CHECK VALVE

• US 3,807,444 A
• Filed: 10/10/1972
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mueller Canada Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ronald Fortune
• Inventors: Fortune, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Application Number:
  US05/295,940
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 137/512.1,512.15,515,515.3,515.5,515.7,525,525.3 251/360
• US Class Current: 137/512.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/035 with a plurality of valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1401 having a plurality of independent valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1402 having an integral flexible member cooperating with a plurality of seating surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/144 the closure elements being fixed along all or a part of their periphery
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/16 with tongue-shaped laminae
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7839 Dividing and recombining in a single flow path
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/784 Integral resilient member forms plural valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7856 Valve seat formed on or carried by a coupling element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7891 Flap or reed

Abstract

A multi-ported check valve in which the valve ports are arranged concentrically on the valve seat and the valve closure members are made of flexible material, such as elastomers. The valve body is made in two parts with abutting flanges adapted to be locked together with a portion of the edge of each closure member locked therebetween. The remainder of the closure member is free to flex to open or closed position when pressure is exerted from the upstream side or back pressure is exerted from the down stream side, respectively. The valve has relatively few parts, is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and avoids slamming upon valve closure.

Claims

1. A multi-ported valve comprising a body member having an inlet and an outlet, a multi-ported valve seat adapted to straddle the passageway from inlet to outlet, said valve seat being formed with an imperforate conical-shaped center surrounded by valve ports, the apex of said center extending in the direction of said inlet and a separate flexible valve closure member for each port fastened in leak-proof relation with said seat along a portion of the edge of said member, each closure member covering the entire area of its mating port when in closed position with the portion of the closure member covering the port being free to flex away from the port upon application of up-stream pressure and to reflex into leak-proof relation with said seat upon application of back pressure.

2. A check valve in acccordance with claim 1 in which said body is formed in two parts with outwardly extending flanges adapted to be locked together with a portion of the edge of each valve closure member held in leak-proof relation between said flanges.

3. A check valve in accordance with claim 2 in which said ports are concentrically arranged on said seat.

4. A check valve in accordance with claim 3 in which one part of said valve body has an abutting flange face formed with an annular groove and said valve closure members are formed with an arcuate-shaped key adapted to fit in said groove to form a leak-proof seal when the body is assembled.

5. A check valve in accordance with claim 4 in which said one part of the body is formed with a plurality of spaced holes extending inwardly from said groove, pins are adapted to be mounted in said holes, each valve closure member having a hole passing therethrough at the locus of the key whereby to accurately locate the closure member with respect to its mating port when said pins are inserted in said valve closure member holes.

6. A check valve in accordance with claim 2 in which said multi-ported valve seat is cast integrally as part of one of said two body parts.

7. A check valve in accordance with claim 2 in which said multi-ported valve seat is formed separately from said body parts and is adapted to be removably fastened to one of said parts.

8. A check valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said valve seat is formed with fluid dividers on the upstream side of the seat in order to divide said fluid among said ports.

9. A check valve in accordance with claim 8 in which said fluid dividers have walls diverging toward said ports and said dividers are located between said ports, the walls of each divider being coincident with a portion of the edge of the two most adjacent ports.

10. A multi-ported check valve in accordance with claim 1 in which said closure members are formed with a stiffening web contiguous to the portion of the edge fastened in leak-proof relation with said seat, the portion of said closure members straddling said ports are mouldeD with reinforcing material, and the portion of said closure members between the stiffening web and reinforced portion is more flexible than the portion formed with said stiffening web.

11. A multi-port check valve in accordance with claim 10 in which said closure members are formed with beads on the side engaging said valve seat, the bead on each closure member surrounding its mating port and being adapted to engage said seat in sealing relationship therewith.

12. A multi-port check valve in accordance with claim 10 in which the valve closure members are molded from elastomeric material and the reinforcing material is a plurality of spaced parallel metal rods embedded in the elastomeric material.