Lock core service valve

Apparatus for securely and selectively locking and unlocking a rotary plug valve, said apparatus comprising;

• a housing;
• a valve core means, coaxially rotatably mounted in said housing, for rotation, about an axis, between an open position for permitting passage of fluid in a pipeline and a closed position for preventing passage of fluid in the pipeline;
• passageway means for receiving a locking pin, said passageway means comprising:
• an outer passageway from outside the housing into the housing,
• an inner passageway, enclosed within the housing, aligned with the outer passageway,
• a central passageway through the valve core, for alignment with the inner and outer passageways when the valve core is in the closed position;
• said passageway means also serving as means for locking the valve core in he closed position with the locking pin;
• the housing having its axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of the pipeline in which said valve is to be installed;
• said housing having simple geometric shape means, free of any protrusions of the locking pin passageway means, said shape means for concealing and camouflaging the locking pin means making the location of the locking pin means difficult to detect and for armoring said locking pin means against tampering by pilferers;
• said passageway means oriented parallel to and in close proximity to the pipeline;
• said proximity comprising means for deterring pilferers from attempting to cut into said passageway means;
• retaining cap means concealed within the inner passageway;
• said retaining cap having a larger outer dimension than the central passage, as securement means for retaining the retaining cap means in the inner passageway;
• the outer passageway being similar in cross-section to the locking pin, defining tight clearance means, between the outer passageway and the locking pin, for resisting picking and prying;
• the central passageway being elliptical in cross section, having its long elliptical axis in a direction of the housing and core axis, said elliptical cross section defining:
• tight clearances to the locking pin in a direction of core rotation, as means for resisting valve core rotation, and
• loose clearances in the core axial direction, as means for allowing adjustment of the valve core's seating;
• and
• the retaining cap having a retaining lip, that perpendicular to retaining bearings on the locking pin, as means for resisting pulling of the pin from said locking pin passageway means.

Apparatus for securely and selectively locking and unlocking a rotary plug valve, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a valve core means, coaxially rotatably mounted in said housing, for rotation, about an axis, between an open position for permitting passage of fluid in a pipeline and a closed position for preventing passage of fluid in the pipeline;
• passageway means for receiving a locking pin, said passageway means comprising:
• an outer passageway from outside the housing into the housing,
• an inner passageway, enclosed within the housing, aligned with the outer passageway,
• a central passageway through the valve core, for alignment with the inner and outer passageways when the valve core is in he closed position;
• said passageway means also serving as means for locking the valve core in the closed position with the locking pin;
• the housing having its axis substantially perpendicular to an axis of the pipeline in which said valve is to be installed;
• said housing having simple geometric shape means, free of any protrusions of the locking pin passageway means, said shape means for concealing and camouflaging the locking pin means making the location of the locking pin means difficult to detect and for armoring said locking pin means against tampering by pilferers;
• said passageway means oriented parallel to and in close proximity to the pipeline;
• said proximity comprising means for deterring pilferers from attempting to cut into said passageway means.