Celanese Gmbh

Paul L Meyer

William J Frey

A butterfly valve assembly includes a two-section housing in which a resilient liner is seated. The liner includes diagonally opposed collars, with a bushing being bonded within each collar. A gate is rotatably mounted within the liner and includes closure, stem and stub shaft portions of integral, one-piece construction. The gate is formed of plastic and includes a metallic reinforcing shaft extending completely therethrough. The closure includes bearing surfaces extending around the stem and stub shaft, and sealing surfaces extending between the bearing surfaces. The sealing and bearing surfaces are of continuous uninterrupted spherical configuration. The liner includes seating surfaces which extend between annular surfaces of each collar. The seating surfaces and the annular collar surfaces are of continuous uninterrupted spherical configuration. Flat surface portions are disposed on the bearing surfaces and extend around the stem and stub shaft portions. Flat ends of the bushings bear against these flat surfaces in sealing relationship. The stem includes a tapered section which extends between a pair of constant diameter sections to facilitate insertion of the gate within the liner. The liner includes annular flanges at its outer ends. Each flange includes a region of greatest thickness at its radial innermost portion so that when the valve assembly is installed within a flow line, compression of the flanges is concentrated at such region.

Butterfly valve assembly

A snap-in fitting includes male and female connector elements which are connectable to fluid conduits. The male connector element is insertable within a socket of the female connector element and is retained therein by a coupling ring. The coupling ring includes an integral base portion, collar portion and locking portion. The collar portion is seated within a retaining channel of the male connector element, and the locking portion lockingly abuts within a locking groove of the socket. The collar portion includes annular surfaces which converge from the base portion. The locking portion extends outwardly at an angle from the base portion and includes annular surfaces which diverge from the base portion. An undercut is formed at the juncture of the locking portion with the base portion, to maintain the pivot point of the locking portion adjacent such juncture. An O-ring mounted on the male connector element sealingly engages a wall of the socket. The configuration of the locking ring assures that inward and outward pivoting of the locking portion during merging of the male and female connctor elements occurs at the region where the locking portion joints the base portion. This enhances maximum radial entry of the locking member into the locking groove even when the ring is formed of relatively stiff material. The female connector element includes an adapter portion and a retaining sleeve portion which are threadedly secured together, and which each include means cooperating to define the sleeve and locking groove of the socket. By decoupling the adapter and retaining sleeve the connection can be disassembled without removing the female connector element from its associated fluid conduit.

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Louisville, KY, United States of America

Paul L Meyer