Butterfly valve assembly and method of making same

In a method of making a butterfly valve assembly comprising the steps of, providing valve body structure having a fluid flow passage therethrough, forming first sealing surface means in said body structure, providing a closure structure for controlling fluid flow through said passage, forming second sealing surface means on said closure structure, said second sealing surface means being adapted to engage said first sealing surface means to prevent fluid flow through said passage and define the closed position of said closure structure, fastening shaft means to said closure structure, extending said shaft means through said body structure in a fluid-tight relation, providing packing means between said shaft means and said body structure to provide said fluid-tight relation, said shaft means having a central longitudinal axis, providing actuating means for moving said shaft means and closure structure between said closed position and an open position thereof, and providing locking means for locking said shaft means and closure structure in its closed position, the improvement in which said step of providing locking means comprises providing a latch pin which has a central longitudinal axis and a locking end portion at a terminal end thereof which is adapted to engage said shaft means and provide a positive locking action while maintaining the structural integrity of said shaft means substantially intact, and disposing said pin with its longitudinal axis coplanar with and transverse to said longitudinal axis of said shaft means, and said method comprising the further step of providing multiple purpose means having means supporting said pin and means engaging said packing means to provide compression thereof and assure provision of said fluid-tight relation with said multiple purpose means also having means engaging and supporting said shaft means.

In a butterfly valve assembly comprising, a valve body structure having a fluid flow passage therethrough and first sealing surface means, a closure structure for controlling fluid flow through said passage, said closure structure having second sealing surface means adapted to engage said first sealing surface means to prevent fluid flow through said passage and define the closed position of said closure structure, means for mounting said body structure on a supporting flange therefor, shaft means fastened to said closure structure and extending through said body structure in fluid-tight relation, actuating means for moving said shaft means and closure structure between said closed position and an open position thereof, and substantially annular heat exchange means in said body structure for controlling the temperature thereof, the improvement in which said heat exchange means comprises the outer periphery of said body structure and has practically the entire valve assembly within the confines thereof, said heat exchange means comprising a pair of arcuate heat exchange devices each having a fluid flow channel for receiving a heat transfer fluid therethrough, said heat exchange devices having opposite ends in close proximity to said shaft means, and each of said heat exchange devices has an undulating innermost surface comprising said body structure and a substantially semicylindrical outer surface disposed concentrically therearound with said surfaces defining opposed surfaces of its associated flow channel, said undulating surface being effective in providing a turbulent action and more efficient heat transfer through said undulating surface to said body structure.

In a butterfly valve assembly for a fluid-containing tank which has a bottom portion and a supporting flange comprising said bottom portion for supporting said valve assembly thereon, said valve assembly comprising, a valve body structure having a fluid flow passage therethrough and first sealing surface means, a closure structure for controlling fluid flow through said passage, said closure structure having second sealing surface means adapted to engage said first sealing surface means to prevent fluid flow through said passage and define the closed position of said closure structure, means for mounting said body structure against said flange, shaft means fastened to said closure structure and extending through said body structure in fluid-tight relation, actuating means for moving said shaft means and closure structure between said closed position and an open position thereof, and substantially annular heat exchange means in said body structure for controlling the temperature thereof, the improvement in which said heat exchange means comprises the outer periphery of said body structure and has practically the entire valve assembly within the confines thereof, said heat exchange means comprising a pair of arcuate heat exchange devices each having a fluid flow channel for receiving a heat transfer fluid therethrough, said heat exchange devices having opposite ends in close proximity to said shaft means, and each of said heat exchange devices has an undulating innermost surface comprising said body structure and a substantially semicylindrical outer surface disposed concentrically therearound with said surfaces defining opposed surfaces of its associated flow channel, said undulating surface being effective in providing a turbulent action and more efficient heat transfer through said undulating surface to said body structure.

In a method of making a butterfly valve assembly comprising the steps of, providing a valve body structure having a fluid flow passage therethrough, forming first sealing surface means in said body structure, providing a closure structure for controlling fluid flow through said passage, forming second sealing surface means on said closure, said second sealing surface means being adapted to engage first sealing surface means to prevent fluid flow through said passage and define the closed position of said closure structure, providing means for mounting said body structure on a supporting flange therefor, fastening shaft means to said closure structure, extending said shaft means through said body structure in fluid-tight relation, providing actuating means for moving said shaft means and closure structure between said closed position and an open position thereof, and providing substantially annular heat exchange means in said body structure for controlling the temperature thereof, the improvement in which said step of providing said annular heat exchange means comprises the step of providing a pair of arcuate heat exchange devices in the outer periphery of said body structure so that practically the entire valve assembly is disposed within the confines thereof, each of said heat exchange devices having a fluid flow channel for receiving a heat transfer fluid therethrough with said heat exchange devices being disposed with opposite ends thereof in close proximity to said shaft means, and said step of providing said heat exchange devices comprises forming each of said heat exchange devices with an undulating innermost surface, comprising said body structure and a substantially semicylindrical outer surface disposed concentrically therearound, with said surfaces defining opposed surfaces of its associated flow channel, said undulating surface being effective in providing a turbulent action and more efficient heat transfer through said undulating surface to said body structure.

In a method of making a butterfly valve assembly for a fluid-containing tank which has a bottom portion and a supporting flange comprising said bottom portion for supporting said valve assembly thereon, said method comprising the steps of, providing a valve body structure having a fluid flow passage therethrough, forming first sealing surface means in said body structure, providing a closure structure for controlling fluid flow through said passage, forming second sealing surface means on said closure structure, said second sealing surface means being adapted to engage said first sealing surface means to prevent fluid flow through said passage and define the closed position of said closure structure, providing means for mounting said body structure against said flange, fastening shaft means to said closure structure, extending said shaft means through said body structure in fluid-tight relation, providing actuating means for moving said shaft means and closure structure between said closed position and an open position thereof, and providing substantially annular heat exchange means in said body structure for controlling the temperature thereof, the improvement in which said step of providing said annular heat exchange means comprises the step of providing a pair of arcuate heat exchange devices in the outer periphery of said body structure so that practically the entire valve assembly is disposed within the confines thereof, each of said heat exchange devices having a fluid flow channel for receiving a heat transfer fluid therethrough with said heat exchange devices being disposed with opposite ends thereof in close proximity to said shaft means, and said step of providing said heat exchange devices comprises forming each of said heat exchange devices with an undulating innermost surface comprising said body structure and a substantially semicylindrical outer surface disposed concentrically therearound, with said surfaces defining opposed surfaces of its associated flow channel, said undulating surface being effective in providing a turbulent action and more efficient heat transfer through said undulating surface to said body structure.