Ball valve

A ball valve comprising:

• (a) a housing having an upper housing and a lower housing, said lower housing having an inlet and an outlet;
• (b) an upper ball member rotatably mounted in said upper housing, said upper ball member rotatably movable between an open position where said valve is open and a closed position where said valve is closed;
• (c) a lower ball member rotatably mounted in said lower housing, said lower ball member having a port therethrough along a longitudinal axis, said lower ball member in releasable engagement with said upper ball member such that said lower ball member rotatably moves with said upper ball member between said open position and said closed position;
• (d) a first sleeve slidably mounted in said lower ball member, said first sleeve having a port therethrough along said longitudinal axis, said first sleeve movable between a first position where said first sleeve is in engagement with said inlet of said lower housing and a second position where said first sleeve is withdrawn within said lower ball member;
• (e) a second sleeve slidably mounted in said lower ball member, said second sleeve having a port therethrough along said longitudinal axis, said second sleeve movable between a first position where said second sleeve is in engagement with said outlet of said lower housing and a second position where said sleeve is withdrawn within said lower ball member;
• (f) a ball actuator means for moving said upper ball member and said lower ball member between said open position and said closed position, said ball actuator means mounted in said upper housing and connected to said upper ball member;
• (g) a sleeve actuator means for moving said first and second sleeve between said first position and said second position, said sleeve actuator means housed in said upper housing and releasably connected to said first and second sleeve through said upper ball member;
• (h) said first position being such that said upper and lower ball member are in said open position, a tight continuous passageway is formed between said inlet and said outlet, and such that said upper housing, said upper ball member, said ball actuator means and said sleeve actuator means are removable as a single unit while, said lower ball member and said first and second sleeve remains within said lower housing thereby allowing for inspection and maintenance while in such open position;
• and
• (i) said second position being such that said first and second sleeve are withdrawn within said lower ball member and said ball actuator means can move said upper and lower ball member between said open position and said closed position.