Rotary valves

Claim 2

A valve including: a housing having a flow passage therethrough; an internal annular valve seat in said housing surrounding said flow passage; an elongate tubular sleeve movable longitudinally in said housing flow passage and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon movable therewith into and out of seating engagement with said internal annular valve seat; rotatable valve closure means engaging said tubular sleeve and movable therewith in said housing; said closure means being rotatable with respect to said tubular sleeve to move to a position to close off fluid flow through said tubular sleeve and to a position to open said tubular sleeve to fluid flow therethrough; and fluid flow pressure equalizing means in said housing and in said tubular sleeve on the side of said external seating shoulder opposite said valve closure means operable to equalize pressure in said housing and in said tubular sleeve on opposite sides of said valve closure means when said seating shoulder on said tubular sleeve is out of seating engagement with said external annular valve seat in said housing and before said closure means is rotated with respect to said tubular sleeve.

Claim 3

A valve including: a housing having a flow passage therethrough; an internal annular valve seat in said housing surrounding said flow passage; an elongate operator member longitudinally slidable in said housing and having a flow passage therein, said operator member having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with said iNternal annular valve seat in the housing to close off flow in said housing flow passage exteriorly of said operator member; a rotary valve closure member in said housing connected with said operator member to be moved therewith; said rotary closure member engaging one end of said operator member and being rotatable with respect to said operator member to open and close said flow passage in said operator member, said closure member closing said flow passage of said operator member when said external seating shoulder of said operator member is engaged with said internal annular valve seat of said housing to close off fluid flow through said flow passage in said operator member; and means providing equalizing flow passage means communication said housing flow passage with the flow passage in said operator means when said rotary valve closure member is in position closing said flow passage in said operator member and said external seating shoulder on said operator member is out of engagement with said internal annular valve seat in said housing and before rotation of said rotary valve closure member, whereby said rotary valve closure member is rotatable between positions opening and closing said flow passage of said operator member with fluid pressures thereacross equalized.

Claim 4

A valve including: a housing having a flow passage therethrough; an internal annular valve seat in said housing surrounding said flow passage; an elongate operator member longitudinally slidable in said housing and having a flow passage therein, said operator member having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with said iNternal annular valve seat in the housing to close off flow in said housing flow passage exteriorly of said operator member; a rotary valve closure member in said housing connected with said operator member to be moved therewith; said rotary closure member engaging one end of said operator member and being rotatable with respect to said operator member to open and close said flow passage in said operator member, said closure member closing said flow passage of said operator member when said external seating shoulder of said operator member is engaged with said internal annular valve seat of said housing to close off fluid flow through said flow passage in said operator member; and means providing equalizing flow passage means communication said housing flow passage with the flow passage in said operator means when said rotary valve closure member is in position closing said flow passage in said operator member and said external seating shoulder on said operator member is out of engagement with said internal annular valve seat in said housing and before rotation of said rotary valve closure member, whereby said rotary valve closure member is rotatable between positions opening and closing said flow passage of said operator member with fluid pressures thereacross equalized.

Claim 5

A valve of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein said fluid flow pressure equalizing means comprises: lateral port means in said tubular sleeve communicating the bore of the sleeve with the flow passage of said housing exteriorly of said sleeve providing a bypass flow passage to the opposite side of said rotary valve closure means; said external seating shoulder on said tubular sleeve and said internal annular valve seat in said housing passage coacting to close off fluid flow through said bypass flow passage when said tubular sleeve member is in one position in said housing and being spaced permitting flow through said bypass flow passage when said tubular sleeve is in another position in said housing.

Claim 6

A valve of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein: spaced stop shoulders are provided in said housing; and actuator means is movable in said housing between positions engaging said stop shoulders, said actuator means being operatively connected with said rotatable valve closure means for causing rotating movement of said closure means upon engagement of said actuator means with said stop shoulders and further longitudinal movement of said tubular sleeve and said rotatable valve closure means relative to said actuator means after said actuator means has engaged one of said stop shoulders, said actuator means being movable with said rotatable valve closure means a limited distance between positions engaging said stop shoulders of said housing whereby said rotatable valve closure means is not rotated during such longitudinal joint movement of said actuator means and said tubular sleeve and rotatable valve closure means.

