Bi-directional valve for cryogenic fluids

Claim 2

A valve comprising a body member provided with a passageway for fluids, a valve Disc rotatably mounted in the passageway for controlling the flow of fluids therethrough, bidirectional, thermally responsive sealing means mounted in the passageway of said body member for coaction with said valve disc to seal off the flow of fluids through the body member in both fluid flow directions through the passageway, said sealing means being constructed of a thermally sensitive resilient material and constructed for engaging the edge of the valve disc in leak-proof fashion, means for mechanically loading the sealing means to effect a seal at the edge of the valve disc, and mechanical responsive means mounted adjacent said sealing means and providing a sealing load to compensate for the expansion and contraction of said sealing means in response to temperature changes to provide an essentially constant sealing load.

Claim 3

A cryogenic valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotatable disc has a spherical sealing surface defined for coaction with the sealing means to maintain the disc in contact with the sealing means.

Claim 4

A cryogenic valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said rotatable disc is a butterfly valve arranged slightly offset from the sealing means.

Claim 5

A valve comprising a body member provided with a passageway for fluids, a valve disc rotatably mounted in the passageway for controlling the flow of fluids therethrough, bidirectional, thermally responsive sealing means mounted in the passageway of said body member for coaction with said valve disc to seal off the flow of fluids through the body member in both fluid flow directions through the passageway, said sealing means being constructed of a thermally sensitive resilient material and constructed and defined to have a pair of spaced beadlike projections for engaging the edge of the valve disc in leak-proof fashion, spring means for mechanically loading the sealing means to effect a seal at said bead-like projections, mechanical responsive spring means mounted adjacent said sealing means and providing a sealing load to compensate for the expansion and contraction of said sealing means in response to temperature changes to provide an essentially constant sealing load.

Claim 6

A valve comprising a body member provided with a passageway for fluids, a valve disc rotatably mounted in the passageway for controlling the flow of fluids therethrough, bidirectional, thermally responsive sealing means mounted in the passageway of said body member for coaction with said valve disc to seal off the flow of fluids through the body member in both fluid flow directions through the passageway, said sealing means being constructed of a thermally sensitive resilient material and constructed and defined to have a pair of spaced beadlike projections for engaging the edge of the valve disc in leak-proof fashion, spring means for mechanically loading the sealing means to effect a seal at said bead-like projections, mechanical responsive spring means mounted adjacent said sealing means and providing a sealing load to compensate for the expansion and contraction of said sealing means in response to temperature changes to provide an essentially constant sealing load.

Claim 7

A valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said sealing means is further constructed and defined to constrain the seal from blowing out downstream in both directions of fluid flow.

Claim 8

A valve as defined in claim 5 wherein said sealing means has a geometrical configuration for defining unbalanced pressures on the sealing means to render the sealing means pressure sensitive in both directions of fluid flow.

Claim 9

A valve as defined in claim 5 wherein said sealing means includes a seal constructed of Teflon.

Claim 10

A valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said first mentioned spring means comprises individual spring means for mechanically loading each of said beadlike projections.

Claim 11

A valve as defined in claim 8 wherein said valve disc has a spherical sealing surface defined for sealing coaction with the sealing means.

Claim 12

A valve as defined in claim 9 wherein said valve disc is a butterfly valve arranged slightly offset from the sealing means.

Claim 13

A valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said mechanical responsive spring means comprises a Belleville spring.

Claim 14

A valve as defined in claim 11 including retaining means for said spring means.