Meter valve
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsEric Manternach, Timothy Bain Ervin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Example aspects of a valve key, a meter valve, and a method for securing a valve key of a meter valve are disclosed. The valve key for a meter valve can comprise a key body defining an upper key body end and a lower key body end, a key head extending from the upper key body end, and a key stem extending from the lower key body end, wherein the key stem, key head, and key body define a monolithic structure, the key stem defining an extension portion and a securing portion, the securing portion defining a securing portion engagement surface.
Claims29
A valve key for a meter valve comprising:
- a key body defining an upper key body end and a lower key body end;
- a key head extending from the upper key body end;
- and
- a key stem extending from the lower key body end, wherein the key stem, key head, and key body define a monolithic structure, the key stem defining an extension portion and a securing portion, the extension portion configured to extend through a lower valve opening of the meter valve, the securing portion defining a securing portion engagement surface;
- wherein the securing portion is configurable in an un-deformed configuration and a deformed configuration, a securing portion width of the securing portion is greater in the deformed configuration than in the un-deformed configuration, and the securing portion width in the deformed configuration is configured to be greater than a width of the lower valve opening;
- and
- wherein the securing portion engagement surface defines an annular, planar surface, and in the deformed configuration, the securing portion defines a substantially planar outer surface opposite the securing portion engagement surface and distal to the extension portion.
A meter valve comprising:
- a valve body defining a first side, a second side, an upper end, and a lower end, a lower shelf formed at the lower end, a lower valve opening formed through the lower shelf, the valve body further defining an interior valve passage extending from the first side to the second side;
- and
- a valve key comprising a key body extending longitudinally across the interior valve passage, the key body defining a lower key body end, the valve key further comprising a key stem extending from the lower key body end of the key body, the key stem defining an extension portion and a securing portion, the extension portion extending through the lower valve opening;
- wherein the securing portion is configurable in an un-deformed configuration, wherein the securing portion defines a first width and the valve key can be removed from the valve body, and a deformed configuration, wherein the securing portion is deformed to define a second width that is greater than the first width to prohibit the valve key from being removed from the valve body.
A method for securing a valve key of a meter valve comprising:
- providing a valve body of the meter valve, the valve body defining an interior valve passage, a lower end, and a lower valve opening formed at the lower end, the valve body comprising a lower shelf formed at the lower end, the lower valve opening extending through the lower shelf;
- inserting a key body of a valve key into the interior valve passage, the key body defining a lower key body end;
- inserting a key stem of the valve key through the lower valve opening, the key stem extending from the lower key body end;
- and
- deforming a securing portion of the key stem to define a securing portion engagement surface, wherein deforming the securing portion of the key stem increases a width of the securing portion from a first width to a second width.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.