Abstract:
A quarter turn valve includes a tubular body having a bore flow passage, a valve element having a through flow passage, the valve element being supported in the through flow passage for rotation about an axis transverse to the through flow passage. The through flow passage is aligned with the bore flow passage to permit flow when the valve element is positioned at a first end of the quarter turn and is misaligned with the bore flow passage to prevent flow when the valve element is at a second end of the quarter turn. A motion multiplication device is included for facilitating a slow operation of the valve element. A tool engaging configuration is provided on the handle for facilitating a remote operation of the handle.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to an improvement in an all plastic ball valve having a feature facilitating operation thereof in a down-hole environment. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Ball valves are well known in the field, including ball valves that are operated by a handle and the speed of movement of the valve element is determined by a motion multiplication means oriented between the handle and the valve element. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,025,244 and 6,378,841 are just a few of the representative examples thereof. 
   It is widely known that ball valves made entirely of metallic components are subject to corrosion, especially when the valves are oriented in a buried application, usually in a hole provided in the earth&#39;s surface, which hole is then capped. Access to a buried valve is gained by uncapping the hole and, in some situations, using a tool to facilitate operation thereof. When the valves are made of metallic components, such as brass, they become corroded over time and difficult to operate, thereby necessitating replacement. 
   Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a primarily non-metallic ball valve that includes a motion multiplication means in the form of a planetary gear system oriented between a handle and a valve element actuation stem so that one 360° rotation of the handle will effect a 90° rotation of the valve element. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a non-metallic ball valve, as aforesaid, wherein the handle of the valve includes a down-hole operation feature. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure for slowly opening and closing the valve so as to prevent the occurrence of water hammer or shock. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The objects and purposes of the invention have been met by providing a valve which includes a tubular body having a bore flow passage, a valve element having a through flow passage, the valve element being supported in the through flow passage for rotation through a quarter turn about an axis transverse to the through flow passage. The through flow passage is aligned with the bore flow passage to permit flow when the valve element is positioned at a first end of the quarter turn and is misaligned with the bore flow passage to prevent flow when the valve element is at a second end of the quarter turn. An actuating valve stem and a manually engageable handle secured thereto are provided for selective slow operation of the actuating valve stem through a quarter-turn input motion for effecting opening or closing of the valve element to permit or prevent flow. A motion multiplication device is provided between the handle and the valve element and is operated by rotation of the handle. A tool engaging configuration is provided on the handle for facilitating a remote operation of the handle. The tool engaging configuration includes at least one upstanding embossment on an upwardly facing surface of the handle configured to engage with a tool to facilitate remote operation of said handle. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the ball valve embodying the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a central sectional view thereof; 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the ring gear of a planetary gear system; 
       FIG. 4  is a central sectional view of the handle; and 
       FIG. 5  is a central section of a modified valve body facilitating a direct connection of pipe to the valve body without resorting to the use of the union nut connections illustrated in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words “up”, “down”, “right” and “left” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “in” and “out” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. Such terminology will include derivatives and words of similar import. 
   A first embodiment of a ball valve  10  embodying the invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 . A second embodiment of a ball valve  10 A is illustrated in  FIGS. 5-6 . 
   Referring now to the first embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the ball valve  10  includes a valve body  11  having an elongate cylindrical tubular configuration. Each end  12 ,  13  of the valve body has an external thread  14 ,  16 , respectively, formed on the radially outwardly facing surface thereof. The hollow interior of the valve body  11  defines a chamber  17  wherein the internal wall construction is configured to rotatably support a ball valve member  18  for rotation about an axis A perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the valve body  11 . In this particular embodiment, the ball valve member  18  is oriented approximately midlength of the elongate valve body  11 . Coaxial bore flow openings  19  and  21  are provided at the ends  12  and  13 , respectively, to provide communication to the chamber  17 . The ball valve member  18  includes a through bore flow passageway  22  that is coaxially aligned with the openings  19  and  21  in the valve body  11  as best illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In this particular embodiment, and in order to facilitate installation of the ball valve member  18  into the chamber  17 , the valve body  11  includes an opening  23  at the end  13  that is larger in dimension than the dimension of the ball valve member  18 . A sleeve  24  having the aforesaid opening  21  therethrough is configured to be received into the opening  23  after the ball valve member  18  has been positioned inside the chamber  17 . The inner end of the sleeve  24  is configured to slidingly and sealingly engage the outer surface  26  of the ball valve member  18  in a manner similar to the way that the ball valve member  18  sealingly engages the inwardly facing portion of the chamber  17  immediately surrounding the opening  19  at the end  12 . The sleeve  24  is locked in its illustrated position via a key  27 . 
