VALVE

• US 3,756,273 A
• Filed: 11/22/1971
• Issued: 09/04/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Hengesbach
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Hengesbach
• Inventors: Hengesbach, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/200,896
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 137/541,540,542,543,543.13,543.23,516.27
• US Class Current: 137/540
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/026 the valve member being a movable body around which the medium flows when the valve is open
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/063 the valve being loaded by a spring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7929 Spring coaxial with valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7931 Spring in inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7932 Valve stem extends through fixed spring abutment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7934 Spring abuts removable valve stem guide

Abstract

The valve plug has an axially tapering peripheral wall with a groove therein. An O-ring is disposed in the groove and extends radially outwardly beyond the peripheral wall. The body has an annular seating wall which tapers in the same direction as the plug. In the closed position, the O-ring is compressed between the seating wall and plug sufficiently to provide a tight seal while constraining the wall of the plug and the seating wall from seating engagement so that precise finish of the walls is unnecessary. The plug is supported for axial movement toward and away from the seating wall and for floating slightly radially so that precise fitting and alignment of the plug and seating wall are unnecessary for effective closure. The valve is adjustable to change the rate of flow and delivered pressure by exterior manipulation of the body, or by adjustment means within the body. A resilient coating of TEFLON or silicone is provided on the walls. The plug may be radially expansible by the pressure of fluid at its larger end.

Claims

1. A valve comprising a hollow body having an inlet and an outlet;

an annular frusto-conical seating wall in the body between the inlet and outlet and tapering axially in one direction;

a plug having a peripheral annular frusto-conical wall tapering in said one direction and movable toward and away from said seating wall upon axial reciprocation of the plug toward seated and open positions, respectively;

said frusto-conical walls each having an acute included angle;

aligning means for guiding the plug toward and away from seated position;

a spring biasing the plug toward seated position;

said plug having a circumferential groove therein;

a resilient O-ring seal disposed in said groove and constrained thereby within predetermined very close limits axially of said plug wall and protruding radially therefrom beyond the adjacent surface of said plug wall;

said O-ring being of much less length axially than said walls and being related in cross sectional size and shape to said walls so as (a) to form a tight seal for stopping flow through the body while said walls are in closely adjacent, radially spaced, relation to each other, and (b) to constrain the walls from seating contact throughout their extent at all times while the O-ring is effecting said tight seal;

each of said frusto-conical annular walls being of sufficient length axially so that a substantial length of said frustoconical wall of the plug is disposed between the end limits of said frusto-conical seating wall in all axial positions of the plug, and defines with said seating wall an annular flow passage of substantial length axially in all of said open positions of the plug.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein aligning means are provided in the body and are connected to the plug so as to direct the plug in a path generally toward the seating wall while supporting the plug for free floating movement along said path and limited free rocking and migrating movement transversely of said path;

and said aligning means comprise a stem on, and coaxial with, the plug;

a guiding sleeve carried in the body and embracing the stem loosely enough so that the stem can rock appreciably transversely of its axis.

3. The structure according to claim 2 wherein said stem is on the end of the plug opposite from the frusto-conical wall of the plug and extends away from the seating wall in the direction of opening of the plug;

said spring is carried on the stem;

a second aligning means is provided and includes a stem on, and coaxial with, the plug at the opposite end of the plug and extending therefrom in the closing direction of the plug;

a second guiding sleeve is carried in the body and embraces and guides the second stem; and

a second spring is carried on the second stem and bIases the plug toward seated position.

4. The structure according to claim 3 wherein means are provided for adjusting the forces applied by the springs to the plug independently of each other.

5. The structure according to claim 3 wherein the body has two separate parts connected together for movement to different adjusted positions axially of the stems;

one of said stems extends into one body part and the other stem extends into the other body part;

the restraining means includes abutments in the body parts, respectively, each abutment being in fixed axial position in its associated body part; and

abutments on the stems, respectively, complementary to the abutments in the body parts, respectively.

6. The structure according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said complementary abutments is adjustable axially of its associated stem.

7. The structure according to claim 6 wherein at least the spring in one body part is disposed between the abutment on the stem in said body part and the complementary abutment in said body part, whereby the force of said last mentioned spring can be adjusted by moving the body parts axially relative to each other.

8. The structure according to claim 1 wherein a stop is carried by the body structure;

a complementary stop is carried by the plug structure;

said stops being operative when in engagement to arrest movement of the plug away from said seating wall at a predetermined maximum open position of the plug;

said stop on the plug being adjustable axially to different positions relative to the plug for preselecting the maximum open position of the plug.

9. The structure according to claim 8 wherein the body is in two separate parts in coaxial relation to each other;

means operable from the exterior of the body parts connect said parts for movement axially toward and away from each other to different adjusted positions;

the said stop carried by the body structure is carried by one of the body parts and is movable axially therewith to different adjusted positions; and

the spring is connected to one of the body parts for adjusting the force of the spring in predetermined relation to the relative axial position of the parts.

10. The structure according to claim 9 wherein the body inlet is in one of said body parts and the body outlet is in the other of said body parts;

connecting means are provided on the parts, respectively, for connecting the body in a pipe line between the terminals thereof.

11. The structure according to claim 1 wherein said valve plug is resiliently expansible radially, at least at and adjacent the location of the O-ring, the degree of said resiliency is less than that of the O-ring.

12. The structure according to claim 1 wherein plug rotating means are provided on the plug and have surfaces disposed in the path of fluid flow through the body, and are shaped and arranged to be impelled by the fluid flow so as to rotate the plug about its axis.

13. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the O-ring groove and O-ring are spaced axially a substantial distance from each of the ends of said frusto-conical wall of the plug.