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US 6,283,153 B1Granted
Flow valve
AssigneeThe Better Way Company, LLC
InventorsHarlin J. Brisco, Victor Duran, William Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for conducting and directing the flow of fluid. A movable core within the flow valve has openings which can be aligned or misaligned with an inlet, outlet, and bypass tap hole on the flow valve body thereby either blocking the flow of fluid, allowing the flow of fluid directly through the valve, allowing the fluid to flow directly through the valve as well as to the bypass tap hole, or only allowing the flow of fluid to the bypass tap hole.
Claims9
A fluid bypass system for redirecting the flow of fluid around and through a fluid meter, said system comprising:
- a flow valve installed upstream of the fluid meter, said flow valve comprising:
- a valve body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet for directing flow through the fluid meter, and a bypass tap hole;
- a core movably disposed between said inlet and said outlet, said core comprising a solid portion, a passage and a plurality of openings therein;
- said core selectively moveable to a first valve position to align at least one of said plurality of openings with said inlet and said outlet to direct fluid flow via said passage from said inlet to said outlet and not allow fluid flow through said bypass tap hole;
- said core selectively moveable to a second valve position to align at least one of said plurality of openings with said inlet and said bypass tap hole in order to direct fluid flow via said passage from said inlet to said bypass tap hole and not allow fluid flow to said outlet;
- a first flexible hose comprising a first end and a regulator entry end, said first end removably connectable to said bypass tap hole with a fitting;
- a moveable in-line regulator comprising an entry and an exit for control of fluid flow, said entry removably connectable to said regulator entry end of said first flexible hose;
- a second flexible hose comprising a second end and a regulator exit end, said second end removably connectable to a point downstream of the fluid meter and said regulator exit end removably connectable to said exit of said in-line regulator;
- said in-line regulator disposed at an approximate midpoint between said flexible hoses;
- and
- said flexible hoses providing flow of the fluid from said bypass tap hole through said in-line regulator to the point downstream of the fluid meter when said core is in said second valve position.
8 more elements
A method of controlling, on-site, the flow of fluid in a fluid meter and by-pass loop, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a flow valve installed upstream of the fluid meter, the flow valve comprising;
- a valve body having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet for directing flow through the fluid meter, an a bypass tap hole;
- a core moveably disposed between said inlet and said outlet, said core comprising a solid portion, a passage and a plurality of openings therein;
- said core selectively moveable to a first valve position to align at least one of said plurality of openings with said inlet and said outlet to direct fluid flow via said passage from said inlet to said outlet and not allow fluid flow through said bypass tap hole;
- said core selectively moveable to a second valve position to align at least one of said plurality of openings with said inlet and said bypass tap hole in order to direct fluid flow via said passage from said inlet to said bypass tap hole and not allow fluid flow to said outlet;
- b) moving the core to the first valve position;
- c) providing a first flexible hose comprising a first end and a regulator entry end;
- d) connecting, on-site, said first end of the flexible hose to said bypass tap hole with a fitting;
- e) providing a moveable in-line regulator comprising an entry and an exit for control of fluid flow;
- f) connecting said regulator entry end of said first flexible hose to the in-line regulator;
- g) providing a second flexible hose comprising a second end and a regulator exit end;
- h) positioning the in-line regulator at an approximate midpoint between the flexible hoses;
- i) connecting, on-site, said second end of the second flexible hose to a point downstream of the fluid meter;
- j) connecting said regulator exit end of the second flexible hose to the exit of said in-line regulator;
- and
- k) moving the core to the second valve position thereby providing fluid flow from the bypass tap hole through said flexible hoses and the in-line regulator to the point downstream of the fluid meter.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.