Patent ID: 6394126
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
An irrigation valve, which comprises:(a) a valve housing having an inlet, an outlet, a flow passageway between the inlet and outlet, a valve seat in the flow passageway, and a valve member which closes the valve by moving into engagement with the valve seat for blocking flow between the inlet and the outlet and which opens the valve by moving out of engagement with the valve seat for permitting flow between the inlet and the outlet; (b) wherein the valve housing is formed from a valve body and a valve bonnet which are joined together, wherein the valve body and valve bonnet each have a plurality of attachment holes which receive a plurality of attachment members to join the valve body and valve bonnet together; and (c) at least one alignment member and at least one alignment recess provided on the valve body and valve bonnet with the at least one alignment member and the at least one alignment recess interfitting together when the valve body and valve bonnet are joined together, wherein the at least one alignment member comprises an outwardly protruding rib and the at least one alignment recess comprises a notch, wherein the rib and the notch are located on external vertical surfaces of the valve body and the valve bonnet such that the rib and notch are continuously visible to an assembler both before and after the valve body and the valve bonnet are joined together, and wherein the rib and notch are so disposed on the valve body and valve bonnet that the attachment holes in the valve bonnet overlie the attachment holes in the valve body when the rib and notch are interfitted together.