Fluid handling – Line condition change responsive valves – With separate connected fluid reactor surface
Patent
1998-02-04
2000-09-12
Bennett, Henry
Fluid handling
Line condition change responsive valves
With separate connected fluid reactor surface
13753331, 137496, F16K 3112, F16K 2104
Patent
active
061162701
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Foot valves which are used at the bottom of suction pipes in installations for the pumping of water are usually of the so-called "clacker" type of non-return valves, but there are two difficulties which are encountered when the liquid to be pumped is capable of entraining particulate matter such as sand, small pebbles or small pieces of rock. A foot valve according to prior art has almost invariably been of the type having a hinged closure member which, either upon hinging from an open to closure position, bears against a generally flat surface at the bottom of the valve, or a centre stem member spring loaded which serves a similar function. Such a valve is very inexpensive, but its use has resulted in a large amount of additional work for the user, since when the pump is not operating the valve is likely to be held partly open by debris in the bottom of the suction pipe, due to its initially being entrained by flow of water through the suction pipe. Thus the water which is contained within the suction pipe is free to leak back into the bottom of a bore hole, and re-starting the pump will require re-priming of the pump and this is both time consuming and in many cases quite awkward. One object of the invention therefore is to provide a valve which can be much less likely to malfunction, thereby making it more likely that the bore casing will contain water for a period of time after the valve has been closed and the pump has ceased operating.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the invention, use is made of a piston valve wherein a piston type sleeve has a closed lower end surmounted by a hollow sleeve wall which has an outer cylindrical surface, the outer cylindrical surface sealably engaging against a blank portion of the inner surface of an outer body in a sliding and sealing engagement when the valve is closed, but the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical body and the sleeve having respective ports which become sufficiently open to one another when the valve is open that liquid is free to flow through a port in the outer body and through a port in a side wall of the sleeve to the space within it, upon sliding movement of the sleeve away from the outer body blank portion.
Another difficulty which is encountered in prior art is that usually bore holes and bore casings are a little larger than the suction pipes which they hold, and the previously used clacker valves have usually had outer dimensions exceeding the dimensions of the bore casing so that the sealing surface of the valve would need to be smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the suction pipe, thereby inhibiting flow rates.
In another aspect of the invention, the inner sleeve and outer body are generally circular and co-axial, and the inner sleeve is of diameter very little less than the inside diameter of a suction pipe, the movement being slidable and not hinging so that the need for an offset hinge pin is avoided.
In one embodiment, the invention may be said to reside in a valve for control of liquid flow which comprises an outer body having an inner cylindrical surface, a piston having a closed lower end surmounted by a hollow sleeve having an outer sealing surface in sliding and sealing engagement with the inner cylindrical surface, and surfaces defining between them ports in the outer body and in the hollow sleeve of the piston, the ports placing a space external of the outer body into fluid flow communication with a space internal of the sleeve when in an open position of the valve, but sealed against that fluid flow communication in a closed position of the sleeve within the body, which is axially spaced from the open position.
PRIOR ART
Efforts have been made by the Applicant by way of searches to ascertain the state of the art, since the Applicant had no knowledge of any sleeve type valve having been used as a foot valve or for analogous purposes.
Attention may be drawn to the Patent Application PCT/GB92/02198 disclosed in the searches, in the name of Appleton, which
REFERENCES:
patent: 2244051 (1941-06-01), Collins
patent: 2752861 (1956-07-01), Hill
patent: 4350178 (1982-09-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 4691778 (1987-09-01), Pyne
patent: 4747426 (1988-05-01), Weevers
patent: 4856756 (1989-08-01), Combs
patent: 5180443 (1993-01-01), Voss
patent: 5479988 (1996-01-01), Appleton
Bennett Henry
Hydro-Flo Holdings Pty Ltd.
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