Ball type valve with high pressure sealing capability

• US 4,141,536 A
• Filed: 05/25/1977
• Issued: 02/27/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texaco Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Texaco Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: Graham, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weakley, Harold W.
• Application Number:
  US05/800,263
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 251/161, 251/163
• US Class Current: 251/161
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0647 Spindles or actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/204 with the plugs or parts of the plugs mechanically pressing the seals against the housing

Abstract

An improvement of a ball type valve having capability of conventional closing by quarter turn rotation of the ball, plus pressure sealing of the valve when closed by rocking about a tangential axis. It provides improved structure that permits both the closing and the pressure sealing with less than a half turn of a control handle for each. It simplifies and strengthens the working parts compared to an earlier valve by the same inventor.

Claims

1. In combination with a ball type valve for use in high pressure or severe conditions, said valve having a valve handle and a spherical core cooperating with a valve seat in a body with a fluid passage therethrough, said core being rotatable about an axis transverse to said fluid passage and having an opening therethrough for alignment with said passage when in the fully open position, and said core being also rotatable a limited amount about another axis tangential to said core for forcing it against said seat, the improvement comprising

a short stem on said core coaxial with said transverse axis,

a pair of parallel flat faces on the outside of said stem and lying transverse to the axis of said opening through the core,

an axially located recess in said stem,

said recess having a radially contoured cam surface on the walls thereof,

a cam operatively related to said cam surface and integrally attached to one end of a shaft for connecting the cam to said handle,

said shaft having a hexagonal element integral therewith located adjacent to said cam,

an inverted cup-shaped cylindrical element having a complementary hexagonal opening for cooperating with said hexagonal element and located axially in the bottom of said cylindrical element,

said cylindrical element having a pair of parallel flat faces on the inside for cooperating with said stem flat faces to cause said stem and cylindrical element to rotate together at all times while permitting lateral movement of said stem relative to said cylindrical element,

a pressure seal mounted on said valve body and supporting said shaft, and

a lever associated with said handle for shifting said shaft longitudinally from one position with said hexagonal element engaged in said hexagonal opening in order to be able to rotate said core to and from the fully opened position by rotating said cylindrical element,

said shaft rotating said cam relative to said stem when shifted to the other position so as to force said core against said seat by rotating the core a limited amount about said tangential axis.

2. In combination with a ball type valve for use in high pressure or severe conditions, said valve having a valve handle and a spherical core cooperating with a valve seat in a body with a fluid passage therethrough, said core being rotatable about an axis transverse to said fluid passage and having an opening therethrough for alignment with said passage when in the fully open position, and said core being also rotatable a limited amount about another axis tangential to said core for forcing it against said seat, the improvement comprising

means for actuating said core with less than a half turn of said handle for each of said rotations,

said core actuating means comprising,

a shaft stem on said core coaxial with said transverse axis and having an axially located recesses therein,

a radially contoured cam surface on said recess,

a cam operatively connected to said handle and located in operative relation with said cam surface in order to force said core against said seat, and

means for alternatively rotating said stem and said cam relative to said stem for closing and tightening said valve, respectively, said last named means comprising

a shaft for connecting said handle with said cam,

a lever associated with said handle and said shaft for shifting said shaft from engaging to disengaging position and back,

a coupling member engaging said stem for rotation therewith while permitting lateral movement of said stem relative thereto, and

clutch means for alternatively engaging and disengaging said shaft with said coupling member,

said clutch means comprising

a non-circular element integral with said shaft, and

a complementary opening in said coupling member for receiving said non-circular element,

said shaft being longitudinally shiftable by said lever for engaging and disengaging said non-circular element with said complementary opening.

3. The invention according to claim 2, wherein

said stem has parallel flat faces on the outside thereof and transverse to the axis of said opening through the core, and

said coupling member comprises

an inverted cup-shaped cylindrical element having said complementary opening axially located in the bottom thereof, and

parallel flat faces on the inside for cooperating with said stem flat faces to cause said stem and coupling member to rotate together at all times while permitting lateral movement of the stem relative to said cylindrical element.