US3773085A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Noise suppressing throttling valve
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1971-01-14
•
Granted: 1973-11-20
•
Expires: 1991-01-14
Abstract
Abstract A noise suppressing steam throttle valve comprises a pair of concentric seats and plugs, the inner seat and plug being disposed within the outer plug, and a plurality of ducts disposed in the outer plug for the steam to flow from upstream of the outer plug to upstream of the inner seat. Upon opening the valve, the inner plug moves upwardly allowing steam to flow through an increasing number of ducts as it opens, and opens fully before the outer plug moves off the outer seat. The ducts break up the steam flowing therethrough into small discrete jets which reduce the noise caused by the high pressure drop across the inner seat at low lifts. When the outer plug lifts off its seat the quantity of steam flowing through the ducts decreases until it approaches zero flow as the outer plug approaches its fully open position, thus minimizing the pressure drop across the fully open valve by allowing unrestricted flow across the outer seat.
Inventors
- 👤 W Caldwell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:30
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16K; F16K47/00; F16K47/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86493; Y10T137/86718; Y10T137/86734; Y10T137/86928; Y10T137/86936; Y10T137/86944; Y10T137/86984
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
264 words
A noise suppressing throttle valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet fluid passages; a first valve seat disposed between said inlet and outlet passages and providing a fluid passageway therebetween; a first valve plug having a central opening and an annular seating surface which registers with an annular seating surface on said first valve seat to stop the flow of fluid passing said seating surfaces from flowing from said inlet to said outlet passage; a second valve seat disposed in said central opening of said first valve plug; a second valve plug disposed in said central opening and having an annular seating surface which registers with an annular seating surface on said second valve seat to stop the flow of fluid passing said second seating surface from flowing from said central opening to said outlet passage; a plurality of elongated ducts having small cross sectional dimensions relative to their length disposed in the first plug to provide a plurality of discrete jets of fluid which reduce the intensity of the noise produced by the fluid as it flows from said inlet passage to said central opening; and a valve stem fastened to said second plug; the first and second plugs being cooperatively associated in such a manner that when opening said valve, said second plug comes off said second seat and opens fully before said first plug comes off said first seat, and when closing said valve, said first plug contacts said first seat blocking the fluid flow between said first seating surfaces before the second plug begins to throttle the steam flow.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
264 words
A noise suppressing throttle valve comprising a body having inlet and outlet fluid passages; a first valve seat disposed between said inlet and outlet passages and providing a fluid passageway therebetween; a first valve plug having a central opening and an annular seating surface which registers with an annular seating surface on said first valve seat to stop the flow of fluid passing said seating surfaces from flowing from said inlet to said outlet passage; a second valve seat disposed in said central opening of said first valve plug; a second valve plug disposed in said central opening and having an annular seating surface which registers with an annular seating surface on said second valve seat to stop the flow of fluid passing said second seating surface from flowing from said central opening to said outlet passage; a plurality of elongated ducts having small cross sectional dimensions relative to their length disposed in the first plug to provide a plurality of discrete jets of fluid which reduce the intensity of the noise produced by the fluid as it flows from said inlet passage to said central opening; and a valve stem fastened to said second plug; the first and second plugs being cooperatively associated in such a manner that when opening said valve, said second plug comes off said second seat and opens fully before said first plug comes off said first seat, and when closing said valve, said first plug contacts said first seat blocking the fluid flow between said first seating surfaces before the second plug begins to throttle the steam flow.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for locking the first and second plugs together so they act in unison, after said first plug is moved off the first seat as the valve opens and remain so locked until the first plug approaches said first seat as the valve closes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A valve as set forth in claIm 1 and further comprising a circumferential groove in the valve stem and latching means which register with said groove to latch the first and second plugs together after said first plug is moved off the first seat, and which allows the second plug to move independently when the first plug approaches said first seat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising guide means for aligning the seating surface of the first plug with the seating surface of the first seat.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1 and further comprising guide means for aligning the first plug with the first seat, a circumferential groove in the valve stem, rods slidably mounted in radially extending bores in said first plug, biasing means for urging the rods in a radially outward direction, and cam surfaces on the guide means which cause said rods to register with said circumferential groove in the valve stem after the first plug is moved off its seat causing the first and second plugs to act in unison until the first plug approaches the first seat.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ducts extend out radially from the central opening in the first plug.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of rows of radially extending ducts disposed in said first plug to provide a progressively increasing number of discrete jets of fluid as the second plug moves away from its seat, and thereby minimize the noise produced by the fluid as it flows from the inlet passage to the central cavity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central opening is concentric with the axis of the first plug and the central opening has three portions, a diverging portion which begins to diverge adjacent the second seat, a cylindrical portion having a relatively large diameter for receiving the second plug, and a guide portion through which the stem slides freely.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-19 | 1977-05-21 | 1977-11-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-19 | 1981-05-21 | 1981-11-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-19 | 1985-05-21 | 1985-11-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |