Dual union ball drain valve with T-flow adjustability

A dual union drain valve has union couplings to permit a variety of fitting ends. The dual union drain valve has a T-valve member at the intersection of the tee-shaped valve body that can be rotated within the fluid passageway to provide a variety of options for selectively closing sections of the fluid passageway.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to dual union drain valve that can be used in plumbing systems. Drain valves can be used to drain fluid from a plumbing system, including associated attachments such as water heaters, heating systems, boilers, filtration units, or appliances. Typically, the use of a drain valve requires multiple components in order to attach the drain valve to the plumbing system and/or to associated attachments. Indeed, the variety of fittings on such plumbing system/attachment components requires multiple parts for the installation of a drain valve. Moreover, the positioning of the drain valve in a desired horizontal or vertical orientation can be difficult due to space constraints.

Thus, a dual union drain valve that can be coupled to any style of incoming and outgoing fitting along with a reversible T-valve that permits the valve to be installed in any orientation would be advantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a dual union drain valve. The drain valve has a tee-shaped valve body with a fluid passageway between a first port, a second port disposed opposite the first port, and a third port. The third port is disposed perpendicular to the first and second ports. The dual union drain valve has a first valve assembly disposed at the intersection in the tee-shaped valve body. The first valve assembly includes a ball with three openings that can be positioned within the fluid passageway. The ball is coupled to a stem having a T symbol that corresponds to the three openings such that the side of the ball that has no fluid passageway opening is in alignment with the flat top of the T symbol. A removable handle is coupled to the stem. At least one handle stop is located on the valve body permitting the handle to rotate within a 180 degree range. A second valve assembly is disposed adjacent to the third port. The dual union drain valve has a first fitting with a first union coupling having an internal threaded surface that couples with an external threaded surface on the first port. A second fitting with a second union coupling has an internal threaded surface is coupled with an external threaded surface on the second port.

Another aspect of the present invention is a dual union valve. The dual union valve has a tee-shaped valve body with a fluid passageway between a first port, a second port disposed opposite the first port, and a third port. The third port is disposed perpendicular to the first and second ports. A first valve assembly is disposed at the intersection in the tee-shaped valve body. The first valve assembly includes a ball with three openings that can be positioned within the fluid passageway. The ball is coupled to a stem having a T symbol that corresponds to the three openings such that the side of the ball that has no fluid passageway opening is in alignment with the flat top of the T symbol. A removable handle is coupled to the stem. At least one handle stop is located on the valve body, permitting the handle to rotate within a 180 degree range. A first fitting with a first union coupling having an internal threaded surface is coupled with an external threaded surface on the first port. A second fitting with a second union coupling having an internal threaded surface that is coupled with an external threaded surface on the second port.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a dual union drain valve having a tee-shaped valve body with a fluid passageway between a first port, a second port disposed opposite the first port, and a third port. The third port has a threaded external surface and is disposed perpendicular to the first and second ports. A first valve assembly is disposed at the intersection in the tee-shaped valve body. The first valve assembly includes a ball with three openings that can be positioned within the fluid passageway. The ball is coupled to a stem having a T symbol that corresponds to the three openings such that the side of the ball that has no fluid passageway opening is in alignment with the flat top of the T symbol. The dual union drain valve has a removable handle coupled to the ball, the removable handle permitting the rotation of the ball and the stem within the intersection when the handle is removed. A second valve assembly is disposed adjacent to the third port. A first fitting with a first union coupling having an internal threaded surface is coupled with an external threaded surface on the first port. A second fitting with a second union coupling having an internal threaded surface is coupled with an external threaded surface on the second port.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A dual union drain valve2is illustrated inFIG.1. The dual union drain valve2has a valve body4with a first port6, a second port8, and a third port10. The valve body4is tee shaped and has an intersection in the fluid passageway5where the perpendicular sections of the valve body4intersects. The first port6and second port8are positioned opposite each other, with the third port10being positioned perpendicular to the first port6and second port8.

The first port6includes a threaded exterior surface7as shown inFIG.4. The second port8also has a threaded exterior surface9. A first fitting16can be coupled to the first port6by a first union coupling20. The first union coupling20has a threaded internal surface7athat couples to the threaded exterior surface7as shown inFIG.3. Similarly, a second fitting18can be coupled to the second port8by a second union coupling22. The second union coupling22has a threaded internal surface9athat couples to the threaded exterior surface9.

In the illustrated embodiments, the first fitting16and the first union coupling20are shown as a single piece. However, the first fitting end16and the first union coupling20may be separate pieces. The second fitting18and the second union coupling22may similarly be a single piece or separate pieces.

A sealing member80may be used between a surface of the ports (6,8) and a surface of the fittings (16,18) as shown inFIG.3. Such a sealing member80should be of a compressible material, such as an EPDM ring.