Claim 7

A valve of the character set forth in claim 2 wherein: said operator member comprises a tubular sleeve member slidably mounted in said housing having a bore communicating with said housing flow passage and with said rotary valve closure member, said tubular sleeve member being operatively connected with said rotary valve closure member and having said external annular seating shoulder thereon; a lateral port in said tubular sleeve member on the side of the seating shoulder opposite said rotary valve closure member providing said equalizing flow passage means to opposite sides of said closure means when said seating shoulder is out of engagement with said internal annular valve seat in said housing and said rotary valve member is closing the bore of said tubular sleeve member; said seating shoulder on said tubular sleeve member and said internal valve seat in said housing flow passage engaging to close off fluid flow through said equalizing flow passage means when said tubular sleeve member is in one position in said housing and permitting flow through said equalIzing flow passage means when said tubular member is in another position in said housing with said seating shoulder out of engagement with said internal valve seat; spaced stop shoulders are provided in said housing; and actuator means is movable a limited distance in said housing between positions engaging said stop shoulders, said actuator means being operatively connected with said rotary valve closure member for causing rotating movement of said closure member upon longitudinal movement of said tubular sleeve member and said valve closure member relative to said actuator means, said actuator means being movable a limited distance with said closure member between said stop shoulders of said housing whereby said closure member is not rotated during such longitudinal joint movement of said actuator means and said tubular sleeve member and said valve closure member, said valve closure member being rotated while said internal valve seat in said housing and said external seating shoulder in said tubular sleeve member are out of engagement and in position permitting flow through said equalizing flow passage means.

Claim 8

A valve including: a housing having a flow passage therethrough; a valve seat in said housing surrounding said flow passage; rotatable valve closure and seat means in said housing comprising an elongate tubular seat member slidable in said flow passage and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with said valve seat in said housing to close off flow exteriorly of said rotatable valve closure and tubular seat member through said housing flow passage; said rotatable valve closure engaging and being rotatable with respect to said tubular seat member between an open position permitting flow through said tubular seat member and a closed position shutting off flow through said tubular seat member, whereby flow through said housing flow passage is cut off when said external annular seating shoulder on said tubular seat member is engaged with said valve seat in said housing flow passage and said rotatable valve closure is in closed position; and fluid flow pressure equalizing means communicating with the flow passage of said housing on opposite sides of said external annular seat shoulder on said tubular seat member for conducting equalizing fluid pressure into said tubular seat member past said rotatable valve closure when said external seating shoulder on said tubular seat member is out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing flow passage, whereby said rotatable valve closure is rotatable between positions opening and closing said flow passage of said tubular seat member with fluid pressures equalized thereacross.

Claim 9

A valve including: a housing having a flow passage therethrough; a valve seat in said housing surrounding said flow passage; rotatable valve closure and seat means in said housing comprising an elongate tubular seat member slidable in said flow passage and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with said valve seat in said housing to close off flow exteriorly of said rotatable valve closure and tubular seat member through said housing flow passage; said rotatable valve closure engaging and being rotatable with respect to said tubular seat member between an open position permitting flow through said tubular seat member and a closed position shutting off flow through said tubular seat member, whereby flow through said housing flow passage is cut off when said external annular seating shoulder on said tubular seat member is engaged with said valve seat in said housing flow passage and said rotatable valve closure is in closed position; and fluid flow pressure equalizing means communicating with the flow passage of said housing on opposite sides of said external annular seat shoulder on said tubular seat member for conducting equalizing fluid pressure into said tubular seat member past said rotatable valve closure when said external seating shoulder on said tubular seat member is out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing flow passage, whereby said rotatable valve closure is rotatable between positions opening and closing said flow passage of said tubular seat member with fluid pressures equalized thereacross.

Claim 10

A valve of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein said seat means includes: connector means provided between said rotatable valve closure and said tubular seat member for moving said rotatable valve closure with said tubular seat member; and actuator means connected with said housing and with said rotatable valve closure operable to rotate said valve closure on movement of said tubular seat member toward and away from said annular valve seat in said housing flow passage.

Claim 11

A valve of the character set forth in claim 7 wherein: said housing has a pair of spaced opposed stop means therein engageable by said actuator means, and said actuator means is movable a limited distance in said housing with respect to said stop means between points of engagement therewith, engagement of said actuator means with said stop means stopping movement of said actuator means and permitting movement of said tubular seat member and said rotary valve closure with respect to said actuator means to cause rotation of said rotary valve closure between open and closed positions with respect to said tubular seat member.

