RU2815842C2 - Method for manufacturing ball valve for fluid regulation, ball valve and welding tool for holding and manipulating valve parts - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: valve manufacture.

SUBSTANCE: manufacture of a valve (1) for regulating a fluid medium. The valve contains a body (2) with a central part (3) and connecting ends (4). Inside the central part (3) relative to one or more valve seats (7) there is a ball-shaped gate (5). When manufacturing the valve body (2), the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the body are rotated, with the ends of the central parts (3a) facing each other. Place the ball (5) in a stationary position in the internal space (3b) of the central part (3). The first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the body are welded while rotating the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the body and holding the ball (5) in a stationary position inside the central part (3). During the welding stage, shielding gas is supplied to the inner space (3b) of the central part (3). The result is a valve body with one weld located in the central part (3) of the valve body (2). Also a faucet and a welding tool for holding the faucet parts during welding are performed.

EFFECT: inventions provide high speed and the ability to automate welding work, obtaining strong and uniform welds.

18 cl, 7 dwg

Description

Field of technology

The present invention relates to a ball valve for regulating a fluid, the ball valve comprising a valve body with a central part and two connecting ends, the connecting ends extending from the central part, and a ball with at least one through hole is located inside the central part, with In this case, the ball is located relative to one or more valve seats in the central part of the valve body.

The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a ball valve.

Finally, the present invention also relates to a welding tool for holding and manipulating body parts and ball of a ball valve during welding.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is a well-known method in which a valve, such as a ball valve, and therefore valve bodies, is made from several parts, and then these parts are assembled around the valve seat and ball. The bodies of such faucets have traditionally been made of brass or another copper-based alloy.

Recently, methods have been introduced to manufacture valve bodies from steel, such as carbon steel or stainless steel, which are cheaper and can be machined directly from sheet or tubing on modern manufacturing equipment faster and cheaper than is possible by casting and machining blanks from brass

The valve body is typically assembled from several parts, for example, by machining the connecting ends and the body center section separately, and then by assembling the valve body after installing the valve ball and seats inside the body center section (see FIG. 1). The housing may be assembled using appropriate threads in the appropriate parts or, alternatively, using bolted flanges, welding the parts together, or combinations thereof.

When talking about a ball valve, the ball, as the name suggests, is usually spherical in shape and the outer size is larger than the connecting holes in the valve body. Ball valves can also have non-spherical balls.

Thus, such a valve has a valve body with an internal geometry in which the valve seat and ball are located. The valve body is usually attached in close proximity to the ball, since the latter requires the largest internal dimension. Such valves are usually made from castings, or the blanks are formed from a tubular or rod product. The blanks are formed and shaped by machining to the required geometric configuration. However, this shaping process is quite expensive for several reasons. The individual workpieces must be cast and then processed and machined one after another on a suitable metal-cutting unit. Since parts are machined individually, the process takes a long time, regardless of the use of modern and fast processes.

In addition to handling and machining the castings before assembling them around the valve seat and ball, material cost also plays a significant role. Brass or other alloys are often expensive and involve significantly more cost than, for example, conventional weldable carbon steel or stainless steel.

There are methods in which the ball valve body is made of two parts of the body, and the weld is made in the form of a single weld located in the center of the central part of the valve body.

In this known method, a protective tape is placed inside the central part of the valve body between the ball and the inner surface of the valve body. After completing the weld, this protective tape must be removed from the tap. This is quite complicated and must be done through the connecting end. The ball valve is in the half-open position, after which the protective tape can be removed from the inside of the valve. This is quite difficult and time consuming as there is limited space to remove this protective tape from the inside of the faucet.

If, for example, plasma welding is used, the high temperatures cause temperature-sensitive components, such as the ball, valve seats, etc., to be damaged due to the elevated temperatures used in plasma welding. This method also suffers, among other things, from the disadvantage that it is not possible to provide a weld that melts the valve body from the outer surface to the inner surface. This incomplete weld penetration can result in cavities within the weld. These incomplete penetration welds can cause crevice corrosion in the weld inside the valve body. Additionally, in most cases, when welding with additional material in the weld, molten added material can enter the valve body and then attach (as hardened metal) to the inside surface of the valve body and/or to the ball located inside the center portion. This may cause the faucet to become unusable.

Document CN 107243704 A describes a manufacturing method in which the shut-off element and the valve body are cast and coated with high-temperature paint before assembly. Before assembly, supports are welded to the crane body. A tool manipulator is attached to the valve body and to the shut-off element at one end. The locking element is turned and fixed at an angle of 45 degrees. The valve body is preheated to 100°C before the first part of the two body parts is welded to each other. After this, the locking element is turned 90 degrees and fixed again. The remainder of the two body parts are then welded together.

JPH 07174253 A describes a method for testing the welding of a ball valve in which a film is placed along the outside of the weld and a manipulator with a rotating element is inserted into the valve body through the connecting end. The ball is attached to the rotating element with screws through the hole in the valve spindle in the valve body. The ball is rotated at an angle of approximately 45 degrees so that the weld can be irradiated by a radiation source located on the manipulator. Any defects in the weld are then filled with film.

At the same time, it is also highly desirable to carry out as few welding processes as possible on the crane and reduce man-hours and therefore costs in the manufacture of cranes. This is due to the fact that such stages of the welding process require a lot of time, which, of course, increases the overall cost of the product. In addition, reducing the number of welds to a minimum will generally improve the quality level of the faucet, since fewer welds also reduces the risk of defects or errors in each faucet.

Purpose of the invention

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a ball valve, a method for manufacturing a valve, as well as a welding tool for manufacturing a valve, which: is intended for the production of ball valves and has the following advantages:

reducing welding operations to a minimum;

high-speed crane manufacturing;

possibility of automation of welding works;

homogeneous welds;

no formation of excess material during welding processes;

strong, uniform and/or high-quality welds on valve bodies;

protection of seals, valve seats, balls, etc. during welding, since they are mounted in the valve body before the welding process;

the crane can be manufactured with minimal weight and lower material costs;

the possibility of video monitoring inside the valve body during the welding process ensures 100% verification of the quality of the weld during its manufacture.

Description of the invention

These objectives are met by a method of manufacturing a valve for regulating a fluid, the valve comprising a valve body with a central part and two connecting ends, the connecting ends extending from the central part. Inside the central part there is a ball, for example a ball with at least one through hole. The ball is located relative to one or more valve seats in the central part of the valve body.

A method for manufacturing a valve body includes at least the following steps:

- providing at least first and second body parts, each of said first and second body parts comprising at least a central body part and a connecting end, and - providing a ball,

- placing the first and second body parts in a position in which the ends of the central parts face each other, and additionally placing the ball in a position inside the internal space of the central part,

- welding the first and second body parts using a welding tool while performing relative rotation in the direction of rotation around an axis of axial rotation between the position of the first and second body parts and the positions of the ball and welding tool to provide one weld in the valve body, located in the central part of the valve body , the axis of rotation of which coincides with the central axis of the ball.

This provides a fast and efficient method of manufacturing ball valves and placing the balls inside the central part of the valve body before assembling the valve body.

The method uses a welding tool, as described below, which rotates the body parts while welding them, holding the ball in a fixed position without rotating, or vice versa. Alternatively, both the body parts and the ball may be rotated during welding, preferably in opposite directions of rotation.

Unless otherwise specified, as used herein, the term "relative rotation" refers to any rotational motion made between the valve body parts and the ball (and welding laser/torch) when viewed in the direction of rotation about the axis of rotation.

This also allows the valve body to be manufactured with minimal weight and lower material costs, as there is virtually no excess/waste generated during production.

Thus, in practice, it is possible to provide a spherical center portion on the valve body that is only slightly larger than the ball mounted inside the valve body. Thus, there may be as little as 0.5-5mm of free space between the outside of the ball and the inside of the faucet body, depending on the overall size of the faucet.

Welding is preferably done from the internal space or from the outside of the central part. Compared to conventional welding methods, this method allows for more flexible welding of valve body parts, and the welding laser/torch can be located either outside or inside the central part of the valve body. Thus, welding can be performed on one or both sides of the body parts depending on the specific welding setup and/or ball valve design.

This also allows the valve body to be manufactured with a minimum number of welding operations, since the valve body can be made with one weld seam on the central part of the valve body.

In addition, the method provides uniform welds and strong, uniform and/or high quality welds on valve bodies.

The weld is preferably made using laser welding, which involves introducing a small amount of heat to the metal that forms the valve body. Laser welding also produces a consistent, uniform, high-quality weld. Additionally, laser welding does not add a significant weld and therefore does not add material since laser welding relies on melting a small portion of the faucet body ends being welded. This further reduces the risk of damage or destruction to the ball and/or valve seats, seals or packings, etc., which are pre-installed within the central portion of the valve body before welding the valve body parts. The weld can also be made using cold metal transfer (CMT) welding. Other welding technologies may also be used, particularly low heat welding processes.

Shielding gas provides protection against corrosion in the welding area as oxygen is removed during welding. In addition, the shielding gas can also provide protection for seals, valve seats, balls, etc. during welding. By providing a shielding gas inside the valve body, this gas can also provide some cooling to the internal parts, which provides heat protection during welding to heat sensitive parts that were located inside the valve body prior to the welding step. Thus, the shielding gas can also help protect seals, valve seats, balls, etc. during welding. The shielding gas may be selected by one skilled in the art depending on the materials used for the valve body and/or ball, and/or for use in the selected welding process.

Shielding gas can be supplied to the interior of the central part of the valve body in several possible ways, for example, through one or more openings/pipe connections by means of a manipulator and/or through a connecting end opening.

The first and second housing parts preferably have the same shape. This will ensure a final valve body with a single weld centered on the central part of the valve body and a symmetrical valve body. This reduces the number of different parts in stock when manufacturing the cranes of the present invention. In this way, the center hole in the center portion for installing the faucet spindle can be aligned with the indexer and thus can be used to check the correct position, etc. welding tool indexer (see below for a description of the indexer).

The body parts are first given their final shape before being subjected to a welding operation. The housing parts are preferably made from a tubular element, while the central part of the housing and the connecting ends are formed on modern technological equipment directly from a pipe section by plastic deformation. Plastic deformation may, for example, include increasing the diameter of the first end portion and thereby shaping and/or shaping the central portion of the faucet body and/or reducing the diameter of at least a portion of the tubular member forming the connecting end portion.

