Ball valve
US4940208A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 22, 1989 |
| Grant date | Jul 10, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 22, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16K5/0668
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A ball valve (10) has a ball valve member (34) mounted for floating movement in a valve chamber (32) between an upstream metal seat (102) and a downstream metal seat (104). Each metal seat (102, 104) fits within a recess (100) and has a body portion (110) of a generally uniform thickness adjacent an opposed shoulder (108) with a lip (114) about its inner circumference for sealing against spherical surface (40) of ball valve member (34) at all times. Body portion (110) acts as a Belleville spring and spaces lip (114) from adjacent shoulder (108) at low fluid pressures. A bearing portion (118) has an arcuate seat (120) spaced from spherical surface (40) at low fluid pressures but contacting spherical surface (40) at high fluid pressures. A flexible connector (118) of a relatively thin uniform thickness extends between bearing portion (118) and body portion (110). The stem (36) has a Belleville spring ( 86) exerting a compressive loading against a packing (82) and a thrust bearing (88) is mounted outwardly of the packing (82) between stem shoulder (52) and the outer clamping plate (72).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.