and the valve body can be fixed in a predetermined rotational state and this fixed state can be maintained. When replacing the gearbox, the stem can be fixed without requiring external parts such as fixing devices, significantly improving work efficiency. The overall size can also be prevented, making it possible to replace and maintain the gearbox even in a narrow workspace, and internal parts can also be replaced and maintained. When the stopper ring is fixed with a fixing member, damage to the stem can be prevented. As a result, for example, if the valve is a butterfly valve and this butterfly valve is connected to the piping, the valve body can be firmly fixed in a state of continuous water flow, either fully open or partially open, while performing the above functions. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] This is a partially cutaway front view showing a first embodiment in which the valve body fixing device of the present invention is used in a butterfly valve. [Figure 2] (a) is an enlarged side view of a partially cut-out portion showing the area around the shaft mounting portion of the butterfly valve in Figure 1. (b) is a cross-sectional view AA of (a). [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the area around the spacer, with some parts omitted. [Figure 4] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the color orientation of Figure 3 with some parts omitted. [Figure 5] This is a half-sectional view showing the O-ring case. [Figure 6] Figure 2(a) is a bottom view of the gearbox. [Figure 7] (a) is a partially cutaway enlarged side view showing a second embodiment in which the valve body fixing device of the present invention is used in a butterfly valve. (b) is a cross-sectional view of BB in (a). [Figure 8] (a) is a partially cutaway enlarged side view showing a third embodiment in which the valve body fixing device of the present invention is used in a butterfly valve. (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) at CC. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of a key part showing a fourth embodiment in which the valve body fixing device of the present invention is used in a butterfly valve. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] The valve body fixing device and the valve using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which the valve body fixing device is applied to a butterfly valve will be described. Figure 1 shows the closed state of the valve in a first embodiment in which the valve body fixing device of the present invention is applied to a butterfly valve, and Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of the area around the shaft mounting when the butterfly valve of Figure 1 is in the open state.

[0029] In the figure, the butterfly valve comprises a valve body 1, a valve element 2, a stem 3, a spacer 4, a stopper ring 5, a fixing member 6, a collar 7, and an O-ring case 8, and a reduction gear 9 is mounted on its upper part. In this embodiment, for example, the valve body 1 and the valve element 2 are each made of a metal material such as cast iron, the stem 3, spacer 4, stopper ring 5, fixing member 6, and collar 7 are each made of a metal material such as stainless steel, and the O-ring case 8 is made of a metal material such as copper casting. The butterfly valve is, for example, buried underground, and piping (not shown) is connected to the flow paths 1a formed on both sides of the valve body 1.

[0030] The valve body 1 is shaped to accommodate a long stem 3 and a disc-shaped valve body 2 inside. The valve body 2 is placed within the flow path of the valve body 1, and the stem 3 is integrally attached to the valve body 2 by mounting bolts 10. A shaft mounting portion 11 is provided on the upper side of the valve body 1, and a flange portion 12 is formed on the upper end side of this shaft mounting portion 11.

[0031] The stem 3 has a reduced diameter portion 3a formed on its upper side, and a keyway 13 is formed in this reduced diameter portion 3a. In this example, the keyway 13 is formed at a position perpendicular to the flow path 1a when the stem 3 is in the valve closed state or valve open state as shown in Figure 1. A stopper ring 5 is attached to the stem 3 by a key 14 through the keyway 13, and this mounting structure between the stem 3 and the stopper ring 5 causes the stopper ring 5 to rotate integrally with the stem 3 when the stem 3 is rotated.

[0032] The stem 3 has an enlarged diameter portion 3c formed on its lower side via a stepped portion 3b from a reduced diameter portion 3a. The stem 3 is mounted inside the valve body 1 with the enlarged diameter portion 3c side mounted on the shaft mounting portion 11, and is rotatably provided by a reduction gear 9 mounted on the reduced diameter portion 3a side. In this case, the valve body 2 opens or closes when the stem 3 is operated at a rotation angle of approximately 90°.

