Tubular valve and body structure

Claim 1

Valve structure comprising a generally cylindrical valve housing having a port at one side thereof, a collar surrounding said port and having a continuous flange conforming and secured to the outer cylindrically shaped surface of the housing surrounding said port, said collar having a cylindrical outer end portion extending outwardly of said housing from said port, a short tube section having a cylindrical inner end portion conforming and secured to the cylindrical outer end portion of said collar, one of said cylindrical end portions having a radially inwardly extending seal-supporting flange, a resilient, generally tubular seal having a generally cylindrical outer portion provided with a radially outwardly extending flange engaging the outer side of said seal-supporting flange, said seal extending through said port and having an inner end portion cylindrically shaped at its outer surface to conform to the inner surface of said valve housing and similarly shaped at its inner surface to provide a valve seat surrounding said port, and a generally cylindrical valve element rotatably received in said valve housing for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of said housing, said valve element having a passage extending laterally therethrough and having a generally cylindrically shaped exterior imperforate surface portion engageable with the valve seat provided by the inner end of said seal upon rotation of said valve element to close said valve.