Bypass valve

• US 5,152,321 A
• Filed: 10/07/1991
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ecowater Systems LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ecowater Systems LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Drager, Michael, Tischler, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, A MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US07/772,708
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 137/625.29, 137/625.46, 251/DIG. 900
• US Class Current: 137/625.29
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0856 having all the connecting conduits situated in more than one plane perpendicular to the axis of the plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 251/90 Valves with o-rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86726 Valve with bypass connections

Abstract

A bypass valve for directing a supply flow either through a treatment tank to the distribution system, or for bypassing the treatment tank and directing the supply flow through the valve directly to the distribution system. In the bypass position, the treatment tank may be physically removed from the bypass valve, the bypass valve serving as a disconnect. While in the bypass position, the valve may be actuated to pressurize the treatment tank from the supply flow.

Claims

1. A bypass valve comprising:

an elongated valve body having an outer wall with a generally cylindrical bore formed therein, said bore having first and second open ends, and

a first pair of ports passing through said outer wall, said first pair of ports having generally parallel central axes which are generally perpendicular to the axis of said bore, and spaced apart by a first predetermined distance,

a second pair of ports passing through said outer wall, said second pair of ports having generally parallel central axes which are generally perpendicular to the axis of said bore diametrically opposite said first pair of ports, and spaced apart by a second predetermined distance, which is greater than said first predetermined distance,

a valve element generally received within said cylindrical bore of said valve body, and being rotatable and slidable therein, said valve element having,

an elongated stem extending along the axis of said bore of said valve body, said stem being appreciably smaller in cross-sectional area than said bore,

a pair of axially spaced cylindrical disks supported by said stem formed in planes transverse to the axis of said bore,

a pair of axially spaced elliptical disks supported by said stem formed in planes oblique to the axis of said bore, said pair of elliptical disks being located between said cylindrical disks,

whereby in a first rotational position of said stem with respect to said valve body, flow through one of said first pair of ports into said bore is confined between said elliptical disks and is exhausted through the other of said first pair of ports, in a second rotational position of said stem with respect to said valve body, flow through one of said first pair of ports into said bore is confined between one of said elliptical disks and one of said cylindrical disks and is exhausted through one of said second pair of ports, while flow through the other of said second pair of ports into said bore is confined between the other of said elliptical disks and the other of said cylindrical disks and is exhausted through the other of said first pair of ports, with said stem in said first rotational position, axial shifting of said stem with respect to said valve body permitting flow around one of said elliptical disks to one of said ports of second pair of ports.

2. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein the outer edge of each of said elliptical disks and said cylindrical disks ar provided with grooves which receive O-rings which form a seal between said disks and said bore.

3. The bypass valve of claim 2, wherein the seal formed between said cylindrical disks and said bore by said O-rings prevents flow out of the open ends of said valve body.

4. The bypass valve of claim 2, wherein said bore generally has a slightly smaller diameter at the center than at either end, such that with said elliptical disks located closer to the center than said cylindrical disks, the same size O-rings can be used with both said elliptical disks and said cylindrical disks to form a seal with said bore.

5. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein a radially extending lever is provided at one end of said stem for effecting rotation of said stem with respect to said valve body.

6. The bypass valve of claim 5, wherein the circumference of one end of said valve body is stepped so as to provide three shoulders of different axial lengths, the longest of said shoulders serving as a rotational stop for said handle, such that when said handle engages one edge of said shoulder it is in the first rotational position, and when it engages the other edge of the shoulder it is in the second rotational position, the shortest of said shoulders, being adjacent the edge of said longest shoulder which forms the stop for the first rotational position, such that said stem may be pushed into said valve body so as to axial shift said stem with respect to said valve body to permit flow around one of said elliptical disks to one of said second ports.

7. The bypass valve of claim 5 wherein a cylindrical disk is provided at the other end of said stem, with a groove being provided in the outer edge of said disk, a snap ring being received in said groove, the outer diameter of said snap ring being greater than the diameter of said bore, such that said handle and said snap ring cooperate to retain said valve element in said valve body.

8. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein said elliptical disks are located on said stem between said cylindrical disks.

9. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein said first ports are juxtaposition each other, as are portions of said elliptical disks, so as to reduce the overall length of the valve body.

10. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein said valve body is formed as a unitary molded article.

11. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein said valve element is formed as a unitary molded article.

12. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein the cross-section of said stem is in the form of two generally perpendicular webs, with notches in the outer edges of said webs to permit flow across said webs within said bore.

13. The bypass valve of claim 12, wherein additional webs are formed on one of said webs parallel to and spaced from the other web to provide additional torsional strength to said stem.

14. The bypass valve of claim 1, wherein means are provided on each of said ports for connecting said ports to flow passages.