Vapor Corp.

Joe R Burger

William H Alexander

A lubricated split plug valve includes a valve body defining a chamber with fluid ports therethrough. A valve stem is rotatably mounted in the body and engages a split cylindrical valve member. The valve member includes a cylindrical passage with first and second inlets. The valve member includes a pair of core halves defined along an oblique plane passing through the cylindrical passage. Identical grooves for conveying sealant/lubricant to the plug/body interface are fabricated on the outer peripheral surfaces of the core halves with portions that substantially surround one of the passage inlets defined in the particular core half. Each groove also includes a continuous portion encircling the remaining outer periphery of each core half. Each groove is in fluid communication with a reservoir wherein lubricant may be introduced from a source into the groove. A piston is in each reservoir and biased under the influence of line pressure and gravity forces. A first alternate plug valve member includes a peripheral groove that is semicircular with one arm or extension beneath the passage inlets cooperating with body grooves to introduce sealant/lubricant at the interface.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Joe R Burger