Long life valve

• US 4,373,546 A
• Filed: 11/26/1980
• Issued: 02/15/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rafael Krakovsky
• Original Assignee: Rafael Krakovsky
• Inventors: Krakovsky, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US06/210,786
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 137/330, 137/331, 137/625.3, 137/625.31, 251/205, 251/193, 251/195, 251/176, 251/267, 251/270, 251/326, 251/327, 251/210, 251/298, 251/299, 251/300, 251/301, 138/45, 138/46
• US Class Current: 137/330
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 29/00 Arrangements for movement of valve members other than for opening and closing the valve, e.g. for grinding-in, for preventing sticking
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/06 in the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages F16K3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6198 Non-valving motion of the valve or valve seat

Abstract

In order to increase life of a disc type valve, which exhibits wear in the presence of fluid flow, a circular freely rotatable closure disc is provided so disposed in its closure path to engage flow apertures asymmetrically thereby inducing a rotary motion which presents a randomly positioned part of the disc periphery in the wear position. Life is thereby substantially increased by distributing wear evenly about the entire periphery of the closure disc.

A fast close embodiment is of the rotary disc type operable by a lever to move a flat disc surface over a flat seat containing a flow aperture of smaller dimension than the disc. The disc in accordance with this invention is freely rotatable and the movement path of the disc axis of rotation is asymmetrically disposed relative to the geometric center of the aperture to thereby induce rotation of the disc with random rotational positioning of the disc periphery over the flow aperture, thereby distributing wear about the entire disc periphery.

Claims

1. The method of controlling fluid flow in a valve for regulating a variable flow of fluid having valve members including a circular apertureless flat surface disc type closure member movable in sliding registration across a flat surface having therein flow aperture structure to variably restrict the flow path opening size in a manner to extend the operable life of the valve by reducing wear about the disc perimeter edge induced by sliding registration and by fluid flow erosion of the disc peripheral edges comprising the steps of:

mounting the circular apertureless flat surface disc closure member about its geometric center so that it may rotate as it is moved across the flow aperture in sliding registration to open and close a flow path,

providing said flow aperture structure in the valve of an aperture size substantially smaller than the disc for registration therewith,

establishing a flat valve seat surface to receive the flat disc surface in sliding motion thereacross for sealing in place substantially solely by fluid pressure on the disc,

orienting in the valve seat said flow aperture structure with a major portion thereof asymmetrically disposed to one side of the movement path of the center of said disc sufficient to generate a turning movement rotating the disc as it slides into registration by means of the asymmetrical position of the flow path on the rotary disc by reaction of fluid pressure and flow at the aperture while the disc is being moved into or out of registration with the valve seat, and

sliding the flat disc surface into and out of registration across the flat valve seat surface to at least partly close the aperture in a mode inducing the random rotational positioning of the disc edge as a function of the fluid pressure and flow to thereby distribute wear induced on the disc edge by fluid flow through the aperture about the entire disc periphery.

2. A valve combination for reducing wear about the edge of a flat surface circular disc closure member, comprising in combination, a housing containing the valve, a first valve member defining a fluid conduit flow path through the housing and presenting aperture structure located in a registration seat with a flat surface adaptable to closure by sliding movement of the flat surface of the closure member thereacross,

an apertureless flat surface disc closure member movably confined by the housing to slide across said seat relative to said aperture structure and register on said seat to at least partially close the aperture and thereby regulate the flow path, said closure member comprising a rotatably mounted circular disc of substantially greater surface area than the aperture structure disposed to be held on the seat substantially solely by fluid pressure,

said aperture structure disposed within said seat with a major aperture portion thereof asymmetrically disposed to one side of the path of the center of the disc sufficient to generate a turning moment rotating the disc by fluid flow and pressure at the aperture as the valve is closed or opened,

and movement means for relatively sliding the position of the disc in and out of registration with the aperture to open and close the aperture and thereby to control fluid flow in a movement mode that causes the disc to rotate during the movement thereof in and out of registration with the aperture by reaction with fluid flow and pressure at the aperture to rotate and therefore seat the disc in random positions with different disc edge positions exposed to fluid flow through the aperture whereby wear on the disc due to fluid flow through the aperture is distributed about the entire circumferential periphery of the disc to thereby significantly improve valve life.