Rotary ball valve assembly

Claim 1

A high pressure valve of the type that includes an elongate valve body that has first and second passages extending longitudinally therethrough from an upper first end and a lower second end that is their junction define a circular body shoulder, a lower valve seat assembly in said first passage that rests on said body shoulder and is partially defined by a resilient member; a ball member in said valve body, said ball member having a diametrical passage therein that may be aligned with said first and second passages when said ball member is rotated from a first to a second position, said ball member when in said first position being longitudinally movable relative to said valve body, means for rotating said valve member between said first and second positions, said high pressure valve being characterized by including an upper valve seat assembly in said first passage that distributes an upwardly directed longitudinal force exerted by high pressure fluid in said second passage on said ball member both longitudinally and tranversely to said valve body, when said ball member is in said first position, said upper valve seat assembly including: a. a rigid ring slidably mounted in said first passage, said rigid ring having a concave surface in abutting contact with said ball member, with the internal diameter of said ring greater than the diameter of said second passage, said concave surface having a first circular recess therein, and said rigid ring including a cylindrical side surface and a top surface; b. a first resilient ring mounted in said first recess and projecting therefrom that slidably and sealingly engages said ball member; c. a rigid segmented ring in said first passage that rests on said top surface of said rigid ring, said segmented ring including an upwardly and inwardly tapered external side surface and an upwardly and outwardly tapered internal side, said external surface in abutting contact with a circular upwardly and inwardly tapered recess defined in said valve body adjacent said first passage with said segmented ring when it attempts to move longitudinally toward said first passage by a longitudinal force exerted thereon transferring a position of said longitudinal force transversely to said valve body said segmented ring defined by a plurality of rigid segments that have lower portions and a plurality of flat bottomed flanges that extend inwardly towards one another from said lower portions, with said flat bottomed flanges resting on said top surface of said rigid ring; d. a rigid locking ring that includes an upper cylindrical portion slidably mounted in said first passage and a second portion that extends downwardly therefrom, said second portion having an external upwardly and outwardly tapered side surface that is in abutting contact with said internal side surface of said segmented ring, said cylindrical portion including a top surface; and e. a snap ring that removably engages a recess in said valve body in said first passage, said snap ring in abutting contact with said locking ring to prevent movement of said locking ring towards said first passage, with an upward force on said ball member when the latter is in said first position being transferred through said rigid ring to said segmented ring, with said segmented ring as said tapered external side surface attempts to move upwardly relative to said tapered recess transforming a portion of said upward force to a transverse outwardly directed force on said valve body, and said internal tapered side surface of said segmented ring as it attempts to move upwardly relative to said upwardly and outwardly tapered surface of said second portion of said locking ring transforming a portion of said upward longitudinal force to a transverse inwardly directed force on said second portion.