Valve assembly and method of making same
First Claim
1. In a valve assembly for a fluid-containing tank which has a mounting saddle fixed to the bottom portion thereof, said valve assembly comprising, a housing structure having a central portion with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defined therein, means for mounting said housing structure against said saddle so that said housing structure and its said central portion are substantially within the confines of said tank, and bottom operable valve means carried by said housing structure and adapted to shut off fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet, the improvement wherein said inlet and said outlet are defined in said housing structure on a common rectilinear flow axis, said valve means has opening means which is adapted to be aligned between said inlet and said outlet on said rectilinear flow axis to define the open position of said valve assembly, said central portion has a top surface and has said inlet and outlet defined therein, said valve means is disposed between said inlet and outlet within the confines of said tank, said valve means has a drain opening therein which is disposed substantially perpendicular to said rectilinear flow axis, said drain opening having an outer end in flow communication with the fluid in said tank and an inner end in flow communication with said rectilinear flow axis with said valve means in said open position, said valve means once moved with its opening means aligned to define said open position enabling substantially free unobstructed flow of fluid through said valve assembly parallel to said axis and with minimum pressure drop to thereby enable the fluid in said tank above said top surface to be discharged through said valve assembly at a maximum rate of fluid transfer, and once the level of fluid in said tank is beneath said top surface of said central portion continued flow is through said drain opening to thereby allow complete drainage of any fluid in said tank.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A valve assembly for a fluid-containing tank and method of making same are provided wherein such valve assembly is mounted on a saddle fixed to a bottom portion of the tank and such valve assembly comprises a housing structure having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defined therein, means for mounting the housing structure against the saddle and within the confines of the tank, and a bottom operable valve member carried by the housing structure and adapted to shut off fluid flow between the inlet and outlet, and wherein the inlet and outlet are defined in the housing structure on a common rectilinear flow axis and the valve member has an opening therethrough which is adapted to be aligned between the inlet and outlet to define the open position of the valve assembly. The valve member once moved to the open position enables substantially free unobstructed flow of fluid through the valve assembly parallel to the axis and with minimum pressure drop to thereby enable a maximum rate of fluid transfer through the valve assembly.
-
Citations
28 Claims
- 1. In a valve assembly for a fluid-containing tank which has a mounting saddle fixed to the bottom portion thereof, said valve assembly comprising, a housing structure having a central portion with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defined therein, means for mounting said housing structure against said saddle so that said housing structure and its said central portion are substantially within the confines of said tank, and bottom operable valve means carried by said housing structure and adapted to shut off fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet, the improvement wherein said inlet and said outlet are defined in said housing structure on a common rectilinear flow axis, said valve means has opening means which is adapted to be aligned between said inlet and said outlet on said rectilinear flow axis to define the open position of said valve assembly, said central portion has a top surface and has said inlet and outlet defined therein, said valve means is disposed between said inlet and outlet within the confines of said tank, said valve means has a drain opening therein which is disposed substantially perpendicular to said rectilinear flow axis, said drain opening having an outer end in flow communication with the fluid in said tank and an inner end in flow communication with said rectilinear flow axis with said valve means in said open position, said valve means once moved with its opening means aligned to define said open position enabling substantially free unobstructed flow of fluid through said valve assembly parallel to said axis and with minimum pressure drop to thereby enable the fluid in said tank above said top surface to be discharged through said valve assembly at a maximum rate of fluid transfer, and once the level of fluid in said tank is beneath said top surface of said central portion continued flow is through said drain opening to thereby allow complete drainage of any fluid in said tank.
Specification