Low water hammer break check valve
AssigneeMueller International, LLC
InventorsSean Michael Allen, Justin Blaine Childress, Christopher Joseph Duckett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A valve closure device for a check valve can include a first valve member configured to rotate from an open position to a closed position; a second valve member configured to rotate from an open position of the second valve member to a closed position of the second valve member; and a hydraulic dampener coupled to each of the first valve member and the second valve member in each of the open position and the closed position of each of the first valve member and the second valve member, the hydraulic dampener configured to resist rotation of the first valve member towards the closed position of the first valve member and the second valve member towards the closed position of the second valve member.
Claims21
A valve closure device for a break check valve, the device comprising:
- a first valve member configured to rotate from an open position to a closed position only when a pipe system fitting initially coupled to the break check valve is separated from the break check valve;
- a second valve member configured to rotate from an open position of the second valve member to a closed position of the second valve member only when the pipe system fitting initially coupled to the break check valve is separated from the break check valve;
- and
- a hydraulic dampener coupled to each of the first valve member and the second valve member in each of the open position and the closed position of each of the first valve member and the second valve member, the hydraulic dampener configured to resist rotation of the first valve member towards the closed position of the first valve member and the second valve member towards the closed position of the second valve member.
A system comprising:
- a break check valve comprising:
- a valve body defining a mating surface at a first axial end, the valve body defining a valve bore, the valve bore extending from a first axial end to a second axial end;
- a first valve member positioned within the valve body and configured to rotate from an open position to a closed position;
- a second valve member positioned within the valve body and configured to rotate from an open position of the second valve member to a closed position of the second valve member;
- and
- a hydraulic dampener coupled to each of the valve body, the first valve member, and the second valve member, the hydraulic dampener configured to resist rotation of each of the first valve member and the second valve member during closure of the break check valve;
- and
- a pipe system fitting coupled to the mating surface of the break check valve, the break check valve configured to remain open as long as the pipe system fitting remains coupled to the break check valve and close upon dislocation of the pipe system fitting from the break check valve.
A method of using a break check valve, the method comprising:
- keeping the break check valve open as long as a pipe system fitting coupled to the break check valve remains coupled to the break check valve;
- initiating closure of the break check valve upon dislocation of a pipe system fitting from the break check valve by rotation of each of a first valve member and a second valve member as a result of fluid pressure against each of the first valve member and the second valve member, the break check valve comprising:
- a valve body defining a mating surface and a valve bore, the valve bore extending from a first axial end to a second axial end;
- the first valve member positioned within the valve body;
- the second valve member positioned within the valve body;
- and
- a hydraulic dampener coupled to each of the valve body, the first valve member, and the second valve member;
- and
- dampening closure of each of the first valve member and the second valve member of the break check valve during closure of the break check valve with the hydraulic dampener.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.