GB823562A - An improved ball valve and method of fabricating same - Google Patents

Abstract

823,562. Making ball valves. SHAFER VALVE CO. Jan. 18, 1957 [Jan. 24, 1956], No. 1912/57. Class 83 (2). [Also in Group XXIX] A rotary plug valve comprises an outer tube 10 supporting at right angles to it a sealing gland tube 11 having a valve stem 12 journalled therein, a spherical plug member 28 having a through opening 30 and keyed on the projecting end of the stem 12 such that the plug is capable of sliding axially of the outer tube when in the closed position, the through opening being aligned in the open position with inner tubes 32 secured to the opposite ends of the outer tube 10, and sealing rings 37 between the inner ends of the inner tubes 32 and the plug member, the sealing rings being maintained in position by thimble tubes 33 threadedly engaged with the inner surfaces of the inner tubes 32. The sealing gland 16 located in the groove 13 in the tube 11 may comprise channel-shaped rings of neoprene or similar resilient material with a fluid sealing compound injected under pressure between the rings. The annular space C around the plug member may be filled with lubricant by means of pipe connections 48. The sealing rings 37 may be of nylon or similar synthetic material or may be metal with an annular groove supplied with a soap-like lubricant through flexible ducts. Instead of the thimble tubes 33 the sealing rings may be mounted directly on the ends of the inner tubes 32. The valve is fabricated out of standard steel tubing and after assembly is welded at 47A and 47B, being finally welded into the pipe line at 49A and 49B. When the sealing rings are mounted on the ends of the inner tubes the valve is assembled by first clamping the inner tubes in position so that the sealing rings are in compression against the ball. The inner tubes are then tack welded to the outer tube. For finish welding a coolant is circulated between the sealing rings and the outer tube.