초록 ▼

A valve assembly includes a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber extending between the inlet and the outlet and an actuation sub-assembly. Positioned in the chamber is a flow restrictor, which is positionable between a valve open position wherein the fluid communication between the inl

A valve assembly includes a valve body with an inlet, an outlet, and a chamber extending between the inlet and the outlet and an actuation sub-assembly. Positioned in the chamber is a flow restrictor, which is positionable between a valve open position wherein the fluid communication between the inlet and outlet is open and a valve closed position wherein the fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet is closed. The actuation sub-assembly includes a stem for engaging the flow restrictor. When the actuation sub-assembly is mounted to the valve body, the stem extends through the valve body wall for engagement with an engagement surface of the flow restrictor but is removable from engagement with the engagement surface of the flow restrictor without requiring disassembly of the valve body.

대표청구항 ▼

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property right or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body, said valve body having a valve body wall, an inlet, an outlet, a chamber, and at least one removable seat at one of said inlet and said

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property right or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 1. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body, said valve body having a valve body wall, an inlet, an outlet, a chamber, and at least one removable seat at one of said inlet and said outlet; an actuation sub-assembly, said actuation sub-assembly including a stem; a flow restrictor having a restrictor body and a transverse passage extending through said restrictor body, said flow restrictor positioned in said chamber adjacent said at least one removable seat and being positionable between a valve open position wherein said transverse passage provides fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet and a valve closed position wherein said restrictor body blocks the fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet; wherein when said actuation sub-assembly is mounted at said valve body said stem extends through said valve body wall for direct engagement with said restrictor body, and said valve body and said actuation sub-assembly being configured such that said actuation sub-assembly with said stem may be mounted together as a unit to said valve body after said valve body is assembled and further said actuation sub-assembly with said stem may be removed together as a unit from said valve body without requiring disassembly of said valve body; and wherein said flow restrictor is configured for re-engagement with said stem when said actuation sub-assembly is mounted to said valve body and for engagement with a stem of another actuation sub-assembly when said other actuation sub-assembly is mounted to said valve body. 2. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said actuation sub-assembly comprises one of a manual actuation sub-assembly, a twist lock actuation sub-assembly, a gear actuation sub-assembly, an electric gear actuation sub-assembly, a handwheel gear actuation sub-assembly, a slow-close actuation sub-assembly, a pneumatic actuation sub-assembly, and a hydraulic actuation sub-assembly. 3. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said valve body wall includes a planar mounting surface, said actuation sub-assembly being mounted at said planar mounting surface. 4. The valve assembly according to claim 3, wherein said actuation sub-assembly includes an adapter, said adapter mounting said actuation sub-assembly at said planar mounting surface. 5. The valve assembly according to claim 4, wherein said adapter includes a pair of stops for limiting the rotational motion of said stem. 6. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said stem includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion engaging said restrictor body, and said upper surface for engagement by one of a handle, a gear, and a gear sector. 7. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said valve body is configured to provide a mounting surface for each actuation sub-assembly selected from the group consisting of a manual actuation sub-assembly, a twist lock actuation sub-assembly, a gear actuation sub-assembly, an electric gear actuation sub-assembly, a handwheel gear actuation sub-assembly, a slow-close actuation sub-assembly, a pneumatic actuation sub-assembly, and a hydraulic actuation sub-assembly wherein the actuation sub-assembly may be removed and replaced with each one of the group of actuation sub-assemblies. 8. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said flow restrictor comprises a valve ball and said restrictor body comprises a ball body. 9. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said valve body is configured to be at least partially disassembled and reassembled to facilitate replacement of said at least one removable seat. 10. The valve assembly according to claim 1, wherein said at least one removable seat comprises a pair of removable seats, said restrictor body disposed between said seats. 11. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body, said valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a valve body wall, and a chamber; a removable pivot bolt disposed at said valve body wall and extending into said chamber; an actuation sub-assembly, said actuation sub-assembly having a stem extending from said actuation sub-assembly and a driver for rotatably driving said stem; a flow restrictor in said chamber and having a recess formed therein, said flow restrictor being movable between a valve open position to provide fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet and a valve closed position wherein said flow restrictor blocks the fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet; wherein when said removable pivot bolt is disposed at said valve body wall with said flow restrictor in said chamber, said removable pivot bolt extends through said valve body wall and is engageable with said flow restrictor; and wherein when said actuation sub-assembly is mounted to said valve body, said sub-assembly with said stem and said driver is mounted together as a unit with said stem extending through said valve body wall and into said recess for direct engagement with said flow restrictor, and said actuation sub-assembly with said stem and said driver is removable together as a unit to disengage said stem from said flow restrictor without requiring disassembly of said valve body. 12. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said actuation sub-assembly is removable and replaceable without modification to said valve body with at least two actuation sub-assemblies selected from a group of actuation sub-assemblies consisting of a manual actuation sub-assembly, a twist lock actuation sub-assembly, a gear actuation sub-assembly, an electric gear actuation sub-assembly, a handwheel gear actuation sub-assembly, a slow-close actuation sub-assembly, a pneumatic actuation sub-assembly, and a hydraulic actuation sub-assembly. 13. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said flow restrictor comprises a valve ball. 14. The valve body according to claim 11, wherein said valve body wall forms a cylindrical portion of said chamber and includes planar offset portions and a planar mounting surface for said actuation sub-assembly offset from said cylindrical portion wherein said planar portion and said offset portions form a box-shaped portion of said valve body. 15. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said stem includes an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion extending into said recess and engaging said flow restrictor, and said upper surface for engagement by said driver, which comprises one of a handle, a gear, and a gear sector. 16. The valve assembly according to claim 11, wherein said valve body includes mounting flanges generally at said inlet and said outlet, said planar mounting surface extending between said flanges. 17. The valve assembly according to claim 16, wherein said planar mounting surface extends over said flanges wherein said planar mounting surface is supported by said flanges. 18. A valve assembly comprising: a valve body, said valve body having an inlet, an outlet, a valve body wall, and a chamber; an actuation sub-assembly, said actuation sub-assembly having a stem extending from said actuation sub-assembly; a flow restrictor in said chamber and having an engagement surface, said flow restrictor being movable between a valve open position to provide fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet and a valve closed position wherein said flow restrictor blocks the fluid communication between said inlet and said outlet; and wherein when said actuation sub-assembly is mounted to said valve body said sub-assembly with said stem being mounted together as a unit with said stem extending through said valve body wall for engagement with said engagement surface of said flow restrictor, and said actuation sub-assembly with said stem being removable together as a unit to disengage said stem from said flow restrictor without requiring disassembly of said valve body, wherein said actuation sub-assembly and said stem together as a unit is removable and replaceable without modification to said valve body, with at least two actuation sub-assemblies selected from a group of actuation sub-assemblies consisting of a manual actuation sub-assembly, a twist lock actuation sub-assembly, a gear actuation sub-assembly, an electric gear actuation sub-assembly, a handwheel gear actuation sub-assembly, a slow-close actuation sub-assembly, a pneumatic actuation sub-assembly, and a hydraulic actuation sub-assembly, wherein said valve body wall forms a cylindrical portion of said chamber and includes a planar mounting surface for mounting said actuation sub-assembly to said valve body wall. 19. The valve assembly according to claim 18, wherein said planar mounting surface is offset from said cylindrical portion.