   The valve body  11  includes a radially outwardly extending embossment  28  oriented at about the midlength portion thereof as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The embossment  28  includes an opening  29  through the central portion thereof and opening into the chamber  17 . A cylindrical stem  31  is rotatably supported in the opening  29  for rotation about the axis A and with one end thereof fixedly connected to the ball valve member  18 . In this particular embodiment, the longitudinal axis of the stem  31  intersects and is oriented perpendicular to the axis B of the opening  22  through the ball valve member  18 . A plurality of annular o-ring grooves are provided in the interior wall surface of the opening  29  of the embossment  28  and each are configured to receive an o-ring therein that is configured to form a seal with the rotatable stem  31 . 
   A manually operable handle  32  is rotatably mounted to and with respect to the upper end of the stem  31  via a screw  33 , preferably a stainless steel screw. A planetary gear arrangement  34  is oriented between the rotatable handle  32  and the rotatable stem  31 . More specifically, a ring gear member  36  of the planetary gear arrangement  34  is fixedly secured to the embossment  28 . The ring gear member  36  is illustrated in  FIG. 3  and includes a sleeve component  37  that includes a recessed portion  38  of the sleeve that encircles and is fixedly secured to the outer surface of the embossment  28 . The ring gear includes a plurality of gear teeth  39  facing radially inwardly of the sleeve  37 . The ring gear  36  also includes a central opening  41  through which extends the rotatable stem  31 . An internal wall surface of the central opening  41  of the ring gear member  36  includes at least one radially inwardly projecting abutment  45  ( FIG. 3 ). 
   A planet gear support member  42  is fixedly secured to the stem  31  and is rotatable therewith. The planet gear support member  42  includes a plurality of, here four, upstanding axles  43  on each of which is rotatably supported a planet gear  44  whose gear teeth mesh with the gear teeth  39  of the ring gear. The planetary gear support member  42  also includes a radially outwardly extending stop  40  configured to engage the abutment  45  to limit the rotational travel thereof to a 90° clockwise and counter-clockwise movement to assure proper movement of the ball valve member  18  and orientation thereof at the fully open and fully closed positions thereof. 
   The handle  32  includes a horizontally extending top wall  46  having at the radially outer extremity thereof a downwardly extending skirt  47 . The radially inner surface of the skirt  47  has an inwardly projecting lip  48  configured to become oriented beneath a radially outwardly extending annular projection  49  on the ring gear  36 . In other words, the handle  32  is configured to encircle an upstanding wall  51  supporting the teeth  39  of the ring gear  36  and the skirt  47  is configured to elastically yield to allow the lip  48  to pass the annular projection  49  so that the handle will be snap locked onto and rotatable with respect to the ring gear  36 . This snap lock feature also forms a labyrinth seal to prevent dirt and the like from being able to enter the region whereat the planetary gear arrangement  34  is located. The handle  32  also includes a downwardly extending and centrally oriented embossment  52  on which is oriented a plurality of gear teeth  53  serving as the sun gear of the planetary gear arrangement. The teeth  53  of the sun gear operatively engage the teeth on each of four planet gears  44 . 
