AUTOMATED PRESSURE EQUALIZATION ABOVE AND BELOW COMPLETION PLUG OF GATE VALVE CARTRIDGE OR A COMPLETION PLUG OF A LINE STOP FITTING

• US 20190316723A1
• Filed: 04/11/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydra-Stop LLC
• Original Assignee: Hydra-Stop LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, Andrew J., Vazzana, Christopher C., Strickland, Cole, Mastny, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 10,718,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/063 the valve being loaded by a spring
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/044 slide valves with flat obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/0281 Guillotine or blade-type valves, e.g. no passage through the valve member
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/46 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/06 making use of attaching means embracing the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/105 Closing devices introduced radially into the pipe or hose
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/18 Appliances for use in repairing pipes F16L55/10 takes precedence

Abstract

A gate valve cartridge, valve housing and installation assembly as well as a completion plug for a line stop fitting and installation assembly. The gate valve cartridge comprises a gate, a paddle, a threaded valve stem and a completion plug. Both completion plugs include an outer circumferential slot for accommodating a circumferential seal and both completion plugs also accommodate a normally-closed check valve. The check valves have an open distal end for receiving a check valve actuator and an open proximal end in communication with fluid disposed proximally of the circumferential seal.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a gate valve cartridge, a gate valve housing and an installation assembly for installing the gate valve housing and the gate valve cartridge on a pipe without interrupting flow through the pipe during installation and wherein the gate valve cartridge can be moved from the gate valve housing into the pipe to block flow through the pipe, the combination comprising

the valve housing comprising a distal end connected to a proximal end, the proximal end of the valve housing sealably mounted to the pipe and surrounding an opening in the pipe,

a cartridge comprising a gate, a completion plug, a stem nut, a threaded valve stem and a paddle, the gate comprising a distal end connected to a proximal end, the proximal end of the gate coupled to the paddle, the stem nut being threaded and fixedly connected to the gate, the completion plug disposed opposite the gate from the paddle, the completion plug and gate defining a valve stem channel in axial alignment with the stem nut, the valve stem channel accommodating the threaded valve stem as it passes through the completion plug and threadably through the stem nut,

the completion plug comprising an outer circumferential slot for accommodating a circumferential seal, the completion plug also accommodating a normally-closed check valve, the check valve having an open distal end for receiving a check valve actuator and an open proximal end in communication with a fluid channel that extends radially outward from the check valve to an annulus disposed between the gate and an interior surface of the valve housing and proximal to the circumferential seal.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the installation assembly comprises an insertion tool that engages a distal end of the threaded valve stem, the check valve actuator is coupled to the insertion tool.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the installation assembly comprises a sealed orifice through which a check valve actuator rod may sealably pass through in alignment with the check valve.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the threaded valve stem has a proximal end disposed in the valve stem channel and a distal end disposed distally of the completion plug, the distal end of the threaded valve stem for engagement with an insertion tool, the insertion tool further comprising an outer tube coupled to the check valve actuator.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the valve housing has an interior surface with a diameter wide enough to accommodate the completion plug with the circumferential seal compressively sealing between the circumferential slot of the completion plug and the interior surface of the valve housing.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the valve housing includes a circumferential seat disposed between the distal and proximal ends of the valve housing, whereby proximal movement of the cartridge towards the pipe causes a proximal end of the completion plug to engage the circumferential seat and stop further proximal movement of the completion plug.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein the valve housing includes a plurality of internal diameters that are wider than the distal and proximal ends of the gate thereby permitting fluid from the pipe to migrate distally from the pipe and annularly between the gate and the interior surface of the valve housing and past the completion plug before the circumferential seal is moved into engagement with the interior surface of the valve housing and before the normally-closed check valve is opened.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the valve housing connects to a valve housing flange that extends radially outwardly from the distal end of the valve housing, the flange including a plurality of internal bores, each internal bore accommodating one of a plurality of retention pins, each internal bore including an outer non-threaded section in axial alignment with an inner threaded section, each retention pin including a head connected to a non-threaded shaft portion disposed between the head and a threaded shaft portion, each retention pin further comprising a groove disposed between the threaded and non-threaded shaft portions, the groove accommodating an O-ring that provides a seal between the retention pin and non-threaded section of its respective internal bore.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each head of each retention pin has a diameter wider than a diameter of its respective non-threaded section of its respective internal bore.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the normally-closed check valve is a spring-biased poppet valve.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein a distal end of the gate comprises a plurality of fluid channels providing communication from an annular space between the gate and the valve housing to the check valve.

12. The combination of claim 6 wherein the completion plug includes a proximal surface that engages the distal end of the gate before the proximal surface of the completion plug engages the circumferential seat of the valve housing, and the proximal surface of the completion plug forms the fluid channels with the distal end of the gate, the completion plug also including a distal surface that faces away from the gate and a sidewall portion disposed between the proximal and distal surfaces of the completion plug, the sidewall portion including the circumferential slot that accommodates the circumferential seal and at least one slot or indentation for receiving retention pins that pass radially inwardly through the interior surface of the valve housing, the retention pins fixing a position of the completion plug within the valve housing with the proximal surface of the completion plug resting on the circumferential seat, the at least one slot or indentation for receiving the retention pins disposed between the circumferential seal and the distal surface of the completion plug.

13. A completion plug for a gate valve housing or a line stop fitting sealably connected to a pressurized pipe around an opening in the pipe, the completion plug comprising:

a cylindrical body comprising a distal surface that engages an insertion tool, a proximal surface that faces the pipe and a sidewall portion disposed between the proximal and distal surfaces of the completion plug, the cylindrical body accommodating a normally closed check valve that, when opened, provides communication between an opening in the proximal surface and an opening in the distal surface, the sidewall portion including a circumferential slot that accommodates a circumferential seal for providing a seal between circumferential slot and an interior surface of the gate valve housing or an interior surface of the line stop fitting, the opening in the distal surface providing access to the normally closed check valve by a check valve actuator for opening the normally closed check valve.

14. The completion plug of claim 13 wherein the check valve actuator is coupled to the insertion tool.

15. The completion plug of claim 13 wherein the check valve actuator comprises a rod that sealably passes through an installation assembly connected to the valve housing or line stop fitting.

16. The completion plug of claim 13 wherein the cylindrical body further comprises at least one slot or indentation for receiving retention pins that pass radially inwardly through an interior surface of the valve housing or line stop fitting, the retention pins fixing a position of the completion plug within the valve housing or line stop fitting, the at least one slot or indentation for receiving the retention pins disposed between the circumferential seal and the distal surface of the completion plug.

17. The completion plug of claim 13 wherein the check valve comprises an open distal end in alignment with the opening in the distal surface of the cylindrical body, the open distal end of the check valve for receiving the check valve actuator, the check valve also comprising an open proximal end in alignment with the opening in the proximal surface of the cylindrical body.

18. The completion plug of claim 13 wherein the sidewall portion of the cylindrical body including the circumferential slot that accommodates the circumferential seal and at least one slot or indentation for receiving retention pins that pass radially inwardly through the interior surface of the valve housing or line stop fitting, the retention pins fixing a position of the completion plug within the valve housing or line stop fitting, the at least one slot or indentation for receiving the retention pins disposed between the circumferential seal and the distal surface of the completion plug.

19. A method for equalizing pressure above and below a completion plug while the completion plug is being installed into a gate valve housing or a line stop fitting that is in communication with an opening in a sidewall of a pipe, the method comprising:

providing a completion plug, the gate valve housing or the line stop fitting and an installation assembly comprising an insertion tool, the gate valve housing or line stop fitting comprising a distal end connected to a proximal end, the proximal end connected to the pipe around the opening in the pipe, and an interior surface defining an internal diameter of the gate valve housing or line stop fitting that is large enough to accommodate the completion plug except at a circumferential seat disposed inside the gate valve housing or line stop fitting;

the completion plug comprising a cylindrical body having a distal surface for engaging the insertion tool, a proximal surface that faces the pipe and a sidewall disposed between the distal and proximal surfaces, the sidewall comprising an outer circumferential slot for accommodating a circumferential seal, the completion plug also accommodating a normally-closed check valve, the check valve having an open distal end for receiving a check valve actuator and a proximal end in communication with the pipe;

aligning the check valve actuator with the check valve and opening the check valve to provide communication between proximal and distal surfaces completion plug; and

pressing the completion plug proximally until the proximal surface of the completion plug engages the circumferential seat of the gate valve housing or line stop fitting.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the check valve actuator is coupled to the insertion tool.