In this way, it is also possible to provide the distal ends (ie the ends of the connecting ends that face away from the central part) of the connecting ends with means for connecting to another element, for example another pipe. Thus, the shape of the distal end may depend on the connection means provided on the other tubular element. Thus, the distal ends may be provided with flanges of increased or decreased diameter, or without changing the diameter, as necessary to ensure proper connection with another tubular element by conventional means.

Plastically deformed workpieces are usually annealed to relieve stress in order to restore their original properties. Using the present method, the body parts may be preformed and then subjected to stress relief annealing before the valve body parts are welded together.

Traditional casting and machining of blanks to obtain the desired shape of the final body parts is also possible, although a higher overall cost is expected due to the increased number of different work processes to produce the body parts.

The valve seat(s) may be placed in the first and/or second body portions prior to assembly of the valve body.

As mentioned above, the ball is held in a stationary position without rotation inside the central part of the valve body using a welding tool. The welding tool includes holding means for holding the ball in position within the central portion of the valve body. The holding means may be, for example, a manipulator with an indexer. Thus, the valve ball body is held in a stationary position on the manipulator by introducing the manipulator with the indexer through a through hole in the ball body. The ball body is then held in a stationary, non-rotating position on the manipulator by an indexer that engages the indexer hole in the ball from inside the ball body.

Alternatively, the welding tool holding means for holding the ball in position within the central portion of the valve body includes an expandable mandrel that can firmly hold the ball member on the mandrel when the mandrel is inserted into the through hole and then expand.

The holding means may further be provided with rotation means for rotating the ball about an axis of rotation relative to the housing parts. Thus, other holding means may be used to hold the housing parts in a stationary position without rotating relative to the ball.

The indexer is held in a stationary position below the welding site. This allows the indexer to collect any excess material that occurs during the welding process. This way, any molten metal during the welding process ends up in the indexer and cannot attach to the ball or valve seats, seals, etc. The indexer and its ability to collect melts during the welding process are described in more detail below.

This provides simple and effective control of the fixed position of the ball and provides effective protection of the ball from excess melt from the surface being welded.

Preferably, a camera located on the welding tool arm monitors the weld on the inside of the central portion of the valve body. This makes it possible for video monitoring and the ability to check the quality of the weld during its manufacturing process.

The objects of the present invention are also served by a ball valve for regulating a fluid, the ball valve comprising a valve body with a central portion and two connecting ends, the connecting ends extending from the central portion, wherein a ball is located within the central portion, such as a ball with at least one through hole, wherein the ball is located relative to one or more valve seats in the central part of the valve body, and the valve body is assembled by means of a single weld provided centrally in the central part of the valve body.

Since the faucet is manufactured by the method described above and using the welding tool as described below, the faucet itself also has the above-mentioned advantages and effects as described with respect to the method and the welding tool.

A ball valve is, in particular, a floating plug ball valve or an integral trunnion ball valve.

The ball preferably contains an opening for an indexer. The indexer hole may cooperate with the indexer of the welding tool as described above with respect to the method. Additionally, a more detailed description of the welding tool and its indexer is provided below.

The indexer hole may not be present if the ball holding means contains an expandable mandrel as described below. The spindle hole can then act like the indexer hole and follow the position of the welding torch/laser. Additionally, the spindle hole in the ball can be used to suck out any excess molten material, as discussed above and/or below. The spindle hole can also be used to supply or discharge shielding gas/back-weld protection gas into the interior of the central part.

The indexer hole in the ball is adapted in size, shape and/or position to engage the indexer of the welding accessory tool.

Also consistent with the purposes of the present invention is a welding tool for holding and manipulating body parts and a ball of a ball valve during welding, said welding tool comprising:

- a welding laser or a welding torch, configured to at least be positioned relative to the housing parts and capable of welding the housing parts to each other,

- holding means configured to hold the ball in position within the central portion of the ball valve body, and

- rotation means configured to perform relative rotation around an axis of axial rotation between the position of the valve body parts and the positions of the ball and the welding laser or welding torch.

The holding means preferably comprises an arm with a radial opening in which an indexer is located, and wherein the indexer is slidably movable to be slidably moved in a radial direction out of and/or into the radial opening by an indexer drive located in the arm, as mentioned above and as further disclosed below.

Alternatively, the welding tool holding means includes an expandable mandrel configured to be inserted into the through hole of the ball, wherein the mandrel is further configured to expand when inserted into the through hole so that the ball is firmly held on the mandrel.

This allows the ball to be kept stationary while the body parts can rotate during the welding process, or vice versa. In addition, the automated manipulation of valve body parts during welding further allows automation of the welding procedure in a simple, inexpensive and efficient manner. Automation of the welding procedure may, for example, involve the use of robots to perform the attachment of the faucet parts in the welding tool and/or to perform the welding step.

The rotation axis of the crane body parts and the longitudinal axis/axial direction of the manipulator are in principle the same. The central axis of the ball may additionally coincide with the above axis of rotation.

The welding tool manipulator contains a radial hole in which the indexer is installed. The shape of the hole corresponds to the shape of the indexer and can be, for example, round, oval or polygonal, for example triangular, square, rectangular or have several sides. The shape of the hole and the indexer are not important because the indexer in some embodiments (discussed further below) cannot rotate within the hole.

The indexer is configured to be radially slidable from and/or into the radial hole using an indexer drive located in the manipulator. Thus, the indexer drive pushes the indexer radially out of the radial hole. Thus, the indexer engages the indexer hole in the ball and maintains the ball in a stationary position on the manipulator, as already described above. The indexer may also be positioned at an angle relative to the radial position, for example if the weld is located in an asymmetrical position on the center portion of the valve body. This may be important, for example, when the shape of the central part of the valve body is cylindrical (or not spherical).

The indexer is held in a stationary position below the weld point where welding occurs. Thus, the indexer can collect any molten material during the welding step in an opening extending radially inward in the indexer body (ie, radially inward with respect to the axis of rotation). In this way, the indexer also holds the ball in a stationary position without rotating during the welding procedure if parts of the valve body rotate. Even if the indexer and ball rotate and the valve body parts are fixed in a non-rotating position, the indexer is still held in a stationary position below the weld point. Thus, the welding laser/torch and indexer are aligned radially to ensure continuous collection of molten material. The opening in the indexer body is preferably cylindrical or conical in shape and thus forms a funnel-shaped element for collecting excess molten material.

The indexer drive contains a rod-shaped element, which is configured to move in the axial direction of the manipulator. The outer end of the indexer drive includes a wedge-shaped surface in contact with a corresponding sliding surface on the indexer. Thus, when extended from the arm, the indexer drive pushes the indexer radially outward as the indexer slides upward along the wedge-shaped surface. When the indexer drive is retracted, the indexer slides down the wedge-shaped surface on the indexer drive and is retracted into the arm. The shape of the indexer drive is not important as long as the indexer drive is capable of pushing the indexer out of the indexer hole. Alternatively, a pneumatic, electric or hydraulic indexer drive such as a piston or cylinder can be used.

The welding tool further comprises rotation means for rotating the valve body parts around the axis of axial rotation and around the welding tool manipulator. This allows the body parts to be rotated during the welding procedure while the ball is held stationary without rotation on the manipulator.

The rotation means for rotating the valve body parts around the axial rotation axis preferably comprises a turret and a bearing. The bearing is configured to surround the manipulator and support the support sleeve for holding the connecting end of the first part of the valve body. The turret is designed to engage the opposite connecting end of the second valve body. The reverse order is also possible, i.e. the turret is located around the manipulator, and the bearing with support sleeve is located at the opposite end of the valve body when installed in the welding tool.

The turret allows the valve body parts to rotate during welding by rotating the first body part, and the bearing supports the co-rotation of the second body part as the two body parts are sandwiched between the bushing bearing and the turret.

The welding laser or welding torch is held stationary and the valve body is rotated while welding a weld bead surrounding the center portion of the valve body.

The opposite situation is also possible, since the welding laser or welding torch can rotate around the stationary valve body during the welding procedure, keeping the indexer under the welding zone at all times. In this situation, the ball also rotates with the welding torch or welding laser. In this situation, the shielding gas is preferably also circulated within the valve body by venting the shielding gas through openings in the indexer and manipulator, for example by suction, as also described below. This allows the indexer to collect any molten excess material as the molten material is sucked into the indexer opening. Thus, the indexer can also collect molten material during the welding phase even if the indexer opening is tilted downward (while it is rotating).

When welding is completed, the valve body will be aligned with the ball so as to align the hole in the valve body for attaching the spindle and spindle coupling with the spindle mounting hole in the ball for attaching the spindle.

The spindle coupling with the spindle located in it can then be placed in the hole in the valve body. After attaching the spindle and spindle coupling, the spindle coupling can be laser welded to the body. This can be done by holding the laser welding torch stationary and rotating the laser welding tool around the axis of the spindle coupling to create a laser weld at the transition between the valve body and the spindle coupling.

When the indexer is deactivated (i.e., retracted into the radial hole in the welding tool arm), it is seen that the ball will rotate with the body as the valve seats hold the ball in position relative to the valve body.

As mentioned above, the welding tool contains one or more gas channels for introducing and/or venting shielding gas into the interior of the valve body.

Shielding gas can be supplied to the interior of the central part of the valve body in several possible ways, for example, through one or more openings/pipe connections by means of a manipulator and/or through a connecting end opening.

In the preferred embodiment, the shielding gas is supplied through the indexer, since this provides the shielding gas very close to the welding area. Alternatively, the shielding gas can be removed through openings in the indexer and manipulator, for example by means of suction. This is possible if the indexer further includes a connecting hole for connecting at least one gas channel in the manipulator to a radial hole of the indexer, at least when the indexer is in an extended position.

The welding tool can be equipped with a camera mounted on a manipulator. The camera is preferably facing in the opposite direction to the indexer. The camera, for example, faces radially outward and faces the hole in the ball for the faucet spindle (which must be secured after welding the faucet body parts). Thus, the camera can be connected to a computer with appropriate software and can monitor the weld on the inside of the valve body during the welding procedure. This improves the quality of the valves as the welding procedure can be adapted if defects or deviations in the weld are detected during camera inspection. The result will be fewer “substandard” cranes and thus a further reduction in overall production costs.

