US20020117211A1 - Gate valve - Google Patents
Gate valve Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20020117211A1 US20020117211A1 US10/056,627 US5662702A US2002117211A1 US 20020117211 A1 US20020117211 A1 US 20020117211A1 US 5662702 A US5662702 A US 5662702A US 2002117211 A1 US2002117211 A1 US 2002117211A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- gate
- valve
- bonnet
- valve stem
- flow passage
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Classifications
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K3/00—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing
- F16K3/02—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor
- F16K3/0254—Gate valves or sliding valves, i.e. cut-off apparatus with closing members having a sliding movement along the seat for opening and closing with flat sealing faces; Packings therefor being operated by particular means
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16K—VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING
- F16K31/00—Actuating devices; Operating means; Releasing devices
- F16K31/44—Mechanical actuating means
- F16K31/50—Mechanical actuating means with screw-spindle or internally threaded actuating means
- F16K31/508—Mechanical actuating means with screw-spindle or internally threaded actuating means the actuating element being rotatable, non-rising, and driving a non-rotatable axially-sliding element
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/598—With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
- Y10T137/6161—With provision of alternate wear parts
- Y10T137/6164—Valve heads and/or seats
- Y10T137/6167—Opposite duplicate surfaces of unitary structure
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/598—With repair, tapping, assembly, or disassembly means
- Y10T137/6161—With provision of alternate wear parts
- Y10T137/6164—Valve heads and/or seats
- Y10T137/6167—Opposite duplicate surfaces of unitary structure
- Y10T137/6171—Homogeneous material
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T137/00—Fluid handling
- Y10T137/8811—Frangible
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a gate valve. More particularly, the invention relates to a gate valve which comprises a number of features which contribute to a reduction in the weight and manufacturing cost of the gate valve.
- Prior art gate valves typically comprise a valve body, a flow passage extending axially through the body between an inlet port and an outlet port, a gate cavity extending partially through the body generally transverse to the flow passage, and a bonnet mounted to the body over the gate cavity.
- a valve stem is rotationally supported in the bonnet or in a bonnet cap secured to the top of the bonnet.
- One end of the valve stem is connected to a handle or other means for rotating the valve stem, and the other end of the valve stem is threaded into a gate which is disposed between a pair of seats that are mounted in the flow passage.
- Each seat comprises a through bore which is concentric with the flow passage, and the gate includes a transverse opening extending therethrough.
- the stem is rotated to raise or lower the gate and bring the opening into or out of alignment with the through bores to either open or close the flow passage, respectively.
- each seat is usually specially machined or treated to ensure an effective metal-to-metal seal with the gate, and the back face of the seat is often designed to accommodate an additional backup seal with the valve body.
- these seats require multiple, time consuming machining steps. Additionally, these seats are asymmetrical and can only be mounted in the gate valve in a specific orientation.
- valve stem sealing member of prior art gate valves is typically a stem packing which is comprised of many individual sealing elements.
- stem packings are relatively expensive and contribute to the overall complexity of the gate valve.
- the stem packing is usually secured within the bonnet by a retainer which is threaded into the bonnet. While this retainer is effective to transmit the upward force acting on the seal to the bonnet, the threaded connection between the retainer and the bonnet is time consuming and costly to manufacture.
- the stem is connected to the gate with an acme thread. Although this is a robust connection, the process of machining the acme threads on the stem and the gate is expensive. Also, in order to permit the gate to float toward the downstream seat when the gate valve is closed, the stem is usually threaded into a lift nut which is loosely retained in the gate. This lift nut necessarily increases the cost and complexity of such gate valves.
- prior art gate valves often comprise one or more metallic thrust bearings, such as needle bearings, connected between the stem and the bonnet cap to transfer the thrust load to the bonnet and thereby lower the operating torque of the gate valve.
- metallic thrust bearings are relatively expensive and add to the overall weight of the gate valve.
- these metallic thrust bearings periodically require lubrication during the life of the gate valve and are also subject to rusting.
- the gate cavity comprises a bore having a uniform cross section in the plane perpendicular to the valve stem.
- this cross sectional area is usually larger than is required to accommodate the gate below the flow passage. Therefore, these prior art gate valves are constructed with bodies which are larger than required, and this needlessly increases the cost and weight of the gate valve.
- a gate valve comprising a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port, a pair of seats mounted in respective seat pockets formed in the body coaxial with the flow passage, a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, and a valve stem threadedly connected to the gate, wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively, and wherein each seat comprises a generally cylindrical body portion having a substantially uniform outer diameter and first and second end faces which are adapted to seal with the gate, whereby each seat may be mounted in its seat pocket with either the first face or the second face adjacent the gate.
- the gate valve comprises a gate cavity extending through the valve body and intersecting the flow passage, a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity, a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore, the valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore in the bonnet and into the gate cavity, an annular sealing member disposed between the valve stem and the bonnet bore, and a retainer for restricting axial movement of the sealing member within the bore.
- the retainer comprises a radial flange which is secured between the bonnet and the bonnet cap, such that axial forces exerted on the retainer by the sealing member are transmitted to the bonnet cap via the flange and without the need for a threaded connection between the retainer and the bonnet.
- the second portion of the valve stem is provided with “V” threads that are adapted to engage corresponding “V” threads formed in a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof.
- the “V” thread interface created by these “V” threads converts the rotation of the stem into translation of the gate.
- the “V” thread interface between the stem and the gate is preferably sufficiently loose to allow the gate to float laterally to engage the downstream seat when the gate valve is in the closed position.
- the gate valve comprises a bearing support ring which is rotationally received within the bonnet cap and includes an axial bore through which the first portion of the valve stem is inserted, a bearing pin for securing the bearing support ring to the stem, and a preferably non-metallic thrust bearing washer which is disposed between the bearing support ring and the bonnet cap.
- the bearing support ring, bearing pin and thrust bearing washer comprise an inexpensive, lightweight assembly that effectively transmits the thrust from the valve stem to the bonnet.
- the non-metallic thrust bearing washer will not rust and does not require the application of lubrication during the life of the gate valve.
- the gate cavity comprises a first chamber located below the flow passage and a second chamber located above the flow passage, and the cross sectional area of the first chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem is less than the cross sectional area of the second chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem.
- the size of the valve body below the flow passage is minimized to reduce the overall weight and cost of the gate valve, as well as reduce the volume of trapped pressure in the gate valve that contributes to problems with blow down when the gate is opened.
- the wall sections of the valve body preferably comprise a generally uniform thickness to improve casting flow during manufacture of the gate valve.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective, partial sectional view of the gate valve of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the gate valve shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a lateral cross sectional view of the gate valve shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 4 is a lateral cross sectional view of another embodiment of the gate valve of the present invention.
- the gate valve of the present invention which is indicated generally by reference number 10 , is shown to comprise a valve body 12 having an internal flow passage 14 extending therethrough between an inlet port 16 and an outlet port 18 .
- the gate valve may also include suitable connectors, such as flanges 20 , to connect the inlet and outlet ports of the gate valve 10 to exterior flow pipes (not shown).
- the valve body 12 comprises a central portion 22 which houses a gate cavity 24 that extends partially through the valve body generally perpendicular to the flow passage 14 .
- the gate cavity 24 includes an upper, generally cylindrical chamber 26 located above the flow passage 14 and a lower, generally rectangular chamber 28 located below the flow passage.
- the body 12 including the flanges 20 and the central portion 22 , is preferably cast as a single piece from a high strength material, such as steel.
- the gate valve 10 also comprises a valve bonnet 30 which is mounted to the valve body 12 over the gate cavity 24 .
- the bonnet 30 includes an upper neck 32 and a lower annular flange 34 which is tightly received in the top of the gate cavity 24 .
- a suitable annular sealing member 36 such as a metallic or non-metallic O-ring, is positioned in a corresponding groove in the flange 34 to seal between the bonnet 30 and the valve body 12 .
- a non-extrusion ring 38 may also be provided in the groove above the sealing member 36 to prevent the sealing member from being forced out of the groove under high pressure.
- the bonnet 30 also comprises a bore 40 which extends therethrough and communicates with the gate cavity 24 .
- the bore 40 includes an enlarged diameter portion 42 formed at the upper end of the neck 32 and a counterbore 44 defining a conical backseat 46 formed at the lower end of the bonnet 30 .
- the bonnet 30 is preferably removably secured to the valve body 12 such as by a plurality of cap screws or bolts 48 .
- the bonnet 30 may also comprise a pressure bleeder port 50 which has one end connected to the bore 40 and the other end sealed by a bleeder plug 52 .
- the flange 34 comprises a generally vertical outer diameter surface which engages the gate cavity 24 radially inwardly of the generally horizontal interface between the bonnet 30 and the body 12 .
- the positioning of the seal 36 between the flange 34 and the gate cavity 24 as opposed to the horizontal interface between the bonnet 30 and the body 12 , thus minimizes the area of the bonnet which is subject to the pressure within the gate cavity 24 . Consequently, the force which the pressure exerts on the bonnet is minimized, and relatively small cap screws or bolts 48 may therefore be used to secure the bonnet to the body.
- the gate valve 10 also includes a bonnet cap 54 which is connected to the bonnet 30 over the neck 32 .
- the bonnet cap 54 comprises an upper aperture 56 that communicates with an annular socket 58 .
- the socket 58 includes an enlarged diameter lower portion 60 which defines a step 62 .
- the bonnet cap 54 is preferably secured to the bonnet 30 by a threaded connection between the neck 32 and the lower portion 60 of the socket 58 .
- the bonnet cap may also include a pressure vent port 64 and a wiper ring seal 66 disposed in the aperture 56 .
- the gate valve of the present invention also comprises a valve stem 68 which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap 54 .
- the valve stem 68 extends through the aperture 56 in the bonnet cap and is connected to a thrust bearing assembly 70 which in turn is received in the socket 58 of the bonnet cap.
- the thrust bearing assembly 70 includes a bearing support ring 72 which comprises an axial hole through which the valve stem 68 is inserted.
- the valve stem 68 is connected to the bearing support ring 72 by a bearing pin 74 which is inserted through corresponding lateral holes in the valve stem and the bearing support ring.
- the bearing support ring 72 is rotationally disposed between upper and lower thrust bearing washers 76 , 78 .
- the entire thrust bearing assembly 70 is supported within the socket 58 on a retainer 80 .
- the thrust bearing assembly 70 functions to rotationally support the valve stem 68 within the bonnet cap 54 and also transmit the upward axial thrust acting on the valve stem to the bonnet cap 54 .
- the bearing support ring 72 and the bearing pin 74 are made of a strong, preferably metallic material.
- the upper and lower thrust bearing washers 76 , 78 are ideally made of a strong, corrosion resistant material which does not require the application of a lubricant to maintain suitable performance.
- the upper and lower thrust bearing washers 76 , 78 are made of a non-metallic material such as carbon filled Teflon®, PTFE or fiberglass.
- the upper and lower thrust bearing washers 76 , 78 may be constructed of a metallic material with a high lubricity, for example, beryllium copper, brass, aluminum bronze, or a sintered metal such as bronze or brass which is impregnated with oil.
- the valve stem 68 extends through the bore 40 in the bonnet 30 and includes an upper end 82 which protrudes through the aperture 56 in the bonnet cap 54 and a lower end 84 which extends into the gate cavity 24 .
- An annular stem sealing member 86 is disposed around the valve stem 68 within the enlarged diameter portion 42 of the bore 40 to seal between the valve stem and the bonnet 30 .
- the sealing member 86 is preferably a single lip seal constructed of a non-metallic material such as PTFE, plastic or rubber.
- the lip seal comprises a first annular sealing lip for engaging the valve stem, a second annular sealing lip for engaging the bore, and a metallic spring member for urging the first and second sealing lips into engagement with the valve stem and the bore, respectively.
- the sealing member 86 is held within the enlarged diameter portion 42 by the retainer 80 .
- the retainer 80 includes a radially extending flange 88 which is trapped between the top of the bonnet 30 and the step 62 of the bonnet cap 54 to thereby restrict axial movement of the retainer 80 relative to the bonnet 30 .
- pressure within the gate cavity 24 will force the sealing member 86 against the retainer 80 , and this load will be transmitted directly to the bonnet cap 54 and not to the thrust support assembly 70 , which consequently reduces the operating torque of the gate valve.
- the valve stem 68 may be rotated manually using a handle 90 which is connected to the upper end 82 by a quick disconnect pin 92 or any other suitable means. Of course, any desired means may be employed to rotate the stem 68 , including any manual or powered means currently in use for such a purpose.
- the gate valve 10 also includes a generally rectangular gate 94 which is positioned in the gate cavity 24 across the flow passage 14 .
- the gate 94 comprises a central longitudinal hole 96 extending through its top surface.
- the hole 96 includes a threaded upper portion 98 into which the lower end 84 of the valve stem 68 is threadedly received. As shown more clearly in FIG. 1, substantially the entire lower end 84 of the valve stem 68 is threaded.
- the gate 94 will move axially up or down with respect to the valve stem 68 .
- the threads on the lower end 84 and in the threaded portion 98 of the hole 96 preferably comprise a “V” profile, which is simpler and less costly to manufacture than the typical acme thread.
- the fit between the lower end 84 and the upper portion 98 is sufficiently loose to allow the gate 94 to float slightly in the direction of the pressure in the flow passage 14 , the purpose of which will be described below.
- the gate 94 also comprises a transverse opening 100 having a centerline that is parallel with the flow passage 14 .
- the gate 94 may include a lateral bore 101 to allow the longitudinal hole 96 to evacuate when the valve stem 68 is threaded therein.
- a threaded insert 102 is installed in the threaded upper portion 98 of the longitudinal hole 96 , and the lower end 84 of the valve stem 68 is threaded into the insert 102 .
- the threaded insert 102 allows the upper portion 98 to be formed as a simple counterbore in the hole 96 .
- the threaded insert comprises a through bore which preferably includes a “V” thread formed therein.
- the threaded insert may be of any conventional type, such as a low friction bushing or a spring bushing. The threaded insert 102 thus provides a simple, inexpensive interface between the valve stem 68 and the gate 94 .
- each seat 104 comprises a cylindrical body portion 108 having a uniform outer diameter, an axial through bore 110 and first and second end faces 112 , 114 .
- the through bore 110 is concentric with the flow passage 14 , and each end face 112 , 114 is specially treated or machined, such as by lapping, to form a metal-to-metal seal with the gate 94 .
- Each seat 104 also comprises first and second annular grooves 116 , 118 formed on the outer diameter of the body portion 108 .
- the first groove 116 is located somewhat adjacent the first end face 112
- the second groove 118 is located somewhat adjacent the second end face 114 .
- the axial length of each seat and the locations of the grooves are selected such that, when the seat is mounted in the pocket 106 , only one groove will be positioned in the pocket. Thus, the other groove may be used to pry the seat out of the pocket during maintenance operations.
- the grooves 116 , 118 are symmetrical on the body portion 108 .
- each seat 108 is preferably symmetrical and can be mounted in the pocket 106 with either the first end face 112 or the second end face 114 adjacent the gate 94 .
- An annular sealing member such as a non-metallic O-ring, is disposed in the groove which is positioned in the pocket 106 to seal between the seat 104 and the valve body 12 .
- a backup seal is preferably formed between the seat pocket 106 and the end face 112 , 114 which is not positioned adjacent the gate 94 .
- the gate valve 10 Since the gate 94 is permitted to float in the direction of the pressure in the flow passage 14 , the gate valve 10 is capable of sealing from either direction. Thus, the gate valve 10 is bi-directional. To open the gate valve 10 , the handle 90 is rotated to bring the opening 100 into alignment with the through bores 110 and thereby open the flow passage 14 , as shown in FIG. 1.
- the valve stem 68 comprises a reduced diameter notch 120 formed near the upper end 82 in a portion of the valve stem located outside the bonnet cap 54 .
- the notch 120 is designed to fail before any other portion of the valve stem 68 when the valve stem is subject to a maximum torque, that is, a torque which will cause the valve stem to break.
- a maximum torque that is, a torque which will cause the valve stem to break.
- valve stem 68 may also include a conical sealing shoulder 122 formed integrally with the valve stem adjacent the backseat 46 in the bonnet 30 .
- the bottom surface of the gate 94 will engage the bottom of the gate cavity 24 .
- Further rotation of the valve stem 68 in the direction of closing will cause the stem to rise relative to the gate and force the shoulder 122 against the backseat 46 .
- the shoulder and the backseat will thereby form a seal which is sufficient to contain the pressure within the gate cavity 24 .
- the stem sealing member 86 may safely be removed and replaced during maintenance.
- the size of the valve body 12 is minimized in order to reduce the cost and weight of the gate valve 10 .
- the minimum cross sectional area of the upper chamber 26 of the gate cavity in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem 68 is generally restricted by the size of the bonnet 30 .
- the cross sectional area of the lower chamber 28 of the gate cavity in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem need only be large enough to accommodate the gate 94 . Therefore, the cross sectional area of the lower chamber 28 is made smaller than the cross sectional area of the upper chamber 26 , and the central portion 22 of the valve body 12 is accordingly reduced to a size just large enough to accommodate the upper and lower chambers. This greatly reduces the amount of material required to manufacture the valve body.
- the relatively small gate cavity reduces the severe blow down problems typically encountered in gate valves as the gate is initially opened.
- the body 12 of the gate valve 10 can be seen to comprise an outer wall 124 which encloses the flow passage 14 and the gate cavity 24 .
- the thickness of the wall 124 between the flanges 20 and the portion of the body 12 which interfaces with the bonnet 30 is approximately uniform.
- the uniform thickness of the wall 124 results in improved casting flow and thereby reduces the amount of strands occurring in the body 12 .
- the thickness of wall 124 minimizes the amount of metal required for the body.
Abstract
A gate valve is disclosed which comprises a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port, a pair of seats mounted in respective seat pockets formed in the body coaxial with the flow passage, a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, and a valve stem threadedly connected to the gate, wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively. Each seat comprises a generally cylindrical body portion having a substantially uniform outer diameter surface and first and second end faces which are adapted to seal with the gate. In this manner, each seat may be mounted in its seat pocket with either the first end face or the second end face adjacent the gate. Furthermore, each seat also comprises first and second annular grooves formed on the outer diameter surface between the first and second end faces; however, only one of the grooves is positioned within the seat pocket when the seat is mounted in the seat pocket.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/615,170, which was filed on Jul. 13, 2000.
- The present invention relates to a gate valve. More particularly, the invention relates to a gate valve which comprises a number of features which contribute to a reduction in the weight and manufacturing cost of the gate valve.
- Prior art gate valves, especially those used in the oil and gas industry, typically comprise a valve body, a flow passage extending axially through the body between an inlet port and an outlet port, a gate cavity extending partially through the body generally transverse to the flow passage, and a bonnet mounted to the body over the gate cavity. A valve stem is rotationally supported in the bonnet or in a bonnet cap secured to the top of the bonnet. One end of the valve stem is connected to a handle or other means for rotating the valve stem, and the other end of the valve stem is threaded into a gate which is disposed between a pair of seats that are mounted in the flow passage. Each seat comprises a through bore which is concentric with the flow passage, and the gate includes a transverse opening extending therethrough. In operation, the stem is rotated to raise or lower the gate and bring the opening into or out of alignment with the through bores to either open or close the flow passage, respectively.
- In the closed position of such prior art gate valves, the gate will typically seal against the downstream seat, and the upstream pressure will be contained within the valve body by both this gate-to-seat seal and by an annular sealing member disposed between the valve stem and the bonnet. The front face of each seat is usually specially machined or treated to ensure an effective metal-to-metal seal with the gate, and the back face of the seat is often designed to accommodate an additional backup seal with the valve body. Thus, these seats require multiple, time consuming machining steps. Additionally, these seats are asymmetrical and can only be mounted in the gate valve in a specific orientation.
- The valve stem sealing member of prior art gate valves is typically a stem packing which is comprised of many individual sealing elements. Such stem packings are relatively expensive and contribute to the overall complexity of the gate valve. In addition, the stem packing is usually secured within the bonnet by a retainer which is threaded into the bonnet. While this retainer is effective to transmit the upward force acting on the seal to the bonnet, the threaded connection between the retainer and the bonnet is time consuming and costly to manufacture.
- In many prior art gate valves, the stem is connected to the gate with an acme thread. Although this is a robust connection, the process of machining the acme threads on the stem and the gate is expensive. Also, in order to permit the gate to float toward the downstream seat when the gate valve is closed, the stem is usually threaded into a lift nut which is loosely retained in the gate. This lift nut necessarily increases the cost and complexity of such gate valves.
- In high pressure applications, considerable upward thrust is imparted on the valve stem. Thus, prior art gate valves often comprise one or more metallic thrust bearings, such as needle bearings, connected between the stem and the bonnet cap to transfer the thrust load to the bonnet and thereby lower the operating torque of the gate valve. These metallic thrust bearings are relatively expensive and add to the overall weight of the gate valve. In addition, these metallic thrust bearings periodically require lubrication during the life of the gate valve and are also subject to rusting.
- Furthermore, in many prior art gate valves the gate cavity comprises a bore having a uniform cross section in the plane perpendicular to the valve stem. However, this cross sectional area is usually larger than is required to accommodate the gate below the flow passage. Therefore, these prior art gate valves are constructed with bodies which are larger than required, and this needlessly increases the cost and weight of the gate valve.
- These and other disadvantages in the prior art are overcome by providing a gate valve comprising a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port, a pair of seats mounted in respective seat pockets formed in the body coaxial with the flow passage, a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, and a valve stem threadedly connected to the gate, wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively, and wherein each seat comprises a generally cylindrical body portion having a substantially uniform outer diameter and first and second end faces which are adapted to seal with the gate, whereby each seat may be mounted in its seat pocket with either the first face or the second face adjacent the gate.
- In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the gate valve comprises a gate cavity extending through the valve body and intersecting the flow passage, a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity, a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore, the valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore in the bonnet and into the gate cavity, an annular sealing member disposed between the valve stem and the bonnet bore, and a retainer for restricting axial movement of the sealing member within the bore. The retainer comprises a radial flange which is secured between the bonnet and the bonnet cap, such that axial forces exerted on the retainer by the sealing member are transmitted to the bonnet cap via the flange and without the need for a threaded connection between the retainer and the bonnet.
- In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the second portion of the valve stem is provided with “V” threads that are adapted to engage corresponding “V” threads formed in a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof. The “V” thread interface created by these “V” threads converts the rotation of the stem into translation of the gate. In addition, the “V” thread interface between the stem and the gate is preferably sufficiently loose to allow the gate to float laterally to engage the downstream seat when the gate valve is in the closed position.
- In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, the gate valve comprises a bearing support ring which is rotationally received within the bonnet cap and includes an axial bore through which the first portion of the valve stem is inserted, a bearing pin for securing the bearing support ring to the stem, and a preferably non-metallic thrust bearing washer which is disposed between the bearing support ring and the bonnet cap. The bearing support ring, bearing pin and thrust bearing washer comprise an inexpensive, lightweight assembly that effectively transmits the thrust from the valve stem to the bonnet. In addition, the non-metallic thrust bearing washer will not rust and does not require the application of lubrication during the life of the gate valve.
- In accordance with still another embodiment of the invention, the gate cavity comprises a first chamber located below the flow passage and a second chamber located above the flow passage, and the cross sectional area of the first chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem is less than the cross sectional area of the second chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem. Thus, the size of the valve body below the flow passage is minimized to reduce the overall weight and cost of the gate valve, as well as reduce the volume of trapped pressure in the gate valve that contributes to problems with blow down when the gate is opened. In addition, the wall sections of the valve body preferably comprise a generally uniform thickness to improve casting flow during manufacture of the gate valve.
- These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective, partial sectional view of the gate valve of the present invention;
- FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the gate valve shown in FIG. 1;
- FIG. 3 is a lateral cross sectional view of the gate valve shown in FIG. 1; and
- FIG. 4 is a lateral cross sectional view of another embodiment of the gate valve of the present invention.
- Referring to FIGS.1-3, the gate valve of the present invention, which is indicated generally by
reference number 10, is shown to comprise avalve body 12 having aninternal flow passage 14 extending therethrough between aninlet port 16 and anoutlet port 18. The gate valve may also include suitable connectors, such asflanges 20, to connect the inlet and outlet ports of thegate valve 10 to exterior flow pipes (not shown). Thevalve body 12 comprises acentral portion 22 which houses agate cavity 24 that extends partially through the valve body generally perpendicular to theflow passage 14. Thegate cavity 24 includes an upper, generallycylindrical chamber 26 located above theflow passage 14 and a lower, generallyrectangular chamber 28 located below the flow passage. Thebody 12, including theflanges 20 and thecentral portion 22, is preferably cast as a single piece from a high strength material, such as steel. - The
gate valve 10 also comprises avalve bonnet 30 which is mounted to thevalve body 12 over thegate cavity 24. Thebonnet 30 includes anupper neck 32 and a lowerannular flange 34 which is tightly received in the top of thegate cavity 24. A suitableannular sealing member 36, such as a metallic or non-metallic O-ring, is positioned in a corresponding groove in theflange 34 to seal between thebonnet 30 and thevalve body 12. Anon-extrusion ring 38 may also be provided in the groove above the sealingmember 36 to prevent the sealing member from being forced out of the groove under high pressure. Thebonnet 30 also comprises abore 40 which extends therethrough and communicates with thegate cavity 24. Thebore 40 includes an enlargeddiameter portion 42 formed at the upper end of theneck 32 and acounterbore 44 defining aconical backseat 46 formed at the lower end of thebonnet 30. Thebonnet 30 is preferably removably secured to thevalve body 12 such as by a plurality of cap screws orbolts 48. In addition, thebonnet 30 may also comprise apressure bleeder port 50 which has one end connected to thebore 40 and the other end sealed by ableeder plug 52. - It should be noted that the
flange 34 comprises a generally vertical outer diameter surface which engages thegate cavity 24 radially inwardly of the generally horizontal interface between thebonnet 30 and thebody 12. The positioning of theseal 36 between theflange 34 and thegate cavity 24, as opposed to the horizontal interface between thebonnet 30 and thebody 12, thus minimizes the area of the bonnet which is subject to the pressure within thegate cavity 24. Consequently, the force which the pressure exerts on the bonnet is minimized, and relatively small cap screws orbolts 48 may therefore be used to secure the bonnet to the body. - The
gate valve 10 also includes abonnet cap 54 which is connected to thebonnet 30 over theneck 32. Thebonnet cap 54 comprises anupper aperture 56 that communicates with anannular socket 58. Thesocket 58 includes an enlarged diameterlower portion 60 which defines astep 62. Thebonnet cap 54 is preferably secured to thebonnet 30 by a threaded connection between theneck 32 and thelower portion 60 of thesocket 58. The bonnet cap may also include apressure vent port 64 and awiper ring seal 66 disposed in theaperture 56. - The gate valve of the present invention also comprises a
valve stem 68 which is rotationally supported in thebonnet cap 54. The valve stem 68 extends through theaperture 56 in the bonnet cap and is connected to athrust bearing assembly 70 which in turn is received in thesocket 58 of the bonnet cap. Referring specifically to FIG. 3, thethrust bearing assembly 70 includes abearing support ring 72 which comprises an axial hole through which thevalve stem 68 is inserted. The valve stem 68 is connected to thebearing support ring 72 by a bearingpin 74 which is inserted through corresponding lateral holes in the valve stem and the bearing support ring. Thebearing support ring 72 is rotationally disposed between upper and lowerthrust bearing washers thrust bearing assembly 70 is supported within thesocket 58 on aretainer 80. Thus, thethrust bearing assembly 70 functions to rotationally support thevalve stem 68 within thebonnet cap 54 and also transmit the upward axial thrust acting on the valve stem to thebonnet cap 54. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, thebearing support ring 72 and thebearing pin 74 are made of a strong, preferably metallic material. Also, the upper and lowerthrust bearing washers thrust bearing washers thrust bearing washers - The valve stem68 extends through the
bore 40 in thebonnet 30 and includes anupper end 82 which protrudes through theaperture 56 in thebonnet cap 54 and alower end 84 which extends into thegate cavity 24. An annularstem sealing member 86 is disposed around thevalve stem 68 within theenlarged diameter portion 42 of thebore 40 to seal between the valve stem and thebonnet 30. The sealingmember 86 is preferably a single lip seal constructed of a non-metallic material such as PTFE, plastic or rubber. The lip seal comprises a first annular sealing lip for engaging the valve stem, a second annular sealing lip for engaging the bore, and a metallic spring member for urging the first and second sealing lips into engagement with the valve stem and the bore, respectively. The sealingmember 86 is held within theenlarged diameter portion 42 by theretainer 80. Theretainer 80 includes aradially extending flange 88 which is trapped between the top of thebonnet 30 and thestep 62 of thebonnet cap 54 to thereby restrict axial movement of theretainer 80 relative to thebonnet 30. In this manner, pressure within thegate cavity 24 will force the sealingmember 86 against theretainer 80, and this load will be transmitted directly to thebonnet cap 54 and not to thethrust support assembly 70, which consequently reduces the operating torque of the gate valve. The valve stem 68 may be rotated manually using ahandle 90 which is connected to theupper end 82 by aquick disconnect pin 92 or any other suitable means. Of course, any desired means may be employed to rotate thestem 68, including any manual or powered means currently in use for such a purpose. - The
gate valve 10 also includes a generallyrectangular gate 94 which is positioned in thegate cavity 24 across theflow passage 14. Thegate 94 comprises a centrallongitudinal hole 96 extending through its top surface. Thehole 96 includes a threadedupper portion 98 into which thelower end 84 of thevalve stem 68 is threadedly received. As shown more clearly in FIG. 1, substantially the entirelower end 84 of thevalve stem 68 is threaded. Thus, when thevalve stem 68 is rotated, thegate 94 will move axially up or down with respect to thevalve stem 68. The threads on thelower end 84 and in the threadedportion 98 of thehole 96 preferably comprise a “V” profile, which is simpler and less costly to manufacture than the typical acme thread. In addition, the fit between thelower end 84 and theupper portion 98 is sufficiently loose to allow thegate 94 to float slightly in the direction of the pressure in theflow passage 14, the purpose of which will be described below. Thegate 94 also comprises atransverse opening 100 having a centerline that is parallel with theflow passage 14. In addition, thegate 94 may include alateral bore 101 to allow thelongitudinal hole 96 to evacuate when thevalve stem 68 is threaded therein. - In accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention, which is shown in FIG. 4, a threaded
