Water conditioner rotary valve

A water conditioner rotary valve adapted for mounting to the open top of a mineral tank, comprising:

• a valve body formed from an upper section, a lower section, and a middle section, with the sections being mounted to each other such that the lower surface of the upper section is located adjacent the upper surface of the middle section, and the upper surface of the lower section is located adjacent the lower surface of the middle section, each section including one or more flow passages which communicate with each other when the sections are assembled to define a water flow path including a first external inlet, a first external outlet, a second inlet and a second outlet;
• a ported rotor member disposed between two of the valve body sections for controlling the flow of water through the passages formed therein, with the ports in the rotor member opening onto a surface adapted for placement adjacent a surface of one of the sections;
• means for selectively rotating the rotor member within the valve body to selectively place passages in the valve body sections in communication with each other to control the flow of water through the valve body;
• and
• a brine injector valve assembled to the exterior of the valve middle section and being connectable to a brine source.

A water conditioner rotary valve adapted for mounting to the open top of a mineral tank, comprising:

• a valve body formed from an upper section, a lower section, and a middle section, with the sections being mounted to each other such that the lower surface of the upper section is located adjacent the upper surface of the middle section, and the upper surface of the lower section is located adjacent the lower surface of the middle section, each section including one or more flow passages which communicate with each other when the sections are assembled to define a water flow path including a first external inlet, a first external outlet, a second inlet and a second outlet;
• a ported rotor member disposed between two of the valve body sections for controlling the flow of water through the passages formed therein, with the ports in the rotor member opening onto a surface adapted for placement adjacent a surface of one of the sections;
• and
• means for selectively rotating the rotor member within the valve body to selectively place passages in the valve body sections in communication with each other to control the flow of water through the valve body, comprising a series of Geneva cam surfaces formed on the rotor member, and a selectively operable Geneva drive shaft coupled to a drive motor, and including one or more drive lugs engagable with the Geneva cam surfaces.

A rotary water conditioner valve, comprising:

• a body portion including an outlet passage for discharging treated water, an inlet for introducing untreated water to the body portion, and an intake cavity for receiving untreated water from the inlet, wherein the body portion is formed by a first section and a second section adapted to be assembled together, with the intake cavity being formed in the first section and the outlet passage being formed in the second section;
• passage means associated with the body portion extending between the intake cavity and the outlet passage for diverting a portion of the untreated water from the intake cavity to the outlet passage to mix the untreated water with the treated water flowing through the outlet passage;
• and
• regulating valve means located in the passage means for regulating the amount of untreated water flowing through the passage means.

A bypass valve for use in a fluid system to selectively bypass or direct fluid to a system having an inlet and an outlet, comprising:

• a bypass valve body having an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and inlet and outlet ports adapted to be placed in communication with the inlet and outlet, respectively of the fluid system with the bypass valve body inlet passage being substantially aligned with the inlet port and the outlet passage being substantially aligned with the outlet port, the valve body further including a spool passage disposed between the inlet and outlet ports and the inlet passage and the outlet;
• a movable spool member disposed in the spool passage and movable between a bypass position and an operating position, with the spool member including flow diverting structure which, when the spool member is in its bypass position, directs fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet through the spool passage and cuts off flow of fluid through the fluid system, and in its operating position cuts off communication between the inlet passage and the outlet and directs fluid from the inlet passage to the fluid system, wherein the flow diverting structure comprises a pair of curved sealing lands engagable with the walls forming the spool passage, for directing the flow of fluid therethrough;
• and
• means for maintaining the spool member in a predetermined angular orientation within the spool passage, to ensure that the lands are maintained in a position to direct the water when in its bypass and operating position.

A bypass valve for use in a fluid system to selectively bypass or direct fluid to a system having an inlet and an outlet, comprising:

• a bypass valve body having an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and inlet and outlet ports adapted to be placed in communication with the inlet and outlet, respectively of the fluid system with the bypass valve body inlet passage being substantially aligned with the inlet port and the outlet passage being substantially aligned with the outlet port, the valve body further including a spool passage disposed between the inlet and outlet ports and the inlet passage and the outlet;
• and
• a movable spool member disposed in the spool passage and movable between a bypass position and an operating position, with the spool member including flow diverting structure which, when the spool member is in its bypass position, directs fluid from the inlet passage to the outlet through the spool passage and cuts off flow of fluid through the fluid system, and in its operating position cuts off communication between the inlet passage and the outlet and directs fluid from the inlet passage to the fluid system, the flow diverting structure comprising a pair of curved sealing lands engagable with the walls forming the spool passage, wherein a first one of the sealing lands is shaped so as to cut off communication between the inlet port and the fluid system inlet when the spool member is in its bypass position and a second one of the sealing lands is shaped so as to cut off communication between the outlet port and the fluid system outlet when the spool member is in its bypass position, the first and second sealing lands establishing communication between the inlet port and the outlet port when the spool member is in its bypass position, and wherein the shape of the first and second sealing lands establishes communication between the inlet port and the fluid system inlet and the outlet port and the fluid system outlet, while cutting off communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, when the spool member is in its operating position.