As described previously, the welding tool rotation means are preferably configured to rotate the first and second housing portions relative to the positions of the ball and the welding laser or welding torch, and/or to rotate the ball and the welding laser or welding torch relative to the positions of the first and second housing portions.

Compared to document CN 107243704 A, the ball and manipulator rotate continuously around the longitudinal axis of rotation, while the valve body parts are held in a non-rotating position or vice versa during welding. In addition, the valve body parts are welded together in a continuous process, whereas the welding process in CN 107243704 A is carried out in two stages. This allows for a faster and simpler assembly process, which can predominantly be carried out using robotic devices.

The welding laser/torch can be aligned with the ends of the faucet body parts to be welded on the outside of the faucet body. The welding laser/torch can be connected to an external power/energy source to project a welding beam, such as a laser beam, directly onto the weld spot area to form a weld. Alternatively or additionally, the welding laser/torch may be aligned with the connecting end of one of the valve body parts. In this case, one or more mirrors can be located inside the crane body, in particular in the internal space of the central part, to reflect the welding beam. The mirror(s) can be aligned with the ends of the faucet body parts to be welded and additionally with the welding laser/torch so that the welding beam is reflected onto the weld spot area.

The indexer may be held in a stationary position on the outside of the valve body below where welding occurs. Alternatively or additionally, the indexer may be held in a stationary position in the interior of the valve body below the weld point. This allows the indexer to collect any excess material created by the welding procedure so that it cannot attach to the ball or valve seats, seals, etc.

If the welding is done from the inside, the ball can be held stationary without rotation in the interior of the valve body. The manipulator can fit into the connection of one of the parts of the valve body, preferably at the opposite connecting end of the welding laser/torch. The manipulator may have a free end shaped such that when inserted into the connecting end it faces the ball indexer hole, and the free end of the manipulator may be flush with the outer surface of the ball or protrude slightly into the space between the ball and the central portion of the valve body.

Although the present invention is primarily described below in relation to ball valves, it is clear that the present invention may also be applicable to other types of valves in which the ball is located within the valve body, in particular, in a section of the valve body with an increased cross-sectional dimension relative to the connecting parts. ends.

Description of graphic materials

The invention is further explained with reference to graphic materials in which:

in fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art crane assembled using two welds,

in fig. 2 shows a tap with a tap body according to the present invention,

in fig. Figure 3 shows the crane shown in figure 1 in cross section,

in fig. 4 shows the ball of a ball valve according to the present invention,

in fig. 5 shows a pre-formed and pre-assembled faucet body part for manufacturing a faucet according to the present invention,

in fig. 6a-c show the stages of the welding process of the valve body parts shown in FIG. 5, and

in fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment for assembling faucet body parts according to the present invention.

When explaining the figures, identical or corresponding elements will be provided with the same symbols in different figures. Therefore, an explanation of all parts in connection with each individual figure will not be given. Detailed Description of the Invention

In fig. Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a traditional ball valve. In the presented FIG. 1 ball valve is a floating plug ball valve. The faucet has a faucet body 2 with connecting ends 4 attached to the central part 3, with the connecting ends 4 facing in opposite longitudinal directions of the faucet body 2. Conventional valve bodies are welded together by a weld in the transition zone 2 c between the central part 3 and each of the connecting ends 4a, 4b, respectively.

In fig. 2 shows a tap 1 according to the present invention. The faucet also has a faucet body 2 with connecting ends 4 attached to a central part 3.

The crane in Fig. 2 is made with one weld 9 surrounding the central part 3. In FIG. The 2nd spindle of the crane is located in the 8th spindle coupling. Thus, the valve body shown in FIG. 1 consists of two preformed body parts 2a, 2b, as shown in FIG. 5. The body halves 2a, 2b are pre-formed as described above. Each body part has a valve seat 7, installed before assembling the valve body by welding the half body parts 2a, 2b onto the welded end 3c (see also Fig. 5).

In fig. 3 shows a cross section of the valve shown in FIG. 2 (the crane spindle and the spindle coupling 8, shown in Fig. 2, are not shown). Ball 5 shown in FIG. 3 is a ball 5 with at least a through passage 6, which ensures the flow of fluid through the body 5 of the ball. The ball is also shown in Fig. 4. The ball body 5c contains a through hole 6 and a hole 5a for attaching the spindle. The indexer hole 5b is also located in the ball 5. The function of the indexer hole 5b is further described below. In fig. 4, the indexer hole 5b is shown to be oval, although other shapes are possible, as discussed above, as long as the indexer hole 5b allows the indexer 12 to fit into the indexer hole 5b and firmly lock the ball body 5c in a non-rotating position, as also discussed below. below.

As shown in FIG. 3, the ball body 5c is placed inside the central part 3 of the valve body 2 and is held in position between the valve seats 7. The weld seam 9 is located in the center of the central part 3 of the valve body.

Next, a welding tool and a method for manufacturing a faucet will be described with reference to FIG. 6a-6c.