[0033] A spacer 4 is fixed to the flange portion 12 of the valve body 1 by mounting bolts 15, and the reduction gear 9 is detachably mounted on the shaft mounting portion 11 with the spacer 4 interposed between them. The spacer 4 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a stem insertion hole 16 is formed in the center of the spacer 4. On the upper side of the stem insertion hole 16, an enlarged storage portion 17 for housing the stopper ring 5 is formed in a recessed shape, and on the lower side, an enlarged hole portion 18 for mounting the O-ring case 8 is formed in a recessed shape.

[0034] A stopper ring 5 is attached to the outer circumference of the stem 3, which is located within the spacer 4, at a position corresponding to the storage section 17. The inner circumference of the stopper ring 5 has an inner diameter large enough to accommodate the reduced diameter section 3a of the stem 3, and a keyway 19 into which a key 14 can be attached is formed in a part of it. The stopper ring 5 is fixed integrally to the stem 3 in a positioned state by the key 14 through its keyway 19 and a keyway 13 formed in the stem.

[0035] The outer circumferential surface of the stopper ring 5 is provided with stopper portions 20, which are flat surfaces. In this embodiment, the four flat surfaces (stopper portions) 20 are formed so that they form an angle of approximately 90° with each adjacent flat surface 20, and as shown in Figure 2(b), the outer circumferential surface of the stopper ring 5 is provided with a cross-section that is approximately square. The tip 6a of the fixing member 6, which will be described later, is provided so that it can be pressed against each of the four flat surfaces 20. When the fixing member 6 is pressed against the stopper ring 5, the rotation of the stopper ring 5 is restricted, and the stem 3 is also fixed through the key 14. In this example, the keyway 19 of the stopper ring 5 is formed in a position that allows it to be fixed to the stem 3 so that the fixing member 6 can be pressed against the flat surface 20 when the stem 3 with the stopper ring 5 attached is in a valve closed state.

[0036] Two mounting holes 21 are formed on the side of the spacer 4 at approximately 90° intervals, penetrating through to the stem insertion hole 16. In this example, each mounting hole 21 is provided by a female thread 22 and a hole-shaped opening 23. The opening 23 is formed on the mounting side of the fixing member 6 to a predetermined depth and is larger in diameter than the female thread 22. The female thread 22 is formed through this opening 23 and penetrates to the stem insertion hole 16.

[0037] The fixing member 6 is a fixing bolt, and in this example, it is a socket head cap screw with a male thread 24 that screws into the female thread 22. The fixing bolt 6 is screwed into the female thread 22 from the opening 23 on the side of the spacer 4, and in this state, it is integrally provided inside the spacer 4, and is arranged at least two or more locations on the side of the spacer 4 at predetermined intervals.

[0038] In this embodiment, the fixing bolts 6 are arranged at two locations on the spacer 4 at approximately 90° intervals. When these two fixing bolts 6 are screwed in, their respective tips 6a are positioned to press against adjacent stopper portions 20, 20 of the stopper ring 5. By tightening the fixing bolts 6 and pressing against the stopper portions 20, the rotation of the stem 3 is stopped by the stopper portions 20 and the fixing members 6, thereby fixing the valve body 2 in a predetermined position. In this example, the stem 3 (valve body 2) is rotated approximately 90° from the state shown in Figure 1 to open (fully open), and the stem 3 is fixed in this position, thereby making it possible to maintain a continuous water flow in the flow path 1a.

[0039] The collar 7 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined outer diameter and length that allows it to be inserted into the opening 23, and an annular locking flange 30 is formed on the inner circumference end side of the collar 7. The locking flange 30 is formed so that its inner diameter is slightly larger than the male thread 24 of the fixing bolt 6 and protrudes inward from the head 31 of the fixing bolt 6, and is provided to allow the male thread 24 to pass through and lock the head 31. The collar 7 is provided so that it can be inserted into the opening 23 in a state where its insertion direction in the axial direction is changed, that is, with the locking flange 30 positioned towards the front or back of the opening 23, and by inserting the fixing bolt 6 into the mounting hole 21 through the collar 7, it is possible to change the position of the fixing bolt 6 in the longitudinal direction and change the tightening length.

