Self-aligning trunnion ball valve

Claim 2

A valve comprising: a valve body member having an upstream end and a downstream end, a bore formed therein, and having a valve chamber formed therein intermediate the upstream and downstream ends; a valve member movable disposed within the valve chamber of said valve body member and having a first journal element and a second journal element formed thereon, said valve member being movable between a position opening the bore and a position closing the bore; a first bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the first journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber; a second bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the second journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber; and an annular seal carried in said valve body member adjacent the downstream end thereof and encircling the bore formed therein, said annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valve member.

Claim 3

A valve as defined in claim 1 characterized further to include: an annular seal carried in said valve body member adjacent the upstream end thereof and encircling the bore formed therein, said annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valve member.

Claim 4

A valve as defined in claim 1 characterized further to include: a downstream annular shoulder formed within said valve body member and intersecting the periphery of the valve chamber to limit the axial movement of said first and second bearing members in the downstream direction; and an upstream annular shoulder formed within said valve body member intersecting the periphery of the valve chamber to limit the axial movement of said first and second bearing members in the upstream direction.

Claim 5

A valve as defined in claim 1 characterized further to include: a valve stem extending through said valve body member and operatingly connected at the inner end thereof to the first journal element for moving said valve member between a position opening the bore and a position closing the bore.

Claim 6

A valve as defined in claim 4 wherein the connection between said valve stem and the first journal element comprises: a tongue formed on the inner end of said valve stem; and a recess formed on the first journal element and non-rotatably receiving said tongue; and wherein said first bearing member is characterized further to include: a longitudinal groove formed therein adjacent the peripherY of the valve chamber, said longitudinal groove being sized to allow passage of said tongue therethrough so that said first and second bearing members may be axially inserted into the valve chamber with said valve member rotatably supported therebetween and with said valve stem installed in said valve body member.

Claim 7

In a valve of the type which comprises: a valve body member having an upstream end and a downstream end, a bore formed therein, and having a substantially cylindrically shaped valve chamber with a diameter greater than the bore and substantially coaxial therewith formed therein intermediate the upstream and downstream ends; a valve member movably disposed within the valve chamber of said valve body member and having a first journal element and a second journal element formed thereon, said valve member being movable between a position opening the bore and a position closing the bore, the improvement comprising: a first bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the first journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber; and a second bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the second journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber.

Claim 8

In a valve of the type which comprises: a valve body member having an upstream end and a downstream end, a bore formed therein, and having a substantially cylindrically shaped valve chamber with a diameter greater than the bore and substantially coaxial therewith formed therein intermediate the upstream and downstream ends; a valve member movably disposed within the valve chamber of said valve body member and having a first journal element and a second journal element formed thereon, said valve member being movable between a position opening the bore and a position closing the bore, the improvement comprising: a first bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the first journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber; and a second bearing member slidably disposed in the valve chamber and rotatably receiving the second journal element of said valve member and being axially movable along the periphery of the valve chamber.

Claim 9

A valve as defined in claim 6 characterized further to include: an annular seal carried in said valve body member adjacent the downstream end thereof and encircling the bore formed therein, said annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valve member.

Claim 10

A valve as defined in claim 7 characterized further to include: a downstream annular shoulder formed within said valve body member and intersecting the periphery of the valve chamber to limit the axial movement of said first and second bearing members in the downstream direction; and an upstream annular shoulder formed within said valve body member and intersecting the periphery of the valve chamber to limit the axial movement of said first and second bearing members in the upstream direction.

Claim 11

A valve as defined in claim 8 characterized further to include: an annular seal carried in said valve body member adjacent the upstream end thereof and encircling the bore formed therein, said annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valve member.

Claim 12

A valve comprising: a valve body member having an upstream end, a downstream end, a bore extending therethrough and intersecting the ends thereof, a first annular shoulder intersecting the bore and extending radially inward therefrom adjacent the downstream end, and a second annular shoulder intersecting the bore and extending radially inward therefrom adjacent the upstream end; a first bearing member disposed within the bore of said valve body member intermediate the first and second annular shoulders and being axially slidably movable within the bore between the first and second annular shoulders; a second bearing member disposed within the bore of said valve body member intermediate the first and second annular shoulders and being axially slidably movable within said bore between the first and second annular shoulders; and a valve member disposed within the bore of said valve body member and having first and second journal elements formed thereon, the first journal element being rotatably received in said first bearing member and the second journal element being rotatably received in said second bearing member, whereby said valve member is rotatably supported within the bore of said valve body member and is axially movable therein.

Claim 13

A valve comprising: a valve body member having an upstream end, a downstream end, a bore extending therethrough and intersecting the ends thereof, a first annular shoulder intersecting the bore and extending radially inward therefrom adjacent the downstream end, and a second annular shoulder intersecting the bore and extending radially inward therefrom adjacent the upstream end; a first bearing member disposed within the bore of said valve body member intermediate the first and second annular shoulders and being axially slidably movable within the bore between the first and second annular shoulders; a second bearing member disposed within the bore of said valve body member intermediate the first and second annular shoulders and being axially slidably movable within said bore between the first and second annular shoulders; and a valve member disposed within the bore of said valve body member and having first and second journal elements formed thereon, the first journal element being rotatably received in said first bearing member and the second journal element being rotatably received in said second bearing member, whereby said valve member is rotatably supported within the bore of said valve body member and is axially movable therein.

Claim 14

A valve as defined in claim 10 characterized further to include: a first annular seal axially movably carried in said valve body member adjacent the downstream end thereof and concentric with the bore extending therethrough, said first annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valvE member.

Claim 15

A valve as defined in claim 11 characterized further to include: a second annular seal axially movably carried in said valve body member adjacent the upstream end thereof and concentric with the bore extending therethrough, said second annular seal having a surface thereof sealingly engaging said valve member.

Claim 16

A valve as defined in claim 12 characterized further to include: first biasing means for biasing said first annular seal axially toward said valve member; and second biasing means for biasing said second annular seal axially toward said valve member.

Claim 17

A valve as defined in claim 13 characterized further to include: a valve stem extending through said valve body member and connected at the inner end thereof to the first journal element formed on said valve member for turning said valve member between a position wherein the valve is open and a position wherein the valve is closed; and wherein said first and second biasing means urge said valve member into alignment with said valve stem when said valve member is in the position wherein the valve is open.

Claim 18

A valve as defined in claim 14 wherein said first and second bearing members are sized to limit the axial downstream movement of said valve member within said valve body member by engaging the first annular shoulder of said valve body member before said first annular seal reaches its maximum axial downstream travel within said valve body member.

Claim 19

A valve as defined in claim 15 wherein the inner end of said valve stem is rotatably received in said first bearing member thereby preventing rotation of said valve member about the axis of the bore through said valve body member.

Claim 20

A valve as defined in claim 15 characterized further to include: means for preventing rotation of said valve member about the axis of the bore through said valve body member.