The welding tool 10 is configured to hold and manipulate the valve body parts 2a, 2b and the ball 5 during welding. The welding tool contains a manipulator or shaft 11 with a radial hole 11a, in which an indexer 12 is located. The indexer 12 is located with the possibility of sliding movement inside the manipulator 11 and is made with the possibility of radial sliding movement from the radial hole 11a and/or into it by means of an indexer drive 13 located in the manipulator 11, as shown by arrow 12d in FIG. 6b.

The welding tool additionally contains rotation means 15, 17 for rotating the body parts around a rotation axis 18 coinciding with the axial axis of the manipulator 11, see arrow 18a in FIG. 6s.

In this way, the ball 5 can be held stationary while the body parts 2a, 2b can be rotated during the welding procedure. This additionally ensures the uniformity of the weld and its high quality. In addition, the automated manipulation of valve body parts during welding further allows automation of the welding procedure in a simple, inexpensive and efficient manner. Automation of the welding procedure may, for example, involve the use of robots to perform the attachment of the faucet parts in the welding tool and/or to perform the welding step.

The axis of rotation of the parts of the crane body and the longitudinal axis/axial direction of the manipulator 11 are in principle the same and are shown in Figs. 6a and 6c as line 18.

Alternatively, the rotation means 15, 17 can be arranged such that the manipulator 11 and thus the ball 5 rotates around a rotation axis 18 instead of the housing parts 21, 2b. In this way, the body parts 2a, 2b can be held stationary while the ball 5 can be rotated during the welding procedure. This also ensures the uniformity of the weld and its high quality.

The indexer 12 is configured to be radially slidable out of and/or into the radial hole Pa by an indexer drive 13 located in the manipulator 11. As discussed above, the shape of the indexer drive is not important and may, for example, alternatively include a pneumatic, electrical or hydraulic drive The indexer, for example, may use a piston or cylinder. Thus, the indexer drive shown in FIG. 6a-c is simply an example of a possible indexer drive design.

In fig. 6a-6c, the indexer drive is movable in an axial direction 18, as shown by arrow 13b in FIG. 6b. Thus, the wedge-shaped surface 13a on the indexer actuator 13 pushes the indexer radially out of the radial hole Pa in the manipulator 11 by contacting it with a corresponding sliding surface 12b at the inner end of the indexer 12. Thus, when extended from the manipulator 11, the indexer actuator 13 pushes the indexer 12 in a radial outward direction (see arrow 12d in FIG. 6b) as the indexer 12 slides up the wedge-shaped surface 13a on the indexer 13. When the indexer drive 13 is retracted, the indexer 12 slides back down the wedge-shaped surface 13 on the indexer drive 13 and is pulled into the radial hole Pa in the manipulator 11.

The indexer 12 is held in a stationary position below the welding point 9a. Thus, the indexer 12 is capable of collecting any molten material during the welding step in an opening 12a extending radially inwardly in the body of the indexer 12 (ie, radially inward about the axis of rotation). Thus, the indexer 12 also holds the ball 5 in a stationary position without rotation during the welding procedure. The hole 12a in the indexer body is preferably cylindrical or conical in shape, as shown in FIG. 6a-6c, and thus forms a funnel-shaped element for collecting excess molten material. It should be noted that the indexer 12 can be removed from the radial hole 11a and replaced with a new indexer (or a cleaned indexer), for example, if the indexer hole 12a is blocked by molten material. It should be noted that a funnel/conical shape of the hole 12a is preferred because the hole 12a is more easily cleaned of any molten metal trapped therein.

The welding tool 10 further includes rotation means 15, 17 for rotating the valve body parts 2a, 2b about the axial rotation axis 18 and around the welding tool manipulator. This allows the housing parts 2a, 2b to be rotated during the welding procedure, while the ball 5 is held in a stationary position without rotation on the manipulator.

The rotation means for rotating the valve body parts about the axial rotation axis preferably comprises a turret 15 and a bearing 17 shown in FIG. 6a-6c, wherein the bearing 17 is arranged to surround the manipulator 11 and support the support sleeve 16 for holding the connecting end 4a of the first faucet body part 2a. The turret 15 is designed to engage with the opposite connecting end 4b of the second valve body part 2b. The reverse order is also possible, i.e. the turret 15 is located around the manipulator 11, and the bearing 17 with the support sleeve 16 is located at the opposite end of the valve body 1 when located in the welding tool 10.

The turret 15 ensures rotation of the valve body parts 2a, 2b in the rotation direction 18a during welding due to the rotation of the first body part 2a, and the bearing 16 supports the joint rotation of the second body part 2b, since the two body parts are clamped between the bearing 17 with the support sleeve 16 and turret head.

The welding laser or welding torch 10a is held in a stationary position while the valve body 2 is rotated while welding the weld seam 9 surrounding the central part 3 of the valve body 2. The opposite is also possible, since the welding laser or welding torch can rotate around the stationary valve body 2 during the welding process, keeping the indexer 12 under the area of the weld point 9a (corresponding to the weld 9) at all times. In this situation, the shielding gas preferably circulates within the valve body 2b by removing the shielding gas through the openings 12a, 12c in the indexer 12 and at least one opening in the manipulator, for example, by suction, as also shown below. This allows the indexer 12 to collect any molten excess material as the molten material is drawn into the indexer opening 12a. Thus, the indexer can also collect molten material during welding even though the indexer hole 12a is inclined downward (while it is rotating).

