Valve arrangement

An electrically-operated fluid valve comprising at least one valve seating (11), a flexible diaphragm (13) covering the valve seating and being uniformly subjected on a lower surface thereof to a fluid pressure, and a closure member (28) pivotably mounted above the flexible diaphragm and rotatable about a pivot axis (29) thereof between first and second positions. An electrical motor (36, 81) is provided for rotating the closure member in a first direction whereby a first end of the closure member (14) depresses the diaphragm on to the valve seating, thereby reducing the pressure on one surface of the diaphragm within an area of the valve seating only, an opposite surface of the diaphragm and an opposite end of the closure member (18) still being subjected to said fluid pressure. The electrical motor rotates in the opposite direction for lifting the diaphragm from the valve seating. Preferably, the electrical motor (81) is controlled by a switching circuit (85) including first and second d.c. supply rails (111, 112) connected across a storage element (125) connected in series with the motor (81). A normally closed switching element (115) is responsive to a voltage across the supply rails rails for opening and allowing current to flow through the motor so as to urge the closure member into the second position whilst substantially fully charging the storage element (125), whereupon decoupling the voltage from across the supply rails causes the switching element (115) to close thereby providing a discharge path through the motor for the storage element which discharges thereby urging the closure member (28) into the first position.