Shut-off device in the form of a ball valve
First Claim
1. An isolating valve of the ball valve type comprising:
- an upstream pipe stub;
a downstream pipe stub;
a body providing a passageway for a fluid flowing in a flow direction from the upstream pipe stub to the downstream pipe stub;
a rotatable ball-type core member floatingly arranged in said body for opening and closing said passageway;
actuating means for rotating said core member between a first rotational position in which said passageway is substantially open and a second rotational position, said floating core member in said second rotational position being adapted to close said passageway in response to a pressure difference in said upstream and downstream pipe stubs;
an annular first metallic sealing surface having a spherically concave shape and being formed in said body substantially concentrically to an axis that extends in said flow direction;
a second metallic sealing surface provided on said core member and having a spherically convex shape that is complementary to the shape of said first sealing surface; and
a bleed-system comprising a control conduit penetrating a wall of said body and an annular groove formed in said body for communication with said control conduit and intersecting said first metallic sealing surface into two annular sections such that when said core member has adopted its closing position an intimate surface contact exists between said second metallic sealing surface and both annular sections of said first metallic sealing surface,wherein a metallic primary sealing system is formed of said first and second metallic sealing surfaces with the bleed-system communicating with the annular groove formed between the two annular sections of said first metallic sealing surface for bleeding off any fluid leakage between the first and second metallic sealing surfaces.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The ball valve comprises a body (1) provided with two coaxial pipe stubs (4, 5) wherein a ball means (2) rotatable by means of a rotating shaft device floats. In the closed position, the downstream face of the spherical circumference (12) of said ball means mates with a complementary sphere-bent annular body sealing surface (11), a pressure difference building up between the upstream and the downstream sides of said ball means. Said ball means and said sealing surface form a primary sealing system (11, 12) concentric with the pipe stub axis (10). The sealing function of said primary sealing system is reliably achieved by means of a block and bleed system, the annular body sealing surface (11) being split by an annular groove (13) in the wall of said body concentric with said pipe stub axis (10) connected with the control line (14) of a bleed system (14, 15) penetrating said body wall. Two concentric elastic sealing rings (17) spaced relative to each other are placed on the two sides of said annular groove (13) interfacing with said annular body sealing surface (11), closing a gap between said ball means (2) and said sealing surface (11) until said primary sealing system (11, 12) is effective.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An isolating valve of the ball valve type comprising:
- an upstream pipe stub;
a downstream pipe stub; a body providing a passageway for a fluid flowing in a flow direction from the upstream pipe stub to the downstream pipe stub; a rotatable ball-type core member floatingly arranged in said body for opening and closing said passageway; actuating means for rotating said core member between a first rotational position in which said passageway is substantially open and a second rotational position, said floating core member in said second rotational position being adapted to close said passageway in response to a pressure difference in said upstream and downstream pipe stubs; an annular first metallic sealing surface having a spherically concave shape and being formed in said body substantially concentrically to an axis that extends in said flow direction; a second metallic sealing surface provided on said core member and having a spherically convex shape that is complementary to the shape of said first sealing surface; and a bleed-system comprising a control conduit penetrating a wall of said body and an annular groove formed in said body for communication with said control conduit and intersecting said first metallic sealing surface into two annular sections such that when said core member has adopted its closing position an intimate surface contact exists between said second metallic sealing surface and both annular sections of said first metallic sealing surface, wherein a metallic primary sealing system is formed of said first and second metallic sealing surfaces with the bleed-system communicating with the annular groove formed between the two annular sections of said first metallic sealing surface for bleeding off any fluid leakage between the first and second metallic sealing surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- an upstream pipe stub;
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11. An isolating valve of the ball valve type comprising:
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an upstream pipe stub; a downstream pipe stub; a body providing a passageway for a fluid flowing in a flow direction from the upstream pipe stub to the downstream pipe stub; a rotatable ball-type core member floatingly arranged in said body for opening and closing said passageway; actuating means for rotating said core member between a first rotational position in which said passageway is substantially open and a second rotational position, said floating core member in said second rotational position being adapted to close said passageway in response to a pressure difference in said upstream and downstream pipe stubs; an annular first metallic sealing surface having a spherically concave shape and being formed in said body substantially concentrically to an axis that extends in said flow direction; a second metallic sealing surface provided on said core member and having a spherically convex shape that is complementary to the shape of said first sealing surface; and a bleed system comprising a control conduit penetrating a wall of said opening and opening into said annular first metallic sealing surface, said bleed system further comprising an annular groove formed in said core member and intersecting said second metallic sealing surface into two sections such that when said core member has adopted its closing position said annular groove is entirely covered by said annular first metallic sealing surface with the opening of said control conduit communicating with said annular groove and an intimate surface contact exists between both sections of said second metallic sealing surface and said first metallic sealing surface, wherein a metallic primary sealing system is formed of said first and second metallic sealing surfaces with the bleed system communicating with the annular groove formed between the two annular sections of said second metallic sealing surface for bleeding off any fluid leakage between the first and second metallic sealing surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification