Acf Industries, Incorporated

Joy Manufacturing Company

Cameron International Corporation

Cameron Technologies Limited

William S Shelton

Danny S Meyer

Robert C Houlgrave

Christian Meade

Roy R Dare

William R Hochmuth

Ralph S Stone

The disclosed embodiments relate to a valve assembly that includes a valve body that has a cavity having one or more seating surfaces, a ball body disposed within the valve body and configured to engage the one or more seating surfaces to form a seal, and an actuator configured to drive the ball body in a first axial direction along a central axis of the cavity to wedge the ball body against the one or more seating surfaces to form the seal, and where the actuator is configured to move the ball body in a second axial direction along the central axis to unseat the ball body and to rotate the ball body about the central axis between an open position and a closed position.

Double positive isolation ball valve

A rising stem expanding gate valve including an improved metal-to-metal stem backseat seal assembly. An axially slidable seal ring is press fit onto the valve stem and is adapted to seal against a counterbored bonnet seat portion to provide a secondary metal-to-metal stem to bonnet seal. The seal ring is allowed to move a limited axial distance on the valve stem such that upon upward axial movement of the valve stem. The seal ring is repositioned in an axially downward direction about the valve stem and, consequently, is firmly sealed against the bonnet seat portion. Upon subsequent downward movement of the valve stem, the seal ring is repositioned in an axial upward direction about the valve stem such that the seal ring is in its original position about the valve by a repositioning means.

Secondary backseat for gate valve

An improved heat responsive backseat for gate valves which includes a rotating valve stem (50) carried by a bonnet assembly (14) for actuation of a gate member (40). A fusible stem ring (126) supports the valve stem at an outer portion thereof (68) within a roller bearing chamber (56) of the bonnet assembly. The valve stem (50) moves axially outward from the valve chamber (20) when the fusible stem ring (126) melts due to an external fire condition to bring a valve stem backseat portion (64) into sealing engagement with a bonnet seat portion (54). The valve stem (50) moves axially outward from the valve chamber (20) independently of roller bearings (74, 76) contained within roller bearing chamber (56) such that the roller bearings (74, 76) remain axially fixed with respect to the bonnet assembly before, during and after the shifting of the valve stem. Therefore, the valve stem may be easily rotated after the fire condition has been extinguished without the occurrence of cocking or wedging between the bearing means and valve stem. Accordingly, a secondary metal-to-metal seal is provided between the valve stem (50) and bonnet assembly (14) such that if the primary packing (104) is destroyed by the fire condition the gate valve will not leak flowline fluid exteriorly of the gate valve.

Heat responsive backseat for gate valves

A top-entry ball valve 10 comprising a valve body 12 having a chamber 13, flow passages 14, 15, a ball 20 rotatably mounted in the chamber for movement between open and closed positions relative to the passages, and a pair of seat assemblies 50 at opposed sides of the ball which may be loaded into engagement with the ball or disengaged therefrom. Each seat assembly 50 comprises a seat ring 51 having a rear portion 51a, a larger diameter portion 51b which forms a shoulder 51c, and a face seal 59. Three pins 65 in the seat ring 51 in equiangular spaced relation project from the shoulder 51c. A spacer ring 53 sleeved about the rear 51a of the seat ring 51 is provided with recesses 68 adapted to receive the pins 65. The spacer 53 is mounted for movement between a first position where it is engaged by the tips of pins 65 and a second position wherein the pins 65 are in the recesses 68. A spring assembly 66 between the spacer 53 and a shoulder 42 of seat pocket 35 continuously urges the spacer to its first or second positions. The bar may be used to pry the spacer from shoulder 51c and the seat assembly towards the ball 20. A pin 71 on the spacer 53, when the valve cover 28 is removed, may be engaged by a pry bar to move and rotate the spacer to its first or second positions. The bar may be used to pry the spacer from shoulder 51c and re-orient the spacer so the seat ring is loaded against the ball 20. Placing the spacer 53 in its second position, retracts the seat from ball 20 and adapts the valve for in-line removal of ball and seats.

Ball valve with seat loading mechanism

A piston type pneumatic powered actuator (9) for operating a valve (10) of the expanding gate type wherein velocity of the piston-stem-gate drive train is maintained substantially constant in the latter stage of the actuator stroke. The actuator (9) includes an assembly of dual pistons (61,75) which are adapted to be driven by fluid pressure in one direction to operate the valve but are returned by spring means (66,67) when the fluid pressure is removed. A drive piston (61) directly connected to the actuator stem (23) is nested within a primary piston (75) which is not connected to the actuator stem (23) but moves the drive piston (61) when actuating pneumatic fluid is applied to the actuator (9). A stop (85) affixed to the primary piston (75) is adapted to cooperatively engage the actuator housing (40) to terminate the stroke of the primary piston (75) prior to termination of the stroke of the drive piston (61). An orifice (91) through the primary piston (75 ) allows continuing flow of actuating fluid to the face of the drive piston (61) after the stroke of the primary piston (75) is terminated. Termination of the stroke of the primary piston (75) occurs when fluid communication through the valve is first established.

