Fluid handling – Systems – Multi-way valve unit
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-06
2004-12-28
Fox, John (Department: 3753)
Fluid handling
Systems
Multi-way valve unit
C251S287000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06834675
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of flow control and pressure reducing valves, check valves, gates and shutoff valves to control fluid flow in piping systems.
2. State of the Art
Currently, most valves are produced as single units, with each valve designed to perform a limited and specific function. A pressure reducing valve, however, can perform more than one function, but still it is a single valve. The pressure reducing valve requires two auxiliary valves; one at the inlet and other at the outlet to isolate it from the fluid when any internal part needs to be changed. When shut off valves, like butterfly valves or a ball valves, require maintenance, they are taken out of the line entirely. The same is true for many other types of valves. Valves which are used to control corrosive fluids require frequent maintenance. In the case of fixed flanged valves, it becomes difficult and time consuming to remove the valve from the line and to put it back. The influence of variable pressure and temperature conditions, coupled with the movement of the pipe itself when the valve is pulled out of the line, can bring about a change in the space which the valve occupied before its removal. Thus, for a flanged valve it becomes very problematic when one finds that space has been lost or gained for the valve, when an attempt is made to re-install the valve in its original place. Where valves are required to be taken out of the line frequently to change their seals, the difficulty becomes even more acute. To overcome this difficulty, GROVE VALVES REGULATORS AND FLOW CONTROL SYSTEMS supplies a sleeve valve in a cage which is removable from the cage. The cage is made of cross bolts holding the opposite two flanges of the cage together, which are attached to the ends of two pipes. Half of the cross bolts of the cage are removed before the entire valve body is removed from the cage. Then, the elastomeric sleeve is freed from the valve and the metallic sleeve, so that it can be replaced with a new elastomeric sleeve. Like any other valve, GROVE VALVES also require two extra shutoff valves at the inlet and at the outlet sides of the valve. Large size valves are heavy, and removing them from the pipe line requires special equipment. It is much easier to take the light-weight component out of the cage than to take the whole valve unit out.
To mitigate surges and water hammers in the pipe line, shutoff valves are operated at very slow speed. In city water lines, valves of 8 inch size and larger take quite a bit of the operator's time. In larger size valves, usually two men are sent to turn off the shutoff valve, because it takes time and energy to turn them off. When the water line breaks, and two people go out to shut off the valve, their travel time plus twenty minutes to turn off the valve, poses a serious problem. By that time serious economic losses do result. In such situations, a valve which can be turned off quickly, in the shortest possible time has great economic merit. The invented integrated multipurpose caged valve, which has a wider range of applications and economic merit, is a compact valve, having features that allows it to be a shutoff valve, to isolate its own inner replaceable components, which are valves themselves. Said inner replaceable valves can be pressure reducing valves or pressure relief valves or check valves or auxiliary shut of valves. To achieve all that is described above; i.e. the economic advantages, the compactness, the ease of valve maintenance and operation, and the speed by which a shutoff valve can be operated on, the new invention consolidates valves as components in a single valve unit by integrating them in a cage. Said cage is kept permanently in the pipe line by means of connectors such as pipe flanges tied together with bolts and nuts, or pipe couplings. The cage can alternatively be kept permanently in line by welding the two ends of the cage to the two opposite pipes in the pipe line.
From here on, major valve components will be designated by “degree”, where each degree is a step in the order of the component's assemblage in the valve unit. The minor components, i.e. any actuators, needle valves, control pilot valves, or secondary seals, are not assigned any degree under this classification. The integration of all of the components constitutes the entire valve body. Here after, the entire valve body will be referred to as “valve”.
The first degree component is the cage itself, and it is installed permanently in the pipe line by connecting its two opposite piped ends to the ends of the two pipes being connected. The cage also has a inner cavity to receive other major components of the valve. From here on the cage will be referred to as “cage” only, and the inner cavity will be referred to as winner cavity” or “inner cavity of the cage”.
The second degree component is a primary seal (including at least two tieing sealing bolts), which is an elastomeric pipe (or tube) tubular seal, and it has two opposite openings and is situated between two matching openings, one in the inner cavity of the cage, and an other opening in the wall of cylindrical shut off valve. From here the elastomeric pipe tube seal will be referred to as the “primary seal” or tubular seal.
The third degree component is a rotatable cylindrical shut off valve, which has at least two openings that match and correspond to said two openings of the elastomeric tube seal. The shut off valve also provides a preferably flat seat or two opposite flat seats concentric to its axis for an elastomeric diaphragm or two opposite diaphragms resembling the shape of a big hat. Here after, the cylindrical valve will be referred as the “shut off valve”.
The fourth degree component is an elastomeric diaphragm (or diaphragms), for the diaphragm valve, which resembles a big hat. The elastomeric diaphragm functions as a pressure reducing valve, a pressure relief valve, and a check valve. Hereafter, the elastomeric diaphragm will be referred as the “diaphragm”. In the fourth degree component are also included piston valves, which can be pressure reducing and shut off valves.
The fifth degree component is a valve drive which has a shaft to rotate the third degree component, which is the cylindrical shutoff valve.
A sixth degree component constitutes one or two cover plates which are held to the valve by means of bolts or by means of camming jaws, which are invented by the inventor under U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,387,017 and 5,868,441 to close the inner cavity of the cage which accommodates the inner components from the second degree to the fifth degree. As explained above, the valve will mostly be described by the terms: valve, cage, inner cavity, primary (tubular) seal, shut off valve, diaphragm or diaphragms, piston or pistons, valve drive, and cover plate or cover plates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the Integrated Multipurpose Caged Valve has a valve body which includes a cage for enclosure, to hold in place, and to enclose, separable integrated valve components. The centrally located inner cavity in the cage constitutes a circular tubular cavity designed to receive and to hold in place, major components of the second degree to the fifth degree. On opposite sides, the cage has two pipe pieces extending concentric to its longitudinal horizontal axis. Said two pipe pieces are provided with connecting means in their end portions which are used to connect the two ends of two opposite pipes. The means to connect the cage to the pipes can be flanges, grooves or threads, or rotatable camming jaws couplings invented by the inventor under the above cited U.S. patent Ser. Nos. 5,387,017 and 5,868,441.
The valve, from its components, can be assembled in the shop or at the site. The valve can be manufactured by casting, machining, fabricating or any combination of the above. The valve can be manufactured from different types of metals or plastics or from any combination of both materials.
The inner cavity of the cage opens at least on its one end to receive major va
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