Kerotest Manufacturing Corp.

Richard P Tremblay

Richard W Conley

James R Owoc

James R Daniels

Charles W Bolam

Sam A Brunetto, Jr

James E Logan

David A Krueger

A polyethylene plastic valve has a molded cylindrical body portion with an internal chamber with inlet and outlet openings. A unitary plastic plug member is rotatably positioned in the chamber. The plug member has an actuator portion formed of impact resistant plastic material, and a plug portion formed of dimensionally rigid plastic material with a flow passage therethrough. The plug member has open and closed positions. Dual durometer valve seats are positioned on the plug member to close the inlet and outlet openings in the valve body. The actuator portion of the plug member extends upwardly through the chamber and seals the internal chamber at the top by means of a circumferentially extending flange portion. A bottom cover plate is fused to and seals the lower end of the internal chamber. The bottom cover is arranged to disengage from the valve body and relieve excess pressure build up in the lower end of the chamber. The valve body is molded around a cylindrical metal reinforcing member having openings aligned with inlet and outlet openings in the valve body and has a plurality of other apertures which permit the plastic of the valve body to flow therethrough and connect the plastic on opposite sides of the reinforcing member.

Reinforced plastic valve

A reinforced plastic valve includes a generally cylindrical major body portion which is at least partially formed of a plastic material. The major body portion has an axially extending interior chamber. A pair of flow lines intersect the major body portion and the interior chamber thereof. A plug is mounted in the chamber and is selectively rotatable to control flow of fluid through the flow lines. The major body portion includes a reinforcing sleeve formed of metal which is encased within the plastic major body portion to surround the interior chamber.

A valve body includes a chamber for the flow of fluid between an inlet and outlet thereto. A valve member, such as a ball valve member, is positioned in the chamber for rotation between an open position and a closed position to open and close the chamber. An actuator is rotatable about an axis coaxially aligned with the valve member axis. A lower end portion of a valve stem is connected to the valve member and an upper end portion is connected to the actuator. The valve stem upper end portion is displaced angularly from the valve stem lower end portion. The valve stem lower end portion has an axis aligned with the rotational axes of the valve member and the actuator. The axis of the valve stem upper end portion is positioned in spaced parallel relation to the axes of the actuator and the valve member. Thus, the upper end of the valve stem is offset from the axis of rotation of the actuator so that the valve stem upper end portion orbits about the actuator axis as the actuator is rotated to move the valve member between the open and closed positions. The valve stem is sealed by a bent bellows. A bearing assembly rotatably supports the upper ends of the valve stem and bellows in the actuator. The bearing assembly maintains the valve stem upper axis parallel to the actuator axis so that the valve stem upper end portion remains freely rotatable relative to the actuator as upward pressure forces are applied to the valve stem.

Actuator mechanism for double bent bellows sealed rotary valve

A valve body includes a chamber for the flow of fluid between an inlet and outlet thereto. A valve member, such as a ball valve member, is positioned in the chamber for rotatable movement between an open position and a closed position to open and close the chamber. A bent valve stem extends between and is connected to the valve member and a rotatable valve actuator. Rotation of the actuator moves the valve member by rotation of the valve stem between the open and closed positions. The valve stem upper end portion is displaced from the valve stem lower end portion to provide the valve stem with a bent configuration. A bellows surrounds the valve stem to provide a hermetic seal around the stem between the valve body and the actuator. The bellows has a bent configuration corresponding to the bent configuration of the valve stem. The outer surface of the valve stem is positioned closely adjacent to the inner surface of the bellows to provide the bellows with support substantially along the entire length of the bellows and means are provided to minimize wear between the bellows and stem. In operation, the bellows is internally pressurized and the support provided by the valve stem prevents lateral deflection of the bellows and failure of the bellows due to distortion.

