Multiple orifice rotary control valve

Claim 2

A rotary valve comprising: a. a casing defining a chamber having a main axis for receiving a flow-control member and having openings communicating with said chamber at spaced points to define a flowway therethrough on an axis disposed at an acute angle to said main axis of said chamber; and b. a flow-control member rotatably disposed in said chamber comprising: i. a tubular body shaped to fit said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxial with said chamber axis; ii. a flow passage extending through opposite walls of said body generally at said acute angle with respect to said axis of rotation whereby to be in register with said openings at the flowway-open position of said flow-control members; and iii. cylindrical trunnion members carried by the opposite ends of said body and journaled in said casing, iv. each end of said flow passage being defined by an elongate slot in said body extending circumferentially of said body and defined by convergent walls inclined inwardly of said body to intersect said flow passage parallel to the flow axis thereof.

Claim 3

A rotary valve according to claim 1 wherein said flow-control member includes: a. plug members removably closing the opposite ends of said flow-control member and carrying said trunnion members; b. at least one of said trunnion members being constructed to function as an operating stem for said flow-control member.

Claim 4

A rotary valve according to claim 1 wherein said slot has an arcuate length from about 90* to about 270*.

Claim 5

For use in a rotary valve including a casing defining a closure-receiving chamber having a main axis and having openings communicating with said chamber at spaced points to define a flowway therethrough disposed at an acute angle to said main axis, a closure member comprising: a. a body shaped to fit said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxial with said chamber axis; b. a flow passage extending through opposite walls of said body generally at said acute angle with respect to said axis of rotation whereby to be in register with said openings at the full flowway-open position of said closure e member; c. each end of said passage defining an elongate slot extending circumferentially of said body and defined by convergent walls inclined inwardly of said body to intersect said passage parallel to the flow axis of said passage; d. said body having a non-slotted portion between the opposite ends of said slot defining a closure portion adapted to close off a flowway opening in the flowway-closing position of the closure member; and e. means carried by the ends of said body for journaling said body in said casing.

Claim 6

For use in a rotary valve including a casing defining a closure-receiving chamber having a main axis and having openings communicating with said chamber at spaced points to define a flowway therethrough disposed at an acute angle to said main axis, a closure member comprising: a. a body shaped to fit said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxial with said chamber axis; b. a flow passage extending through opposite walls of said body generally at said acute angle with respect to said axis of rotation whereby to be in register with said openings at the full flowway-open position of said closure e member; c. each end of said passage defining an elongate slot extending circumferentially of said body and defined by convergent walls inclined inwardly of said body to intersect said passage parallel to the flow axis of said passage; d. said body having a non-slotted portion between the opposite ends of said slot defining a closure portion adapted to close off a flowway opening in the flowway-closing position of the closure member; and e. means carried by the ends of said body for journaling said body in said casing.

Claim 7

A rotary valve, comprising: a. a casing defining a chamber having a main axis for receiving a flow-control member and having openings communicating with said chamber at spaced points to define a flowway therethrough on an axis disposed at an acute angle to said main axis of said chamber; and b. a flow-control member rotatably disposed in said chamber comprising: i. a tubular body shaped to fit said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxial with said chamber axis and having one end in open communication with one of said openings; ii. a plurality of circumferentially spaced orifices eXtending through the wall of said body disposed generally in a plane normal to said axis of rotation and intermediate the ends of said body, each of said orifices having its axis at said acute angle whereby to be coaxial with said flowway when rotated into register with the other of said openings; c. means connected to said body and journaled in said casing for rotating said flow-control member; d. a cylindrical operating stem extending to the exterior of said casing; and e. a plug member carried by the inner end of said operating stem removably closing the adjacent end of said tubular body and secured thereto against relative rotation.

Claim 8

A rotary valve, comprising: a. a casing defining a chamber having a main axis for receiving a flow-control member and having openings communicating with said chamber at spaced points to define a flowway therethrough on an axis disposed at an acute angle to said main axis of said chamber; and b. a flow-control member rotatably disposed in said chamber comprising: i. a tubular body shaped to fit said chamber and having an axis of rotation coaxial with said chamber axis and having one end in open communication with one of said openings; ii. a plurality of circumferentially spaced orifices eXtending through the wall of said body disposed generally in a plane normal to said axis of rotation and intermediate the ends of said body, each of said orifices having its axis at said acute angle whereby to be coaxial with said flowway when rotated into register with the other of said openings; c. means connected to said body and journaled in said casing for rotating said flow-control member; d. a cylindrical operating stem extending to the exterior of said casing; and e. a plug member carried by the inner end of said operating stem removably closing the adjacent end of said tubular body and secured thereto against relative rotation.

Claim 9

A rotary valve according to claim 5 having annular seal means disposed to seal between said body and said casing about said other of said openings.

Claim 10

A rotary valve according to claim 5 wherein an annular seal packing surrounds each of said orifices for sealing between said body and said casing about said other of said openings.

Claim 11

A rotary valve according to claim 5 wherein at least some of said orifices differ in cross-sectional area from others of said orifices.

Claim 12

A rotary valve according to claim 5 wherein said body has at least one imperforate portion between said orifices adapted when in registry with said other of said openings to close off said flowway.

Claim 13

A rotary valve according to claim 5 wherein the bore of said other one of said openings has a cross-sectional area substantially equal to that of the largest of said orifices and less than that of said one opening.

Claim 14

A rotary valve according to claim 5 including a tubular adapter removably positioned in the other of said openings, the inner end of said adapter being shaped to effectively form a flush portion of the interior wall of said chamber, said adapter having an axial passage therethrough whose cross-sectional area is substantially equal to that of the largest of said orifices.

Claim 15

A rotary valve according to claim 5 wherein said casing has an end wall closing one end of said chamber and through which said one of said openings communicates with said chamber, and a bonnet member removably closing the other end of said chamber and having an opening for journaling said means for rotating said flow-control member.

Claim 16

For use in a rotary valve a closure member comprising: a. a body having a central axis of rotation; b. a flow passage extending through said body at an acute angle with respect to said axis of rotation; c. at least one end of said passage defining an elongate slot extending circumferentially of said body and defined at least in part by convergent walls inclined inwardly of said body to intersect said passage parallel to the flow axis thereof; d. said body having an a nonslotted portion between the opposite ends of said slot defining a closure portion; and e. means carried by the ends of said body for supporting the same for rotation about said central axis.

Claim 17

For use in a rotary valve a closure member comprising: a. a body having a central axis of rotation; b. a flow passage extending through said body at an acute angle with respect to said axis of rotation; c. at least one end of said passage defining an elongate slot extending circumferentially of said body and defined at least in part by convergent walls inclined inwardly of said body to intersect said passage parallel to the flow axis thereof; d. said body having an a nonslotted portion between the opposite ends of said slot defining a closure portion; and e. means carried by the ends of said body for supporting the same for rotation about said central axis.

Claim 18

A closure member according to claim 13 wherein said body is tubular.