Gas cylinder valve

A valve for connection to a pressurized gas cylinder, the valve comprising:

• a housing comprising a gas cylinder aperture which is connectable to a gas cylinder, and a housing conduit which extends through the housing from the gas cylinder aperture to one or more inlet/outlet apertures so that the valve is capable of providing fluid communication between the gas cylinder through the housing conduit and the one or more inlet/outlet apertures;
• a flow control ball within the housing conduit which is movable from a closed position in which it substantially seals the housing conduit to an open position which provides fluid communication through the housing conduit between the cylinder aperture and the one or more inlet/outlet apertures;
• ball seals having sealing surfaces corresponding to a shape of said flow control ball for substantially sealing said flow control ball in the housing conduit, wherein said ball seals comprise polyetherimide or polyaryletherketone;
• wherein the housing is formed at least partially from aluminum;
• wherein the housing conduit includes a threaded bore extending from one of said inlet/outlet apertures that terminates in a flat bottom, comprising an exteriorly threaded seal retainer that engages the threads of said threaded bore and contacts said flat bottom, and a seal disposed between said seal retainer and an adjacent one of said ball seals;
• and
• a threaded fastener that engages the threads of said threaded bore in contact with said seal retainer for locking said seal retainer in position.

A valve for connection to a pressurized gas cylinder, the valve comprising:

• a housing comprising a gas cylinder aperture which is connectable to a gas cylinder, and a housing conduit which extends through the housing between the gas cylinder aperture and one or more inlet/outlet apertures so that the valve is capable of providing fluid communication between the gas cylinder through the housing conduit and the one or more inlet/outlet apertures;
• a flow control ball within the housing conduit which is movable from a closed position in which it substantially seals the housing conduit to an open position which provides fluid communication through the housing conduit between the cylinder aperture and the one or more inlet/outlet apertures;
• ball seals having sealing surfaces corresponding to a shape of said flow control ball for substantially sealing said flow control ball in the housing conduit;
• wherein the housing conduit includes a threaded bore extending from one of said inlet/outlet apertures that terminates in a flat bottom, an exteriorly threaded seal retainer that engages the threads of said threaded bore and contacts said flat bottom, and an O-ring disposed between said seal retainer and an adjacent one of said ball seals;
• a threaded fastener that engages the threads of said threaded bore in contact with said seal retainer for locking said seal retainer in position;
• a valve bore in communication with the housing conduit;
• a valve stem extending through said valve bore for turning said flow control ball between the open position and the closed position, said valve stem including a stem flange;
• at least one O-ring disposed between said valve stem and said valve bore for substantially sealing said valve stem to said valve bore;
• a threaded stem retainer that engages threads formed in the housing around said valve bore and includes a shoulder and an opening in said shoulder that receives said valve stem;
• a stem bearing disposed around said valve stem between an interior facing surface of said stem flange and the housing;
• and
• a thrust bearing disposed around said valve stem between an exterior facing surface of said stem flange and said shoulder of said stem retainer.