US4543996A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluid flow diverter valve with improved flow-through construction
Assignee: SERVICES OF AMERICA Inc
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Filing: 1984-12-05
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Granted: 1985-10-01
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Expires: 2004-12-05
Abstract
Abstract A four-way diverter valve (1) is constructed with a rotatable butterfly valve element (20) within the cylindrical valve housing (10) and with said element having a pair of end heads (21, 22) joined by a generally planular central tapered plug (23) of longitudinal extent. The valve plug is modified by having mounted thereon between its ends a tubular diverter means (28) which comprises a pair of transversely extending pipe segments (25, 26), one mounted on each side of the plug, which forms a baffle. The valve housing (10) is connected to two pair of in-line ports (16-19) and stub pipes (31, 32) are fixedly mounted to the housing wall, communicate with a pair of diagonally opposed ports (16, 19), and extend inwardly from the housing wall toward the modified butterfly valve element (20) and the tubular diverter means (28). In normal valve position (FIG. 4), a generally straight-through fluid flow is provided. In reverse valve position (FIG. 5), the ends of the diverter pipe segments (25, 26 ) engage the ends of the stub pipes (31, 32) to provide a diagonally reverse fluid flow channel. Only two opposed cage bars (29) are utilized with the butterfly plug edges (24) sealing against the cage bars for substantially the full axial extent of the cylindrical housing, in normal valve position. The butterfly valve heads also seal against annular sealing surfaces (43, 44) on the housing. Simultaneously controllable sealing is accomplished both within and without the tubular diverter means (28).
Inventors
- 👤 Walter J. Baron
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:06
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/02; B08B9/027; B08B9/032; B08B9/0321; B08B9/0323; F; F16; F16K; F16K11/00; F16K11/02; F16K11/08; F16K11/083; F16K11/0833; F28; F28G; F28G1/00; F28G1/12; F28G1/125; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86493; Y10T137/86839; Y10T137/86863; Y10T137/86871
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
A diverter valve for connection between a source of pressurized fluid and a process device, comprising, in combination: (a) an enclosed housing having a generally cylindrical wall (10) closed by end walls (11, 13) to form a cylindrical valve chamber, (b) a pair of upstream supply (16) and return (17) ports disposed in said housing for connection to the fluid source, (c) a pair of downstream output and input ports (18, 19) disposed in said housing for connection to the process device, (d) and means mounted in said housing for selectively connecting one of said upstream ports with one or the other of said downstream ports and for connecting the other of said upstream ports with one or the other of said downstream ports, said connecting means comprising: (1) a valve element (20) rotatable between normal and reverse positions and including a pair of end heads (21, 22) joined by a longitudinally extending seatable element (23) having a pair of tapered edges (24), (2) tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) mounted on said element (23) and extending transversely thereof, said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) being disposed substantially radially inwardly from said cylindrical wall (10), (3) and connector means (31, 32) fixedly secured to said cylindrical wall for forming a passage connecting said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) to one of said upstream (16) and one of said downstream (19) ports when said valve element is in one of its said positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
A diverter valve for connection between a source of pressurized fluid and a process device, comprising, in combination: (a) an enclosed housing having a generally cylindrical wall (10) closed by end walls (11, 13) to form a cylindrical valve chamber, (b) a pair of upstream supply (16) and return (17) ports disposed in said housing for connection to the fluid source, (c) a pair of downstream output and input ports (18, 19) disposed in said housing for connection to the process device, (d) and means mounted in said housing for selectively connecting one of said upstream ports with one or the other of said downstream ports and for connecting the other of said upstream ports with one or the other of said downstream ports, said connecting means comprising: (1) a valve element (20) rotatable between normal and reverse positions and including a pair of end heads (21, 22) joined by a longitudinally extending seatable element (23) having a pair of tapered edges (24), (2) tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) mounted on said element (23) and extending transversely thereof, said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) being disposed substantially radially inwardly from said cylindrical wall (10), (3) and connector means (31, 32) fixedly secured to said cylindrical wall for forming a passage connecting said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) to one of said upstream (16) and one of said downstream (19) ports when said valve element is in one of its said positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
81 words
The combination of claim 1 in which said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) comprises: (a) a pair of opposed pipe segments (25, 26) mounted to the opposite faces of said element (23) with said element portion therebetween forming a baffle, (b) said pipe segments being shorter than the diameter of said cylindrical housing wall (10) and terminating adjacent said tapered element edges (24), (c) said pipe segments being disposed intermediate the ends of said element between said heads (21, 22).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The combination of claim 2 in which said pair of pipe segments (25, 26) are formed from members which are cut back to compensate for the thickness of said element (23).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
77 words
The combination of claim 2 in which: (a) the ends of said pipe segments (25, 26) are freely exposed when said valve element (20) is in its said normal position and cooperate with said connector means (31, 32) to provide generally straight-through fluid supply and return flow, (b) and the ends of said pipe segments (25, 26) are in engagement with said connector means (31, 32) when said valve element (20) is in its said reverse position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
104 words
The combination of claim 4 in which said pairs of upstream and downstream ports are generally in-line and said connector means comprises: (a) a pair of radially inwardly extending stub pipes (31, 32) fixedly mounted to said cylindrical housing wall (10) and respectively communicating with a pair of diagonally opposed upstream and downstream ports (16, 19), (b) the inner ends of said stub pipes being generally of the same diameter as that of said tubular diverter means (28) for mutual engagement to form a channel to divert fluid flow diagonally through the valve when said valve element (20) is in its said reverse position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 5 wherein the combined length of said stub pipes (31, 32) together with the length of said tubular diverter means (28) is generally equal to the diameter of said cylindrical housing wall (10).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein: (a) said valve housing contains a pair of opposed cage bars (29) having tapered sealing edges (30) corresponding generally with said tapered edges (24) of said element (23), (b) said element edges (24) engage said cage bar edges (30) when said valve element (20) is in its said normal position, (c) and said element edges (24) are freely exposed when said valve element (20) is in its said reverse position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of claim 7 which includes sealing means disposed both internally and externally of said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28) for separating the supply and return fluid flows when said valve element (20) is in its normal position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The combination of claim 8 which includes means (47, 50) to adjust the tolerance of both said internal and said external sealing means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of claim 8 wherein said internal sealing means comprises the intermediate portion of said element edges (24) disposed between the walls of said pipe segments (25, 26) together with the adjacent intermediate portions of said cage bar edges (30).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 8 or 10 wherein said external sealing means comprises the end portions of said element edges (24) disposed on either side of said pipe segments (25, 26) together with the adjacent end portions of said cage bar edges (30).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The combination of claim 11 which includes annular sealing surface means (43, 44) disposed adjacent said housing end walls (11, 13) and sealingly engageable by said end heads (21, 22) respectively to thereby form a further sealing means external to said tubular fluid flow diverter means (28).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-09-30 | 1989-04-01 | 1989-10-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-30 | 1993-04-01 | 1993-10-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-30 | 1997-04-01 | 1997-10-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |