US3318327A

US3318327A - Automatic dump valve

Info

Publication number: US3318327A
Application number: US358895A
Authority: US
Inventors: William A Himes; Alfred E Graham
Original assignee: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co
Current assignee: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co
Priority date: 1964-04-10
Filing date: 1964-04-10
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09

Description

y 1957 I w. A. HIMES ETAL 3,318,327

AUTOMATIC DUMP VALVE Filed April 10, 1964 2, Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LUILUAM AHMES a ALFRED EGRHHAM BY m ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

W. A. HIMES ETAL AUTOMATIC DUMP VALVE V6 Z AA/1 m ATTORNEYS May 9, 1967 Filed April 10, 1964 United States Patent Cfifice 3,318,327 late'nted May 9, 1967 3,318,327 AUTOMATIC DUMP VALVE William A. Himes and Alfred E. Graham, Newport News,

Va., assignors to Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Apr. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 358,895 7 Claims. (Cl. 137527.8)

The present invention relates to underwater mining, and more particularly to mining operations which are carried out at great depths beneath the surface of the water. The underwater mining operations contemplated in the present invention are particularly concerned with the mining and recovering of solid substances from the floors and subfloor regions of the sea.

The apparatus as illustrated in detail in the present application is also generally illustrated and described in copending US. patent application Serial No. 332,999, filed December 24, 1963, wherein the specific structure as illustrated in the instant application is shown in combination with other components employed in an overall underwater mining operation.

While the apparatus of the present invention may be utilized in other applications, it is especially adapted for use in underwater mining operations for recovering materials such as manganese nodules or other solid materials which generally are present at depths from about 400 feet to 12,000 feet or more beneath the surface of the sea.

It is accordingly apparent that the apparatus must be capable of operation at great depths and under very high pressures when submerged to the necessary operating depths in this type of operation.

This type of mining operation is carried out from a ship which moves along the surface with a hollow conduit means or pipe means suspended therefrom in a generally vertical direction and having a suitable collecting means at the lower end thereof for sweeping or traversing a particular area of the sea bottom and collecting the desired material. This material is then suitably raised to the ship as by the utilization of pumping means which produces movement of a stream of liquid from the collecting means to the ship of sufficient velocity to entrain the solid material and carry the solid material to the ship.

For certain important and practical purposes, the pumping means is positioned at an intermediate point in the conduit means between the collecting means and the ship.

The solid material to be collected and raised by the mining apparatus of the present invention may be of substantial size and Weight, and in a typical example where manganese nodules are concerned, the solid nodules collected according to the present invention are generally spherical in configuration and may range in size up to about 8 inches in diameter with a specific gravity of approximately 2. Although such nodules occur in larger sizes, it is anticipated that mining of such nodules up to the size of about 8 inches in diameter may prove to be the most economical and efficient arrangement. In any event, it is apparent that the size of the mining equipment must be on a grand scale to accommodate a large volume of relatively big solid particles, and the conduit means must be of a size to allow these large numbers of solid particles to readily pass therethrough. In a typical example, the conduit means may have an inner diameter of about 19 inches.

On occasion, the flow of liquid within the conduit means may be interrupted due to one or more causes. For example, the solid particles may become temporarily jammed within the conduit means or so numerous and close to one another at some location therein so as to substantially block up or obstruct the interior of the conduit means. On the other hand, the pumping means may fail, thereby causing the liquid stream to cease its upward movement. Upon such interruption of the liquid flow in an upward direction, the solid particles within the conduit means will tend to drop downwardly relative to the liquid in the conduit means under the influence of gravity. It is apparent that if all the particles were to drop down and accumulate on one another from a substantial length of the conduit means which may extend for many thousands of feet, the tremendous mass and concentration of such accumulated particles would be such that it would be impossible from a practical standpoint to again get the liquid stream moving with sufiicient velocity to re-entrain the solid particles and move them upwardly within the conduit means to the ship.