Once welding is completed, the valve body 2 will be aligned with the ball 5 so as to align the hole 8a in the valve body for attaching the spindle coupling and the spindle 8 in the hole 5a for attaching the spindle in the ball 5.

In this case, the spindle coupling with the spindle located in it can be located in the hole 8a in the valve body. After attaching the spindle coupling and spindle 8, the spindle can be laser welded to the body. This can be done by holding the laser welding torch stationary and rotating the laser welding tool around the axis of the spindle coupling to create a laser weld at the transition between the valve body and the spindle coupling.

When the indexer 12 is deactivated (i.e., retracted into the radial hole 11a in the welding tool manipulator, see Fig. 6a), it is clear that the ball 5 will be able to rotate with the valve body 2, since the valve seats 7 hold the ball 5 in position relative to 2 tap housings.

The shielding gas can be supplied to the interior space 3b of the valve body central part 3 in several possible ways, for example, through one or more openings/pipe connections 14 through the manipulator and/or through the connecting end opening. Thus, the shielding gas also serves as a gas to protect the back of the weld during the welding phase.

In a preferred embodiment, the shielding gas is supplied through the indexer 12, since this provides the shielding gas very close to the welding zone 9. Alternatively, the shielding gas can be vented through openings in the indexer 12a, 12b and manipulator 14. This is possible if the indexer 12 further includes a connecting hole 12c for connecting at least one gas channel 14 in the manipulator to the radial indexer opening 12a, at least when the indexer is in the extended position as shown in FIG. 6b-6c.

The welding tool may be provided with a camera 19, which is preferably mounted on a manipulator. Camera 19 preferably faces in the opposite direction to the indexer. The camera, for example, is directed radially outward and is directed towards the spindle hole 5a in the ball 5 for attaching the valve spindle 8. Thus, the camera can be connected to a computer with appropriate software and can monitor the weld on the inside of the valve body during the welding procedure. This improves the quality of the valves as the welding procedure can be adapted if defects or deviations in the weld are detected during camera inspection. The result will be fewer “substandard” cranes and thus a further reduction in overall production costs.

In fig. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention, in which the welding process is carried out from the interior of the valve body 2. Here, the welding laser/torch 10a is positioned relative to the connecting end 4b of the second housing parts 2b. The welding laser/torch 10a is connected to a power/energy source (not shown), also located outside the valve body 2. In the internal space of the central part 3 there is a mirror 10b. The mirror 10b is aligned with the welding ends 3c of the first and second body parts 2a, 2b and, in addition, with the welding laser/torch 10a. A welding beam, such as a laser beam, is projected from the welding laser/torch and reflected by the mirror 10b to form a weld seam 9.

The indexer 12' is held in a stationary position on the outside of the valve body 2 below the welding position 9a. Alternatively or additionally, the indexer may be held stationary in the interior of the valve body 2 below the weld point 9. This allows the indexer to collect any excess material resulting from the welding procedure so that it cannot attach to the ball or valve seats, seals, etc. .d.

Ball 5 is held in a stationary position without rotation in the internal space of the valve body 2. This is achieved by means of a manipulator 11' extending into the connection 4a of the first housing part 2a. The manipulator 11' has a free end shaped such that it faces the hole 5b for the ball indexer 5 when inserted into the connecting end. The end surface of the free end of the manipulator can be flush with the outer surface of the ball 5 or protrude slightly into the space between the ball 5 and the central part 3 of the valve body.

In this application, the term “approximately” is used, which includes tolerances that are considered normal by those skilled in the art. For example, as used herein, the terms “approximately round” and “approximately” should be understood to mean that one skilled in the art visually perceives the shape as round or substantially round, in addition to including tolerances that those skilled in the art would consider normal, by possibly measuring and determining the shape of the workpiece.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and embodiments shown both in the drawings and the invention as indicated and defined in the claims, but they can be supplemented and modified in any manner suggested by one skilled in the art.

List of reference items:

1. faucet

2. valve body

a. first (half) part of the body

b. second (half) part of the body

c. transition zone between the central part and the connecting end

3. central part

a. (half) part of the central body

b. internal space of the central part of the valve body

c.welded end

4. connecting ends

a. first connecting end

b. second connecting end

5. ball

a. spindle mounting hole

b. indexer hole

c. ball body

6. through hole in the ball

7. tap seat

8. Crane spindle

A. hole for the valve spindle in the valve body

9. weld on the valve body a. weld point

10. welding tool

a. welding laser/welding torch

b. mirror

11. welding tool manipulator/shaft a. radial hole for indexer

12. indexer

a. hole (conical)

b. sliding surface

c. connection hole

d. arrow indicating radial in/out movement of the indexer

13. indexer drive

a. sliding surface, wedge-shaped surface

b. arrow indicating forward/backward axial movement of the indexer drive

14. channel or hole in the manipulator/shaft

15. turret

16. bushing/holder for part of the valve body

17. bearing

18. axis of rotation/longitudinal axis a. direction of rotation

19. camera position

Claims (33)

