Kerotest Manufacturing Corp.

Rockwell International Corporation

Richard W Conley

Richard P Tremblay

James R Daniels

Charles W Bolam

James R Owoc

John H Thomas

Robert G Visalli

Edward L Schmitt

Sam A Brunetto, Jr

Steven J Caroleo

James E Logan

David A Krueger

An electrofusion coupling having an encapsulated electrical resistance heating element for fusing together the ends of polyethylene conduit is converted into a valve body by drilling a bore through the wall of the coupling into the flow passage which forms a valve chamber. A valve stem is inserted through an open end of the coupling and upwardly through the bore. A lower end of the stem is retained in the valve chamber and an upper end is connected to an actuator cap for rotating the stem. A ball closure member is then inserted through an open end of the coupling into the chamber for connection to the lower end of the valve stem. Rotation of the stem in the coupling moves the valve member between open and closed positions in the chamber. Polyethylene pipe fittings supporting spring biased valve seats are pressed through the ends of the coupling to capture and center the ball closure member between the seats in the valve chamber. Current supplied to the heating element heats the thermoplastic material under pressure at the interface between the coupling and the pipe fittings to a temperature where the thermoplastic material softens and flows together to fuse the coupling to the pipe fittings. The current to the heating element is terminated and the coupling is fused to the pipe fittings to form a unitary valve body with the closure member and stem to complete the valve assembly.

Electrofusion formed valve assembly

A valve body pressure formed from pipe components includes an annular portion for receiving a ball closure member. A pair of conduit portions are connected to the annular portion and the ball. A stem housing for rotatably supporting a valve stem extends up from the annular portion. The stem housing, annular portion, and conduit portions are welded to form the unitary valve body. The conduit portions are integrally connected to end fittings adaptable to connect identical or different grades of polyethylene pipe or metal pipe to polyethylene pipe. The internal surface of the conduit portion includes gripping teeth and O-ring seals that frictionally and sealingly engage the surface of the polyethylene end fitting. The valve can include a metal end fitting and a polyethylene end fitting. The polyethylene end fitting is connected by butt fusion or electrofusion coupling to polyethylene conduit, generally 6 inches in diameter or larger for use in a natural gas distribution system. The metal valve body is wrapped with a fiberglass winding coated with epoxy for corrosion resistance and electrical isolation.

Composite polyethylene and transition valve

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 an outlet thereto. The chamber includes an upper portion with an opening therethrough and a lower portion including a valve seat between the inlet and outlet. A bonnet is positioned in the chamber upper portion and is connected to the valve body and extends upwardly therefrom. The bonnet includes a passageway, and a stem is positioned in the passageway for longitudinal movement into and out of sealing engagement with the valve seat. An actuator is rotatably positioned in the bonnet passageway above the stem. A micrometer operating handle is nonrotatably connected to the upper end portion of the actuator to facilitate fine adjustment of the stem position to provide incremental adjustments in the flow rate of fluid between the inlet and outlet. The stem upper end is spaced from the actuator lower end in the bonnet passageway, and a coupling assembly rigidly connects the actuator to the stem for conversion of longitudinal rotational movement of the actuator to nonrotational longitudinal movement of the stem. The coupling assembly includes a housing into which both the actuator and stem extend. The housing is retained on the end of the actuator, and a pin connects the housing to the stem. A bushing is positioned between the adjacent ends of the actuator and stem where one surface of the bushing abuts the actuator and an opposite surface abuts the stem. The stem is sealed in a bellows which exerts an upward compressive force upon the stem to maintain the actuator and stem in contact with the bushing so that, as the actuator rotates, the stem moves longitudinally relative to the valve seat.

Metering 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 molded polyethylene valve body has a conduit portion and an annular portion extending upwardly from the conduit portion. A passageway extends through the conduit portion for the conveyance of fluid. A valve seat is formed in the conduit portion by a metal sleeve that is molded in the valve body to prevent separation of the sleeve from the valve body during sustained pressures. O-rings positioned in grooves around the metal sleeve are compressed by the plastic material during the molding process to effect a seal between the sleeve and the plastic valve body. An annular rubber sleeve insert is vulcanized onto the inner diameter portion of the metal sleeve. A plastic valve disc is centrally positioned in the conduit portion within the periphery of the rubber sleeve insert and is arranged to sealingly engage the rubber sleeve insert when the valve is moved to the closed position. A metal stem extends through the annular portion of the valve body and is connected to the valve disc. The upper end of the metal valve stem is molded into an actuator. The actuator is sealingly connected to the annular portion of the valve body so as to maintain the actuator on the valve body in the event that the pressure seal between the valve disc and the valve body is destroyed.

Plastic valve assembly

A gate valve includes a pair of identically shaped tapered discs defining a tapered self-locking axially translatable gate wherein each disc has an annular hardened seating surface which engages the mating surfaces on the valve body adjacent the flow ports. Tongues on the sides of the discs ride in vertical grooves on the valve body as the gate travels between a raised open and a lowered closed position. The discs of the gate are provided with a slot transverse to the flow ports which captures a T-head on the stem assembly, the slot being positioned in the gate interior radially within the seating contact area to thereby reduce the overall height of the valve.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Richard W Conley