Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-09-04
Fox, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
C073S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283153
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to fluid service devices and the bypass of measuring or meter portions within.
2. Background Art
In the natural gas service business, for both residential and commercial customers, each customer is provided with a service stop to control the flow of gas and thus service to the customer. These stops are provided on all gas supply risers generally on the supply side of an individual or multiple header meter station. A supply pipe provides gas to the stop, which when opened, supplies gas to the meter from which the metered supply of gas passes to the customer through a pipe. In typical service, it may be necessary for the utility company to change out the meter and/or regulator, generally referred to as the “meter loop” to permit repairs. In order not to discontinue service to the customer during such repair, it is desirable to provide some bypass between the supply pipe and customer connection.
Unless this bypass is provided, it is necessary to have access to the customer's premises in order to re-light the pilots in any gas appliances, such as a hot water heater, and to check the customer's equipment. If the customer is not at home at that time, it requires a return to the premises. The utility companies have recognized that return calls for the purpose of providing re-lighting of gas appliances and to check customer equipment is very expensive. There is also a potential exposure to liability of the public service company for operation of the appliances after gas service has been interrupted unless there has been checking of the customer's equipment. It is therefore desirable to provide some sort of bypass that may be used by utility company repair personnel.
To perform this operation with the use of current stop valves, the customer line is provided with a tapped hole. The repairperson is provided with a propane or compressed natural gas bottle together with a flexible hose having an in-line regulator and terminating in a male tapped connector. The gas bottle is connected to the flexible hose and has an in-line regulator which terminates in a connector that is engaged in an opening in the customer line. Typically, the opening has a check valve to which the connector of the portable external supply is connected. In operation, the gas stop valve is shut off while simultaneously the gas bottle is opened so that the pressure upstream of the check valve exceeds the customer pipe gas pressure commencing the flow of gas from the bottle to the customer. When the gas stop valve is fully shut off, the repairperson then has access to the meter to perform repair operations.
One difficulty with this procedure is that it requires the repairperson to carry the portable gas supply. Each repairperson must be equipped with a gas bottle, regulator, and flexible hose so that all repairpersons can perform the bypass operation. This increases the cost of equipping repairpersons. It also increases the time to complete the bypass. If the bottle is depleted before the repair is completed, service must be restored (where it is possible to do, i.e., the meter loop can be reassembled), a new bottle must be obtained, the bypass effected again—all resulting in expense and waste of time.
Other patents have attempted to address this issue and disclose devices dissimilar to the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,073 to Winnie et al., entitled “Method of Changing Out Gas Meters” requires the use of an auxiliary source of gas as discussed above. U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,690 to Peterson, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Changing Gas Meters” also requires an auxiliary source. U.S. Pat. No. 3,122,158 to Grunsky, entitled “Gas Meter Changing Device” requires a flexible bag which can only withstand a certain degree of pressure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,760 to Lancaster, entitled “Non-Interrupting Gas Meter Exchange System” requires a rigid frame and isolating enclosure to provide fluid bypass. U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,754 to Cook, entitled “Gas Meter Disconnect Service” also requires an alternate supply of gas. U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,573 to Boles, entitled “Multipurpose Gas Meter Change Valve” is a complex configuration of ball valves used to bypass gas flow. U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,295 to Magleby, entitled “Fluid By-Pass Device” also discloses a complex configuration to perform bypass using springs, cages, and discs to direct fluid flow.
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above, particularly the necessity of supplying each repairperson with an auxiliary supply of gas to use during the bypass operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION (DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The flow valve of the present invention provides a CLOSED position for completely stopping the flow of gas; an OPEN position for allowing gas to flow as normal through the meter loop and to the customer; a BEGIN BYPASS position to route the flow of gas to both the meter loop and to a bypass loop; and a FULL BYPASS position to route the flow of gas to the bypass loop avoiding the meter loop yet still supplying gas to the customer. This valve is installed permanently onto the gas line and eliminates all the aforementioned problems.
The present invention is a valve and method for directing the flow of fluid comprising a valve body having at least one inlet, at least one outlet, and a bypass tap hole; a core between the at least one inlet and outlet having a solid portion, a passage, and a plurality of openings. The core is movable to align at least one of the plurality of openings with at least one of the inlet, outlet, and bypass tap hole to direct the flow of fluid. The valve body preferably has an ear having an ear hole and the core preferably has an ear having an ear hole. These ears can be aligned and locked via the holes. The core ear preferably has a grasping tab for turning the core. Fluid can be conducted through the core and hence the valve because the core has a passage through it. The core has a plurality of through openings aid a bypass flow opening for directing the flow of fluid through the core. Preferably there is a first and a second through opening. The bypass flow opening is disposed opposite the second through opening on the core, and the first through opening is intermediate to the second through opening and bypass flow opening. The core can be moved into any of multiple positions. The multi-positions of the movable core comprise the CLOSED, OPEN, BEGIN BYPASS, and BYPASS positions. When CLOSED, the flow of fluid is stopped between the inlet and outlet of the valve. When OPEN, fluid flows from the inlet through the core and out of the outlet of the valve. In the BEGIN BYPASS position, fluid is conducted from the inlet through the core and out of both the outlet and bypass tap hole of the valve. In the BYPASS position fluid is conducted from the inlet and out of the bypass tap hole of the valve.
To achieve the CLOSED position, the movable core is positioned so that a solid portion of the core is aligned with the inlet to block the fluid flow from that inlet into the core. In the OPEN position, the bypass flow opening of the movable core is aligned with an inlet, the second through opening of the core is aligned with an outlet, and the bypass tap hole is aligned with a solid portion of the core so fluid is directed from that inlet to that outlet and none is bypassed out the bypass hole. In the BEGIN BYPASS position, the movable core is positioned so that the bypass flow opening is in communication with the bypass tap hole, the second through opening of the core is in communication with an outlet, and the first through opening is in communication with an inlet thereby allowing fluid to flow from that inlet, out of that outlet and simultaneously out of the bypass tap hole. In the BYPASS position, the movable core is positioned so that the bypass flow opening of the core is aligned with the bypass tap hole, the first through opening of the core is aligned with an inlet, and the outlet is aligned with a solid portion of the cor
Brisco Harlin J.
Duran Victor
Mitchell William
Adams Paul
Fox John
Mays Andrea L.
Peacock Deborah A.
The Better Way Company, LLC
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