Gate valve structure

Claim 2

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said through-bore, and said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore, said gate valve member having a second bore aligned with said first bore; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gate member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gate member, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member in said second bore and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main; a blowout plug carried in said second bore of said valve gate member beneath the end of said lower valve stem.

Claim 3

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said last mentioned means (D) includes an annular wiper ring carried in a groove provided in the bore of said valve gate member and an annular resilient sealing ring carried in a second annular groove also provided in the bore of said valve gate member, said annular sealing ring being closer to the chamber within said valve gate member than said annular wiper ring.

Claim 4

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said resilient sealing ring is an O-ring.

Claim 5

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said valve gate member is provided with a resilient covering on the exterior thereof for at least making contact with said valve seat means when said valve gate member is in the closed position.

Claim 6

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 1, in which the upper end portion of said upper valve stem is provided with a peripheral groove where it extends through the bore in said bonnet member and in which a plug member carried by said bonnet member extends into said groove to restrain said upper valve stem against axial movement, as well as to support said upper valve stem, said valve gate member, and said lower valve stem in any position of said valve gate member.

Claim 7

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said throuGh-bore, and said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore, said valve gate member being provided with a resilient covering on the exterior thereof for at least making contact with said valve seat means when said valve gate member is in the closed position; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gage member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gage member, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main, said wiping and sealing means (D) including an annular resilient beadlike enlargement molded integrally as a part of the resilient covering and surrounding the bore in said valve gate member, said annular beadlike enlargement having an interior diameter, when relaxed, less than the exterior diameter of the upper valve stem, said upper valve stem extending through said beadlike enlargement in all positions of said valve gate member.

Claim 8

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said throuGh-bore, and said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore, said valve gate member being provided with a resilient covering on the exterior thereof for at least making contact with said valve seat means when said valve gate member is in the closed position; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gage member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gage member, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main, said wiping and sealing means (D) including an annular resilient beadlike enlargement molded integrally as a part of the resilient covering and surrounding the bore in said valve gate member, said annular beadlike enlargement having an interior diameter, when relaxed, less than the exterior diameter of the upper valve stem, said upper valve stem extending through said beadlike enlargement in all positions of said valve gate member.

Claim 9

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 6, including a split sleeve wiper slidably mounted on said upper valve stem, said split sleeve wiper having a bead at one end which confines said enlargement.

Claim 10

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 7, in which said resilient covering is rubber.

Claim 11

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said through-bore, and said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gate member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gate member, the upper end portion of said upper valve stem having a perIpheral groove where it extends through the bore in said bonnet member, a plug member carried by said bonnet member and extending into said groove to restrain said upper valve stem against axial movement, as well as to support said upper valve stem, said valve gate member, and the lower valve stem in any position of said valve gate member, an operating nut carried on the upper end of said upper valve stem, sealing means between said bonnet and the upper end portion of said upper valve stem on both sides of said plug member, the uppermost of said sealing means being replaceable by removal of said operating nut from said upper valve stem, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main.

Claim 12

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said through-bore, and said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gate member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gate member, the upper end portion of said upper valve stem having a perIpheral groove where it extends through the bore in said bonnet member, a plug member carried by said bonnet member and extending into said groove to restrain said upper valve stem against axial movement, as well as to support said upper valve stem, said valve gate member, and the lower valve stem in any position of said valve gate member, an operating nut carried on the upper end of said upper valve stem, sealing means between said bonnet and the upper end portion of said upper valve stem on both sides of said plug member, the uppermost of said sealing means being replaceable by removal of said operating nut from said upper valve stem, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main.

Claim 13

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 9 in which the uppermost of said sealing means includes an annular groove extending about the bore in said bonnet member at its end opening to the exterior thereof, an O-ring seal in said groove, said groove having an axial length greater than the radial dimension of said O-ring seal, and an annular spacer element fitting into said groove and against said O-ring seal, said annular spacer element urged against said O-ring seal by said operating nut to apply a predetermined load thereon.

Claim 14

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 9, in which said upper valve stem rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet has an end portion extending exteriorly of the same, said end portion having exterior threads of a predetermined diameter along a section of its length where it immediately extends from the end of the bore opening to the exterior of the bonnet, a second set of exterior threads of reduced diameter immediately adjacent thereto, an adjusting collar threaded onto said first section of threads to position the upper stem in said bore, a locknut threaded onto said second section of threads for locking said adjusting collar, and an operating nut carried by the end portion of the upper valve stem outwardly of said adjusting collar and locknut.

Claim 15

A gate valve structure as claimed in claim 11 in which the uppermost of said sealing means includes an annular groove surrounding the bore of said bonnet at its end opening to the exterior of the bonnet, an O-ring seal in said groove and having a radial dimension less than the axial length of said groove, and a compensating annular spacer element urged by said adjusting collar into said groove to provide a predetermined load on said O-ring seal.

Claim 16

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member by a plurality of bolt means and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said through-bore, said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof, said bonnet member further having a pair of oppositely disposed lifting ears, each of said ears having an aperture therethrough whereby said bonnet member may be easily lifted off of and positioned on said body member when said bolt means are removed and said ears being positioned to reinforce said bonnet member in the area adjacent to said bore; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gate member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gate member, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main.

Claim 17

A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid under high pressure comprising: A. a valve casing including a body member having a through-bore for the flow of fluid and a bonnet member fixedly attached to said body member by a plurality of bolt means and defining therewith a chamber opening to said through-bore, said body member having seat means therein surrounding said through-bore, said bonnet member having a bore opening at one end to the exterior thereof and at the other end to the interior thereof, said bonnet member further having a pair of oppositely disposed lifting ears, each of said ears having an aperture therethrough whereby said bonnet member may be easily lifted off of and positioned on said body member when said bolt means are removed and said ears being positioned to reinforce said bonnet member in the area adjacent to said bore; B. a generally flat valve gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior of the valve gate member by a bore, said valve gate member being slidable from a closed position across said through-bore and seating against said seating means to an open position within said chamber of said valve casing and out of said through-bore; C. means for moving said gate member between said closed and open positions, said means including an upper hollow valve stem having its upper end portion rotatably supported in the bore of said bonnet but restrained against axial movement relative thereto, said upper valve stem having a smooth exterior and its lower end portion extending through the bore of said valve gate member and into the chamber of said valve gate member at all positions of movement of said valve gate member, and a lower valve stem fixedly supported to said gate member and extending upwardly within the chamber of said gate member into the upper valve stem, said upper and lower valve stems having cooperating threads whereby, when said upper valve stem is rotated, said lower valve stem telescopes within the same to move said gate member; and D. means between the exterior of said upper valve stem and said gate member to wipe clean the smooth exterior of said upper valve stem during movement of said gate member and to provide a seal between the exterior of said valve gate member and the chamber within said valve gate member so that the interior of said valve gate member is not exposed to fluid pressure of the main.