It accordingly is necessary to provide suitable dump valve means which is closed during normal operation of the mining equipment and which upon interruption of the liquid flow in the conduit means automatically opens and is positioned so as to cause solid particles dropping downwardly within the conduit means to be discharged out of the conduit means to prevent accumulation thereof at the lower portion of the conduit means.

The automatic dump valve apparatus of the present invention must be of such construction so as to operate efficiently at great depths beneath the surface of the water at high pressures, and under various seat conditions. At the same time, there exists a relatively small pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the conduit means, and accordingly, on opposite sides of the dump valve means. The dump valve means must, therefore. be so arranged as to remain substantially closed at all times during normal operation when such small differen tial pressures exist thereon, and yet the dump valve apparatus must open substantially immediately upon change or drop in pressure within the conduit means. The pres sure on the outside of the conduit means and dump valve remains substantially constant as determined by the depth and relative movement of the apparatus through the Water. The pressure on the inside of the conduit means is also substantially constant during normal operation of the mining apparatus, but this internal pressure within the conduit means may change from time to time under certain circumstances as discussed above.

The present invention is directed to automatic dump valve apparatus for use in the suction pumping line of underwater mining equipment, or in other words, the dump valve apparatus disclosed herein is utilized in the suction pumping line extending from the collecting means to the pumping means previously discussed, this line being under constant internal pressure when the pumping means is operating and/ or when the conduit means is not clogged or jammed for one or more reasons. The pumping apparatus is of such a size and nature that the pressure of the liquid flowing through the suction pumping line is less than the ambient pressure of the surrounding water so that the pressure of the liquid surrounding the conduit means will tend to close the valve means of the present invention. Auxiliary means is provided in the form of an adjustable weight means which normally tends to bias the valve means into its closed position to thereby assist in closing the valve means, the adjustment being such that the weight means will lightly close the valve means when the normal suction pressure is non-existent within the body means. When the normal suction pressure is present, the valve means will be drawn tightly into its closed position. The adjustable weight means further provides a means for adjusting the amount of force required to operate the valve means so that it can be adjusted for use at different depths and under diflerent sea conditions or conditions of relative movement between the apparatus and the surrounding water. The adjustable weight means permits adjustment of the amount of force required to operate the valve means such that the valve means will remain firmly sealed in its closed position during normal operation of the apparatus, but will open automatically when the liquid flow is interrupted through the body means and solid particles drop downwardly within the body means to engage the under surface of the valve means and force it to an open position.

Upon interruption of the liquid pressure within the conduit means, the valve means will automatically move from its closed position to its open position which allows downwardly falling solid particles to pass outwardly through the lateral opening in the body means so that the solid particlescannot accumulate within the conduit means. At the same time, the valve means in its open position permits free communication between the conduit means below the dump valve apparatus and the surrounding water.

Although the valve means of the present invention fits snugly against the body means to seal off the lateral opening therethrough, it is additionally desirable to provide auxiliary sealing means to provide an effective fluid-tight seal between the valve means and the body means such that the desired degree of suction pressure can be maintained within the body means.

While the seal described and claimed herein is referred to as a fluid-tight seal it should be understood that a slight amount of leakage is permissible which would serve to reduce the efficiency of the apparatus. The ideal situation is, of c-ourse,'to provide a completely fluid-tight seal, and the sealing means of the present invention is provided in an effort to approach this ideal situation. If a slight amount of fluid leakage occurs, the apparatus will still function adequately but if the leakage becomes excessive it is apparent that it will interfere with the proper functioning of the apparatus. Accordingly, the expression effective fluid-tight seal as used herein is intended to encompass an arrangement which permits either no leakage or only a slight amount of leakage.

An object of the present invention is to provide new and noveldump valve apparatus especially adapted for use in the suction pumping line of underwater mining operations at great depths and under high pressures, and further where the normal operating pressure within the apparatus is less than the ambient pressure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and novel dump valve apparatus which must remain closed and sealed at relativelysmall pressure differentials during normal operation of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic dump valve apparatus which automatically opens to its discharge position upon change or interruption of liquid flow within the conduit means so as to cause solid particles dropping downwardly within the conduit means to be discharged out of the conduit means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of new and novel dump valve apparatus including means for adjusting the amount of force required to open the valve means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide dump valve apparatus which provides communication between the outside water surrounding the conduit means and the conduit means both above and below the valve means of the apparatus.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and novel dump valve apparatus which is quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and yet which is quite efiicient and reliable in use.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the automatic dump valve apparatus of the present invention illustrating in phantom line the manner in which the apparatus may be connected in a conduit means;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the valve means in its open position in contrast to the closed position shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a view in elevation of the valve means and a portion of the body means in exploded position to illustrate details thereof;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 88 of FIG. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 9-9 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, a body means or conduit means 10 includes a substantially cylindrical wall portion 12 through which is formed a central passageway 13 extending longitudinally of the elongated conduit means. As seen particularly in FIG. 2., for example, Wall portion 12 is illustrated in its normal operative position and it will be seen that the wall portion is curved in an axial or longitudinal direction relative to the elongated wall portion with the upper portion 14 thereof normally disposed in a generally vertical direction, while the lower portion 15 thereof extends downwardly at an angle with respect to the vertical. An annular attaching flange 18 is secured to the lower portion of the body means, attaching flange 18 having a plurality of spaced holes 19 disposed therearound through which extend cap screws 20 for securing the attaching flange to a cooperating attaching flange of an adjacent section of pipe. A similar attaching flange 22 is secured to the upper portion of the body means, flange 22 having a plurality of spaced openings 23 formed therein through which extend the cap screws 24 for securing the upper flange to a similar flange connected to an adjacent pipe section. It is apparent that the cap screws 20 and 24 are utilized for securing the apparatus of the present invention in operative position within a conduit means.

As seen particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3, a lateral opening 30 is formed in the wall portion 12, this lateral opening being disposed on the under side of the body means such that it is disposed substantially below the generally vertically extending upper portion of the wall portion, whereby solid particles dropping down through the upper portion will pass out through the lateral opening 30 under the influence of gravity.

As may be seen most clearly in FIGS. 3 and 6, opening 30 is generally elliptical in configuration and extends through an arc of approximately at its widest dimension. As will be further noted in FIG. 4, the opening 30 may be formed by making a straight cut across the curved under portion of the wall portion 12, thereby creating tapered wall portions adjacent to the opening 30.

As seen particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7, a first sealing portion is indicated generally by reference numeral 35 and includes an inner resilient sealing gasket 37 which may be in strip form and which may be formed of rubber or similar material. This inner resilient gasket is held in place by means of a gasket retainer member 38 formed of rigid material such as steel or the like which may be of a complementary strip configuration. Gasket retainer 38 is held in operative position by means of a plurality of screws 40 which extend through aligned openings formed in

members

37 and 38 and into cooperating se ies-27 threaded openings provided in the wall portion 12. It will be noted as seen for example in FIG. 6 as well as FIG. 1, that the first sealing portion 35 extends about approximately of the periphery of the opening 30 provided in the body means. As seen in FIG. 7, it will also be noted that the sealing means extends beyond or inwardly of the Wall portion 12 defining the opening such that it is adapted to overlap and engage a portion of a valve means when the valve means is in its operative closed position as seen in FIG. 2, to thereby provide an effective fluid-tight seal between this portion of the valve means and the adjacent portion of the body means.

A pair of

support brackets

43 and 44 are secured to diametrically opposite portions of the body means 10, the bracket members being held in place respectively by a plurality of

screws

45 and 46 which extend through suitable openings provided in

bracket members

43 and 44 respectively and are threaded into cooperating fitted openings provided in the wall portion 12 of the body means.

Valve means 50 has a configuration complementary to the shape of lateral opening 30, and in fact as seen in FIG. 2, it is apparent that the valve means may be formed from the curved portion of the body means by making a straight out across the under portion of the body means to thereby provide a valve means portion which coopcrates with the adjacent portions of the body means in its closed position as seen in FIG. 2 to provide a perfectly smooth cylindrical inner surface for the passageway 13 extending through the body means.

It will also be noted that the edges of the body means are tapered complementary to the tapered wall portions surrounding the opening 30 so as to fit flush thereagainst.

An arm means 54 is secured to the upper portion of the valve means and extends laterally outwardly from the outer surface of the valve means, arm means 54 including an extension 55 of reduced size. A pin means 57 extends from opposite sides of the arm means 54, and terminates in reduced end portions '57 which are received in suit able openings at the outer ends of

bracket members

43 and 44 for rotatably supporting the pin means, the arm means, and in turn the valve means 50 with respect to the support brackets. It is accordingly apparent that the valve means is pivotally supported by the body means at a point adjacent the upper portion of the valve means as will be apparent from an inspection of FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

A second sealing portion 60 is fixedly secured to the valve means and extends around a substantial portion of the valve means so that when in the closed position as seen in FIG. 1, the sealing portion 60 extends around approximately /8 of the periphery of the lateral opening formed in the body means. As seen in FIG. 8, sealing portion 60 includes a strip of resilient sealing material 62 such as rubber or the like which is held in place by a gasket retainer member 63 in the form of a rigid strip formed of steel or the like, the gasket retainer being in turn held in position by means of a plurality of screws 65 which extend through aligned openings formed in

members

62 and 63 and into a cooperating threaded opening provided in the valve means. As seen in FIG. 8, the inner end 66 of screw 65 may be ground off so as to be substantially flush with the tapered edge portions of the valve means 50. In the closed position of the valve means as seen in FIG. 1, the end edges of the first sealing portion 35 and the second sealing portion 60 fit snugly against one another so as to provide an effective fluid-tight seal all the way around the edge of the sealing means to thereby ensure that no leakage will occur during normal operation of the apparatus between the valve means and the body means.

An adjustable weight means 70 is mounted on the reduced portion 55 of arm means 54, and as seen particularly in FIG. 9, Weight means 70 is provided with a groove 72 therein which is adapted to slide along and receive the reduced portion 55 of the arm means. In order to lock the weight means in its adjusted position on the arms means, a wing nut 74 is provided, the inner threaded portion of this wing nut being threaded within a correspondingly threaded bore 75 which is in communication with the groove 72 such that the wing nut is adapted to engage the reduced portion 55 of the arm for locking the weight means in a desired operative position.

While the weight means is illustrated as being adjustably mounted on the associated arm means, it should be understood that when the valve is operating under known conditions, the Weight means is fixed to the associated arm means and is not adjustable with respect thereto.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided new and novel dump valve apparatus which is especially adapted for use in the suction pump line of underwater mining operations at great depths, and under high pressures, and further where the normal operating pressure within the apparatus is less than the ambient pressure, and yet at the same time the pressure differentials acting on different sides of the valve means of the present invention are relatively small.

The valve means will be pivoted into its closed position as seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and held in such position as long as the suction operating pressure of the liquid within the body means is at its normal level. When the pressure of the liquid within the body means is changed due to some malfunction of the apparatus, the valve means 50 will remain closed under the influence of weight 70 and will drop into its open position as seen in FIG. 4 when solid particles come to rest on valve means 50 to allow solid particles dropping downwardly within the body means to pass outwardly through the lateral opening 30.

It is apparent that as the solid particles drop under gravity, they will pass outwardly of the body means and will not travel downwardly through the lower portion 15 of the body means so as to accumulate in a lower portion of the conduit means. The amount of force required to operate the valve means may be readily adjusted by adjusting the position of the counterweight means along the arm portion 55. It is apparent that when the valve means of the present invention is in its open position, communication is provided between the outside water surrounding conduit means and the conduit means both above and below the valve means of the apparatus. The dump valve apparatus of the present invention is also quite simple and inexpensive in construction, and yet is quite efiicient and reliable in operation.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is, therefore, illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are, therefore, intended to be embraced by those claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Automatic du-mo valve apparatus for use in the suction pumping line of underwater mining operations at great depths and wherein the normal operating pressure Within said apparatus is less than the ambient pressure, comprising an elongated body means having a passageway formed longitudinally therethrough, said body means having an opening formed therein providing communication between said passageway and the exterior of said body means, valve means pivotally supported by said body means and shaped substantially complementary to said opening in said body means so as to close said opening when in closed position, said valve means pivoting to an open position automatically under certain conditions so as to cause material moving in one direction through the passageway in said body means to pass outwardly of said body means, and sealing means for providing a seal between said body means and said valve' means and for preventing leakage between said body means and said valve means, said sealing means being mounted outwardly of said body means and said valve means and providing a fluid-tight seal therebetween when said valve means is in its closed-position, said sealing means including a first sealing portion fixedly secured to the outer portion of said body means, said sealing means also including a second sealing portion fixedly secured to the outer portion of said valve means, the sealing portions cooperating to provide an effective fluidtight seal completely around said valve means when in its closed position, said first sealing portion extending about the upper portion of said opening in the body means with the first sealing portion extending inwardly of the edge portions of the opening so as to engage the valve means in its closed position, said first sealing portion extending about approximately of the edge portion of said opening, said second sealing portion extending about the lower'edge portion of said valve means and extending outwardly thereof for engaging the outer surface of the body means when said valve means is in its closed position, said second sealing portion extending out approximately /8 of the edge portion of said opening when the valve means is in its closed position.

2. Automatic dump valve apparatus for use in the suction pumping line of underwater mining operation at great depths and wherein the normal operating pressure within said apparatus is less than the ambient pressure, comprising an elongated body means including a wall portion defining a central passageway extending longi tudinally of said body means, said body means being curved in a longitudinal direction and including an upper portion normally disposed substantially vertically and a lower portion normally disposed at an angle to said upper portion, said wall portion having a lateral opening formed therein and being elongated in the direction of elongation of said body means, said lateral opening 'be ing formed in the lower surface of said curved wall portion such that said opening is disposed substantially below said vertically extending upper portion of the Wall portion whereby particles falling downwardly from said upper portion of the wall portion will pass out through said lateral opening when said opening is open, valve means shaped substantially complementary to the lateral opening in said body means for closing off said lateral opening, said valve means including a top portion and a bottom portion, said opening including an upper portion and .a lower portion, a first sealing portion supported on the outer surface .of said body means and extending around a minor part of said opening in said wall portion and extending inwardly of said opening so as to engage the outer surface of said valve means when the valve means is in closed position, a second sealing portion being fixedly secured to the outer surface of said valve means and extending around a major portion of said valve means and extending outwardly of the edge of said valve means so as to engage the outer surface of said wall port-ion when said valve means is in closed position, said first sealing portion extending about the upper portion of said opening, while said second sealing portion extends about the lower portion of said opening when said valve means is in closed position, an arm means fixedly secured to the outersurface of said valve means adjacent the top portion thereof, said arm means extending laterally outwardly of said valve means, said arm means being pivotally supported at an intermediate portion thereof by said body means, whereby said valve means is pivotable into an open position wherein it is completely spaced fro-m said body means and permits solid particles to fall out.of said lateral opening under the influence of gravity when such particle are moving in a downward direction, weight means movably supported on said arm means, mean-s for selectively positioning said weight means along said ar-m means for adjusting the amount of force required to operate said valve means, said weight means normally biasing said valve means toward its closed position.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein certain parts of said wall portion and said valve means are provided with complementary tapered edges enabling said valve means to snugly fit against said wall portion to close oft said lateral opening.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said lateral opening is substantially elliptical in configuration, and wherein its widest portion extends through an arc of approximately 5. Automatic dump valve apparatus for use in the suction pumping line of underwater mining operations at great depths and wherein the normal operating pressure within said apparatus is less than the ambient pressure, comprising an elongated body means including a wall portion defining a central passageway extending longitudinally of said body means, said body means being curved in a longitudinal direction and including an upper portion normally disposed substantially vertically and a lower portion normally disposed at an angle to said upper portion, said wall portion having a lateral opening formed therein and being elongated in the direction of elongation of said body means, said lateral opening being formed in the lower surface of said curved wall portion such that said opening is disposed substantially below said vertically extending upper portion 'of the wall portion whereby particles falling downwardly from said upper portion of the wall portion will pass out through said lateral open-ing when said opening is open, valve means shaped substantially complementary to the lateral opening in said body means for closing oif said lateral opening, sealing means for providing an effective fluidtight seal between said body means and said valve means, an arm means fixedly secured to the outer surface of said valve means adjacent the top portion thereof, said arm means extending laterally outwardly of said valve means, said arm means being pivotally supported at an intermediate portion thereof by said body means, whereby said valve means is pivotable into an open position wherein it is completely spaced from said body means and permits solid particles to fall out of said lateral opening under the influence of gravity when such particles are moving in a downward direction, and means connected with said valve means for normally biasing said valve means toward its closed position.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein certain parts of said wall portion and said valve means are provided with complementary tapered edges enabling said valve means to snugly fit against said wall portion to close off said lateral opening.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said lateral opening is substantially elliptical in configuration, and wherein its widest portion extends through an arc of approximately 120".

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,713,313 5/-1929 Willcox 137-107 X 2,631,899 3/1953 Jullien 137-5278 X FOREIGN PATENTS 920,039 3/1963 Great Britain.

WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

D. I. ZOBKIW, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AUTOMATIC DUMP VALVE APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE SUCTION PUMPING LINE OF UNDERWATER MINING OPERATIONS AT GREAT DEPTHS AND WHEREIN THE NORMAL OPERATING PRESSURE WITHIN SAID APPARATUS IS LESS THAN THE AMBIENT PRESSURE, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY MEANS HAVING A PASSAGEWAY FORMED LONGITUDINALLY THERETHROUGH, SAID BODY MEANS HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID PASSAGEWAY AND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID BODY MEANS, VALVE MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY MEANS AND SHAPED SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID OPENING IN SAID BODY MEANS SO AS TO CLOSE SAID OPENING WHEN IN CLOSED POSITION, SAID VALVE MEANS PIVOTING TO AN OPEN POSITION AUTOMATICALLY UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS SO AS TO CAUSE MATERIAL MOVING IN ONE DIRECTION THROUGH THE PASSAGEWAY IN SAID BODY MEANS TO PASS OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY MEANS, AND SEALING MEANS FOR PROVIDING A SEAL BETWEEN SAID BODY MEANS AND SAID VALVE MEANS AND FOR PREVENTING LEAKAGE BETWEEN SAID BODY MEANS AND SAID VALVE MEANS, SAID SEALING MEANS BEING MOUNTED OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY MEANS AND SAID VALVE MEANS AND PROVIDING A FLUID-TIGHT SEAL THEREBETWEEN WHEN SAID VALVE MEANS IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, SAID SEALING MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST SEALING PORTION FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID BODY MEANS, SAID SEALING MEANS ALSO INCLUDING A SECOND SEALING PORTION FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE OUTER PORTION OF SAID VALVE MEANS, THE SEALING PORTIONS COOPERATING TO PROVIDE AN EFFECTIVE FLUIDTIGHT SEAL COMPLETELY AROUND SAID VALVE MEANS WHEN IT ITS CLOSED POSITION, SAID FIRST SEALING PORTION EXTENDING ABOUT THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID OPENING IN THE BODY MEANS WITH THE FIRST SEALING PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE EDGE PORTIONS OF THE OPENING SO AS TO ENGAGE THE VALVE MEANS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, SAID FIRST SEALING PORTION EXTENDING ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 1/8 OF THE EDGE PORTION OF SAID OPENING, SAID SECOND SEALING PORTION EXTENDING ABOUT THE LOWER EDGE PORTION OF SAID VALVE MEANS AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF FOR ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE BODY MEANS WHEN SAID VALVE MEANS IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION, SAID SECOND SEALING PORTION EXTENDING OUT APPROXIMATELY 7/8 OF THE EDGE PORTION OF SAID OPENING WHEN THE VALVE MEANS IS IN ITS CLOSED POSITION.