Ball valve

Claim 2

In a ball valve utilized in high temperature applications having appreciable quantities of agglomerating materials in the fluid stream, characterized by having a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a ball, a valve stem, a packing cup, stem packing and a valve seat, an improved movable valve seating means comprising a spring washer coaxially disposed in said valve body inlet port upstream of said valve ball, a movable valve seating ring coaxially carried by the inner diameter portion of said spring washer and having an arcuate seating surface for sealing contact with the surface of said valve ball, said spring washer flexing under the differential pressure applied over the spring washer surface when said valve ball is closed for increasing the sealing force exerted by said valve seating ring against said valve ball, and an inlet port throat having a conical surface tapering toward said spring washer and terminating adjacent said washer for providing a wedge-shaped void therebetween opening into the fluid stream through the valve, said conical surface cooperating with the relative movement of said spring washer due to pressure and thermal differentials for forming a means for subjecting solid agglomerating material accumulating adjacent to and upstream of said spring washer to shear forces for fracturing said solid agglomerating material and expelling said material into the fluid stream.

Claim 3

The improvement defined in claim 1, further including a spring retainer ring removably disposed in the inlet port of said valve body to retain said spring washer in place, said retainer ring having said conical throat surface tapering toward said spring washer for providing said wedge-shaped void therebetween for permitting agglomerated materials in said void to move upon flexing of said spring washer.

Claim 4

The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said spring washer has a flat cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 5

The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said spring washer has a conical cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 6

The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said spring washer and valve seating ring form a unitary element fabricated from a single material.

Claim 7

The improvement defined in claim 1, wherein said spring washer and said spring retainer ring form a unitary element fabricated from a single material.

Claim 8

An improved ball valve for utilization in high temperature applications having appreciable quantities of agglomerating material in the fluid stream, comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a valve ball disposed in said valve body between said inlet and outlet ports, a valve stem projecting through said valve body and connected to said valve ball for controlling the rotation of said ball, sealing means for sealing the space between said valve body and said valve stem, a spring washer coaxially disposed in said inlet port of said valve body upstream of said valve ball, a movable valve seating ring coaxially carried by the inner diameter portion of said spring washer and having an arcuate seating surface for sealing engagement with the seating surface of said valve ball, said spring washer flexing under the differential pressure applied over the spring washer surface when said valve ball is closed for increasing the sealing force exerted by said valve seating ring against said valve ball, and an inlet port throat having a conical surface tapering toward said spring washer and terminating adjacent said washer for forming a wedge-shaped cavity therebetween opening into the fluid stream through the valve, said conical surface cooperating with the relative movement of said spring washer due to pressure and thermal differentials for forming a means for subjecting solid agglomerating material accumulating adjacent to and upstream of said spring washer to shear forces for fracturing said solid agglomerating material and expelling said material into the fluid stream.

Claim 9

An improved ball valve for utilization in high temperature applications having appreciable quantities of agglomerating material in the fluid stream, comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a valve ball disposed in said valve body between said inlet and outlet ports, a valve stem projecting through said valve body and connected to said valve ball for controlling the rotation of said ball, sealing means for sealing the space between said valve body and said valve stem, a spring washer coaxially disposed in said inlet port of said valve body upstream of said valve ball, a movable valve seating ring coaxially carried by the inner diameter portion of said spring washer and having an arcuate seating surface for sealing engagement with the seating surface of said valve ball, said spring washer flexing under the differential pressure applied over the spring washer surface when said valve ball is closed for increasing the sealing force exerted by said valve seating ring against said valve ball, and an inlet port throat having a conical surface tapering toward said spring washer and terminating adjacent said washer for forming a wedge-shaped cavity therebetween opening into the fluid stream through the valve, said conical surface cooperating with the relative movement of said spring washer due to pressure and thermal differentials for forming a means for subjecting solid agglomerating material accumulating adjacent to and upstream of said spring washer to shear forces for fracturing said solid agglomerating material and expelling said material into the fluid stream.

Claim 10

The ball valve defined in claim 7, further including a spring retainer ring disposed in the inlet port of said valve body for retaining said spring washer in place, the inner surface of said spring retainer ring facing said spring washer having a conical cross-sectional configuration for forming said wedge-shaped cavity between said spring retainer ring and said spring washer for permitting agglomerated materials from the fluid stream to move upon flexing of said spring washer.

Claim 11

The valve defined in claim 7, wherein said spring washer has a flat cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 12

The valve defined in claim 7, wherein said spring washer has a conical cross-sectional configuration.

Claim 13

The valve defined in claim 7, wherein said spring washer and valve seating ring are formed together as a unitary element.

Claim 14

The valve defined in claim 7, wherein said spring washer and said spring retainer ring are formed together as a unitary element.

Claim 15

The valve defined in claim 7, wherein said valve ball is of a floating type and wherein said valve further includes a fixed valve seating ring coaxially disposed in said valve body adjacent said outlet port for contacting and supporting said valve ball and sealingly contacting said valve ball surface.

Claim 16

An improved ball valve for utilization in high temperature applications having appreciable quantities of agglomerating materials in the fluid stream, comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a valve ball disposed in said valve body between said inlet and outlet ports, a valve stem projecting through said valve body and connected to said valve ball for controlling the rotation of said ball, sealing means for sealing the space between said valve body and said valve stem, a spring washer coaxially disposed in said inlet port of said valve body upstream of said valve ball, a movable valve seating ring coaxially carried by the inner diameter portion of said spring washer and having an arcuate seating sealing engagement with the seating surface of said valve ball, said spring washer flexing under the differential pressure applied over the spring washer surface when said valve ball is closed for increasing the sealing force exerted by said valve seating ring against said valve ball, and a spring retainer ring disposed in the inlet port of said valve body for retaining said spring washer and valve seating ring in place, the surface of said spring retainer ring facing said spring washer having a conical cross-sectional configuration for forming a wedge-shaped cavity between said spring retainer ring and said spring washer, said conical surface cooperating with the relative movement of said spring washer due to pressure and thermal differentials for forming a means for subjecting solid agglomerating material accumulating adjacent to and upstream of said spring washer to shear forces for fracturing said solid agglomerating material and expelling said material into the fluid stream.

Claim 17

An improved ball valve for utilization in high temperature applications having appreciable quantities of agglomerating materials in the fluid stream, comprising a valve body having inlet and outlet ports, a valve ball disposed in said valve body between said inlet and outlet ports, a valve stem projecting through said valve body and connected to said valve ball for controlling the rotation of said ball, sealing means for sealing the space between said valve body and said valve stem, a spring washer coaxially disposed in said inlet port of said valve body upstream of said valve ball, a movable valve seating ring coaxially carried by the inner diameter portion of said spring washer and having an arcuate seating sealing engagement with the seating surface of said valve ball, said spring washer flexing under the differential pressure applied over the spring washer surface when said valve ball is closed for increasing the sealing force exerted by said valve seating ring against said valve ball, and a spring retainer ring disposed in the inlet port of said valve body for retaining said spring washer and valve seating ring in place, the surface of said spring retainer ring facing said spring washer having a conical cross-sectional configuration for forming a wedge-shaped cavity between said spring retainer ring and said spring washer, said conical surface cooperating with the relative movement of said spring washer due to pressure and thermal differentials for forming a means for subjecting solid agglomerating material accumulating adjacent to and upstream of said spring washer to shear forces for fracturing said solid agglomerating material and expelling said material into the fluid stream.