1. A method for manufacturing a ball valve for regulating a fluid medium, containing a valve body (2) with a central part (3) and two connecting ends (4) that extend from the central part (3), a shut-off element located inside the central part (3 ) relative to at least one seat (7) located in the central part (3) of the valve body (2), including the following steps: - providing at least a first body part (2a) and a second body part (2b), each of which includes at least a central part (3a) and a connecting end (4a, 4b), and - providing a ball-shaped locking element (5) with at least one through hole (6), - placing the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing in a position in which the ends of the central parts (3a) face each other, and placing the ball (5) in a position inside the internal space (3b) of the central part (3), - welding the first and second body parts (2a, 2b) to each other by means of a welding tool (10) while performing relative rotation in the direction (18a) around an axis (18) between the position of the first and second body parts (2a, 2b) and the positions of the ball (5) and a welding laser or a welding torch of a welding tool (10) to obtain in the valve body (2) one weld seam (9), located in the central part (3) of the valve body (2), the specified axis (18) of which coincides with the central axis of the ball (5). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the weld seam (9) is produced by laser welding. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that welding is carried out from the internal space (3b) or from the outside of the central part (3). 4. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, characterized in that the relative rotation is performed by: - rotation of the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing relative to the positions of the ball (5) and the welding laser or welding torch of the welding tool (10), and/or - rotation of the ball (5) and the welding laser or welding torch of the welding tool (10) relative to the position of the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing. 5. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing are identical in shape. 6. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, characterized in that before assembling the valve body (2), a valve seat (7) is placed in the first and/or second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing. 7. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-6, characterized in that the ball (5) is held inside and relative to the central part (3) of the valve body (2) by means of a holding means of a welding tool (10), which contains: - an expanding mandrel, wherein the ball (5) is held in a stationary position on the mandrel due to the fact that the mandrel is inserted into the through hole (6) of the ball (5) and then expanded, or - a manipulator (11) with an indexer (12), while the ball (5) is held in a stationary position on the manipulator (11) due to the fact that the indexer (12) engages with the hole (5b) for the indexer in the ball (5) . 8. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-7, characterized in that protective gas is introduced into the internal space (3b) of the central part (3) of the valve body through the connection (14) by means of the manipulator (11) and/or through the hole of the connecting end (4). 9. Method according to any one of paragraphs. 5-8, characterized in that it additionally includes checking the weld (9) on the inner side of the central part (3) of the valve body, preferably using a camera (19) located on the manipulator (11). 10. A ball valve for regulating a fluid medium, comprising a valve body (2) with a central part (3) and with two connecting ends (4) that extend from the central part (3), a ball-shaped shut-off element (5) at least with one through hole (6), located inside the central part (3) relative to at least one valve seat (7), located in the central part (3) of the valve body (2), wherein the valve body (2) is connected by one weld (9) in the middle of the central part (3) of the body (2) of the faucet, obtained in the manufacture of the faucet by the method according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9. 11. Ball valve according to claim 10, characterized in that it is a ball valve with a floating plug or a ball valve with a built-in trunnion. 12. Ball valve according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the ball (5) additionally contains a hole (5b) for the indexer, and the specified hole (5b) for the indexer in the ball (5) is adapted in size, shape and/or position for engagement with the indexer (12) of the welding tool (10). 13. Welding tool (10) for holding and manipulating body parts (2a, 2b) and ball (5) during the welding process in the manufacture of a ball valve for fluid control, comprising: - a welding laser (10a) or a welding torch, configured to at least be positioned relative to the housing parts (2a, 2b) and capable of welding the housing parts to each other, - holding means configured to hold the ball (5) in position inside the central part (3) of the ball valve body (2), and - rotation means configured to perform relative rotation around an axis (18) between the position of the valve body parts (2a, 2b) and the positions of the ball (5) and the welding laser (10a) or welding torch. 14. Welding tool according to claim 13, characterized in that the holding means contains: - an expanding mandrel made with the possibility of insertion into the through hole (6) of the ball (5) and with the possibility of expanding when inserted into the through hole (6), to hold the ball (5) in a stationary position on the mandrel, or - a manipulator (11) with a radial hole (11a) in which the indexer (12) is located, and the indexer (12) is made with the possibility of radial sliding movement from the radial hole (11a) and/or into it by means of the indexer drive (13) located in the manipulator (11). 15. Welding tool according to claim 14, characterized in that the manipulator (11) has at least one gas channel (14) for introducing and/or venting shielding gas into the internal space (3b) of the valve body (2). 16. Welding tool according to any one of paragraphs. 14 or 15, characterized in that the indexer (12) further comprises a connecting hole (12 c) for connecting at least one gas channel (14) with a radial hole (12a) of the indexer, at least when the indexer (12) is in the extended position position 17. Welding tool according to any one of paragraphs. 14-16, characterized in that the rotation means contains a turret (15) and a bearing (17), wherein the bearing (17) is located at one end of the valve body (2) and surrounds the manipulator (11), and the turret (15) designed to engage with the opposite end of the valve body (2) and ensure rotation of parts (2a, 2b) of the valve body. 18. Welding tool according to any one of paragraphs. 14-17, characterized in that the rotation means is configured to: - rotation of the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing relative to the positions of the ball (5) and the welding laser (10a) or the welding torch, and/or - rotation of the ball (5) and the welding laser (10a) or welding torch relative to the position of the first and second parts (2a, 2b) of the housing.