Ball check valve

Abstract

A check valve assembly includes a generally bell shaped casing having a flared, open end section and a fluid inlet in opposed relation to the flared end section. A body removably connected to the casing covers a portion of the flared end section and has a fluid outlet as well as two spaced, outwardly extending ball guiding members which are matingly received within opposed walls of the casing. The ball guiding members are configured to shift the ball along a path of travel between a first, flow impeding position adjacent the fluid inlet and a second position spaced from the inlet and disposed laterally of a substantially straight fluid passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet. In preferred forms of the invention, the path of travel of the ball has a variable slope which approaches zero as the ball reaches its uppermost, flow enabling position so that a minimum amount of fluid pressure on the ball can retain the latter in its uppermost position, ball flutter and fluid turbulence is substantially reduced. In other forms of the invention, the body includes a stop which contacts the ball in a relatively small surface area of the latter when the ball is in its flow enabling position so that a portion of the fluid flowing through the valve assembly travels around the ball and cleanses the same, and so that stagnant pockets of fluid are eliminated.