BALL VALVE

• US 3,674,052 A
• Filed: 01/12/1970
• Issued: 07/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Sciuto Jr, Leonard Hartman
• Original Assignee: Joseph Sciuto Jr, Leonard Hartman
• Inventors: Hartman, Leonard, Sciuto, Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/002,099
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 251/148,152,315,317,209 137/625.21-625.24
• US Class Current: 137/625.21
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0605 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/08 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86638 Rotary valve

Abstract

The valve includes a housing having aligned inlet and outlet ports intercommunicating by means of a central conduit passing through a rotatable ball mounted in the housing. The central conduit permits fluid flow through the valve when the valve is in the open position. When the ball is rotated to a closed position a second conduit, provided on the surface of the rotatable ball, communicates between the outlet port and an exit orifice in the interior of the housing. The second conduit permits bleeding of the downstream hydraulic system. The ball is seated on sealing washers and rotated by means of a key which is journaled through the housing and into engagement with the ball. The key includes a handle cooperating with stops on the housing to indicate open and closed valve positions.

Claims

1. A ball valve comprising:

a. a body including a valve chamber, inlet and outlet ports communicating with the chamber and an orifice communicating with the chamber. b. a rotatable ball disposed within the valve chamber, the ball including;

1. wall means defining a first conduit communicating with inlet and outlet ports in first position. 2. a second conduit disposed in the wall means below the arcuate peripheral surface of the ball and providing a narrow opening in the peripheral surface in transverse relation to the first conduit, the second conduit communicating between one of said ports and the orifice in a second position, c. seal means between the rotatable ball and the body, and d. actuating means rotating the ball between first and second positions, e. the narrow opening being laterally spaced from the seal means in the said second position so that the narrow opening is open for almost all of the rotative movement of the ball, the narrow opening and seal means providing a substantially constant cross sectional flow area, the seal means engaging the arcuate peripheral surface of the ball and cooperating with the narrow opening of the second conduit to provide the substantially constant cross sectional flow area therethrough for almost all of the rotative movement of the ball and with a sharp cut-off only at the said first position.

2. a second conduit disposed in the wall means below the arcuate peripheral surface of the ball and providing a narrow opening in the peripheral surface in transverse relation to the first conduit, the second conduit communicating between one of said ports and the orifice in a second position, c. seal means between the rotatable ball and the body, and d. actuating means rotating the ball between first and second positions, e. the narrow opening being laterally spaced from the seal means in the said second position so that the narrow opening is open for almost all of the rotative movement of the ball, the narrow opening and seal means providing a substantially constant cross sectional flow area, the seal means engaging the arcuate peripheral surface of the ball and cooperating with the narrow opening of the second conduit to provide the substantially constant cross sectional flow area therethrough for almost all of the rotative movement of the ball and with a sharp cut-off only at the said first position.