Fluid flow diverter valve with improved chamber arrangement

Claim 1

A fluid flow reversing diverter valve (1) for connection between a source of pressurized fluid (4) and a process device (2), comprising, in combination: (a) an enclosed housing (10) having a longitudinal axially extending generally cylindrical side wall (11) and first and second end walls (12, 14), (b) a pair of spaced parallel upstream supply and return ports (17, 18) disposed in said housing side wall for connection to the fluid source, (c) a pair of spaced parallel downstream output and input ports (19, 20) disposed in said housing side wall for connection to the process device, (d) said housing (10) further including: (1) four cage bars (42-45) disposed therewithin and with said cage bars being circumferentially spaced to provide first and second pairs (42, 44-43, 45) of diametrically opposed bars, said cage bars having inner edges (46-49) and extending longitudinally from end to end of said housing to thereby divide the latter into quadrants (I-IV), (2) a single pair of segmental wedge-shaped co-planar platforms (50, 51) disposed transversely within said housing and connected to said cylindrical side wall (11) and the faces of respective adjacent cage bars (42, 43-44, 45) and spaced axially from said first housing end wall (12), said platforms having diametrically opposed inner edges (52, 53) and being disposed in two of said quadrants (I, III), (e) a diverter assembly (21) disposed within said housing for rotation between a first and second position about a longitudinal axis (22) so that fluid entering said supply port (17) may be selectively directed to either of said downstream ports and so that fluid returning through either of said downstream ports is discharged through said return port (18), said assembly including: (1) a generally planular longitudinally extending central plug (27) having a pair of edges (28) thereon, (2) a pair of transverse longitudinally spaced channel plates (29, 30), one said channel plate (29) being disposed closely adjacent said second housing end wall (14) and the other said channel plate (30) being disposed intermediate the ends of said plug (27) and closely adjacent said platforms (50, 51), (3) said intermediate channel plate (30) being generally rectangular and having a first pair of opposed edges (31a) which extend linearly and generally parallel to said plug, and having a second pair of opposed segmental arcuate edges (32) facing said platform edges (52, 53), (4) a pair of longitudinal channel walls (34, 35) spaced transversely outwardly from said plug (27) and generally parallel thereto, said channel walls having respective pairs of edges (36, 37) and connecting said linear edges (31a) of said intermediate channel plate (30) with the other said channel plate (29) and thereby forming a pair of side-by-side rectangular fluid flow channels (38, 39), (5) and a single transverse end plate (33) spaced longitudinally outwardly from said intermediate channel plate (30) on the side remote from the said other channel plate (29) and disposed closely adjacent said first housing wall (12), (f) means (54-58) to selectively rotate said diverter assembly (21) between said first (FIGS. 6, 8) and second (FIGS. 7, 9) positions, (g) the construction being such that when said diverter assembly (21) is in said first position, (1) fluid flow paths are formed between said linear edges (31a) of said intermediate channel plate (30) and an opposed pair of said cage bar edges (47, 49), (2) a portion of said platform edges (52, 53) are freely exposed inwardly and free of said intermediate channel plate edges (32), (3) and the edges (28) of said plug (27) are in sealing relationship with the edges (46, 48) of said first pair of cage bars (42, 44), (h) the construction further being such that when said diverter assembly (21) is in said second position, (1) the said arcuate end edges (32) of said intermediate channel plate (30) are disposed in full sealing relationship with said arcuate edges (52, 53) of said platforms (50, 51), (2) and said pairs of edges (36, 37) of said respective channel walls (34, 35) being in full sealing relationship with the respective edges (47, 48-49, 46) of respective adjacent cage bars (43, 44-45, 42), (i) fine adjustment means (67) connected to said diverter assembly (21) to axially pre-set the latter so that the said edges (28) of said plug (27) are in a desired positional pre-set sealing relationship relative to the said edges (46, 48) of said first pair of cage bars (42, 44) when said assembly is in said first position, (j) the relative thicknesses of said arcuate edges (32) of said intermediate channel plate (30) relative to the edges (52, 53) of said platforms (50, 51) being such that when said diverter assembly (21) has been axially preset and is in said second position, at least a portion of said last-named plate edges (32) are disposed in the same transverse plane as said platform edges (52, 53) so that the sealing relationship between said last-named plate and platform edges (32-52, 53) is maintained (FIG. 12A).