Claim 12

A valve of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein means is provided in said housing restraining movement of said tubular seat member and operable to cause rotary movement of said valve closure between open aNd closed positions with respect to said tubular seat member.

Claim 13

A valve including: a housing having a bore with an internal annular valve seat therein; an elongate tubular sleeve movable longitudinally in the housing and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with the valve seat in the housing; a rotatable closure member having a flow passage therethrough connected to the tubular sleeve and rotatable between positions opening and closing the bore of the tubular sleeve; actuator means on said housing and said rotatable closure member for rotating said closure member between open and closed positions and operable to rotate said closure member to closed position to close the bore of the tubular sleeve before said external seating shoulder on said tubular sleeve engages said valve seat in said housing and to hold said closure member in such bore closing position while said seating shoulder is engaged with said valve seat, said actuator means being operable to rotate said closure from said position closing said bore of said sleeve to a position opening said bore after said seating shoulder has been moved out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing and to hold said closure member in open position while said seating shoulder is out of engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 14

A valve including: a housing having a bore with an internal annular valve seat therein; an elongate tubular sleeve movable longitudinally in the housing and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon engageable with the valve seat in the housing; a rotatable closure member having a flow passage therethrough connected to the tubular sleeve and rotatable between positions opening and closing the bore of the tubular sleeve; actuator means on said housing and said rotatable closure member for rotating said closure member between open and closed positions and operable to rotate said closure member to closed position to close the bore of the tubular sleeve before said external seating shoulder on said tubular sleeve engages said valve seat in said housing and to hold said closure member in such bore closing position while said seating shoulder is engaged with said valve seat, said actuator means being operable to rotate said closure from said position closing said bore of said sleeve to a position opening said bore after said seating shoulder has been moved out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing and to hold said closure member in open position while said seating shoulder is out of engagement with said valve seat.

Claim 15

A rotary closure valve including: a housing having a bore with an internal annular valve seat therein surrounding said bore intermediate its ends; and elongate tubular sleeve slidable longitudinally in said housing and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon movable into and out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing bore; a rotatable valve closure member engageable with one end of said sleeve on the side of said external seating shoulder opposite said valve seat in the housing bore; means operatively connecting said rotatable valve closure member with said tubular sleeve for movement therewith and for rotation between positions opening and closing the bore through the sleeve; actuator means in said housing connected with said valve closure member for rotating said valve closure member between open and closed positions as said tubular sleeve moves longitudinally of said housing; means providing a lost motion connection between said housing and said actuator means permitting longitudinal movement of said tubular sleeve, said rotatable closure member and said actuator member without rotation of said rotatable closure member, whereby said tubular sleeve is movable into and out of engagement with said internal annular valve seat in said housing while said rotatable closure member is in position closing the bore of said sleeve; and bypass means in said housing and in said tubular sleeve for conducting fluid pressure between the bore of the tubular sleeve and the portion of the rotatable closure member opposite the end of the tubular sleeve and exposed in the flow passage of the housing, whereby the rotatable closure member may be rotated between open and closed positions under conditions of equalized fluid pressure.

Claim 16

A rotary closure valve including: a housing having a bore with an internal annular valve seat therein surrounding said bore intermediate its ends; and elongate tubular sleeve slidable longitudinally in said housing and having an external annular seating shoulder thereon movable into and out of engagement with said valve seat in said housing bore; a rotatable valve closure member engageable with one end of said sleeve on the side of said external seating shoulder opposite said valve seat in the housing bore; means operatively connecting said rotatable valve closure member with said tubular sleeve for movement therewith and for rotation between positions opening and closing the bore through the sleeve; actuator means in said housing connected with said valve closure member for rotating said valve closure member between open and closed positions as said tubular sleeve moves longitudinally of said housing; means providing a lost motion connection between said housing and said actuator means permitting longitudinal movement of said tubular sleeve, said rotatable closure member and said actuator member without rotation of said rotatable closure member, whereby said tubular sleeve is movable into and out of engagement with said internal annular valve seat in said housing while said rotatable closure member is in position closing the bore of said sleeve; and bypass means in said housing and in said tubular sleeve for conducting fluid pressure between the bore of the tubular sleeve and the portion of the rotatable closure member opposite the end of the tubular sleeve and exposed in the flow passage of the housing, whereby the rotatable closure member may be rotated between open and closed positions under conditions of equalized fluid pressure.