COMBINATION SHUT-OFF VALVE AND FLOW CONTROL VALVE WITH SIDE ACCESS AND VIEWING PORT FOR OBSERVATION, TESTING AND ON-LINE SERVICING

• US 3,854,497 A
• Filed: 07/01/1971
• Issued: 12/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Rosenberg
• Original Assignee: David Rosenberg
• Inventors: Rosenberg, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Klinksiek, Henry T.
• Application Number:
  US05/158,931
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 137/557,559,551,375,269.5,504,614.17 251/315,368
• US Class Current: 137/557
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0605 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/10 Means for additional adjustment of the rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5153 Reversible check
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7792 Movable deflector or choke
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8359 Inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8803 Also carries head of other valve

Abstract

A combination shut-off and flow control valve with side access and viewing ports for observation, testing and on-line servicing, capable of being utilized to provide accurate control over wide ranges of pressures, for example, ten to one ranges or greater, and down to 3 p.s.i. differential, with variations in spring constant being employed over different parts of the operating range, if desired. The access port and window enable an inspector to ascertain visually that flow control elements within a rotatable valve member are operating properly while the valve remains on-line in actual service. The valve can be turned 90* to shut off both upstream and downstream ends, enabling flow control elements to be replaced (or adjusted) while liquid pressure remains at full value. By turning the handle to an intermediate position (approx. 45*) both upstream and downstream passages can simultaneously be drained or pressure and temperature can be measured. At another intermediate position (approx. 30*) only one passage can be drained while the other remains closed off. The floating flow control elements advantageously damp out and check downstream pressure surges, preventing oscillation build up.

Claims

1. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve with side access and viewing port for observation and on-line servicing comprising a valve casing having an inlet passage and an outlet passage, a rotatable valve member positioned in said casing between said inlet and outlet passages, said valve member being capable of being turned into different angular positions including a flow-control operating position and shut-off position, said valve member having a bore extending therethrough for permitting liquid flow to occur between said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position in which said bore communicates with both said inlet and outlet passages, flow-control means in said bore for controlling the liquid flow through said bore, said valve member shutting off both said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position in which said bore is angularly displaced away from said inlet and outlet passages, said casing having a side access port therein providing access to said valve member, openable closure means normally closing said side access port and capable of being opened for permitting access through said port to said valve member, a window in said valve member permitting observation of said flow-control means in said bore, said window being positioned in alignment with said access port when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position for providing visual inspection of said flow-control means through said side access port while said combination valve remains on-line in flow-control operation, and said bore being positioned in alignment with said side access port when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position for providing access to said flow-control means through said side access port for servicing said flow-control means while said combination valve remains on-line in its shut-off position, said flow-control means in said bore including plunger means movable downstream in said bore, spring means urging said plunger means in an upstream direction, and said plunger means including visible characteristics on its side such as scribed lines, graduations, side openings or the like which are observable through said window for visually determining the operating position of said plunger means.

2. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve with side access and viewing port for observation and on-line servicing comprising a valve casing having an inlet passage and an outlet passage, a rotatable valve member positioned in said casing between said inlet and outer passages, said valve member being capable of being turned into different angular positions including a flow-control operating position and shut-off position, said valve member having a bore extending therethrough for permitting liquid flow to occur between said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position in which said bore communicates with both said inlet and outlet passages, flow-control means in said bore for controlling the liquid flow through said bore, said valve member shutting off both said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position in which said bore is angularly displaced away from said inlet and outlet passages, said casing having a side access port therein providing access to said valve member, operable closure means normally closing said side access port and capable of being opened for permitting access through said port to said valve member, a window in said valve member permitting observation of said flow-control means in said bore, said window being positioned in alignment with sAid access port when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position for providing visual inspection of said flow-control means through said side access port while said combination valve remains on-line in flow-control operation, and said bore being positioned in alignment with said side access port when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position for providing access to said flow-control means through said side access port for servicing said flow-control means while said combination valve remains on-line in its shut-off position, said flow-control means in said bore including first and second plunger means, spring means urging said first plunger means upstream in said bore and urging said second plunger means downstream in said bore, said first plunger means being movable downstream against the action of said spring means in response to an increase in pressure differential, said flow-control means including a metering orifice and said downstream motion of said first plunger means serving to reduce the effective size of said metering orifice for controlling liquid flow, said second plunger means being movable upstream against the action of said spring means in response to downstream pressure surges for damping out downstream pressure surges, and one of said plunger means including visible characteristics on its side, such as scribed lines, graduations, side openings or the like which are observable through said window when said side access port is opened for visually determining the operating condition of said flow-control means while said combination valve remains on-line in flow controlling operation and whereby an inspector can observe the flow-control means responding to changes in liquid pressures under actual installed operating conditions of the combination valve.

3. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 2, in which removable retainer means serves to retain said first and second plunger means and said spring means in said bore, and said removable retainer means is accessible through said side access port when said rotatable valve member is turned into its shut-off position for enabling removal of said retainer means and removal of said first and second player means and spring means for servicing or replacement.

4. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 3, in which said rotatable valve member has a generally spherical configuration and there is second retainer means in said bore, said removable retainer means in its installed position and said second retainer means cooperatively serving to retain said first and second plunger means within the spherical configuration of said valve member under all operating pressure conditions so that said first and second plunger means will not protrude and jam said rotatable valve member against turning within said casing, whereby said rotatable valve member can be turned into its shut-off position at any time regardless of the operating pressure conditions of the liquid.

5. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve with side access and viewing port for observation and on-line servicing comprising a valve casing having an inlet passage on an outlet passage, a rotatable valve member positioned in said casing between said inlet and outlet passages, said valve member being capable of being turned into different angular positions including a flow-control operating position and shut-off position, said valve member having a bore extending therethrough for permitting liquid flow to occur between said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position in which said bore communicates with both said inlet and outlet passages, flow-control means in said bore for controlling the liquid flow through said bore, said valve member shutting off both said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position in which said bore is angularly displaced away from said inlet and oUtlet passages, said casing having a side access port therein providing access to said valve member, openable closure means normally closing said side access port and capable of being opened for permitting access through said port to said valve member, a window in said valve member permitting observation of said flow-control means in said bore, said window being positioned in alignment with said access port when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position for providing visual inspection of said flow-control means through said side access port while said combination valve remains on-line in flow-control operation, and said bore being positioned in alignment with said side access port when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position for providing access to said flow-control means through said side access port for servicing said flow-control means while said combination valve remains on-line in its shut-off position, said rotatable valve member being capable of being turned into an intermediate position between said flow-control operating position and said shut-off position, said valve member when in said intermediate position enabling liquid to flow from both of said inlet and outlet passages to said side access port, and said side access port having connection means associated therewith enabling temperature and pressure measuring means to be connected thereto for measuring temperature and pressure of the liquid while the combination valve remains on-line and thereby also enabling liquid to be drained from both said inlet and outlet passages through the opened side access port.

6. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 5, in which said intermediate position is that in which said valve member is turned at an angle of approximately 45* to its flow-control operating position.

7. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 5, in which said bore has a smaller diameter at the downstream end thereof than at the upstream end, and said valve member being capable of being turned into a second intermediate position between the shut-off position and the previously described intermediate position, said second intermediate position permitting liquid to flow from the inlet passage out of the opened side access port while the outlet passage is shut off, whereby the upstream liquid can be drained through the side access port while the downstream liquid is retained.

8. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 7, in which said second intermediate position is that in which said valve member is turned at an angle of approximately 60* to its flow-control operating position.

9. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve with side access port for on-line servicing and testing comprising a valve casing having an inlet passage and an outlet passage, a rotatable valve member positioned in said casing between said inlet and outlet passages, said valve member being capable of being turned into different angular positions including a flow-control operating position and a shut-off position, said valve member having a bore extending therethrough for permitting liquid flow to occur between said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its flow-control position in which said bore communicates with both said inlet and outlet passages, flow-control means in said bore for controlling the liquid flow through said bore, said valve member shutting off both said inlet and outlet passages when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position in which said bore is angularly displaced away from said inlet and outlet passages, said casing having a side access port therein providing access to said valve member, openable closure means normally closing said side access port and capable of being opened for permitting access through said port to said valve member, said bore being positioned in alignment with said side access port when said valve mEmber is turned into its shut-off position for providing access to said flow-control means through said side access port for servicing said flow-control means while said combination valve remains on-line in its shut-off position, said flow control means in said bore including first and second plunger means, spring means urging said first plunger means upstream in said bore and urging said second plunger means downstream in said bore, said first plunger means defining a first orifice and being movable downstream against the action of said spring means in response to an increase in pressure differential, said flow control means including metering orifice means, said downstream motion of said first plunger means serving to reduce the effective size of said metering orifice means for controlling liquid flow, said second plunger means being movable upstream against the action of said spring means in response to downstream pressure surges for damping out downstream pressure surges, and removable retainer means for retaining said first and second plunger means in said bore, said retainer means being accessible through said side access port when said valve member is turned into its shut-off position.

10. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 9, in which said first and second plunger means comprise upstream and downstream hollow pistons, respectively, each having a piston head with a side wall forming a skirt, the skirt of one of said pistons telescoping within the skirt of the other, and in which said spring means is a compression coil spring located within said hollow pistons urging them to move away from each other.

11. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 10, in which said metering orifice means comprises a plurality of metering openings in the skirt of said downstream piston, said openings being progressively restricted by the skirt of the upstream piston means as the two pistons are relatively moved toward each other.

12. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 11, in which both said upstream and downstream pistons are movable in said bore, whereby pressure surges occurring downstream of said valve can cause said downstream piston to move in an upstream direction, thereby restricting said metering openings to damp out such pressure surges.

13. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 9, in which said spring means includes a longer lighter compression coil spring concentric with a shorter stiffer compression coil spring for providing a stiffer effective spring constant when said first and second plunger means have moved toward each other a predetermined distance.

14. Combination shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 9, in which said first orifice defined by said first plunger means includes a pluarlity of openings, and adjustable means for adjusting the effective size of said openings for adjusting said flow control means for different operating conditions.

15. Combination and shut-off valve and flow-control valve as claimed in claim 14, in which said adjustable means comprises a member rotatably mounted on said first plunger means, said member including a plurality of openings adjustable with corresponding openings in said first plunger means, and said member being rotatable to offset the openings therein from the openings in said first plunger means for reducing the effective size of said openings.