Wedge Valve Gate Holding Tools for Safe Maintenance Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
During maintenance operations on single-piece flexible wedge valves, the gate can slip from its tenon/mortise connection and fall into the valve body, posing a risk of mechanical damage and potential harm to operators, with no existing tooling to secure the gate during removal.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising two identical tools with half-disk shaped plates and through cutouts is used to securely hold the gate in position, allowing it to be removed without manual intervention, compatible with existing valve designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gate is held manually under the cap during removal, then the gate can be securely positioned, but operator safety is compromised and intervention time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized tool as an intermediary device between the operator and the gate. This tool features a gripping mechanism that securely holds the gate during removal operations, eliminating the need for operators to manually position themselves under the cap. The intermediary tool transfers the gate's weight and positioning function away from human operators, thereby resolving the contradiction between reliable gate positioning and operator safety.
2Reliability
If the gate is held manually under the cap during removal, then the gate can be securely positioned, but the operation becomes more time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The specialized tool is designed to be self-positioning and self-securing. When inserted into the valve body opening, the tool automatically engages with the gate and positions itself without requiring manual adjustment or operator positioning. The tool's gripping mechanism securely holds the gate through its own structural design, eliminating the need for continuous manual intervention and significantly reducing maintenance operation time while maintaining positioning reliability.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a modified stem-gate connection is used to prevent gate falling, then operator safety is improved, but valve compatibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the safety function from the valve's structural design. Instead of modifying the stem-gate connection (which would affect valve compatibility), the safety function is segmented into a separate, removable tool that interfaces with the gate during maintenance operations. This tool provides the safety mechanism without altering the valve's original design, thereby maintaining compatibility with existing valve fleets while eliminating operator safety risks.
4Device complexity
If manual handling of the gate is used, then no additional tooling is required, but the risk of mechanical damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The specialized tool is designed with pre-configured gripping features that match the gate's geometry. The tool's gripping mechanism is pre-engineered to distribute forces evenly across the gate's surface, preventing localized stress concentrations that could cause mechanical damage. By using this pre-designed tool, operators can safely handle the gate during removal without risking damage to the gate or valve components, while the tool itself remains relatively simple in structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (D) for supporting and holding the gate of a valve during a maintenance operation. It comprises two identical tools (8), each comprising a plate (80) in the form of a half-disc delimited by a generally rectilinear edge (800) and a semi-circular edge (801), the upper surface (802) of which plate (80) has a first radius, while the lower surface thereof, parallel to the upper surface (802), has a second radius which is smaller than the first radius, thereby forming a semi-circular peripheral shoulder (804), a through-cut (81) being made in the thickness of the plate (80), which through-cut, seen from above, is inscribed in a rectangle and opens onto the generally rectilinear edge (800), the side wall (810) of this cut (81) which extends parallel to the generally rectilinear edge (800) being inclined and forming an acute angle with a line perpendicular to the upper surface (802).