Plug valve with improved plastic sleeve
First Claim
1. In a plug valve for controlling fluid flow therethrough said valve having, an outer housing, a flow passage extending through said housing and including an inlet and an outlet interconnected by a bore disposed therebetween, said bore having a central axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said flow passage, a plastic sleeve disposed within said housing and lining said bore, said sleeve having a pair of aligned ports therein at diametrically opposed locations, said ports being aligned with said inlet and outlet to enable fluid flow through said passage, a rotatable plug disposed within said sleeve, said plug having an opening therethrough which is adapted to be aligned in and out of registry with said inlet and outlet in accordance with rotation of said plug relative to said sleeve and housing, and means holding said sleeve against rotation relative to said housing, the improvement wherein said sleeve has substantially rigid reinforcing means embedded therein around each of said ports, said reinforcing means serving the multiple purpose of preventing cold flow of said sleeve adjoining said ports, minimizing fluid erosion of portions of said sleeve adjoining said ports, and increasing the rigidity of said sleeve around each of said ports such that with fluid flow through said valve at high velocity and with said plug rotated to a partially closed position any tendency for said plastic sleeve to be partially moved into said flow passage is substantially eliminated, each of said reinforcing means having a roughly rectangular outer peripheral outline and extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port, said reinforcing means also having apertures therein with said apertures receiving portions of the plastic sleeve therethrough to firmly embed the reinforcing means in position in said sleeve, said housing having an inside surface and said sleeve having an outside surface, one of said surfaces having groove means therein and the other of said surfaces having projection means extending therefrom, said sleeve being adapted to be expanded and formed radially so that a portion of said projection means is disposed in said groove means, said groove means and said portion of said projection means cooperating to define said holding means and prevent rotation of said sleeve relative to said housing upon rotation of said plug, said groove means comprising a plurality of grooves and said portion of said projection means comprising a plurality of projections corresponding in number to and fitting within said plurality of grooves, said plurality of grooves extending radially in said housing from said inside surface and said projection means extending radially from the outside surface of said sleeve, said projection means comprising a pair of annular pressure rib structures in said sleeve which engage said inside surface of said housing in surrounding relation around the inner parts of said inlet and said outlet, and each of said reinforcing means comprising a reinforcement extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port such that the reinforcement around each port substantially overlaps an associated annular pressure rib structure.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plug valve and method of making same are provided wherein the valve has an outer housing and a flow passage extending through the housing and including an inlet and an outlet interconnected by a bore therebetween. A plastic sleeve is disposed within the housing and lines the bore and such sleeve has a pair of aligned ports therein which are aligned with the inlet and outlet. A rotatable plug is disposed within the sleeve and such plug has an opening therethrough which is adapted to be rotated in and out of registry with the inlet and outlet. The sleeve has substantially rigid reinforcing means embedded therein around its ports which serve the multiple purpose of preventing cold flow of the sleeve adjoining the ports, minimizing fluid erosion of portions of the sleeve adjoining the ports, and increasing the rigidity of the sleeve around each of the ports whereby with fluid flow through the valve at high velocity with the plug rotated to a partially closed position any tendency for the plastic sleeve to be partially moved into the flow passage is substantially eliminated.
46 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. In a plug valve for controlling fluid flow therethrough said valve having, an outer housing, a flow passage extending through said housing and including an inlet and an outlet interconnected by a bore disposed therebetween, said bore having a central axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said flow passage, a plastic sleeve disposed within said housing and lining said bore, said sleeve having a pair of aligned ports therein at diametrically opposed locations, said ports being aligned with said inlet and outlet to enable fluid flow through said passage, a rotatable plug disposed within said sleeve, said plug having an opening therethrough which is adapted to be aligned in and out of registry with said inlet and outlet in accordance with rotation of said plug relative to said sleeve and housing, and means holding said sleeve against rotation relative to said housing, the improvement wherein said sleeve has substantially rigid reinforcing means embedded therein around each of said ports, said reinforcing means serving the multiple purpose of preventing cold flow of said sleeve adjoining said ports, minimizing fluid erosion of portions of said sleeve adjoining said ports, and increasing the rigidity of said sleeve around each of said ports such that with fluid flow through said valve at high velocity and with said plug rotated to a partially closed position any tendency for said plastic sleeve to be partially moved into said flow passage is substantially eliminated, each of said reinforcing means having a roughly rectangular outer peripheral outline and extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port, said reinforcing means also having apertures therein with said apertures receiving portions of the plastic sleeve therethrough to firmly embed the reinforcing means in position in said sleeve, said housing having an inside surface and said sleeve having an outside surface, one of said surfaces having groove means therein and the other of said surfaces having projection means extending therefrom, said sleeve being adapted to be expanded and formed radially so that a portion of said projection means is disposed in said groove means, said groove means and said portion of said projection means cooperating to define said holding means and prevent rotation of said sleeve relative to said housing upon rotation of said plug, said groove means comprising a plurality of grooves and said portion of said projection means comprising a plurality of projections corresponding in number to and fitting within said plurality of grooves, said plurality of grooves extending radially in said housing from said inside surface and said projection means extending radially from the outside surface of said sleeve, said projection means comprising a pair of annular pressure rib structures in said sleeve which engage said inside surface of said housing in surrounding relation around the inner parts of said inlet and said outlet, and each of said reinforcing means comprising a reinforcement extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port such that the reinforcement around each port substantially overlaps an associated annular pressure rib structure.
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10. In a plug valve for controlling fluid flow therethrough said valve housing, an outer housing, a flow passage extending through said housing and including an inlet and an outlet interconnected by a bore disposed therebetween, said bore having a central axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said flow passage, a plastic sleeve disposed within said housing and lining said bore, said sleeve having a pair of aligned ports therein at diametrically opposed locations, said ports being aligned with said inlet and outlet to enable fluid flow through said passage, a rotatable plug disposed within said sleeve, said plug having an opening therethrough which is adapted to be aligned in and out of registry with said inlet and outlet in accordance with rotation of said plug relative to said sleeve and housing, and means holding said sleeve against rotation relative to said housing, the improvement wherein said bore is a substantially smooth bore throughout practically its entire vertical height, said smooth bore being defined by a frustoconical surface having a pair of diametrically disposed openings therein defining the inner portions of said inlet and outlet, said smooth bore being adapted to receive the outside surface of said sleeve thereagainst, said sleeve having substantially rigid reinforcing means embedded therein around each of said ports, said reinforcing means serving the multiple purpose of preventing cold flow of said sleeve adjoining said ports, minimizing fluid erosion of portions of said sleeve adjoining said ports, and increasing the rigidity of said sleeve around each of said ports such that with fluid flow through said valve at high velocity and with said plug rotated to a partially closed position any tendency for said plastic sleeve to be partially moved into said flow passage is substantially eliminated, each of said reinforcing means having a roughly rectangular outer peripheral outline and extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port, said reinforcing means also having apertures therein with said apertures receiving portions of the plastic sleeve therethrough to firmly embed the reinforcing means in position in said sleeve, said sleeve having an outside surface and projection means extending radially therefrom, said projection means comprising a pair of annular pressure rib structures in said sleeve which engage said inside surface of said housing in surrounding relation around the inner parts of said inlet and said outlet, and each of said reinforcing means comprising a reinforcement extending within said sleeve in all directions from around each port such that the reinforcement around each port substantially overlaps an associated annular pressure rib structure.
Specification