Patent ID: 6062439
Filing Date: 2000-05-16
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
A rotary valve comprising:a housing having a chamber provided with a cylindrical wall, inlet and outlet openings communicating with said chamber and a pair of end walls closing said chamber;a shaft extending into said chamber and journaled in at least one of said end walls;a rotor mounted on said shaft within said chamber, having at least one shroud spaced from one of said end walls and cooperating with said end wall, a portion of said cylindrical wall and said shaft to provide an annular chamber, and plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets relative to the axis of said shaft, communicable with said inlet and outlet openings as said shaft is rotated;an annular follower plate disposed in said annular chamber with said shaft extending therethrough and displaceable axially;an annular packing seal mounted on said follower plate and engageable with said rotor shroud and said cylindrical wall of said annular chamber upon axial displacement of said follower plate; andat least two fluid actuated cylinders mounted on said end wall, spaced circumferentially relative to the axis of said shaft and having piston rods extendible into engagement with said follower plate for displacing said follower plate toward said rotor shroud and, correspondingly, compressing said seal into sealing engagement with said rotor shroud and said cylindrical wall.