Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
A ball valve comprising a body having a valve chamber therein with an opening and with a pair of opposed passages communicating with said chamber, a closure secured to said body and closing the opening into said chamber, a ball positioned in said chamber and having a passage extending therethrough, means for mounting the ball for rotation in said chamber to control flow through said body passages, a metal seat ring seat assembly for providing a seating surface for one side of the ball a first shoulder surface being defined within the valve body, a second shoulder surface being defined within the metal seat ring assembly so that when the metal seat assembly is inserted into the valve body an annular groove is defined by said shoulder surfaces, a single sealing assembly surrounding the opening of one of said body passages into said valve chamber and including a pair of pressure responsive dual resilient cup shaped sealing rings, said sealing rings each having an open end and a closed end, being responsive to line pressure at their open ends and facing in opposite directions within said annular groove for sealing between said ball and said one of said body passages independent of the direction of flow or pressure, a pair of metal seal rings disposed within a surface of the dual seal rings providing a metal-to-metal seal between the seat ring and the valve body on opposite sides of said annular groove, and said ball being spaced from the opening of the other body passage into said valve chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
A ball valve comprising a body having a valve chamber therein with an opening and with a pair of opposed passages communicating with said chamber, a closure secured to said body and closing the opening into said chamber, a ball positioned in said chamber and having a passage extending therethrough, means for mounting the ball for rotation in said chamber to control flow through said body passages, a metal seat ring seat assembly for providing a seating surface for one side of the ball a first shoulder surface being defined within the valve body, a second shoulder surface being defined within the metal seat ring assembly so that when the metal seat assembly is inserted into the valve body an annular groove is defined by said shoulder surfaces, a single sealing assembly surrounding the opening of one of said body passages into said valve chamber and including a pair of pressure responsive dual resilient cup shaped sealing rings, said sealing rings each having an open end and a closed end, being responsive to line pressure at their open ends and facing in opposite directions within said annular groove for sealing between said ball and said one of said body passages independent of the direction of flow or pressure, a pair of metal seal rings disposed within a surface of the dual seal rings providing a metal-to-metal seal between the seat ring and the valve body on opposite sides of said annular groove, and said ball being spaced from the opening of the other body passage into said valve chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A ball valve according to claim 1 wherein said body has a top opening, and said closure is secured to said body to close said top opening.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A ball valve according to claim 2 including an upper shaft and a lower shaft on said ball, said housing forming a lower internal recess to receive said lower shaft, said closure having an opening through which said upper shaft extends, and means for sealing between said upper shaft and said closure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A ball valve according to claim 3 wherein said shaft and closure sealing means includes a metal-to-metal seal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
A ball valve according to claim 2 wherein said sealing assembly is movable in said valve chamber away from said ball to allow entry and removal of said ball, and includes means for urging said sealing assembly toward said ball.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A ball valve according to claim 1 wherein said body has an end opening, said closure is secured to said body over said end opening and includes one of said pair of opposed passages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A ball valve according to claim 6 including an upper shaft and a lower shaft on said ball, said body forming a lower internal recess to receive said lower shaft, an opening through said body to receive said upper shaft, and means for sealing between said upper shaft and the walls of said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A ball valve according to claim 7 including means for releasably securing said lower shaft in said recess.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A ball valve according to claim 8 including means on said lower shaft for connecting a removal rod thereto for removal through said upper opening.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A ball valve according to claim 9 wherein said connecting means includes: a threaded opening in the upper end of said lower shaft.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A ball valve according to claim 1 including means for resiliently urging said single sealing assembly toward said ball.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
242 words
A sealing assembly for sealing in a ball valve having a body with a valve chamber therein, a ball positioned within said valve chamber and spaced from the interior of said body and a closure, comprising a metal seat ring having an annular sealing surface for engaging the exterior surface of the ball and a groove in said annular sealing surface, a resilient seal ring in said groove, and a two-way seal ring for sealing between the exterior of the ring and the walls of the body surrounding said ring, said two-way ring including both a dual resilient seal for sealing against pressure from both directions and each of said resilient rings having a metal seal ring, said two-way seal further includes a first resilient seat ring for sealing against upstream pressure, a second resilient seal ring for sealing against downstream pressure, said first and second seal rings being disposed within an annular groove defined a shoulder within said valve body and a shoulder within said metal seat ring, a first metal seal ring embedded in said first resilient seal ring for sealing against upstream pressure when said first resilient seal ring has been destroyed, a second metal seal ring embedded in said second resilient seal ring for sealing against downstream pressure when said second resilient seal ring has been destroyed and said first and second metal seal rings being disposed on opposite sides of said first and second resilient seal rings.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
242 words
A sealing assembly for sealing in a ball valve having a body with a valve chamber therein, a ball positioned within said valve chamber and spaced from the interior of said body and a closure, comprising a metal seat ring having an annular sealing surface for engaging the exterior surface of the ball and a groove in said annular sealing surface, a resilient seal ring in said groove, and a two-way seal ring for sealing between the exterior of the ring and the walls of the body surrounding said ring, said two-way ring including both a dual resilient seal for sealing against pressure from both directions and each of said resilient rings having a metal seal ring, said two-way seal further includes a first resilient seat ring for sealing against upstream pressure, a second resilient seal ring for sealing against downstream pressure, said first and second seal rings being disposed within an annular groove defined a shoulder within said valve body and a shoulder within said metal seat ring, a first metal seal ring embedded in said first resilient seal ring for sealing against upstream pressure when said first resilient seal ring has been destroyed, a second metal seal ring embedded in said second resilient seal ring for sealing against downstream pressure when said second resilient seal ring has been destroyed and said first and second metal seal rings being disposed on opposite sides of said first and second resilient seal rings.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A sealing assembly according to claim 12 including means for resiliently urging said metal ring in its sealing direction.