Fluid control valve with retractable body seat

Claim 1

A fluid control valve comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, and an intermediate chamber communicative with the ports, a movable valve member in the chamber and movable between open and closed positions relative to the ports, the valve member having seat means thereon and movable therewith, at least one of the ports having a counterbore therein adjacent the chamber, normally stationary retractable body seat means mounted in the counterbore, the body seat means comprising a carrier movable between positions in engagement with and out of engagement with the valve member seat means, sealing means mounted between the carrier and the body to effectively seal the carrier, a flange on one surface of the carrier having free side portions and extending beyond the carrier, the flange being movable with the carrier, abutment means fixedly mounted within the counterbore and limiting the movement of the carrier and flange in one direction, the counterbore limiting the movement of the carrier and flange in the other direction, sealing means between the abutment means and the carrier to effectively seal the same, the carrier having a nose portion on an outer end thereof, sealing means within the nose portion, retaining means on the nose portion retaining the seal within the nose portion, a sleeve fixed within the counterbore and inwardly of the carrier and supporting the carrier within the counterbore, the sleeve having a nose portion on an outer end thereof, retaining means on the sleeve nose portion and cooperating with the retaining means on the carrier nose portion to retain the last mentioned seal means, separate pressure actuator means acting on either of one of the free side portions of the flange to effect movement of the carrier into and out of engagement with the valve member seal means, the carrier nose portion when moved into engagement with the valve member seal means causing the seal means in cooperation with the sleeve nose portion to be compressed and forced into engagement with the valve member seat means thus sealing the engagement of the valve member seat means with the body seat means, and when pressure is applied to move the carrier nose portion and seal means out of engagement with the valve member seat means, frictional drag on the valve member is eliminated whereby the valve member may be moved to open and closed positions with ease and also wear on the body seat means is greatly reduced.