   As is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the skirt  47  of the handle  32  is circular in cross section. In order to facilitate operation of the handle  32 , especially in a down hole environment such as an underground water supply system to a sprinkler arrangement as might be present on a golf course or the like, a plurality of upstanding embossments  61  are provided on the upper surface of the top wall  46  of the handle  32 . In this particular embodiment, each of the embossments  61  are generally identical with the others and are of an arcuate C-shape configuration. More specifically, there are provided four embossments  61 , each generally C-shaped in cross section with each embossment being oriented so as to oppose on a diameter another embossment so that the openings formed between the legs of the C-shape face each other. A conventional tool T ( FIG. 1 ) can, if desired, be utilized for operative engagement with the embossments  61 . The tool T includes a handle H at one end of a stem S and a pair of prongs P at the end of the stem S remote from the handle H. The prongs P are configured to be received into the region between the legs on a pair of diametrically opposing C-shaped embossments  61  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The tool T will facilitate operation of the ball valve  10  by rotation of the handle H which will, in turn, impart rotation of the handle  32  to cause the teeth  53  of the sun gear to rotate thereby imparting rotation of the planet gears  44  to impart a rotational movement of the planet gear support  42  and thence a rotation of the stem  31 . 
   In this particular-embodiment, the gear ratio of the planetary gear arrangement  34  is four to one. This means that with one complete 360° revolution of the handle  32 , the planet gear support member  42  will rotate through 90° thereby causing the opening  22  through the central portion of the ball valve member  18  to rotate to a position that is 90° from the position illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The ball valve member  18  in the aforesaid position will prevent the flow of liquid through the bore flow passage  22  of the ball valve member. 
   Conventional pipe union joints  62  are provided at each of the ends  12  and  13  of the ball valve member. Each pipe union joint  62  is composed of a hollow sleeve member  63  having an axially extending through opening  64  configured to become coaxially aligned with the openings  19  and  21  of the valve body  11 . Each sleeve  63  includes an axially facing flat end surface  66  configured to abut against a flat surface  67  of the valve body  11  or a combination of an end surface of the valve body  11  and end surface of an axially facing surface of the sleeve  24 . Furthermore, the flat end face  66  extends radially outwardly as at  68  beyond a peripheral surface  69  of the sleeve portion  63 . At least one annular o-ring groove is provided in the periphery of the sleeve  24  and is configured to receive therein an o-ring for forming a seal with the internally facing surface of the opening  23 . Similarly, an annular o-ring groove is provided in the end face  67  of the sleeve  24  and is configured to receive therein an o-ring for forming a seal with the flat end face  66 . 
   An internally threaded nut  71  is provided and the internal threads thereof are intended to mate with a selected one of the external threads  14  and  16  on the valve body  11 . The nut includes a radially inwardly extending flange  72  that abuts the axially outwardly facing surface of the flat wall  68  so that the flat wall  68  will be clamped between the flange  72  and the end face  67  of the valve body and/or combination of valve body and sleeve  24 . Conventional conduit  73  is configured to be received in the opening  64  of the sleeve  63  and be secured therein via a conventional adhesive. 
   An alternate ball valve  10 A is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Since the components of the ball valve  10 A are nearly identical to the ball valve  10 , and to minimize duplicative descriptive text, the same reference numbers for the components described for the ball valve  10  will be utilized in the embodiment of  FIG. 5  but will have the suffix “A” added thereto. More specifically, the valve body  11 A is comprised of two parts  76  and  77  that are threadedly connected together as at  78 . A sleeve  24 A is captured between the two parts  76  and  77  and operatively cooperates with the outer surface  26 A of the ball valve member  18 A as described above. The primary difference between the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-4  and the embodiment of  FIG. 5  is that the union joint connections  62  have been replaced with appropriately sized sockets  81  and  82  in the respective parts  76  and  77  of the valve body  11 A which are configured to snuggly receive therein conformingly sized pipe P. In other words, pipe P (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 5 ) configured to be snuggly received in the respective sockets  81  and  82  can be adhesively secured directly to the respective body parts  76  and  77  using conventional pipe adhesive for a permanent installation. 
   The components of the ball valve  10  discussed above are made of a synthetic resin material, particularly polyvinylchloride (PVC). The purpose of this construction is to eliminate metallic componentry so that corrosion will not become an issue during usage thereof. This becomes especially important when the ball valve member  10  is oriented in an underground location, such as a water supply system in an underground sprinkling system as might be employed on golf courses or the like. 
   Although particular preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail for illustrative purposes, it will be recognized that variations or modifications of the disclosed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention.