Single seat ball valve with bar spring biasing members

Abstract

Abstract A single metal-seated ball valve can accommodate differential temperature expansion of the components without jamming yet provide tight shutoff in a closed position, and provides tight shutoff even if solids are present in the fluid being valved. The valve includes a valve body with a through-extending bore and interior cavity, and a rotatable valve element (such as a ball) having a through-extending passageway and mounted for rotation about an axis for movement between the first, open position in which the passageway and bore are generally aligned, and a second, closed position wherein the passageway and bore are not aligned. A metal sealing ring, or a machined sealing surface of the metal valve body, sealingly engages the valve element and prevents flow of fluid through the bore when the valve element is in its second, closed position. A pair of elongated flexible linear spring elements bias the valve element into sealing relationship with the sealing ring. The elongated spring elements preferably are of metal, and are quadrate or circular in cross-section, and at central portions thereof preferably engage trunions of the valve element. A separate bearing element may be provided at a central portion of one or more spring elements for actually contacting the valve elements. Pins extending from the valve body may have a lost motion connection with the spring elements, and additionally the spring elements may make contact (e.g. tangential line contact) with a shelf portion of the valve body adjacent each pin.

Inventors

• 👤 Peter G. Kindersely

Bibliographic Details