[0040] Figure 3 shows the state in which the collar 7 is inserted with the locking flange 30 positioned towards the back of the opening 23. In this case, the length to which the fixing bolt 6 can be tightened is increased, and when the fixing bolt 6 is tightened, it is possible to screw it in until its tip 6a presses against the flat portion 20 of the stopper ring 5, thereby pressing the flat portion 20 with this tip 6a and fixing the stem 3 (valve body 2).

[0041] On the other hand, Figure 4 shows the state in which the collar 7 is inserted with the locking flange 30 positioned towards the front of the opening 23. In this case, when the fixing bolt 6 is tightened, its head 31 locks into the locking flange 30, and it is not screwed in until its tip 6a presses against the flat portion 20 of the stopper ring 5. In this way, the length to which the fixing bolt 6 can be tightened is reduced compared to the case in Figure 3, so the stem 3 (valve body 2) is not fixed, and the stem 3 (valve body 2) can be opened and closed or rotated to an intermediate opening position through the reduction gear 9 using a handle or the like (not shown). The aforementioned fixing bolts 6 and collars 7 are incorporated into the spacer 4 as components of the butterfly valve, even when the butterfly valve is not in use, in either the state shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4.

[0042] Figure 5 shows the O-ring case 8, which is cylindrical in shape and has an annular flange portion 32 at the top and a cylindrical portion 33 below the annular flange portion 32 that is smaller in diameter than the annular flange portion 32. Multiple mounting grooves 34 are formed in the outer diameter portion and the inner diameter portion of the O-ring case 8, and an O-ring 35 made of a rubber material such as NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) is fitted into each mounting groove 34. Furthermore, an O-ring 36 made of a durable material such as fluororubber is fitted into the mounting groove 34 on the upper end opening side above the two O-rings 35 in the center and lower part of the O-ring case 8.

[0043] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the O-ring case 8, with the O-rings 35 and 36 attached, is fitted between the valve body 1 and the spacer 4 with its cylindrical portion 33 fitted into the shaft mounting portion 11 and its annular flange portion 32 housed in the enlarged diameter hole portion 18. The inner and outer circumferences of the O-ring case 8 are sealed by the O-rings 35 and 36, respectively, thereby preventing leakage from the valve body 1 side.

[0044] The gearbox 9 shown in Figure 6 is provided to reduce the rotational operation from the handle and transmit it to the stem 3, and has a reduction mechanism (not shown) inside. An output shaft 40 of the reduction mechanism is provided at the lower center, which is the output side of the gearbox 9, and a mounting hole 41 is formed in this output shaft 40 with an inner diameter large enough to fit the reduced diameter portion 3a at the top of the stem 3. Two keyway portions 42 are formed in the mounting hole 41, each with a cross-sectional shape substantially identical to the keyway 19 of the stopper ring 5 and spaced approximately 90° apart, and a key 14 engaged with the stem 3, or a key (not shown) provided separately from this key 14, is provided so that it can be engaged with each keyway portion 42. Four communication holes 43 are formed at equal intervals on the outer circumference of the bottom surface of the gearbox 9, and as shown in Figure 1, the gearbox 9 is provided so that it can be integrally mounted on the top of the spacer 4 with bolts and nuts 44 through these communication holes 43.

[0045] When mounting the reducer 9 onto the spacer 4, with the output shaft 40 of the reducer 9 rotated to the valve open or valve closed position, the key 14, or another key, is engaged with one of the two keyway sections 42. The output shaft 40 and the stem 3 are then connected using the key 14 or another key mounted in the keyway 13 of the stem 3. In this state, the reducer 9 is connected to the upper part of the spacer 4 with a bolt and nut 44 through the communication hole 43, as shown in Figure 1. This allows the reducer 9 to be mounted while fixing the output shaft 40 to the stem 3, aligning with the direction of opening and closing operations through the keyway section 42, for a butterfly valve in the closed or open position. As described above, the output shaft 40 of the reducer 9 can be connected to the stem 3 using the key 14 mounted on the stem 3, or a key provided separately from this key 14, and in either case, it is firmly connected to the stem 3.