A variety of fittings can be used as the first fitting16and/or second fitting18. Examples of such fittings are shown inFIG.9, including, from left to right, male iron pipe (MIP), PEX, PEX, female iron pipe (FIP), sweat, push-to-connect, and press. The first fitting16can be the same type of fitting as the second fitting18or the fittings may be different and/or different sizes.

The dual union valve2has a first valve member26. The first valve member26is located at the intersection in the shaped valve body4. The first valve member26has a ball28that is positioned within the fluid passageway5. Three quadrants of the ball28have fluid passageway openings. The fourth quadrant does not have a fluid passageway opening. The ball28is a T-flow valve permitting potential flow in three directions through the ball, depending upon whether the openings are aligned or partially aligned with one of the ports (6,8, and10). The ball28is coupled to a stem32. The stem32has a T symbol on the top which shows the position of the openings in the ball28. The quadrant of the ball28that has no fluid passageway opening should align with the flat top of the T symbol when the stem32is fully secured to the ball28. The ball28is sealed within the fluid passageway5by ball seals30. The stem32is positioned within the stem boss38on the valve body4. A handle34is coupled to the stem32by a nut36.

The handle34can be removed form the stem32by a removing nut36. This permits the rotation of the stem32and the ball28before the handle34is reinstalled on the stem32. For example, the stem32and ball28may be rotated 180 degrees from what is shown inFIG.1to what is shown inFIG.1A. This reverses the ball28to the opposite direction. The visual T symbol on the top of the stem32remains properly oriented with the fluid passageway openings on the ball28during such rotation. This ability permits different orientations of the handle34depending upon spatial constraints around the dual union drain valve2. It also permits different orientations of the tee-flow capability of the ball28. This can be of significance depending upon whether the dual union drain valve2is to be in a horizontal, vertical, or other position and/or what plumbing components are coupled to or adjacent to the first fitting16and second fitting18.

The rotation of the handle34may be restricted by one or more stops (70,72) located on the valve body4. While the illustrated embodiment shows two stops (70,72), the height and shape of the stops (70,72) may be adjusted, or no stops used at all on the valve body4. Stop features may also be included on the handle34. In the illustrated embodiments shown inFIGS.1and1A, the handle34may be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise 90 degrees for a full 180-degree of range. In the configuration shown inFIG.1, the ball28will be closed off to the third port10when the handle is in the first position (shown in solid lines). When the handle34is rotated counterclockwise 90 degrees to a second position34A, the ball28will be closed off to the second port8. Lastly, when the handle34is rotated clockwise 90 degrees from the first position, third position34B will have the ball28closed off to the first port6.

In the configuration shown inFIG.1A, the ball28in its first position will be open to all ports. When the handle34is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, the ball28will be closed off to the first port6, in the second position34A. When the handle34is rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the first position, the ball28will be closed off to the second port, as shown in third position34B.

The one or more stops (70,72) may permit the rotation of the handle only 90 degrees depending upon the height and position of the stops (70,72). In such a case, the positioning of the ball28and the handle34may permit draining from above the ball28or from below the ball28when the third port10is positioned in a generally horizontal manner. This is accomplished by having the closed quadrant of the ball28positioned facing the third port10and permitting the handle rotation clockwise 90 degrees to permit draining from above the ball28as the closed quadrant of the ball28will be facing the first port6. When the closed quadrant of the ball28is positioned toward the sidewall of the valve body4opposite the third port10after the ball28and stem32are rotated, the handle34may be rotated clockwise to have the closed quadrant of the ball28facing the second port8permitting draining from below the ball28when the third port10is in a generally horizontal position. Similarly, the positioning of the ball28and the handle34may permit the draining from either side of the ball28when the third port10is positioned in a generally vertical manner.

A second valve member40may be used next to the third port10. The second valve member40has a ball42sealed within the fluid passageway by seals44. A stem46is coupled to the ball42. A handle48may be coupled to the stem46by a fastener50. The stem46is positioned within the raised stem boss52. The second valve member40may be used to open and close the fluid passageway5to the third port10, permitting the third port10to act as a drain port. The use of the first valve member26in conjunction with the second valve member40can permit the third port10to drain either or both of the first port6and second port8.

The dual union drain valve2may be assembly with the third port10in a generally vertical orientation (such as shown inFIG.1,1A,3, or4), in a generally horizontal orientation (as shown inFIGS.6and8), or in a different position.

While the dual union drain valve body4is shown as multiple parts that can be coupled together by threaded surfaces11and13(seeFIG.5), the dual union drain valve body2may be formed as a single piece. The dual union drain valve body4may be made of a metal material such as brass or, more preferably, of a lead-free, dezincification-resistant (DZR) brass alloy.

It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art that construction of the present disclosure and other components is not limited to any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the disclosure disclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unless described otherwise herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “connected” or “operably connected” (in all of its forms, connect, connecting, connected, etc.) generally means that one component functions with respect to another component, even if there are other components located between the first and second component, and the term “operable” defines a functional relationship between components.