GB2273336A - Multiway valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A multiway valve comprises a body 1 having a cylindrical cavity and a plurality of ports 6 equispaced in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the cavity. Within the cavity is a cylindrical spool 3, driven through its rod 4 by an outside drive system 5 for both rotation and axial movement. Within the spool on two or more planes are channels 7 - 10 of different lengths each to connect a pair of ports. The planes are separated to give a blank disc of the spool so that unwanted transitory connections during rotation of the spool are avoided. <IMAGE>

Description

VALVE: FLUIDS, MULTI PORTS - CONNECTABLE IN ALL PAIRS OR WAYS The invention is a Valve for fluids that has many ports (for separate pipes) in which any one port can be connected to any other port in turn, (to allow flow) whilst all other ports are blocked.

The number of ways are considerable; 6 ports has 15 ways, 10 ports 45 ways. An 8 port 28 way valve is described as an example in the text beneath. Movement from one pair of ports to another pair is direct without transitary connections between an unwanted pair of ports en route.

The flow rate within the valve is unrestricted allowing the same flow as in the connecting pipes.

The movement of the valve element to change connections can be operated manually, electrically or by fluid power. The latter two allowing rapid action and remote automatic control.

The invention comprises a body with a cylindrical cavity containing a sliding and rotating piston with a rod along the axis to the outside coupled to a drive system for either rotation or axial movement, there are ports into the cavity for pipe connections equispaced around the axis on a plane square to the axis, within the piston are channels on different planes of different lengths to connect pairs of ports so that by rotation and axial movement of the piston any channel can connect any pair of ports whilst the others are blocked, the channels along the piston are sufficiently separated leaving a blank disc of the piston so that when placed opposite the ports it can rotate without connecting ports thus avoiding transitionary connection during change of connections.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of an example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig 1. shows a longitudinal section of a valve along the axis of the cylinder; Fig 2. shows a cross section of the valve in Fig 1. square to the axis of the cylinder on the plane containing the ports; Fig 3 and 4. show cross sections on two planes with separate channels.

Fig 5. shows a longitudinal axial cross section of another valve with two channels on each of two planes; Fig 6. shows a cross section of the valve in Fig 5 with two channels and the ports.

Fig 7. shows the second cross section with the other two channels.

In detail the specific embodiment shown in the drawing comprises a body 1, with a cylindrical cavity 2, containing a sliding and rotating piston 3, with a rod 4, along the axis to the outside coupled to a drive system 5, for either rotation or axial movement.

There are eight ports 6, into the cavity (for pipe connections) equispaced around the axis on a plane square to the axis. Within the piston are channels 7 - 10, on different planes and of different lengths to connect pairs of ports so that by rotation and axial movement of the piston any channel can connect any pair of ports whilst the others are blocked. The channels along the piston are sufficiently separated to leave a blank disc of the piston so that when placed opposite the ports it can rotate without connecting ports thus avoiding transitionary connection during change of connections.

To reduce the number of planes in the piston and its length two channels 11, 12, are in one plane but spaced angularly so that only one channel connects with a pair of ports the other connection made by partial rotation. The other two channels 13, 14 are in a second plane spaced similarly to 11, 12 for alternative connections.

Transitionary unwanted connections are avoided by an intermediate axial movement using the blank section as described above.

A valve having more than eight ports and hence more than four channels may have three or more channels in one plane and also more planes.

Leakage of fluids within the valve is avoided by seals 16, around each port engaging the cylinder when stationary and rotating. The forms of seals are likely to be elastic and flexible or rigid and sprung loaded or adjustable radially. These details are conventional and therefore not specified within the invention.

The piston may have a rod each end coupled to separate drive arrangements one for rotation the other for axial movement. For most applications of the invention control will be remote and frequently automatic in which cases small valves are likely to be electrically driven whilst large valves be driven by fluids under pressure. The'drive systems may be various but conventional and therfore not specified within the invention.

Claims (4)

1. A fluid valve comprising a body with a cylindrical cavity with ports into the cavity for pipe connections equispaced around the axis on a plane square to the axis, a sliding and rotating cylindrical spool within the cavity with a rod along the axis to the outside coupled to a drive system for either rotation or axial movement, within the spool are channels on different planes and of different lengths to connect pairs of ports so that by rotation and axial movement of the spool any channel can connect any pair of ports whilst the others are blocked, the planes of channels along the spool are sufficiently separated leaving a blank disc of the piston so that when placed opposite the ports it can rotate without connecting ports thus avoiding unwanted transitary connections during change of connections.

2. A fluid valve as Claim 1 regarding the body and ports wherein the spool has more than one channel of different lengths to connect pairs of ports on one or more planes square to the axis of the spool to reduce the number of planes for a given number of channels.

3. A fluid valve as Claims 1 or 2 wherein the spool has a rod at each end for coupling to drive systems and position sensing devices.

4. A fluid valve as any preceding claim wherein each port has a seal to press onto the spool to prevent or reduce fluid leakage.