[0046] In this case, by providing two keyway sections 42 on the reduction gear 9, the butterfly valve can be set to either an open or closed state, and the reduction gear 9 can be mounted in a predetermined orientation so that the keyway sections 42 are aligned with the keyway 13 on the stem 3, thereby changing the opening and closing direction of the valve body 2 relative to the rotation direction of the reduction gear 9. This allows the reduction gear 9 to accommodate either a butterfly valve that opens when rotated counterclockwise (counterclockwise opening butterfly valve) or a butterfly valve that opens when rotated clockwise (clockwise opening butterfly valve) by changing its orientation during connection. In this embodiment, the butterfly valve is set to open when the actuator 9 (valve body 2) is rotated counterclockwise.

[0047] In the above embodiment, an example of applying the valve body fixing device of the present invention to a butterfly valve was described, but the valve body fixing device of the present invention can be applied to various types of valves, not just butterfly valves.

[0048] Although a fixing bolt is used as the fixing member 6, it is not limited to a fixing bolt 6 as long as it can stop the rotation of the stem 3 through the stopper ring 5 provided on the stem 3, and any fixing member 6 provided in any manner can be used. Therefore, it is not necessary for a male thread 24 to be formed in the mounting hole 21 of the spacer 4.

[0049] Furthermore, although the stopper ring 5 is provided separately from the stem 3 and attached to the stem 3, the stopper ring 5 may also be formed directly on the stem 3, thus integrating the stem 3 and the stopper ring 5 as a single unit.

[0050] The stopper portion 20, which presses against the fixing bolt 6 on the outer surface of the stopper ring 5, is formed as a flat surface. However, this stopper portion 20 can be provided in various shapes, as long as it exerts frictional force between itself and a groove (not shown), a curved surface, or the tip of a fixing member to stop and maintain the rotation of the stem.

[0051] The fixing bolts (fixing members) 6 may be provided at two or more locations on the side of the spacer 4 at intervals other than approximately 90°, and can be arranged at any interval (angle) as long as they are provided at least two or more locations on the side of the spacer at predetermined intervals. For this reason, it is also possible to provide three or more fixing members 6 at equal intervals, or to arrange three or more at any arbitrary intervals. In this case, the position of the stopper portion 20 of the stopper ring 5 should be set to change in accordance with the position of the fixing members 6.

[0052] When a fixing bolt is used as the fixing member 6, the longitudinal position of the fixing bolt 6 is changed by changing the insertion direction of the collar 7 equipped with a locking flange 30. However, if the position of the tip 6a of the fixing member 6 can be adjusted so that the stem 3 (valve body 2) can be changed to either a fixed state or a rotatable state (unfixed state), then a component other than the collar 7 may be provided. For example, when the stem 3 is in an unfixed state, a washer (not shown) may be placed between the fixing bolt 6 and the spacer 4, and the washer may be removed when fixing the stem 3. In this case, the washer may be made attachable to a component such as the valve body 1, thereby preventing the washer from being lost when not in use.

[0053] Next, the procedure and operation for fixing the stem 3 (valve body 2) in the above embodiment of the valve body fixing device of the present invention will be explained. Figure 1 shows the rotatable state of the stem 3 (valve body 2) of a butterfly valve to which a valve body fixing device is applied. In this case, as shown in Figure 4, the collar 7 is attached to the spacer 4 with the locking flange 30 positioned on the front side of the opening 23. When the fixing bolt 6 is screwed into the female thread 22 and tightened, its head 31 engages with the locking flange 30, preventing the fixing bolt 6 from being screwed in any further, thereby restricting tightening, and its tip 6a is separated from the flat part (stopper part) 20. As a result, the stem 3 becomes unfixed and rotatable, and the reduction gear 9 allows the valve body 2 to be rotated through the stem 3.

[0054] When replacing or maintaining the reducer 9 due to deterioration or malfunction, first rotate the stem 3 by approximately 90° using the reducer 9 from the valve closed state shown in Figure 1 to the valve open state. In this state, use a general-purpose tool (not shown) to loosen and remove the fixing bolt 6 from the spacer 4. At this time, the male screw 24 catches on the inner circumference of the locking flange 30, allowing the collar 7 to be easily removed at the same time as the fixing bolt 6. If the collar 7 remains inside the opening 23, it can be easily removed by hooking an appropriate tool onto the inside of the locking flange 30 and pulling it out.

[0055] Next, in Figure 2, the insertion direction of the collar 7 is changed with respect to the axial direction so that the locking flange 32 faces inward, and the fixing bolt 6 is screwed into the female thread 22. At this time, because the locking flange 30 is located on the inward side of the opening 23, the tip 6a of the fixing bolt 6 is pressed against the flat surface 20 before the head 31 locks into the locking flange 30.

[0056] If the fixing bolt 6 is tightened further from this state, the tightening torque is used to cause the tip 6a to press against the flat portion 20 in a surface contact state from a direction approximately perpendicular to the axial direction of the stem 3, and a strong frictional force is applied to the stem 3 in a direction that holds it in a stopped rotation state. As a result, the rotation of the stem 3 is stopped and fixed in the open state, and the valve body 2 can be restrained in a state of continuous water flow. This fixing of the valve body 2 also suppresses the vibration of the valve body 2 caused by backlash of the reduction mechanism of the reduction gear 9. In this state, the gearbox 9 can be removed for replacement or maintenance.

[0057] By making the outer diameter of the stopper ring 5 larger than the outer diameter of the stem 3, the distance from the center of the stem 3 to the flat portion 20 is increased, which increases the moment for suppressing the rotational torque of the stem 3, thereby increasing the force that stops the rotation of the stem 3. In this way, since the stopper ring 5 (stem 3) is fixed by pressing the tip 6a of the fixing bolt against the flat portion 20, there is no need to rotate the stopper ring 5 precisely to adjust its position when tightening the fixing bolt 6.

[0058] Furthermore, in Figure 2, by providing fixing bolts 6 at two locations on the side of the spacer 4, the tightening force on the stem 3 can be doubled by these two fixing bolts 6. At this time, since the two fixing bolts 6 are positioned at approximately 90° intervals, in addition to the force acting on each fixing bolt 6 in the tightening direction, the resultant force of the tightening forces of each fixing bolt 6 can also be applied to the stem 3. As a result, the force preventing rotation of the stem 3 can be significantly improved.

[0059] As described above, the valve body fixing device of the present invention has a configuration in which a stopper ring 5 is fixed to the outer circumference of the stem 3 located within the spacer 4, and a flat portion 20 is formed on the outer surface of the stopper ring 5 against which the tip 6a of the fixing bolt 6 is pressed. This ensures that the strength of the stem 3 can be ensured without performing any special processing on the stem 3 or forming the stem 3 to a large diameter. In this case, by utilizing the spacer 4 provided between the valve body 1 and the reduction gear 9, and fixing it using the stopper ring 5 and fixing bolt 6 provided within the spacer 4, work can be easily performed even in a narrow workspace without the need for external parts such as fixing devices.

[0060] During operation, the stem 3 can be easily secured by tightening the fixing bolt 6 with the stem 3 fully open, and the tightening torque provides sufficient clamping force to reliably maintain a continuous water supply state. This allows the gearbox 9 to be removed in this continuous water supply state for replacement or maintenance, or the mounting orientation of the gearbox 9 can be changed to alter the valve opening direction.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the case of fixing the stem 3 (valve body 2) when it is stopped in the fully open position was described, but the stem 3 (valve body 2) when it is in the fully closed position can also be fixed using the fixing bolt 6 in the same manner as described above. In this case, the stem 3 can be fixed in the fully closed position, reliably preventing its rotation, and excellent water-sealing properties can be achieved.

[0062] In either of the above cases, to release the fixed state of the stem 3 and return the stem 3 (valve body 2) to a state where it can be rotated, the fixing bolt 6 and collar 7 should be removed from the spacer 4 again, then the collar 7 should be inserted into the opening 23 with the locking flange 30 facing forward, and the fixing bolt 6 should be screwed into the spacer 4 from above the collar 7. In this way, the valve body 2 can be switched between a rotatable state and a fixed state without requiring complicated work.

