PACKING APPARATUS AND RELATED METHODS TO IDENTIFY PROPER LOADING FOR VALVE PACKING

• US 20190128429A1
• Filed: 11/01/2017
• Published: 05/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Fisher Controls International LLC (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hostetter, Steven Keith, Ohrt, Wesley Tyrel
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/186 using springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/041 cylindrical slide valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/0227 Packings
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/243 Packings F16K3/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 41/02 with stuffing-box ; Sealing rings

Abstract

An apparatus to identify proper loading for valve packing includes a packing follower for a fluid control valve. The packing follower has a cavity to receive a spring and at least a portion of a packing spacer. The apparatus also includes a first aperture disposed on an outer surface of the packing follower extending to the cavity to expose a portion of the spring.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a packing follower for a fluid control valve, the packing follower having a first aperture to receive a valve stem, an upper portion, a lower portion having a profile different than the upper portion, and a cavity to receive a spring and at least a portion of a packing spacer; and

a second aperture disposed on an outer surface of the upper portion of the packing follower extending to the cavity to expose a portion of the spring.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packing follower removably couples to a portion of a bonnet of the valve, the packing follower to be partially disposed in the bonnet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the packing follower includes a threaded surface to engage a threaded bore of the bonnet.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a recess disposed on the outer surface of the packing follower to receive a tool for adjusting the packing follower.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the recess at least partially surrounds the second aperture.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the spring and the packing spacer, wherein the spring is positioned between the packing follower and the packing spacer.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the packing follower includes a third aperture, opposite the second aperture, extending to the cavity, the spring to be positioned between the first second aperture and the third aperture.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring includes a Belleville washer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cavity includes a circumferential surface to receive the Belleville washer.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a fluid control valve having a packing follower, a cavity of the packing follower at least partially defining a first aperture and a second aperture positioned on an outer surface of an upper portion of the packing follower, the first aperture to receive a valve stem and the second aperture to expose a spring positioned in the cavity, wherein a lower portion of the packing follower has a different profile than the upper portion is to threadably engage an inner surface of a bonnet of the fluid valve.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a central axis of the first aperture is substantially perpendicular relative to a central axis of the second aperture.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cavity further defines a third aperture positioned adjacent the first aperture and the second aperture to further expose the spring, a central axis of the third aperture substantially perpendicular relative to the central axis of the first aperture and the central axis of the second aperture.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the packing follower includes a first level area and a second level area, opposite the first area, to receive means for adjusting the packing follower.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cavity includes a circumferential wall to engage a peripheral edge of the spring.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the spring is to be positioned between the first aperture and the second aperture.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a packing follower to be threadably coupled to a bonnet of a fluid control valve, the packing follower having a first aperture to surround at least a portion of a valve stem and a packing spacer, wherein the packing follower includes an upper portion and a lower portion having a different profile than the upper portion;

a first recessed area disposed on the upper portion of the packing follower to receive means for adjusting the packing follower; and

a second aperture disposed on or adjacent the first recessed area to expose means for urging the packing follower away from the packing spacer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further including a second recessed area, different from the first recessed area, disposed on the packing follower to receive the means for adjusting.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first recessed area and the second recessed area of the packing follower are substantially flat and perpendicular relative to each other.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein a third aperture is disposed on or adjacent the second recessed area to further expose the means for urging.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a portion of the means for urging is to be positioned between the first second aperture and the third aperture.

21. A method comprising:

positioning a spring in a cavity of a packing follower including an upper portion, a lower portion having a different profile than the upper portion, and a first aperture to receive a valve stem;

threadably coupling the lower portion of the packing follower to a bore of a bonnet of a fluid valve; and

adjusting the packing follower based on an appearance of the spring to change a load provided to a packing material disposed in the bore, a second aperture positioned on the upper portion of the packing follower to expose at least a portion of the spring.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein adjusting the packing follower includes rotating, via a tool, the packing follower relative to the bore of the bonnet, the tool to engage a recess disposed on an outer surface of the packing follower adjacent the second aperture.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the spring includes a first washer and a second washer, and wherein adjusting the packing follower includes decreasing a gap between the first washer and second washer until the gap satisfies a visual criterion.