Expanding gate valve with pneumatic actuator

A dual stage hydraulic actuator (9) for actuation of an expanding gate valve (10). The actuator is mountable to the valve housing and comprises a housing 40 which defines a piston chamber 41 and a primary piston (61) slidably received therein. An actuator stem (23) connects the piston (61) to the valve gate assembly (20). A secondary piston (77), of smaller piston area than the primary piston (61), is slidably received in a piston receiving bore (75) which is formed in the fluid receiving face of the primary piston. A piston rod (80) connects coaxially with the piston (77) and extends through the end (52) of the actuator housing. The actuator is responsive to hydraulic fluid pressure which when applied through an inlet (71) of the actuator housing to one side of the pistons (61, 77) drives the actuator stem and gate assembly to an operational open or closed position of the valve. A spring means (66, 67) in the piston chamber (41) continuously urges the primary piston (61) in the direction which opposes the hydraulic pressure. A stop element 85 on the piston rod 80 is adapted to engage the end (52) of the actuator housing to limit the length of the secondary piston stroke to a lesser length than that of the primary piston stroke whereby the effective piston area of the actuator (9) for driving the actuator stem (23) and the gate assembly (20) is reduced by an amount equal to the area of the second piston and there is a corresponding reduction in stress imposed on the actuator stem in the latter stage of actuator thrust.

Dual stage hydraulic actuator for expanding gate valve

A high pressure sealing connection for sealing between connected coaxially aligned members (22, 10). The connection comprises a metallic sealing ring (40) having annular end surfaces (52, 53) adjacent each end and tapering outwardly therefrom. The ring at its largest external diameter is provided with a cylindrical surface (51) intermediate the frusto-conical sealing surfaces (52, 53). At its inner periphery, upper and lower flanges (61, 62) extend inwardly and perpendicularly to the axis of the ring. The coaxially aligned members (22, 10) are provided with recesses defined by opposed internal frusto-conical sealing surfaces (41, 42) at their adjoining ends, each tapering inwardly from the end of the member to an annular shoulder (43, 44) in the bore of the aligned member. The frusto-conical surfaces (41, 42) are of equal taper in the range of 5.degree. to 20.degree. and there is a mismatch of one-half degree to one and one half-degrees with the taper of the frusto-conical surfaces (52, 53) of the sealing ring when the ring is positioned in the recess. Drawing the coaxially aligned members together by suitable means (31) results in a compression of the ring and a sealing relationship between the ring and the aligned members which is enhanced by fluid pressure energization. A clearance gap between the upper and lower surfaces (56, 54) of the ring and the aligned members avoids axial compression of the ring (40). The internal flanges (61, 62) significantly increase the elastic zone of the ring to include the flanges themselves which continue to urge the seal ring in sealing engagement with the aligned members even after high pressure or temperatures have caused a deformation of the sealing ring or the aligned members.

High pressure sealing connection with metal seal

A low stress stem connection structure (77) for connecting the rotatable stem (43) and the gate member (33) of a non-rising stem type gate valve (1). The stem (43) has an externally threaded end section (47) and the gate member (33) has an externally threaded extension (79) with a longitudinal bore (83) in which the end section (47) of the stem (43) is received. A stem nut (87) is threadably received on the end (47) of the stem (43) and engages the gate member extension (79) to reciprocally move the gate member (33) in response to rotation of the stem (43). The gate member (33) may move relative to the longitudinal axis of the stem (43) in the direction of flow of a fluid through the gate valve (1). A gate nut (97) is threadably received on the gate member extension (79) to hold the stem nut (87) in position on the stem (43) and limit movement of the gate member (33). The structure facilitates movement of the gate member (33) to open and close the gate valve (1) even though the gate member (33) is subjected to high fluid pressures.

Low stress stem connection structure for a non-rising stem type gate

A lubricant fitting (10) for connection to a valve (V) in which the fitting bore (20) has a pair of spaced apart inner (44) and outer (26) annular shoulders therein. A pair of spaced apart inner (52) and outer (54) seating elements are positioned within the bore (20) for movement between a normal seated position and an unseated position relative to their respective shoulders (44, 26) to thereby either prevent or allow communication between the valve interior and the atmosphere. The outer seating element (54) moves to the seated position independently of the inner seating element (52) so that even if the inner seating element (52) is sufficiently contaminated so that an effective seal cannot be formed, the outer seating element (54) will still move to form an effective seal and thereby isolate the valve interior from the atmosphere.

Lubricant fitting for a valve

A valve seat structure for an expanding type gate valve (20). A valve seat (64) is received in each annular seat recess (62) formed around the upstream and downstream flow passages (24, 26) and opening to the valve chamber (22) wherein a gate assembly (32) is movable between open and closed positions. An annular face seal (82) is mounted within an annular groove (70) in the front seat face (66) of each valve seat (64). A substantial portion of the bottom (76) of the annular groove (70) comprises a frusto-conical bottom portion (80) which forms a wedging surface with a cone angle in the range of approximately 30.degree. to 60.degree. and disposed substantially coaxial with the groove sides and the flow passages. The rear seal face (86) of the face seal (82) has a frusto-conical rear portion (94) that conforms to the frusto-conical bottom portion (80). The annular groove (70) is wider than the thickness of the face seal (82 ) so that the face seal loosely fits within the annular groove. The front seal face (84) extends beyond the front seat face (66) a distance in the range between approximately 0.0051 cm and 0.0381 cm when loosely seated in the annular groove. When the gate assembly (32) is expanded to the open or closed positions, the front seal face (84) engages the gate assembly (32) and the annular face seal (82) is axially compressed to effect a seal. In the closed position, fluid pressure in the upstream flow passage (24) causes the annular seal (82) to wedge against the frusto-conical bottom portion (80) towards the gate assembly.

Valve seat structure

An expanding gate valve having seats (74) which are mechanically secured in place. The valve body has seat pockets which include undercut grooves (78) intersected by a cylindrical body cavity (24) to form a pair of openings (80) to each groove. Each valve seat has a pair of lugs (90) which may be fitted through the openings and into the undercut groove. Subsequent rotation of the seat locks the lugs in the groove to secure the seat in place in its seat pocket. Each seat is able to pivot about an axis extending between the lugs in order to compensate for irregularities in the contact surfaces of the gate or seat.

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

William S Shelton