US 12,281,720 B2
Spool valve actuator
Charles Smith, Newport News, VA (US); and Stephen Hollowood, Newport News, VA (US)
Assigned to Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Newport News, VA (US)
Filed by Huntington Ingalls Incorporated, Newport News, VA (US)
Filed on Oct. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/379,977.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/418,054, filed on Oct. 21, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0288089 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. F16K 31/163 (2006.01); F16K 11/07 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 31/163 (2013.01) [F16K 11/0704 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spool valve actuator, comprising:
a cylindrical actuator case connected to a proximal end of a spool valve and oriented coaxially with a spool axis and configured to house an indexing mechanism and a main spring each oriented coaxially with the spool axis and having passage for a spool valve shaft along the spool axis, the indexing mechanism comprising:
a stop comprising:
a disc-shaped base member and a distally extending cylindrical body member, the base member fixedly attached to a proximal end of the cylindrical actuator case;
an internal passageway in the body member configured to slidably receive a ratchet member;
a first set of slots of a first length in the body member at regular circumferential distances;
a second set of slots of a second length in the body member at regular circumferential distances offset from the first set of slots; and
both the first and second set of slots configured to slidably receive a proximal portion of a positioner;
the ratchet member comprising;
a cylindrical body slidably attached to the spool valve shaft, disposed within the stop, and keyed to the stop to prevent relative rotation between the ratchet member and the stop;
a distal edge comprising a plurality of distally facing teeth configured to engage the proximal portion of the positioner when the ratchet is moved in a distal direction along the spool axis;
the positioner comprising;
a base portion configured to engage an inside wall of the cylindrical actuator case; and
a proximal edge comprising a plurality of extending positioning members configured to engage with both the distally facing teeth of the ratchet member and the first and second sets of slots in the stop.