Ball plug valve
OwnerHyok S. Lew, Yon S. Lewinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A shut-off or flow control valve comprises a valve body including a cylindrical cavity with a hemispherical end, which rotatably receives a cylindrical plug with a hemispherical end in a close tolerance, wherein a flow passage with a central axis generally passing through the center of a spherical surface including the hemispherical surface of the plug and intersecting the central axis of the plug in an oblique angle lines up with the flow passage disposed through the valve body when the plug is rotated to the "open" position, while the plug blocks the flow passage through the valve body when it is rotated to the "closed" position.
Claims20
An apparatus for shutting off and/or controlling fluid flows comprising in combination:
- (a) a valve body including a cylindrical cavity with a generally hemispherical end, and two flow passages respectively extending from said cylindrical cavity to two extremities of the valve body wherein at least one of the two flow passages has an opening emerging through the hemispherical surface of the hemispherical end of said cylindrical cavity;
- (b) a cylindrical plug with a generally hemispherical end engaging said cylindrical cavity in a close tolerance at least on cylindrical and hemispherical surfaces thereof, said cylindrical plug including at least one flow passage hole disposed therethrough in an oblique angle with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical plug, wherein one opening of the flow passage hole emerges through the hemispherical surface of the hemispherical end of said cylindrical plug;
- (c) means for rotating said cylindrical plug;
- and
- (d) means for adjusting seating pressure between the two hemispherical surfaces respectively included in said cylindrical cavity and said cylindrical plug;
- wherein the flow passage hole disposed through the cylindrical plug connects the two flow passages included in the valve body when the cylindrical plug is rotated to a first position, and the cylindrical plug blocks off connection between the two flow passages included in the valve body when the cylindrical plug is rotated to a second position.
An apparatus for shutting off and/or controlling fluid flows comprising in combination:
- (a) a valve body including a cylindrical cavity with a generally hemispherical end, and two flow passages respectively extending from said cylindrical cavity to two extremities of the valve body wherein at least one of the two flow passages has an opening emerging through the hemispherical surface of the hemispherical end of said cylindrical cavity;
- (b) a cylindrical plug with a generally hemispherical end engaging said cylindrical cavity in a close tolerance at least on cylindrical and hemispherical surfaces thereof, said cylindrical plug including at least one flow passage hole disposed therethrough in an oblique angle with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical plug, wherein one opening of the flow passage hole emerges through the hemispherical surface of the hemispherical end of said cylindrical plug;
- and
- (c) means for rotating said cylindrical plug;
- wherein the flow passage hole disposed through the cylindrical plug connects the two flow passages included in the valve body when the cylindrical plug is rotated to a first position, and the cylindrical plug blocks off connection between the two flow passages included in the valve body when the cylindrical plug is rotated to a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.