Ball valve construction

• US 4,218,042 A
• Filed: 11/08/1978
• Issued: 08/19/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AY McDonald Mfg Company (A.Y. McDonald Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AY McDonald Mfg Company (A.Y. McDonald Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eckel, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cline, William R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spiegel, H. Jay
• Application Number:
  US05/958,649
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 251/306, 251/308, 251/315, 251/288, 29/434, 29/157.1 R
• US Class Current: 251/288
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0642 the spherical plug being insertable from one and only one side of the housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49412 with assembly, disassembly or composite article making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

A ball valve including a valve housing having a fluid flow passage extending therethrough and terminating in ports for connection to a fluid conduit, the passage being intersected by an actuator opening in the housing a defining a valve chamber thereat, the opening having a shoulder intermediate its ends. An actuator is journalled in the opening and has a shaft including a threaded portion extending past the shoulder toward the chamber and terminating in a keyed-type end within the chamber and a nut of smaller size than one of the ports is threaded on the threaded portion after introduction into the chamber through the one port to retain the actuator on the housing. The nut bears against the shoulder. A valve ball has a bore extending therethrough and a keyway type groove in a side thereof. The ball is smaller than the one port and is disposed in the chamber by axial introduction through the port with the keyway type groove being oriented to slip fit about the keyed type end of the actuator shaft to couple the ball to the actuator. Stops are provided for limiting rotation of the actuator relative to the housing to prevent loosening of the nut and a fitting is received in the one port for narrowing the same to a size less than the ball to prevent loss of the ball through the port.

Claims

1. A ball valve comprising:

a valve housing having a fluid flow passage extending therethrough and terminating in ports for connection to a fluid conduit, said passage being intersected by an actuator opening in said housing and defining a valve chamber thereat, said opening having a shoulder intermediate its ends;

an actuator journalled in said opening and having a shaft including a threaded portion extending past said shoulder toward said chamber and terminating in a keyed type end having planar sides within said chamber;

a nut of smaller size than one of said ports threaded on said threaded portion after introduction into said chamber through said one port and retaining said actuator on said housing, said nut bearing against said shoulder;

a valve ball having a bore extending therethrough and a keyway type groove having planar sides in a side thereof, said ball being smaller than said one port and being disposed in said chamber by axial introduction through said one port with said keyway type groove being oriented to slip fit about said keyed type end to couple said ball to said actuator for rotation thereby without restricting relative movement between said ball and said actuator along the axis of said rotation;

means for limiting rotation of said actuator relative to said housing to prevent loosening of said nut;

a fitting received in said one port for narrowing the same to a size less than said ball to prevent egress of said ball from said chamber; and

valve seats on sides of said chamber and about said ports.