The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 1984
Filed:
Mar. 11, 1982
Richard P Tremblay, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Kerotest Manufacturing Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
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.