Bellows sealed stem for rotary valve

A valve includes a molded plastic body portion having an internal chamber with upper and lower portions. Fittings connect the valve to conduits of a piping system. A valve seat surrounds inlet and outlet openings in the chamber lower portion. A plastic plug member is rotatably positioned in the valve seat. The plug member is a molded unitary element. The valve body portion and plug member have a substantially uniform wall thickness throughout. The plug member includes an integral plug portion and an actuator portion which facilitates ease of disassembly of the valve for repair. The plug portion has a flow passage which communicates with the inlet and outlet openings in the valve seat and is rotatable between open and closed valve positions. Seals retained on the plug portion engage the valve seat in the closed position. The actuator portion includes shearable stops which permit 360.degree. rotational operation of the plug member upon failure of the stops under excessive torque. The actuator portion extends upwardly through the chamber upper portion, and a flange portion and a stem portion of th actuator extends above the valve body. The flange portion is spaced circumferentially around the stem portion and overlies in abutting relation an upper circumferential shoulder of the valve body portion. The flange portion bears on the upper shoulder so that impact forces applied to the actuator portion are transmitted away from the stem and plug portions and from the flange portion to the valve body portion for distribution throughout the valve body and to the piping system connected to the valve body. This arrangement prevents the localized concentration of impact forces on the valve actuator.

Plastic service valve

A valve includes a molded plastic body portion having an internal chamber forming a valve seat having inlet and outlet openings. A plastic plug member is rotatably positioned in the valve seat and has a flow passage which in the open position of the valve communicates with the inlet and outlet openings. Pipe fittings of the valve body communicate with the valve seat and are aligned with the inlet and outlet openings. Each fitting is coupled to a conduit of a piping system by a nut threaded into the respective fitting to urge a wedge-shaped collar into frictional engagement with the conduit. The nut surrounds the collar which is advanced by the nut into the fitting until a radial shoulder on the nut abuts the end of the fitting so that the end of the nut in the fitting applies a controlled compressive force upon a gasket seal to effect a fluid tight connection of the conduit to the fitting.

Compression coupling for service valve

A molded polyethylene valve body has a flow passage connecting an inlet with an outlet of the valve body. A valve seat formed integral with the valve body surrounds the passage and a plastic valve disc is rotatably positioned in the passage for movement into and out of sealing relation with the valve seat to effect closing and opening of the passage between the inlet and outlet. A valve stem is nonrotatably connected at one end to the valve disc and extends through the valve body and projects upwardly therefrom to an upper end portion. An actuator cap is nonrotatably connected to the valve stem upper end portion. An external valve neck portion surrounds the upper end portion of the valve stem and is positioned on the outer surface of the valve body. The neck portion is adapted to rotatably receive and support the actuator cap. A pair of clamp-like leg members of the neck portion extend circumferentially around the surface of the valve body to connect the neck portion to the valve body. Free end portions of the leg members are brought under tension to maintain the leg members in gripping engagement with the valve body so that the actuating forces from the actuator cap are transmitted from the neck portion and leg members uniformly around the surface of the valve body.

Plastic valve and improved actuator therefor

A valve body includes a chamber for the flow of fluid between an inlet and outlet thereto. A valve member, such as a ball valve member, is positioned in the chamber for rotatable movement between an open position and a closed position to open and close the chamber. A bent valve stem extends between and is connected to the valve member and a rotatable valve actuator. Rotation of the actuator moves the valve member by rotation of the valve stem between the open and closed positions. The valve stem upper end portion is displaced from the valve stem lower end portion to provide the valve stem with a bent configuration. A bellows surrounds the valve stem to provide a hermetic seal around the stem between the valve body and the actuator. The bellows has a bent configuration corresponding to the bent configuration of the valve stem. The other surface of the valve stem is positioned closely adjacent to the inner surface of the bellows to provide the bellows with support substantially along the entire length of the bellows and means are provided to minimize wear between the bellows and stem. In operation, the bellows is internally pressurized and the support provided by the valve stem prevents lateral deflection of the bellows and failure of the bellows due to distortion.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Richard P Tremblay