Multi-way valve

Claim 2

A multi-way valve comprising a tubular valve body having a side wall, an end wall closing one end of the tubular valve body and having a central aperture therethrough, the other end of the valve body being open, a plurality of circumferentially spaced ports opening through the side wall of the valve body between the ends thereof, a valve plug rotatably fitted within the valve body and having an outer surface sealingly engaged with an inner surface of the valve body, a plurality Of flow passageways in said valve plug selectively registerable with the ports in said valve body upon rotation of said valve plug to establish and interrupt flow between the ports, an axial bore through the valve plug, handle means separate from said valve plug and having an axial stem received in the axial bore in the valve plug with one end of the stem projecting beyond said other end of said valve plug and through said aperture in said end wall, and snap locking means on said one end of the stem snapped through said aperture to lock said stem and valve plug in the valve body.

Claim 3

A multi-way valve as in claim 1, wherein said valve body comprises a plastic material and said valve plug comprises a rubber material.

Claim 4

A multi-way valve as in claim 2, wherein said plastic material is polypropylene and said rubber material is medical grade rubber.

Claim 5

A multi-way valve as in claim 3, wherein said end wall is integral with said valve body.

Claim 6

A multi-way valve as in claim 4, wherein there are three ports in said valve body spaced 90* apart about the circumference thereof and there are three grooves in said valve plug spaced 90* apart about the circumference thereof and adapted to be brought into registry with the ports in said valve body.

Claim 7

A multi-way valve as in claim 5, wherein said handle means includes indicating means adapted to be aligned with said ports in said valve body to indicate which ports are open and which are closed.

Claim 8

A multi-way valve as in claim 6, wherein said valve plug has a cylindrical outer surface having a slightly greater diameter than the inner diameter of said valve body and engaged with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the valve body so that the plug is sealed with respect to the body except at said channel and said grooves so that flow is confined to said grooves and said channel.

Claim 9

A multi-way valve as in claim 1, wherein said bore has a polygonal cross section and said stem has a corresponding polygonal cross section to key said valve plug to said stem for rotation therewith.

Claim 10

A multi-way valve as in claim 8, wherein said bore and said stem are generally T-shaped in cross section.

Claim 11

A multi-way valve comprising a synthetic plastic valve body with a cylindrical side wall, a closed end and a open end, a central aperture through the closed end and of substantially less diameter than the closed end, an annular, radially inturned flange on the open end, three equally spaced apart tubular fittings integral with said cylindrical side wall intermediate the ends thereof and in the same plane, a plurality of ports through the side wall, each in communication with a respective fitting, and a solid, cylindrical, rubber valve plug rotatably positoned in the valve body and sealingly engaged at its outer surface with the cylindrical side wall, one end of said plug engaged against the closed end of the valve body, an axially projecting snap-locking extension integral with said one end of said valve plug and snap-locked through said central aperture, an annular groove in the outer surface of the plug at the other end thereof, said flange on said valve body received in said annular groove, an annular flow channel in the outer surface of said valve plug intermediate the ends thereof and spaced axially from the plane of the ports in the cylindrical side wall, the outer surface of said valve plug having a plurality of axially extending flow channels extending from said annular flow channel toward said ports and terminating in the plane of the ports, said plug rotatable to bring said axially extending flow channels into registry with said ports, and a handle means integral with said other end of said valve plug.

Claim 12

A multi-way valve comprising a synthetic plastic valve body with a cylindrical side wall, a closed end and a open end, a central aperture through the closed end and of substantially less diameter than the closed end, an annular, radially inturned flange on the open end, three equally spaced apart tubular fittings integral with said cylindrical side wall intermediate the ends thereof and in the same plane, a plurality of ports through the side wall, each in communication with a respective fitting, and a solid, cylindrical, rubber valve plug rotatably positoned in the valve body and sealingly engaged at its outer surface with the cylindrical side wall, one end of said plug engaged against the closed end of the valve body, an axially projecting snap-locking extension integral with said one end of said valve plug and snap-locked through said central aperture, an annular groove in the outer surface of the plug at the other end thereof, said flange on said valve body received in said annular groove, an annular flow channel in the outer surface of said valve plug intermediate the ends thereof and spaced axially from the plane of the ports in the cylindrical side wall, the outer surface of said valve plug having a plurality of axially extending flow channels extending from said annular flow channel toward said ports and terminating in the plane of the ports, said plug rotatable to bring said axially extending flow channels into registry with said ports, and a handle means integral with said other end of said valve plug.

Claim 13

A multi-way valve as in claim 10, wherein said handle means includes indicating means alignable with the ports in the valve body to indicate which ports are connected in fluid flow communicating relationship.

Claim 14

A multi-way valve as in claim 11, wherein said valve plUg is constructed of medical grade rubber and said valve body is constructed of polypropylene plastic material.