Swing-type check valve assembly having an integrated valve seat and valve housing cover

• US 5,794,655 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Conbraco Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Conbraco Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Funderburk, Robert Vernon, Price, Timothy Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferensic, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Joanne Y.
• Application Number:
  US08/806,116
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 137/527.2, 137/527.4, 137/527, 137/512, 137/454.6, 137/557, 251/337
• US Class Current: 137/527
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/033 spring-loaded
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/035 with a plurality of valve members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2200/204 in series
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0232 the valve member retained by a removable closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7668 Retained by bonnet or closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7898 Pivoted valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/79 Head retained by removable closure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7901 Valve head movably connected for accommodation to seat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8326 Fluid pressure responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

A swing-check valve for controlling fluid flow includes a valve housing and a valve assembly connected to a removable cover of the valve housing for rigid positioning of the valve assembly within the interior of the valve housing. Moreover, the valve assembly includes as a modular unit a valve seat subassembly in addition to a clapper subassembly and a spring subassembly. The valve seat subassembly includes a valve seat that is frictionally disposed within a port of the valve housing for controlling fluid flow therethrough when the cover is fastened to the valve housing. The clapper subassembly includes a clapper pivotal between a first position in engagement with the valve seat for blocking fluid flow through the port and a second position for permitting fluid flow through the port. The spring subassembly includes a spring and a spring base engageable with the clapper subassembly for urging the clapper into the first position. In one embodiment, the clapper subassembly includes a roller which engages the spring base and, in another embodiment, the clapper subassembly includes a cam member which engages the spring base. No fasteners are provided for the valve assembly within the interior of the valve housing and, furthermore, upon the unfastening of the cover, the valve assembly can be removed as a single unit from the valve housing by simple manipulation and removal of the cover.

Claims

1. A swing-check valve for controlling fluid flow comprising:

a valve housing having a port for fluid flow therethrough, said valve housing including a removable cover for accessing an interior of said valve housing; and

a valve assembly disposed within the interior of said valve housing for controlling the fluid flow through said valve housing and having a valve seat subassembly, said valve assembly including means for attaching said valve assembly to said cover for removal of said valve assembly from said interior of said valve housing simultaneously with removal of said cover from said valve housing.

2. A swing-check valve according to claim 1, wherein said valve assembly includes as a modular unit:

a seat subassembly including a valve seat that is frictionally positionable within the port of said valve housing when said cover is mounted to said valve housing so that fluid flow through the port flows through said valve seat,

a clapper subassembly having a clapper pivotable between a first position in abutting engagement with said valve seat for preventing fluid flow through the port and a second position out of engagement with said valve seat for permitting fluid flow through the port, and

a spring subassembly that urges said clapper towards said first position.

3. A swing-check valve according to claim 2, wherein said clapper engages said valve seat subassembly when in said second position to prevent further pivotable movement of said clapper away from said first position.

4. A swing-check valve according to claim 2, wherein said clapper subassembly includes a cam member attached to said clapper, and said spring subassembly includes a surface for engagement with said cam member for urging said clapper into said first position.

5. A swing-check valve according to claim 4, wherein said spring subassembly includes a compression spring and said spring subassembly is removably mounted to said cover to axially compress and expand perpendicularly to the direction of fluid flow through said valve housing.

6. A swing-check valve according to claim 4, wherein said spring subassembly includes a piston-mounted compression spring and a spring base disposed between said spring and said cam member, said spring base having said surface for engagement with said cam member.

7. A swing-check valve according to claim 4, wherein the force of said spring subassembly acting on said clapper when in said first position produces a torque that is greater than the torque produced by said spring subassembly acting on said clapper when said clapper is out of said first position.

8. A swing-check valve according to claim 2, wherein said clapper subassembly includes a roller attached to said clapper and said spring subassembly includes a surface for engagement with said roller for urging said clapper into said first position.

9. A swing-check valve according to claim 8, wherein said spring subassembly includes a piston-mounted compression spring and a spring base disposed between said spring and said clapper having said surface for engagement with said roller.

10. A swing-check valve according to claim 8, wherein said spring subassembly includes a compression spring and is removably mounted to said cover to axially compress and expand perpendicularly to the direction of fluid flow through said valve housing.

11. A swing-check valve according to claim 8, wherein the force of said spring subassembly acting on said clapper when in said first position produces a torque that is greater than the torque produced by said spring subassembly acting on said clapper when said clapper is out of said first position.

12. A swing-check backflow preventer comprising:

two swing-check valves disposed within a valve housing in linear combination with one another, said valve housing including two ports for fluid flow therethrough and at least one removable cover, and each swing-check valve including

a valve assembly disposed within the interior of said valve housing for controlling the fluid flow through said valve housing, said valve assembly including means for attaching said valve assembly to said cover for removal of said valve assembly from said interior of said valve housing simultaneously with removal of said cover from said valve housing and further including as a modular unit

a seat subassembly including a valve seat that is frictionally positionable within a port of said valve housing when said cover is mounted to said valve housing so that fluid flow through the port flows through said valve seat,

a clapper subassembly having a clapper pivotable between a first position in abutting engagement with said valve seat for preventing fluid flow through the port and a second position out of engagement with said valve seat for permitting fluid flow through the port, and

a spring subassembly that urges said clapper towards said first position.

13. A swing-check valve for controlling fluid flow comprising:

a valve housing having a port for fluid flow therethrough and including a removable cover for accessing an interior of said valve housing; and

a valve assembly including a valve seat mounted directly to said cover and retained in fixed disposition within the interior of said valve housing only through said mounting to said cover and through frictional engagement between said valve seat and said port,

whereby said valve assembly is removed from said valve housing simultaneously with removal of said cover from said valve housing.