Throttle valve

Claim 1

A flow control valve comprising a tubular valve body having a flow passage therethrough provided with an inlet and an outlet end, said tubular valve body being uniformly tapered in a converging and diverging fashion to form a venturi extending through the valve body from the inlet end to the outlet end of the flow passage; fluid flow regulating means comprising a plurality of individually overlapping curved vanes constructed and arranged to conform to the interior of said valve body and in the same direction, said vanes being cooperatively arranged within said valve body to form an essentially frusto-conic assembly of said vanes defining a flow regulating orifice of variable diameter at the throat of said venturi for varying the fluid flow through said valve, said vanes being adjustably supported within said valve body in position to act upon fluid flowing through the valve body to effect a regulation of the flowing fluid; a plurality of shafts, one for each vane, extending into the interior of said valve body transverse to the flow passage and operably connected to said vanes to effect selective simultaneous adjustment of said vane regulating means when actuated; and an actuator carried by said valve body externally thereof and operably connected to said shafts to drive said shafts wherein the vanes are selectively positioned simultaneously to effect a desired regulation of the flow of fluid through the valve.