VARIABLE CHOKE VALVE

• US 3,707,161 A
• Filed: 09/23/1970
• Issued: 12/26/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Douglas W. Crawford
• Original Assignee: Douglas W. Crawford
• Inventors: Crawford, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, M. Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, Robert J.
• Application Number:
  US05/074,621
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 137/269,329.2,329.3,614.17 251/309,312,316,304 138/44
• US Class Current: 137/269
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0605 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5109 Convertible
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8803 Also carries head of other valve

Abstract

A valve of the type having a rotatable closure member with a flow passage which may be moved into and out of communication with flow passages in the valve housing to respectively permit and terminate flow through the housing is provided with removable housing segments whereby direct access to the passage in the closure member is possible through the housing wall when the closure member is rotated out of communication with the housing flow passage. The closure member passage is adapted to carry removable inserts to permit variation in flow passage or choke size. Exchange of inserts is made possible even while the valved fluid is under pressure. In a modified form, a mechanism is provided for variation of choke size in the closure member without the need for removal of a portion of the housing wall to permit adjustment of choke size in the closure member while fluid is flowing through the valve. The mechanism is removable from the valve housing when the valve is in the off position.

Claims

1. A valve choke assembly comprising:

a. housing means having connection means for connecting said housing means into a fluid flow conducting means;

b. valving means included within said housing means for regulating the flow of a fluid through said housing means;

c. closure means included within said valving means;

d. fluid flow passage means included in said closure means with said closure means being rotatable within said housing means to open or close said passage means with respect to said conducting means for regulating fluid flow through said housing means;

e. control means for rotating said closure means with respect to said housing means;

f. choke adjustment means extending through said housing means for changing the dimensions of said flow passage means;

g. movable valve stem means included in said choke adjustment means and extending through said housing means substantially coaxially with the axis of rotation of said closure means; and

h. dual closure elements inCluded in said choke adjustment means and movable relative to each other and to said flow passage means upon manipulation of said stem means, said dual closure elements including two adjacent apertured plates threadedly connected with said valve stem means whereby rotation of said valve stem means moves said plates toward or away from each other to vary the coincident aperture area between said plates to thereby vary the dimensions of said passage means.

2. A valve choke assembly comprising:

a. housing means having connection means for connecting said housing means to a fluid flow conducting means;

b. valving means included within said housing means for regulating flow of fluid through said housing means;

c. closure means included within said valving means;

d. fluid flow passage means included in said closure means with said closure means being movable within said housing means to open or close said passage means with respect to said conducting means for regulating fluid flow through said housing means;

e. control means for moving said closure means with respect to said housing means;

f. externally operable choke adjustment stem means extending through said housing means and connecting with removable flow passage defining means for externally effecting a change in the dimensions of said flow passage means;

g. removable housing wall means for removing said removable flow passage defining means from said stem means and said housing means when said closure means is moved to the position closing said passage means; and

h. means cooperating with said closure means for preventing flow of fluids through said conducting means while said removable housing wall means are removed.

3. A valve choke assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure means is rotatable within said housing means to open or close said passage means and said choke adjustment means includes movable valve stem means extending through said housing means substantially coaxially with the axis of rotation of said closure means.

4. A valve choke assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said choke adjustment means further includes dual closure elements movable relative to each other and to said flow passage means upon manipulation of said valve stem means.

5. A valve choke assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said closure means includes ball valve closure means.

6. A valve choke assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said removable wall means intersects the longitudinal axis of said flow passage means when said closure means is moved to a position which closes said passage means with respect to said conducting means.

7. A valve choke assembly comprising:

a. housing means having connection means for connecting said housing means to a fluid flow conducting means;

b. valving means included within said housing means for regulating flow of fluid through said housing means;

c. closure means included within said valving means;

d. fluid flow passage means included in said closure means with said closure means being movable within said housing means to open or close said passage means with respect to said conducting means for regulating fluid flow through said housing means;

e. control means for moving said closure means with respect to said housing means;

f. choke adjustment means extending through said housing means and connecting with removable flow passage defining means for externally effecting a change in the dimensions of said flow passage means;

g. removable housing wall means for removing said removable flow passage defining means from said housing means when said closure means is moved to the position closing said passage means; and

h. plural means in said choke adjustment means movable relative to each other and to said flow passage means for varying the dimensions of said flow passage means about the central longitudinal axis of said passage means whereby said central longitudinal axis of said passage means remains Substantially coaxial with the opening in said flow passage means as the dimensions of said flow passage means are varied by said choke adjustment means.