Fuel shut-off valve
This patent describes a valve in a vehicular fuel line for automatically closing the fuel line in the event of a collision. It comprises: a valve body on the fuel line presenting a passage therein accommodating flow of fuel when open, the valve body being hermetically sealed to seal and shield internal components thereof; a valve plug mounted within the valve body for linear movement from an open position wherein the passage is open and a closed position wherein the passage is closed and flow through the fuel line is blocked; spring means for urging the plug toward the closed position; a relatively massive ball in the valve body; a rigid surface in the valve body presenting a seat on which the ball normally seats in a manner to resist unseating due to vertical forces but to allow unseating of the ball due to horizontally applied forces above a preselected magnitude indicative of a collision. The surface being oriented generally horizontally but sloping downwardly in all directions away from the seat to effect rolling of the ball away from the seat when unseated therefrom; and a stem extending from the valve plug and having a tip engaged against the ball when same is on the seat to maintain the plug in its open position. The stem releasing from the ball when same is unseated to then allow movement of the plug to its closed position under the influence of the spring means.
- Assignee:
- NOV; NOV-90-043115; EDB-91-002994
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4960145; A
- Application Number:
- PPN: US s 7-343042
- OSTI ID:
- 6391085
- Resource Relation:
- Patent File Date: 25 Apr 1989
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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