Resilient connection between stem and plug of plug valve

Claim 2

A connector that transmits to the rotatable element of a plug valve the rotary movements of a coaxial stem by which said valve element can be adjustingly actuated, which connector is characterized by: a member which is anchored to the stem and which extends laterally in opposite directions therefrom, portions of said member that are laterally spaced from the stem and at opposite sides thereof being anchored to the valve element, said member having substantial area normal to the stem axis so as to be substantially undeformed by torsional forces about said axis, and thus constraining the valve element to partake of all rotation of the stem, but being thin in the direction of said axis and resilient so as to be elastically deformable to permit the valve element to swing relative to the stem in directions transverse to said axis.

Claim 3

A connector that transmits to the rotatable valve element of a plug valve the rotary movements of a coaxial stem by which said valve element can be adjustingly actuated, said connector comprising: A. a plate-like member that is resiliently deformable in directions transverse to its thickness but is rigid in directions generally parallel to its surfaces; B. means on the central poRtion of the plate-like member by which the same is anchored to the stem with its surfaces generally radial to the stem; and C. means anchoring to the valve element opposite edge portions of the plate-like member which are spaced from the stem at equal distances to opposite sides thereof so that the valve element is constrained to partake of all rotation of the stem but by reason of the resilient deformability of said member can swing relative to the stem in directions transverse to the stem axis.

Claim 4

A connector that transmits to the rotatable valve element of a plug valve the rotary movements of a coaxial stem by which said valve element can be adjustingly actuated, said connector comprising: A. a plate-like member that is resiliently deformable in directions transverse to its thickness but is rigid in directions generally parallel to its surfaces; B. means on the central poRtion of the plate-like member by which the same is anchored to the stem with its surfaces generally radial to the stem; and C. means anchoring to the valve element opposite edge portions of the plate-like member which are spaced from the stem at equal distances to opposite sides thereof so that the valve element is constrained to partake of all rotation of the stem but by reason of the resilient deformability of said member can swing relative to the stem in directions transverse to the stem axis.

Claim 5

said means anchoring said opposite edge portions of the plate-like member to the valve element comprise weldments.

Claim 6

said means anchoring said opposite edge portions of the plate-like member to the valve element comprise weldments.

Claim 7

a weldment securing said collar-like part to the central portion of the plate-like member.

Claim 8

a weldment securing said collar-like part to the central portion of the plate-like member.

Claim 9

said plate-like member is substantially rectangular with longer edges spaced to opposite sides of said collar-like part and extending lengthwise parallel to a passage through the valve element; and

Claim 10

said plate-like member is substantially rectangular with longer edges spaced to opposite sides of said collar-like part and extending lengthwise parallel to a passage through the valve element; and

Claim 11

The connector of claim 2, further characterized by: said means on the central portion of the plate-like member comprising a collar-like part closely embracing the stem and secured thereto.

Claim 12

The connector of claim 3 wherein:

Claim 13

the shorter edge portions of the plate-like member are received in a shallow well in the valve element and are contiguous to the circumferential surface thereof, said weldments extending along the shorter edges.

Claim 14

the shorter edge portions of the plate-like member are received in a shallow well in the valve element and are contiguous to the circumferential surface thereof, said weldments extending along the shorter edges.

Claim 15

The connector of claim 4 wherein:

Claim 16

The connector of claim 3 wherein the valve element is made of sheet metal and has opposite holes therein which define a passage therethrough, further characterized by:

Claim 17

The connector of claim 2 wherein said plate-like member has corrugations that extend substantially concentrically to the stem axis.

Claim 18

The connector of claim 2 wherein said plate-like member is substantially rectangular, with longer edges spaced to opposite sides of the stem and extending lengthwise parallel to a passage through the valve element, and with shorter edges comprising said opposite edge portions which are anchored to the valve element.