Ball valve assembly having adjustable handle positions
AssigneeCaleffi S.p.A.
InventorMARCO CALEFFI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve assembly with multi-directional positioning. The valve assembly has a positioning mechanism that allows for the valve assembly be closely installed near a wall or flat or surface or closely installed to an opposite wall of flat surface during the installation process, while maintaining the proper flow direction through the valve assembly in either orientation. The valve assembly includes a test port maintained at a constant pressure, regardless of whether the ball valve assembly is in an open or closed position.
Claims11
A valve assembly comprising:
- a housing having a conduit for fluid flow;
- a valve located within the housing;
- a test port connected to the housing and in fluid communication with said conduit, said test port communicating upstream of said valve;
- a handle connected to the valve, said handle capable of moving the valve between an open position and a closed position;
- wherein the test port receives pressure in both the open and closed position.
A valve assembly for providing fluid flow, the valve assembly capable of being positioned near a vertical surface, the assembly comprising:
- a housing having a conduit for fluid flow;
- a valve located within said housing;
- a stem in communication with said valve;
- a handle connected to said stem for moving said valve from an open to a closed position;
- a mating section located on said housing;
- a positioning guide removably secured to said mating section, said positioning guide holding said stem rotationally in place, thereby allowing said valve assembly to be assembled near said vertical surface, maintaining fluid flow direction through said valve assembly.
A method of installing a valve assembly near a flat surface:
- providing ball valve assembly having a removable and adjustable handle and a positioning guide, said handle capable of moving from an open position parallel to said flat surface to a close position perpendicular to said flat surface;
- determining whether the orientation of the handle allows for the closed position turns inwardly towards the wall or outwardly from the wall;
- if the determined position turns inwardly towards the wall, adjust the orientation so that it turns outwardly from the wall;
- and
- installing the ball valve assembly,
- wherein said positioning guide prevents incorrect orientation of the ball valve assembly prior to the handle being attached to the ball valve assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.