Vented ball valve with lock-out ring
First Claim
1. A vented valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body having first and second flow-through ends with a valve member receiving chamber thereinbetween;
a valve member disposed within said chamber, said valve member having a throughbore therein in operable alignment with said first end second flow-through ends and at least one valve member vent hole in flow communication with said throughbore;
means to rotate said valve member in and out of flow-through alignment with said first and second ends, said means to rotate said valve member comprising a stem extending through and being rotatably mounted within a stem receiving passage within said valve body communicating with said chamber, said stem being in cooperative relationship with said valve member; and
,atmospheric vent means in selected flow communication with said valve member vent hole, cooperative with said means to rotate said valve member, said atmospheric vent means including said valve body having a vent hole therethrough in flow communication with said atmosphere and a stem receiving passage, said stem receiving passage being in flow communication with said valve body vent hole and said chamber, said stem and stem receiving passage comprising sealing means selectively positionable providing a seal above, on, or below said valve body vent hole for controlling the venting of said fluids.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a vented ball valve and lockout ring assembly.
A vented valve assembly including a valve body having a vent hole therein, and first and second flow-through ends with a valve member receiving chamber thereinbetween, and a stem receiving passage communicating with the chamber. A valve member is disposed within the chamber. The valve member has a throughbore therein in operable alignment with the first and second flow-through ends and at least one valve member vent hole through the wall of the valve member in flow communication with the throughbore. A stem extends through and is rotatably mounted within the stem receiving passage and engageable with the valve member for rotating the valve member in and out of flow-through alignment. A venting means in cooperation with said stem provides selected flow communication with the atmosphere through the valve body vent hole, between the stem and stem receiving passage, through the chamber, and through said valve body vent hole to the flow-through ends.
A removable, generally "d" shaped lock-out ring having a circular main body with a projection having a hole therein extending outward therefrom is rotatably and coaxially mounted around a valve body and positioned between the stem and union nut and alignable with a hole formed in the handle when the valve is in the closed position, whereby a locking member of a padlock can be inserted through the hole in the locking ring and the hole in the handle to prevent rotation of the handle and opening of the valve.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vented valve assembly comprising:
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a valve body having first and second flow-through ends with a valve member receiving chamber thereinbetween; a valve member disposed within said chamber, said valve member having a throughbore therein in operable alignment with said first end second flow-through ends and at least one valve member vent hole in flow communication with said throughbore; means to rotate said valve member in and out of flow-through alignment with said first and second ends, said means to rotate said valve member comprising a stem extending through and being rotatably mounted within a stem receiving passage within said valve body communicating with said chamber, said stem being in cooperative relationship with said valve member; and
,atmospheric vent means in selected flow communication with said valve member vent hole, cooperative with said means to rotate said valve member, said atmospheric vent means including said valve body having a vent hole therethrough in flow communication with said atmosphere and a stem receiving passage, said stem receiving passage being in flow communication with said valve body vent hole and said chamber, said stem and stem receiving passage comprising sealing means selectively positionable providing a seal above, on, or below said valve body vent hole for controlling the venting of said fluids. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vented valve assembly comprising:
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a valve body having a vent hole therein, first and second flow-through ends with a valve member receiving chamber thereinbetween, and a stem receiving passage communicating with said chamber; a valve member disposed within said chamber, said valve member having a throughbore therein in operable alignment with said first end second flow-through ends and at least one valve member vent hole in flow communication with said throughbore; a stem extending through and being rotatably mounted within said stem receiving passage and engaging said valve member for rotating said valve member in and out of flow-through alignment; and a venting means in cooperation with said stem providing flow communication with said flow-through ends, through said valve member vent hole, through said chamber, between said stem and said stem receiving passage, and through said valve body vent hole to the atmosphere, said venting means including said valve body having said stem receiving passage being in flow communication with said valve body vent hole and said chamber, said stem and stem receiving passage comprising sealing means selectively positionable providing a seal above, on, or below said valve body vent hole for controlling the venting of said fluids. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A vented ball valve assembly comprising:
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a tubular valve body terminating at one end with an annular edge having a threaded counterbore therein and at the other end having a wall normal to the axis of said body, said body being circumferentially threaded at each end and having an axial flow passage through said end wall and a lateral valve stem receiving passage through the side of said body having a vent hole therein in flow communication with the atmosphere; a first seal seat surrounding and adjacent the flow passage on the inner side of said end wall having an annular seal member therein; an axially movable tubular seal carrier having an axial flow passage and with an outer wall normal to its flow passage and of a diameter less than the inner diameter of the annular edge of said body, said carrier having a second seal seat surrounding and adjacent its flow passage on the inner end of said carrier having an annular seal member therein, said carrier having a trailing portion of reduced diameter forming a shoulder thereon; a valve ball having a flow passage therethrough and at least one vent hole therein in flow communication with said flow passage said valve ball being rotatable between an open flow permitting position and a closed flow blocking position; an axially adjustable retainer ring positioned coaxially around said trailing portion of said seal carrier and abutting said shoulder of said seal carrier, having external threads threadably engaging said threads of said body counterbore to axially move said seal carrier against said valve ball and said ball valve against said seals, said seal carrier being limited in its axial movement toward said valve ball solely by the contact of the seal carried thereby against said valve ball; first and second tubular end connectors having inner end walls normal to said flow passages and adapted to abut respectively against the end wall of said body and the outer wall of said carrier, the axial length of said carrier between its seal seat and its outer wall being such as to provide an adjusting space between the annular edge of said body and the inner end of said second connector; a stem detachably connected to said ball, extending through and being rotatably mounted in said stem receiving passage and engageable with said valve ball to rotate said valve ball between said open flow permitting position and said closed flow blocking position, said valve stem having a generally axial groove including at least one offset arched portion around about a portion of its circumference, said axial groove and offset portion having an annular sealing member therein so that rotation of said valve ball to its said flow blocking position by said stem positions said offset arched portion and said annular sealing member therein in sealing engagement with said stem receiving passage above said vent hole providing venting communication form the atmosphere through the valve body vent hole, between the stem and stem receiving passage, and through the valve ball vent hole, and so that rotation of said valve ball to its said flow permitting position by rotation of said stem positions said offset arched portion and said annular sealing member therein in sealing engagement with said stem receiving passage below said vent hole sealing said stem receiving passage from said atmosphere; a handle detachably connected to said stem exteriorly of said body; and interiorly threaded union nuts engaging said valve body and bearing upon said end connectors for detachably holding said connectors against the respective end walls of said body and the outer wall of said carrier. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification