Top entry ball valve, installation assembly, and method therefor
First Claim
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1. A top entry floating ball valve, comprising:
- a valve body defining a fluid flow path having an inlet, and an outlet, and a ball chamber disposed along the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the fluid flow path having a central axis extending through the ball chamber from the inlet to the outlet;
a ball disposed within the ball chamber and arranged in a floating ball valve arrangement to be rotated to control flow of fluid through the valve body;
a valve seat disposed adjacent the ball;
a spring arranged to urge the ball axially along the central axis of the fluid flow path toward the valve seat;
an entry opening through a top wall of the valve body into the ball chamber, the entry opening sized to allow insertion and/or removal of the ball from the ball chamber; and
a first blind bore extending from the ball chamber into a bottom wall of the ball chamber on an opposite side of the ball from the entry opening,wherein the first blind bore is offset radially from the central axis of the fluid flow path.
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Abstract
An installation assembly for installing and/or removing a ball into and/or from a valve body of a top entry ball valve includes a valve body having at least one blind bore disposed on an opposite side of the ball chamber from the entry opening and a ball installation tool adapted to interact with the blind bore so as to compress a spring disposed inside the ball chamber substantially axially. A top entry ball valve is arranged with such a valve body. The ball installation tool may be used to install and/or remove a ball from the valve body.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A top entry floating ball valve, comprising:
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a valve body defining a fluid flow path having an inlet, and an outlet, and a ball chamber disposed along the fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the fluid flow path having a central axis extending through the ball chamber from the inlet to the outlet; a ball disposed within the ball chamber and arranged in a floating ball valve arrangement to be rotated to control flow of fluid through the valve body; a valve seat disposed adjacent the ball; a spring arranged to urge the ball axially along the central axis of the fluid flow path toward the valve seat; an entry opening through a top wall of the valve body into the ball chamber, the entry opening sized to allow insertion and/or removal of the ball from the ball chamber; and a first blind bore extending from the ball chamber into a bottom wall of the ball chamber on an opposite side of the ball from the entry opening, wherein the first blind bore is offset radially from the central axis of the fluid flow path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An installation assembly for operatively installing a ball into a valve body of a floating ball valve, the installation assembly comprising:
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a valve body comprising a ball chamber to receive the ball arranged in a floating ball valve arrangement so as to be rotated to control flow of fluid through the valve body along a fluid flow path extending from an inlet to an outlet, an entry opening through a top wall of the valve body into the ball chamber, and a first blind bore into a bottom wall of the valve body from the ball chamber, wherein the first blind bore is disposed on an opposite side of the ball chamber from the opening and offset radially from a central axis of the fluid flow path; and a ball installation tool comprising a handle extending from a first to a second end, and a spring engagement section disposed at the second end, wherein the spring engagement section includes a first tine configured to be removably received within the first blind bore, the handle extends out of the valve body through the opening when the first tine is received within the first blind bore, and the spring engagement section is operatively arranged to compress a spring disposed inside the ball chamber axially along the fluid flow path when the first tine is received within the first blind bore. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of installing or removing a ball into or out of a valve body of a top entry floating ball valve with a ball installation tool,
wherein the valve body defines a fluid flow path having an inlet and an outlet connected by a ball chamber disposed between the inlet and the outlet, the fluid flow path having a central axis extending through the ball chamber from the inlet to the outlet, an entry opening through a top wall of the valve body into the ball chamber, and at least a first blind bore disposed in a bottom wall of the valve body on an opposite side of the ball chamber from the opening and offset radially from the central axis of the fluid flow path, and wherein the ball installation tool comprises a handle extending from a first to a second end, and a spring engagement section disposed at the second end, the spring engagement section including at least a first tine, the method comprising: -
operatively inserting the ball installation tool into the first blind bore, compressing a spring disposed inside the ball chamber with the spring engagement section by pivoting the handle toward the spring while the ball installation tool is operatively disposed in the first blind bore; and inserting or removing the ball arranged in a floating ball valve arrangement from the ball chamber while the spring is compressed with the spring engagement section of the ball installation tool. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification