Stant Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Nibco Incorporated

Paul H Sloan, Jr

Gary L Runyan

Van W O'Keefe

Danny F Quick

James M Brown

The invention provides a means whereby a body such as that of a butterfly valve can be prepared with minimal machining. The manufacture of a butterfly valve is described in which the stem openings for the valve are left in their as-cast condition, the stem bushings inserted, aligned with a stem replica and then permanently locked in aligned position by filling the voids between the bushings and the walls of their openings with the same elastomeric compound from which the valve seat is molded. The compound, after curing or setting, being of such thin wall section that for all practical purposes it is a rigid material.

Method of aligning and fixing valve components during valve assembly

A rotary plug valve which is of the type comprising a housing formed of a polymer and a rotary plug disposed in a through-passage of the housing. The plug is formed of a polymer and includes a bore selectively alignable with the through-passage to admit the passage of fluid. The plug valve is formed by forming the plug and attaching thereto a preformed polymeric shield by snap-fitting the shield onto the plug. The shield has an inner surface conforming to the periphery of the plug. The plug and shield assembly is positioned within a cavity of a mold. The cavity corresponds to the shape of the housing. A molten polymer is introduced into the cavity and intimately contacts the shield and forms the housing around the plug.

Apparatus for preventing thermal damage to a preformed plug during

A rotary plug valve is formed which is of the type comprising a housing formed of a polymer and a rotary plug disposed in a through-passage of the housing. The plug is formed of a polymer and includes a bore selectively alignable with the through-passage to admit the passage of fluid. The plug valve is formed by forming the plug and attaching thereto a preformed polymeric shield by snap-fitting the shield onto the plug. The shield has an inner surface conforming to the periphery of the plug. The plug and shield assembly is positioned within a cavity of a mold. The cavity corresponds to the shape of the housing. A molten polymer is introduced into the cavity and intimately contacts the shield and forms the housing around the plug.

Method and apparatus for preventing thermal damage to a preformed plug

A cap for closing an upwardly facing, neckless opening in a vehicle radiator comprises a shell defining a chamber within the cap. The shell includes an outer end disposed without the radiator when the cap is closing the opening and an inner end disposed within the radiator when the cap is closing the opening. A first venting passageway in the outer end of the shell connects the chamber to atmosphere, and a second venting passageway in the inner end of the shell connects the chamber to the radiator interior. An outwardly facing valve seat is disposed within the chamber and a pressure-vacuum valve is urged against the seat by a spring, the valve and spring being housed within the chamber. The seat is provided by an integral annular portion of the shell which extends peripherally and radially inwardly from an interior wall of the shell. A plurality of ears for engaging the radiator opening are disposed about the outer periphery of the shell and project radially outwardly therefrom. The projecting ears can be disposed adjacent the inner end of the shell, or can be disposed intermediate the inner and outer ends of the shell. The shell desirably is formed of molded plastic and is molded in two pieces. An outer piece includes the shell outer end and a portion of the shell side wall. An inner piece includes the shell inner end, a portion of the side wall, the engaging ears and the pressure-vacuum valve seat. The valve member and spring are placed between the two pieces which are then joined to assemble the cap.

Self-contained radiator cap

Resilient O-ring seals for caps for closing vehicle fuel tank filler necks, the fuel caps having shank portions extending into the necks. The radial width of the annular space between the inner wall of such a neck and the outer wall of the shank is less than the radial dimension of the O-ring. Each O-ring includes an annular, radially outwardly facing groove defined by an axially inner lip, an axially outer lip, and a connecting web portion. As the shank with the O-ring thereon moves axially into the neck, the axially inner surface of the inner lip contacts the neck and is urged axially outwardly in a wiping action causing bending of the O-ring such that its radially inner surface is resiliently urged radially and compressively to seal the annular space. In one embodiment, the inner surface of the outer lip contacts the neck as the shank and O-ring are projected further into the neck. The outer lip of the O-ring thereby axially compressively seals the space. In other embodiments, the outer surface of the inner lip and the inner surface of the outer lip include compression rings or beads. Axially outward deflection of the inner lip causes its compression ring to contact one of the walls defining the annular groove, creating an additional seal. In two of these 'compression ring' embodiments, the outer lip compresssion ring cooperates with the inner lip compression ring to create the additional seal.

O-rings for vehicle fuel tank filler neck caps

A low-profile locking cap for a threaded filler neck includes a closure member for engaging and closing the neck, a shell providing a hand grip and including a key-actuable lock, and a race disposed for rotation between the shell and closure. The race includes axially inwardly opening pockets, and the closure includes flexible pawl fingers for engaging the pockets to provide a driving connection between the closure and race which is positive in the cap removal direction and torque-limited in the cap advancing direction. The race also includes a set of peripherally spaced, radially inwardly projecting teeth, and the shell is molded to provide a pair of flexible drive fingers for engaging the peripherally spaced and radially inwardly projecting teeth to provide a driving connection between the shell and race which is positive in the cap advancing direction and torque-limited in the cap removal direction for free ratcheting of the cap when it is in position on the filler neck and locked. A lock-controlled blocking member is movable by the lock to a cap removal position. The blocking member engages the drive fingers, when in the cap removal position, to prevent the drive fingers from flexing out of engagement with the teeth to render the engagement between the drive fingers and teeth positive in the cap removal direction.

Low profile threaded lock cap

A resilient O-ring seal for an annular space between a first radially inner surface and a second radially outer surface. The radial width of the annular space is less than the radial dimension of the O-ring. The O-ring includes an annular, radially outwardly facing groove defined by an axially inner lip, an axially outer lip, and a connecting web portion. The inner and outer lips both include axially inner and outer surfaces. The web portion includes a radially inwardly facing surface and a radially outwardly facing surface. As the O-ring is projected axially into the annular space, the axially inner surface of the inner lip contacts the second surface and is urged axially outwardly in a wiping action. The axially outward wiping movement of the inner lip causes a twisting or rolling of the ring such that the web radially inner surface is urged radially outwardly at its axially inner extent and is urged radially inwardly at its axially outer extent against the first surface. Such resilient deformation of the inner lip and web radially compressively seals the annular space. Further, the axially inner surface of the outer lip contacts the second surface as the O-ring is projected axially further into the annular space. The axially outer lip of the annular ring thereby provides direct compressive axial sealing of the annular space.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

Paul H Sloan, Jr