摘要 |
A valve operator for a normally open valve is maintained in a cocked, ready to close mode by an arrangement which includes a radially contracted, self-expansible split retainer ring backed by a body of fusible material. Should the vicinity of the associated valve be subjected to the heat of a fire, the fusible body will melt out of blocking relation, permitting the split ring to expand free of the operator stem. A cocked spring recovers, axially moving the stem both to shut the valve and to engage a metal-to-metal back seat between the valve stem and valve bonnet. The latter event ensures against leakage even if the fire or wear has ruined the integrity of the usual valve stem packing.
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