Live load packing system
First Claim
1. In a fluid valve having an elongated operating valve member, packing mounted around said elongated operating valve member for sealing said operating valve member, and loading means for loading and urging said packing sealingly against said operating valve member to inhibit fluid leakage around said operating valve member, the improvement comprising:
- side load prevention means mounted between said packing and said loading means for enabling uniform concentric loading of said loading means on said packing sealingly around and against said elongated operating valve member and preventing side loading of said loading means on said packing tending to move said packing away from said elongated operating valve member;
said side load prevention means including sleeve means in slidable mounting contact with said elongated operating valve member including a guide sleeve and a non-metallic inner liner mounted within said guide sleeve for slidable engagement with said elongated operating valve member to absorb any of said side loading;
said loading means including spring means mounted on said guide sleeve for maintaining a uniform concentric spring load on said packing;
adjustment means for adjusting the amount of loading on said packing by slidably adjusting the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner on said operating valve member, said adjustment means including,a packing flange surrounding said guide sleeve and inner liner and engageably contacting said loading means, anda plurality of packing studs and nuts mounting said packing flange to said valve so that adjusting said packing nuts urges said packing flange against said loading means to adjust said packing loading and wherein said guide sleeve and inner liner are not exposed exteriorly beyond said packing flange; and
visual indicating means for indicating the adjusted position of said guide sleeve and inner liner so that it may be noted when an optimum amount of loading is reached during said packing load adjustment, said visual indicating means including a central opening in said packing flange sufficient to enable the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner to be viewed during said packing load adjustment and to enable one to determine that said optimum amount of loading has been reached and maintained when the top of said guide sleeve and inner liner is flush with the top of said packing flange.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved live load packing system for sealing an operating valve member in a fluid valve. A packing follower includes a base and a guide sleeve with a non-metallic inner liner adapted for slidable engagement on the operating valve member. A series of Belleville disk springs slidably engage the guide sleeve outer diameter and maintain concentric mounting during loading of V-type TFE packing members to ensure uniform concentric spring loading and to prevent undesired side loading. A window permits viewing the position of the guide sleeve and inner liner during packing loading adjustment so that optimum loading can be attained and maintained when the viewer notes the top edge of the guide sleeve and inner liner is flush with the top surface of the packing flange.
53 Citations
4 Claims
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1. In a fluid valve having an elongated operating valve member, packing mounted around said elongated operating valve member for sealing said operating valve member, and loading means for loading and urging said packing sealingly against said operating valve member to inhibit fluid leakage around said operating valve member, the improvement comprising:
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side load prevention means mounted between said packing and said loading means for enabling uniform concentric loading of said loading means on said packing sealingly around and against said elongated operating valve member and preventing side loading of said loading means on said packing tending to move said packing away from said elongated operating valve member; said side load prevention means including sleeve means in slidable mounting contact with said elongated operating valve member including a guide sleeve and a non-metallic inner liner mounted within said guide sleeve for slidable engagement with said elongated operating valve member to absorb any of said side loading; said loading means including spring means mounted on said guide sleeve for maintaining a uniform concentric spring load on said packing; adjustment means for adjusting the amount of loading on said packing by slidably adjusting the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner on said operating valve member, said adjustment means including, a packing flange surrounding said guide sleeve and inner liner and engageably contacting said loading means, and a plurality of packing studs and nuts mounting said packing flange to said valve so that adjusting said packing nuts urges said packing flange against said loading means to adjust said packing loading and wherein said guide sleeve and inner liner are not exposed exteriorly beyond said packing flange; and visual indicating means for indicating the adjusted position of said guide sleeve and inner liner so that it may be noted when an optimum amount of loading is reached during said packing load adjustment, said visual indicating means including a central opening in said packing flange sufficient to enable the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner to be viewed during said packing load adjustment and to enable one to determine that said optimum amount of loading has been reached and maintained when the top of said guide sleeve and inner liner is flush with the top of said packing flange. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A live load packing assembly for sealing on operating valve member in a fluid valve comprising:
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resilient packing members adapted for surrounding said operating valve member at one end thereof; a packing follower adapted for slidably mounting on said operating valve member adjacent said resilient packing member; loading means including spring means adapted for mounting on said operating valve member adjacent said packing follower for exerting a uniform spring load on said resilient packing members; a guide sleeve adapted for slidable mounting on said operating valve member concentrically within said spring means and adjacent said packing follower; said spring means including Belleville disk springs having an inner opening portion in slidable contact with said guide sleeve to maintain concentric positioning of said Belleville disk springs on said resilient packing members; said guide sleeve and said packing follower including side load prevention means for enabling uniform concentric loading of said loading means on said packing sealingly around and against said elongated operating valve member and preventing side loading of said loading means on said packing tending to move said packing away from said elongated operating valve member, including an inner liner bonded within said packing follower and said guide sleeve for slidable engagement with said operating valve member and to absorb any of said side loading; adjustment means for adjusting the amount of loading on said packing by slidably adjusting the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner on said operating valve member, said adjustment means including, a packing flange surrounding said guide sleeve and inner liner and engageably contacting said loading means, and a plurality of packing guide studs and nuts mounting said packing flange to said valve so that adjusting said packing nuts urges said packing flange against said loading means to adjust said packing loading and wherein said guide sleeve and inner liner are not exposed exteriorly beyond said packing flange; and visual indicating means for indicating the adjusted position of said guide sleeve and inner liner so that it may be noted when an optimum amount of loading is reached during said packing load adjustment, said visual indicating means including a central opening in said packing flange sufficient to enable the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner to be viewed during said packing load adjustment and to enable one to determine that said optimum amount of loading has been reached and maintained when the top of said guide sleeve and inner liner is flush with the top of said packing flange.
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4. A live load packing assembly for sealing an operating valve member in a fluid valve comprising:
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resilient packing members adapted for surrounding said operating valve member at one end thereof; a packing follower adapted for slidable engagement on said operating valve member adjacent said resilient packing members, said packing follower including a follower base at one end adjacent said resilient packing members, and a follower guide sleeve at the other end having an outer surface concentric with said operating valve member; loading means including a series of Belleville disk springs with central openings slidably mounted on said follower guide sleeve, said Belleville disk springs central openings adapted for slidable engagement with said follower guide sleeve outer surface for concentric mounting thereon and to maintain said concentric mounting during loading of said resilient packing members to ensure uniform concentric spring loading and to prevent undesired side loading, said packing follower including an inner liner mounted within said packing follower for slidably contacting said operating valve member to absorb any of said side loading; adjustment means for adjusting the amount of loading on said packing by slidably adjusting the position of said guide sleeve and inner liner on said operating valve member, said adjustment means including, a packing flange surrounding said guide sleeve and inner liner and engageably contacting said loading means, and a plurality of packing studs and nuts mounting said packing flange to said valve so that adjusting said packing nuts urges said packing flange against said loading means to adjust said packing loading and wherein said guide sleeve and inner liner are not exposed exteriorly beyond said packing flange; and visual indicating means for indicating the adjusted position of said guide sleeve and inner liner so that it may be noted when an optimum amount of loading is reached during said packing load adjustment, said visual indicating means including a central opening in said packing flange sufficient to enable the position off said guide sleeve and inner liner to be viewed during said packing load adjustment and to enable one to determine that said optimum amount of loading has been reached and maintained when the top of said guide sleeve and inner liner is flush with the top of said packing flange.
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Specification