[0063] In both the unfixed and fixed states of these valve bodies 2, the fixing bolts 6 and collars 7 are integrally incorporated into the spacer 4, preventing the fixing bolts 6 and collars 7 from coming loose from the spacer 4 and thus preventing loss.

[0064] Since the fixing bolt 6 is a general-purpose hex socket head bolt, mass-produced parts can be used without the need for separate manufacturing, and the collar 7 is cylindrical in shape with a locking flange 30 on its inner circumference, making it easy to manufacture. Furthermore, the stem 3 is easy to process because the upper reduced-diameter portion 3a is formed to a length that allows for the attachment of the stopper ring 5 and the output shaft 40 of the reducer 9, and only keyways 13 need to be formed at the mounting positions of the stopper ring 5 and the output shaft 40.

[0065] The stopper ring 5 can be attached and detached from above the reduced diameter portion 3a of the stem 3 where the key 14 is attached, making installation and removal easy, and allowing for precise positioning on the stem 3 through the key 14. By attaching the stopper ring 5 to the stem 3 through the key 14 in this way, loosening can be prevented during assembly, and rattling of the stem 3 can be suppressed.

[0066] Since the stopper ring 5, which is separate from the stem 3, has a flat surface 20 formed on its outer circumferential surface, this flat surface 20 can be easily formed, and by fixing the stopper ring 5 to the stem 3 using the key 14 as described above, the orientation of the flat surface 20 when fully open or fully closed can be accurately positioned. Therefore, the stem 3 can be firmly fixed by accurately pressing the tip 6a of the fixing bolt against the flat surface 20 when fully open or fully closed from a nearly perpendicular direction.

[0067] In the inner diameter portion of the O-ring case 8 shown in Figure 5, two rubber O-rings 35 are provided towards the lower part, ensuring a seal between the stem 3 and the O-ring case 8 and preventing leakage. Furthermore, a durable O-ring 36 made of fluororubber is installed above these two O-rings 35 on the upper end opening side, so even if the two O-rings 35 deteriorate and leakage occurs, the upper O-ring 36 can reliably prevent leakage to the outside. On the other hand, in the outer diameter portion of the O-ring case 8 shown in Figure 5, two rubber O-rings 35 are provided, ensuring a seal between the O-ring case 8 and the valve body 1 and preventing leakage.

[0068] Figure 7 shows a second embodiment of a butterfly valve using the valve body fixing device of the present invention. In this embodiment and subsequent embodiments, the same parts as in the previously described embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0069] In this embodiment, two mounting holes 21 are formed on the side of the spacer 4 at approximately 180° intervals, penetrating through to the stem insertion hole 16. These mounting holes 21 are provided by the aforementioned female threads 22 and openings 23. Fixing bolts 6 are provided at two locations on the spacer 4 at approximately 180° intervals through the openings 23 and female threads 22. Each fixing bolt 6 is pressed against the flat portion 20 at opposing positions on the outer circumferential surface of the stopper ring 5, allowing the stem 3 to be fixed in either a fully open or fully closed position.

[0070] Thus, even when the spacing of the fixing bolts 6 is changed to approximately 180°, the tip 6a can be easily pressed against the flat portion 20 to restrict the stopper ring 5 to either an open or closed state, just as in the case where they are arranged at approximately 90° intervals as described above. This stops the rotation of the stem 3 and reliably maintains the valve body 2 fixed in a predetermined position.

[0071] Figure 8 shows a third embodiment of a butterfly valve using the valve body fixing device of the present invention. In this butterfly valve, stopper grooves 50 of a predetermined width and depth are formed on the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical stopper ring 5 at approximately 90° intervals along the axial direction of the stopper ring 5. On the other hand, two fixing members 51 are arranged on the side of the spacer 4 at approximately 90° intervals. Male threads 52 are formed on these fixing members 51, and a cylindrical locking portion 53 that can engage with the stopper grooves 50 is formed at the tip of the male threads 52. This locking portion 53 is formed to a predetermined length with a smaller diameter than the male threads 52.

[0072] With this configuration, when the fixing member 51 is tightened with the stem 3 rotated to the fully open or fully closed position, the locking portion 53 engages with the stopper groove 50 to fix the stem 3. At this time, the fixing members 51, which are arranged at approximately 90° intervals, press against the stem from two locations perpendicular to the stem's axis, aligning their axes. This allows the axes of the fixing bolts at these two locations with the stem's axis, thereby centering the stem and fixing it in a state where eccentricity is prevented.

[0073] Figure 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the main part near the spacer in a fourth embodiment of a butterfly valve using the valve body fixing device of the present invention. In this embodiment, a keyway 19 is formed at a predetermined position on the stopper ring 5 so that when the stem 3 with the stopper ring 5 attached is opened to an intermediate position, the tip 6a of the fixing bolt 6 can be pressed against the flat portion 20 of the stopper ring 5 to fix the stem 3. Specifically, the keyway 19 is provided at a predetermined position on the stopper ring 5 so that when the stem 3 is opened to an intermediate position where the angle θ is approximately 60° from the fully closed state, the tip 6a of the fixing bolt can be pressed against the flat portion 20.

[0074] In this way, by changing the position of the keyway 19 of the stopper ring 5, the stem 3 can be fixed at an intermediate opening of approximately 60°. When fixing the stem 3, after rotating the stem 3 to the intermediate opening while adjusting the angle (direction) of the flat portion 20, the tip 6a is pressed against the flat portion 20 and the fixing bolt 6 is tightened. This makes it easy to fix the valve body 2 in an intermediate opening position. Furthermore, by pre-forming a keyway 19 in the stopper ring 5 at a position that allows it to be set to various intermediate opening degrees (valve opening degrees), it becomes possible to replace the stopper ring 5 and fix the valve body 2 at the desired intermediate opening degree.

[0075] 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]

[0076] 1. Valve box 2 Valve body 3 Stems 4 Spacers 5 Stopper Ring 6. Fixing bolts (fixing members) 6a Tip 7 Colors 8 O-ring cases 9 Reducer 11 Shaft mounting section 20 Flat section (stopper section) 23 Opening 30 Locking flange 31 bolt head 35, 36 O-rings 50 Stopper groove (stopper part) 51 Fixing member 53 Locking part

Claims

1. In a valve fixing device, a valve body is provided within a valve casing and is rotatably mounted via a stem, a reduction gear is detachably mounted on the shaft mounting portion to which the stem is shaft-mounted via a spacer, a stopper portion is provided on the outer circumference of the stem located within the spacer, a fixing member is positioned on the side of the spacer, and the rotation of the stem is stopped and the valve body is fixed in a predetermined position by pressing or locking the fixing member against the stopper portion, The valve body fixing device is characterized in that the fixing member is placed in the spacer even when the valve body is not fixed, and when the valve body is not fixed, it can be locked to a locking component incorporated in the spacer so as not to be fixed, and the unfixed state can be visually confirmed by the position of the head of the fixing member.

2. The valve body fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper portion is a flat portion or stopper groove formed on the outer surface of a stopper ring integrally provided on the outer circumference of the stem located within the spacer.

3. The valve body fixing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing members are arranged at least two or more locations on the side of the spacer at predetermined intervals.

4. The valve body fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fixing member is a fixing bolt, and the fixing bolt is screwed in from the side of the spacer and the tip of the fixing bolt is pressed against or locked to the stopper portion.

5. The valve body fixing device according to claim 4, wherein the fixing bolt is screwed in through a collar, and if the valve body is not to be fixed, the bolt is locked to the collar, so that the valve body is not fixed even when the fixing bolt is tightened.

6. A valve body fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein an O-ring case is provided in the shaft mounting portion, a plurality of O-rings are fitted in the inner diameter portion of the O-ring case, and an O-ring made of fluororubber is fitted on the upper end opening side of the O-ring case.

7. A valve using a valve body fixing device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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