insert 102 is installed in the threadedupper portion 98 of thelongitudinal hole 96, and thelower end 84 of thevalve stem 68 is threaded into theinsert 102. Thus, rather than having to drill theupper portion 98 and then undercut the remainder of thehole 96 to accommodate the lower threadedend 84 of the stem, as is required in the previous embodiment, the threadedinsert 102 allows theupper portion 98 to be formed as a simple counterbore in thehole 96. The threaded insert comprises a through bore which preferably includes a “V” thread formed therein. The threaded insert may be of any conventional type, such as a low friction bushing or a spring bushing. The threadedinsert 102 thus provides a simple, inexpensive interface between thevalve stem 68 and thegate 94. - Referring again to FIG. 2, the
gate 94 is slidably disposed between a pair ofseats 104, each of which is mounted in arespective seat pocket 106 formed in thevalve body 12 coaxial with theflow passage 14. Eachseat 104 comprises acylindrical body portion 108 having a uniform outer diameter, an axial throughbore 110 and first and second end faces 112, 114. The throughbore 110 is concentric with theflow passage 14, and eachend face gate 94. Eachseat 104 also comprises first and secondannular grooves body portion 108. Thefirst groove 116 is located somewhat adjacent thefirst end face 112, and thesecond groove 118 is located somewhat adjacent thesecond end face 114. The axial length of each seat and the locations of the grooves are selected such that, when the seat is mounted in thepocket 106, only one groove will be positioned in the pocket. Thus, the other groove may be used to pry the seat out of the pocket during maintenance operations. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, thegrooves body portion 108. Thus, eachseat 108 is preferably symmetrical and can be mounted in thepocket 106 with either thefirst end face 112 or thesecond end face 114 adjacent thegate 94. An annular sealing member, such as a non-metallic O-ring, is disposed in the groove which is positioned in thepocket 106 to seal between theseat 104 and thevalve body 12. In addition, a backup seal is preferably formed between theseat pocket 106 and theend face gate 94. - In the closed position of the
gate valve 10, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, theopening 100 in thegate 94 is offset from the throughbores 110 in theseats 104, and theflow passage 14 is consequently closed. Pressure in theflow passage 14 upstream of the floatinggate 94 will force the gate against thedownstream seat 104. This pressure will be contained in thegate cavity 24 by the gate-to-seat seal formed between the gate and the downstream seat, by thestem sealing member 86, and by the sealing member disposed between the seat and thevalve body 12 in one of thegrooves downstream seat 104 will seal against the bottom of theseat pocket 106 to form a backup to the sealing member disposed between the seat and the valve body. Since thegate 94 is permitted to float in the direction of the pressure in theflow passage 14, thegate valve 10 is capable of sealing from either direction. Thus, thegate valve 10 is bi-directional. To open thegate valve 10, thehandle 90 is rotated to bring theopening 100 into alignment with the throughbores 110 and thereby open theflow passage 14, as shown in FIG. 1. - Referring again to FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the
valve stem 68 comprises a reduceddiameter notch 120 formed near theupper end 82 in a portion of the valve stem located outside thebonnet cap 54. Thenotch 120 is designed to fail before any other portion of thevalve stem 68 when the valve stem is subject to a maximum torque, that is, a torque which will cause the valve stem to break. Thus, if the valve stem should break under the maximum applied torque, it will most likely break at thenotch 120. This will ensure that the valve stem does not break below thestem sealing member 86, which would likely result in pressure escaping from thegate cavity 24 through thebonnet 30, which pressure could propel the broken portion of the valve stem and the handle into the operator. - In addition, the
valve stem 68 may also include aconical sealing shoulder 122 formed integrally with the valve stem adjacent thebackseat 46 in thebonnet 30. With thegate valve 10 in the closed position, the bottom surface of thegate 94 will engage the bottom of thegate cavity 24. Further rotation of thevalve stem 68 in the direction of closing will cause the stem to rise relative to the gate and force theshoulder 122 against thebackseat 46. The shoulder and the backseat will thereby form a seal which is sufficient to contain the pressure within thegate cavity 24. In this condition, thestem sealing member 86 may safely be removed and replaced during maintenance. - In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the size of the
valve body 12 is minimized in order to reduce the cost and weight of thegate valve 10. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the minimum cross sectional area of theupper chamber 26 of the gate cavity in a plane perpendicular to thevalve stem 68 is generally restricted by the size of thebonnet 30. However, the cross sectional area of thelower chamber 28 of the gate cavity in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem need only be large enough to accommodate thegate 94. Therefore, the cross sectional area of thelower chamber 28 is made smaller than the cross sectional area of theupper chamber 26, and thecentral portion 22 of thevalve body 12 is accordingly reduced to a size just large enough to accommodate the upper and lower chambers. This greatly reduces the amount of material required to manufacture the valve body. Moreover, the relatively small gate cavity reduces the severe blow down problems typically encountered in gate valves as the gate is initially opened. - Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, the
body 12 of thegate valve 10 can be seen to comprise anouter wall 124 which encloses theflow passage 14 and thegate cavity 24. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the thickness of thewall 124 between theflanges 20 and the portion of thebody 12 which interfaces with thebonnet 30 is approximately uniform. Thus, during casting of thebody 12, when the casting inflow ports are located at the bonnet interface and the casting outflow ports are located at the flanges, the uniform thickness of thewall 124 results in improved casting flow and thereby reduces the amount of strands occurring in thebody 12. In addition, the thickness ofwall 124 minimizes the amount of metal required for the body. - It should be recognized that, while the present invention has been described in relation to the preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art may develop a wide variation of structural and operational details without departing from the principles of the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to cover all equivalents falling within the true scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims (31)
1. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port;
a pair of seats mounted in respective seat pockets formed in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough;
a valve stem threadedly connected to the gate;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively; and
wherein each seat comprises a generally cylindrical body portion having a substantially uniform outer diameter and first and second end faces which are adapted to seal with the gate;
whereby each seat may be mounted in its seat pocket with either the first face or the second face adjacent the gate.
2. The gate valve of claim 1 , wherein each seat further comprises first and second annular grooves formed on the outer diameter of the body portion, and wherein only one of the grooves is positioned within the seat pocket when the seat is mounted in the seat pocket.
3. The gate valve of claim 2 , further comprising an annular sealing member disposed in the groove which is positioned within the seat pocket.
4. The gate valve of claim 2 , wherein each groove is located a specific distance from the end face nearest such groove, whereby the grooves are symmetrical on the body portion.
5. The gate valve of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gate cavity extending through the valve body and intersecting the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
the valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore in the bonnet and into the gate cavity;
wherein the gate cavity comprises a first chamber located below the flow passage and a second chamber located above the flow passage, and wherein the cross sectional area of the first chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem is less than the cross sectional area of the second chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem.
6. The gate valve of claim 5 , further comprising:
a bearing support ring rotationally received within the bonnet cap, the bearing support ring including first and second axial ends and an axial bore through which the first portion of the valve stem is inserted;
a bearing pin positioned in corresponding holes in the bearing support ring and the valve stem to connect the bearing support ring to the valve stem; and
a first thrust bearing washer disposed between the bonnet cap and the first axial end of the bearing support ring.
7. The gate valve of claim 6 , wherein the first thrust bearing washer is constructed of a non-metallic material.
8. The gate valve of claim 6 , further comprising:
a second thrust bearing washer disposed between the bonnet and the second axial end of the bearing support ring.
9. The gate valve of claim 8 , wherein the first and second thrust bearing washers are constructed of a non-metallic material.
10. The gate valve of claim 5 , further comprising a single lip seal disposed between the valve stem and the bore of the bonnet.
11. The gate valve of claim 10 , wherein the lip seal is comprised of a non-metallic material.
12. The gate valve of claim 11 , wherein the lip seal comprises a first annular sealing lip for engaging the valve stem, a second annular sealing lip for engaging the bore, and a metallic spring member for urging the first and second sealing lips into engagement with the valve stem and the bore, respectively.
13. The gate valve of claim 10 , wherein the valve stem comprises a reduced diameter notch formed in a portion of the valve stem above the lip seal, whereby the valve stem will fail at the notch under an applied maximum torque.
14. The gate valve of claim 5 , further comprising:
an annular seal disposed between the stem and the bore of the bonnet;
a retainer for restricting axial movement of the seal within the bore, the retainer comprising a radial flange which is secured between the bonnet and the bonnet cap;
wherein axial forces exerted on the retainer by the seal are transmitted to the bonnet cap via the flange.
15. The gate valve of claim 5 , further comprising:
a “V” thread formed on the second portion of the valve stem;
a corresponding “V” thread formed in a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof;
wherein when the second portion of the valve stem is threaded into the longitudinal hole, the “V” threads form a threaded interface between the valve stem and the gate which converts rotation of the valve stem into translation of the gate.
16. The gate valve of claim 15 , wherein the threaded interface is sufficiently loose to allow the gate to move laterally and contact a seat when the gate valve is in the closed position.
17. The gate valve of claim 5 , further comprising:
a “V” thread formed on the second portion of the valve stem;
an insert mounted in a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof, the insert comprising a through bore having “V” threads formed therein;
wherein when the second portion of the valve stem is threaded into the insert, the “V” threads form a threaded interface between the valve stem and the gate which converts rotation of the valve stem into translation of the gate.
18. The gate valve of claim 5 , wherein the valve body comprises an outer wall and the thickness of the wall between the bonnet and the inlet and outlet ports is approximately uniform.
19. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore and into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in respective seat pockets formed in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, the gate being threadedly connected to the second portion of the valve stem;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively; and
wherein the gate cavity comprises a first chamber located below the flow passage and a second chamber located above the flow passage, and wherein the cross sectional area of the first chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem is less than the cross sectional area of the second chamber in a plane perpendicular to the valve stem.
20. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore and into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, the gate being threadedly connected to the second portion of the valve stem;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively;
a bearing support ring rotationally received within the bonnet cap, the bearing support ring including first and second axial ends and an axial bore through which the first portion of the valve stem is inserted;
a bearing pin positioned in corresponding holes in the bearing support ring and the valve stem to connect the bearing support ring to the valve stem; and
a first thrust bearing washer disposed between the bonnet cap and the first axial end of the bearing support ring.
21. The gate valve of claim 20 , wherein the first thrust bearing washer is constructed of a non-metallic material.
22. The gate valve of claim 20 , further comprising:
a second thrust bearing washer disposed between the bonnet and the second axial end of the bearing support ring.
23. The gate valve of claim 22 , wherein the first and second thrust bearing washers are constructed of a non-metallic material.
24. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore and into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, the gate being threadedly connected to the second portion of the valve stem;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively;
an annular seal disposed between the stem and the bore of the bonnet;
a retainer for restricting axial movement of the seal within the bore, the retainer comprising a radial flange which is secured between the bonnet and the bonnet cap;
wherein axial forces exerted on the retainer by the seal are transmitted to the bonnet via the flange.
25. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore and into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats, the gate having a transverse opening therethrough and a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof;
a “V” thread formed on the second portion of the valve stem;
a “V” thread formed in at least a portion of the longitudinal hole;
wherein the second portion of the valve stem is threaded into the longitudinal hole to create a “V” thread interface between the valve stem and the gate which converts rotation of the valve stem into translation of the gate;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively.
26. The gate valve of claim 25 , wherein the “V” thread interface is sufficiently loose to allow the gate to move laterally and contact a seat when the gate valve is in the closed position.
27. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats, the gate having a transverse opening therethrough and a longitudinal hole extending into the gate from a top surface thereof;
a “V” thread formed on the second portion of the valve stem;
an insert mounted in the longitudinal hole, the insert comprising a through bore having a “V” thread formed therein;
wherein the second portion of the valve stem is threaded into the insert to create a “V” thread interface between the valve stem and the gate which converts rotation of the valve stem into translation of the gate;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively.
28. The gate valve of claim 27 , wherein the insert is a threaded insert.
29. The gate valve of claim 27 , wherein the insert is a spring bushing.
30. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an outer wall, an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port, and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends through the bore and into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, the gate being threadedly connected to the second portion of the valve stem;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively;
wherein the thickness of the wall of the valve body between the bonnet and the inlet and outlet ports is approximately uniform.
31. A gate valve comprising:
a valve body having an internal flow passage which extends between an inlet port and an outlet port and a gate cavity which extends through the valve body and intersects the flow passage;
a bonnet connected to the valve body over the gate cavity, the bonnet having a bore extending therethrough which communicates with the gate cavity, a lower depending flange which comprises a generally longitudinal outer diameter surface that is received within the gate cavity, and a generally transverse surface which extends radially outwardly from the flange and engages a corresponding surface on the valve body;
a sealing member disposed between the flange and the gate cavity for sealing between the bonnet and the valve body;
a bonnet cap secured to the bonnet over the bore;
a valve stem comprising a first portion which is rotationally supported in the bonnet cap and a second portion which extends into the gate cavity;
a pair of seats mounted in the body coaxial with the flow passage;
a gate disposed between the seats and having a transverse opening therethrough, the gate being threadedly connected to the second portion of the valve stem;
wherein rotation of the valve stem raises or lowers the gate to bring the opening into or out of alignment with the flow passage to either open or close the gate valve, respectively.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US10/056,627 US20020117211A1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2002-01-25 | Gate valve |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US09/615,170 US6401747B1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2000-07-13 | Gate valve |
US10/056,627 US20020117211A1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2002-01-25 | Gate valve |
Related Parent Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/615,170 Continuation US6401747B1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2000-07-13 | Gate valve |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20020117211A1 true US20020117211A1 (en) | 2002-08-29 |
Family
ID=24464294
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/615,170 Expired - Lifetime US6401747B1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2000-07-13 | Gate valve |
US10/056,627 Abandoned US20020117211A1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2002-01-25 | Gate valve |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US09/615,170 Expired - Lifetime US6401747B1 (en) | 2000-07-13 | 2000-07-13 | Gate valve |
Country Status (5)
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US (2) | US6401747B1 (en) |
AR (1) | AR027477A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2001210894A1 (en) |
TW (1) | TW470834B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2001005211A2 (en) |
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CN110671505A (en) * | 2019-10-14 | 2020-01-10 | 戴学祥 | Compact tubular gate valve |
US11460114B2 (en) | 2020-01-23 | 2022-10-04 | Fmc Technologies, Inc. | Gate valve with improved bonnet seal assembly |
US11384843B1 (en) * | 2020-09-30 | 2022-07-12 | Kennedy Valve Company | Gate valve |
CN114033860B (en) * | 2021-11-19 | 2023-08-11 | 希佛隆阀门集团有限公司 | Gate valve for high-pressure liquid conveying pipeline |
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- 2000-07-13 US US09/615,170 patent/US6401747B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2000-10-13 AU AU2001210894A patent/AU2001210894A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2000-10-13 WO PCT/US2000/028575 patent/WO2001005211A2/en active Search and Examination
-
2001
- 2001-02-22 AR ARP010100798A patent/AR027477A1/en unknown
- 2001-03-09 TW TW090105517A patent/TW470834B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
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2002
- 2002-01-25 US US10/056,627 patent/US20020117211A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US3434692A (en) * | 1967-02-23 | 1969-03-25 | Cassius L Tillman | Bifaced wedged gate valve |
US3472427A (en) * | 1967-04-20 | 1969-10-14 | Pennsalt Chemicals Corp | Destructible valve |
US3614061A (en) * | 1969-03-03 | 1971-10-19 | Wheatley Co Charles | Ceramic gate valve |
US3889925A (en) * | 1973-08-31 | 1975-06-17 | Armco Steel Corp | Gate valve and seal |
US4376524A (en) * | 1980-11-26 | 1983-03-15 | Acf Industries, Incorporated | Low stress stem connection structure for a non-rising stem type gate valve |
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US4433827A (en) * | 1981-12-04 | 1984-02-28 | Custom Oilfield Products, Inc. | High pressure shut-off valve |
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US4645179A (en) * | 1985-10-01 | 1987-02-24 | Baker Cac | Gate valve seal system |
US4971098A (en) * | 1989-12-06 | 1990-11-20 | Cooper Industries, Inc. | Valve and improved seat seal therefor |
US6401747B1 (en) * | 2000-07-13 | 2002-06-11 | Fmc Corporation | Gate valve |
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WO2012067604A1 (en) * | 2010-11-15 | 2012-05-24 | Fmc Technologies Inc. | Flow metering valve |
US20180141081A1 (en) * | 2012-11-07 | 2018-05-24 | Areva Np | Method for thermochemically treating a part while masking a portion and corresponding mask |
US10625300B2 (en) * | 2012-11-07 | 2020-04-21 | Areva Np | Method for thermochemically treating a part while masking a portion and corresponding mask |
CN108533772A (en) * | 2018-06-19 | 2018-09-14 | 保集团有限公司 | A kind of flat gate valve adjusted with multiple-channel output |
CN112377163A (en) * | 2020-11-12 | 2021-02-19 | 中国石油大学(华东) | Ultrahigh pressure sand prevention fracturing valve |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2001005211A2 (en) | 2001-01-25 |
WO2001005211A3 (en) | 2001-11-08 |
US6401747B1 (en) | 2002-06-11 |
TW470834B (en) | 2002-01-01 |
AU2001210894A1 (en) | 2001-02-05 |
AR027477A1 (en) | 2003-03-26 |
WO2001005211B1 (en) | 2001-12-27 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |