Check valve assembly

An angled check valve assembly having a housing with inlet and outlet passageways angled with respect to each other, and a spider spacer cage at a location which allows flow through the inlet passageway into the spider spacer cage where the flow is then angled and directed through the outlet passageway. One of the passageways has one-way check valve(s) therein to insure one-way flow from the inlet through the outlet passage. An installation entry is provided in the housing for insertion of the check valve(s). The installation entry is sealingly closed by a threaded closure member. The spider spacer cage is rotatable relative to the threaded closure so that, as the closure member is moved inwardly, at least one opening (in the side of spider spacer cage) can be kept in registry with one of the passageways. The spider spacer cage also forces the one-way valve(s) toward an abutment in the housing. The spider spacer cage is indexed to one end of the one-way valve(s), and the valve(s) are indexed to each other and/or the housing, to prevent the closure from moving axially to seal the entry when the one-way valve is inserted upside down so as to prevent flow from the inlet through to the outlet.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a check valve assembly which includes certain 
features for insuring proper orientation of one or more check valve 
elements in a flow line, and for permitting proper orientation of a spider 
spacer element located between the check valve(s) and an inlet passageway 
of the check valve assembly. 
In drinking water systems, many municipalities require some mechanism to 
insure against backflow from end user installations into the potable water 
supply. When water pressure in the potable water system is unusually low, 
or if high pressure occurs at end user locations, reverse flow from the 
end user area into the potable water system is possible. This reverse flow 
can contaminate the water supply. In areas where pesticides and herbicides 
are commonly used, as well as in other areas in which environmentally 
dangerous chemicals are found, the existence of back flow conditions may 
pose special contamination risks. Back flow prevention devices are usually 
placed in a water line at or near the point where an individual service 
connection taps into the common supply line. In this manner, contaminates 
present at the point of use are kept separated from the potable supply 
source of water. This is normally accomplished by placing a one-way check 
valve in the water line to stop reverse flow and provide anti-syphoning 
control when water pressure in the potable water system gets too low. 
Applicant previously developed a right angle check valve assembly wherein 
plural check valves are provided. Applicant's prior art system 
incorporates a dual check valve system in a right-angled pipe housing. Two 
one-way check valve units are inserted into a passageway of the 
right-angled pipe through a screw closure mechanism which is aligned with 
a flow axis of the passageway. The closure mechanism includes an integral 
spider spacer cage which extends outwardly from threads which are used to 
hold the closure mechanism to the pipe housing. After the one-way valve(s) 
are inserted into the passageway, the closure mechanism is threaded into 
the angled pipe housing to seal the passageway. The spider spacer cage is 
located at a juncture of the inlet passageway and the vertical outlet 
passageway of the assembly. Water (or another fluid) flows into the 
assembly through the inlet passageway, passes through the spider spacer 
cage and the check valves, and then exits through the outlet passageway of 
the assembly. 
It is an object of the instant invention to improve upon Applicant's prior 
art assembly by providing flow enhancing modifications and safety features 
to insure correct orientation of the spider spacer cage and correct 
orientation of the one-way valve units in the system. 
In the prior art systems the valve housing and closure are often made of 
bronze or other metal castings. The spider spacer cage is cast integral 
with the closure. As the closure is screwed into the housing, ports inside 
of the spider spacer cage did not always align themselves with the inlet 
passageway, thus causing a restricted flow through the system. 
In order to improve the flow through the system, the instant invention 
contemplates making the spider spacer cage out of a plastic material and 
attaching it to the cast closure member by a snap-in fit which allows for 
relative rotation between the spider spacer cage and the closure member. 
In particular, the closure has an internal groove to which the spider 
spacer cage is attached by way of wedges on upper extendinq legs of the 
spider spacer cage. These wedges can ride in the grooves to allow for 
relative rotation of the spider spacer cage and the closure member, while 
at the same time, rotation of the rotatable closure member causes axial 
movement of the spider spacer cage. As the closure is rotated to close and 
seal the entry to the check valve assembly, the spider cage is forced 
downward to press against the one-way valve units in a manner to be 
discussed below. When (or as) the closure is completely tightened, a tool 
can be inserted into the inlet passageway and through a side opening in 
the spider spacer cage so as to be able to rotate the spider spacer cage 
to a position where the opening is aligned with the inlet passage. In this 
manner, the flow restrictive nature of the spider spacer cage is 
minimized. 
It is another object of the invention to provide a safety feature to insure 
that the one-way valve(s) are inserted in the proper direction, which 
direction only permits flow from the inlet passageway through the outlet 
passageway and prohibits reverse flow or syphoning from the outlet 
passageway into the inlet passageway whereby contamination of the source 
of water could occur. 
To this end, the check valve assembly is provided with an abutment at the 
bottom-most end of the outlet passageway. This abutment defines the lowest 
level of insertion for the one-way valve units. An indexing connection is 
provided between the one-way valve units and the abutment and the spider 
spacer cage which allows the valve units to telescope over each other and 
the abutment and the spider spacer cage to telescope over the inlet end of 
one of the one-way valve units. The index connection prevents telescoping 
when one of the one-way valve units is oriented in an improper direction, 
preventing complete closure of the assembly and indicating the improper 
orientation. 
In the double valve unit failsafe system, two one-way valve units are 
placed in the outlet passage, one atop the other. Here the inlet end of 
the lower valve unit is indexed to the outlet end of the upper valve unit 
so that the lower end of the upper valve can telescope over the inlet end 
of the lower valve unit. Similarly, a lower end of the lower valve unit is 
indexed with an abutment at the outlet end of the outlet passageway to 
allow for a telescoping of the lower valve unit into the abutment. The 
spider spacer cage is indexed for telescoping over the inlet end of the 
upper valve unit. 
If either, or both, of the valve units are inserted in the reverse 
direction, all of the aforementioned telescoping relationships cannot 
occur since the indexing cannot take place when a bottom of the valve unit 
abuts either a bottom of the spider spacer cage or the inlet of the other 
valve unit, or if the inlet of a valve unit abuts the abutment at the 
bottom of the outlet passage. 
The distance between the entry closure means and the abutment is such that 
the telescopic overlapping of the spider spacer cage, the one-way valve(s) 
and the abutment must each occur, or else the stacking of the spider 
spacer cage and the valve unit(s) will cause their length in the outlet 
passage to exceed that distance which would permit the closure means from 
reaching a closed position. When the valve unit(s) are properly aligned to 
permit flow from the inlet passageway to the outlet passageway, their 
length is such that the spider spacer cage can telescope over a valve unit 
as the closure is rotated to close off and seal the entry while it axially 
moves the spider spacer cage downwardly. 
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will 
become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention 
when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
The drawings show a valve housing 10 consisting of a right angle pipe 
connection having an inlet 12 and inlet passageway 14. The inlet is 
adapted to be connected to a water meter (not shown) of a municipality 
water system (not shown) through coupler 16. The housing also is provided 
with an outlet passageway 18 which terminates at a threaded outlet 20 
which is adapted to be connected to a water user location such as a 
residential water system terminating at a faucet, water sprinkler, 
irrigation system, etc (not shown). The inlet and outlet passageways 14 
and 18 are fluidly connected to each other at junction 22 at the upper end 
of outlet passageway 18. 
The housing is provided with an abutment shoulder 24 located at the lower 
bottom area of the outlet passageway 18. The abutment shoulder is defined 
by a central raised portion 26 and a circular recess 28 extending 
circumferentially to the outside of the raised portion 26. The raised 
portion 26 and recess 28 act as an indexing mechanism as will be explained 
below. 
Located within the outlet passageway 18 are two identical one-way valve 
units 30(a) and 30(b). As both valve units are the same only the details 
of valve unit 30(a) will be discussed further. The valve unit 30(a) has a 
two piece 32(a), 32(b) casing which is snapped together internally by a 
recess on inner lip 34 of piece 32(a) engaging a projection 36 on outer 
piece 32(b) as the two pieces 32(a), 32(b) are telescoped into one 
another. The lower piece 32(b) has radial spider arms 38 which support an 
integrally formed hollow valve shaft support spindle 40 as well as 
compression spring 42. For ease in understanding, FIG. 1 shows the 
compression spring of the upper valve unit 30(a) collapsed as occurs when 
the valve unit is in an open position, while the lower valve unit 30(b) is 
shown with the compression spring elongated and the valve unit closed. In 
normal operation both valves would be in the same condition, i.e., opened 
or closed. A valve element 44 has its stem 46 slidable in the hollow valve 
shaft support spindle 40 and is biased upwardly by the spring 42 
contacting an underside of the valve element 44. The valve element 44 has 
a gasket 46 which abuts and seals valve seat 48 formed in the upper piece 
32(a). When the pressure of the water system at the inlet 12 is greater 
than the pressure at the outlet 20 (i.e. when the user is attempting to 
withdraw water and the water system has sufficient head) the valve element 
44 will be forced downward against spring 42 by the pressure of the water 
supply to open the outlet passageway 18 through seat 48 to permit water 
flow through the valves 30(a), 30(b). 
The bottom of each valve unit 30(a), 30(b) has a raised circular ridge 50 
which mates with the circular recess 28 at the abutment 24 at the bottom 
of the outlet passageway 18 to permit the lower valve unit 30(b) to 
telescope over the raised portion 26 of the abutment 24. An O-ring 52 is 
carried in a groove 56 in the upper portion 32(a) of the valve units 
30(a), 30(b) to sealingly engage the inner wall 54 of the outlet 
passageway 18. These O-rings 52 insure that no water flow is allowed 
around the outside of the valve units 30(a), 30(b). The upper side of the 
valve units 30(a), 30(b) also have an indexing mechanism comprising a 
circular recess 60 which is the same diameter and size as the recess 28 of 
the abutment 24 at the outlet 20 of the outlet passageway 18. This permits 
the two valve units 30(a), 30(b) to be stacked, one upon the other, in a 
telescopic fashion with the lower circular ridge 50 of the upper valve 
unit 30(a) resting in the recess 60 on the top of the lower valve unit 
30(b). 
A circular hollow plastic spider spacer cage 70 is located in the outlet 
passageway 18, atop the upper valve unit 30(a). Spider spacer cage 70 has 
a hollow interior area 72 defined by an upper circular ring 74 and a lower 
circular ring 76 which are connected to one another by four identical 
vertical legs 78. The legs 78 extend above the upper ring 74 and below the 
lower circular ring 76. Openings 80(a)(b)(c)(d) extend between the 
vertical legs 78 and the two rings 74, 76 to allow flow of water from 
inlet passageway 14 to pass through one of the openings 80(a)(b)(c)(d) 
into the hollow interior area 72 and from there downwardly to the upper 
valve unit 30(a). 
The upper ends of the vertical legs 78 have wedges 84 extending outwardly 
from the center area 72 for a purpose to be explained later. The spider 
spacer cage 70 is preferably made from a flexible plastic as a unitary 
(molded) piece. The lower ends 90 of legs 78 extend downward to rest in 
recess 60(b) of the upper valve unit 30(a). These lower ends 90 have 
concentrically curved inwardly and outwardly facing edges with respect to 
the center line 92 of the outlet passageway 18 so that they can freely 
slide in the recess 60(b) of the upper valve unit 30(a). 
An installation entry 94 is provided at the top of the outlet passageway 18 
of housing 10 to allow for insertion and removal of the valve units 30(a) 
and 30(b) into the outlet passageway. A closure member 96 is provided with 
external threads 98 which mate with threads 100 at the installation entry 
94. A circular recess 102 is located internally of the closure 96 and 
receives the wedges 84 from the upper ends of the legs 78 of the spider 
spacer cage 70 in a snap lock fashion. That is, since the spider is made 
from flexible plastic, it can be inserted upwardly into the hollow bottom 
interior 106 of the closure 96 with the upper portion of the legs 78 being 
flexed inwardly until the wedges 84 reach the location of the recess 102 
at which point the legs will straighten out and the wedges 84 flexed back 
to lie in the recess 102. This flexed connection allows for the spider 
spacer cage 70 to have a snap connection to the closure 96 whereby the 
axial distance between the closure 96 and the spider spacer cage 70 is 
fixed by the snap action, while the connection between wedges 84 and 
recess 102 allows for relative rotation between the closure 96 and the 
spider spacer cage 70. When the closure is screwed onto the threads 100 at 
entry 94, it will move downward as threads 98, 100 cooperate to force the 
spider spacer cage 70 downwardly to the point where the bottom ends 90 of 
legs 78 of the spider spacer cage 70 telescope into recess 60(b) of the 
top valve unit 30(a). An O-ring 108 on the closure cooperates with the 
housing top 110 to seal the entry 94. After sealing of closure 96, or 
while closure 96 is being threaded into the sealed position, a tool (not 
shown) can be inserted through opening 12 to engage a side of one of the 
legs 78 to rotate spider spacer cage 70 with respect to closure 96 to 
align one opening 80(a)(b)(c)(d) with inlet passageway 14 to reduce any 
obstruction occurring when a leg 78 covers a portion of inlet passageway 
14. In the prior art, the spider spacer cage is an integral casting with 
closure 96 and hence such a relative rotation between spider spacer cage 
70 and closure 96 is not possible. 
Valve units 30(a), 30(b) are inserted into the outlet passageway through 
entry 94. If bottom valve unit 30(b) is inserted upside down so as to 
block flow from the inlet passageway 14 through the outlet passageway 18, 
its upper surface 114 will abut raised portion 26 of abutment 24 at the 
bottom end of the outlet passage 18 and will not allow the bottom valve 
unit 30(b) to telescope over the raised portion 26 of abutment 24. This 
will cause upper valve unit 30(a) to also be raised in the outlet 
passageway (regardless of its proper orientation). Thus when lower portion 
90 of legs 78 of the spider cage engage recess 60(b) of the upper side of 
the upper valve unit 30(a) (assuming valve unit 30 to be oriented properly 
when inserted) spider spacer cage 70 will not be allowed to drop 
downwardly a sufficient distance to permit threads 98 of closure 96 to 
engage entry threads 100. This will indicate to the assembler that at 
least one of the valve units has been inserted in a reverse flow (upside 
down position). This occurs because the height distance taken up by the 
two valve units 30(a), 30(b) and spider spacer cage 70 is just enough to 
allow the closure to be screwed on tightly when the lower ends 90 of the 
spider spacer cage 70 telescopically rests in the recess 60(b) of the 
upper valve unit 30(a), the circular ridge 50 of the upper valve unit 
30(a) telescopically rests in the recess 60 of the lower valve unit 30(b), 
and the circular ridge 50 of the lower valve unit 30(b) telescopically 
rests in recess 28 at the abutment 24 at the lower end of the outlet 
passageway 18. 
If both valve units 30(a), 30(b) are inserted in a flow reverse direction 
(upside down) they can telescope together but the lower valve unit 30(b) 
cannot telescope into recess 28 at the abutment 24 at the lower end of the 
outlet passageway 18. Also the bottom ends 90 of the spider spacer cage 70 
legs 78 cannot telescope into recess 60(b) of the upper valve unit 30(a) 
since the valve unit 30(a) is inverted and hence ridge 50 of the upper 
valve unit will contact ends 90 of legs 78 of the spider spacer cage 70. 
Threads 98 of closure 96 cannot engage threads 100, providing a warning to 
the installer that at least one valve unit 30(a), 30(b) is inserted in a 
flow reverse direction (upside down). 
Likewise, if only the upper valve unit 30(a) is inserted in a reverse flow 
direction, its two ends cannot telescopically mate with the lower valve 
unit 30(b) and the spider spacer cage 70, which situation again prevents 
threads 98 of closure 96 from engaging threads 100, and thus indicates to 
the installer that at least one of the valve units 30(a), 30(b) is 
installed in a reverse flow direction (i.e., upside down). 
Thus it can be seen that the length of the spider spacer cage 70 and the 
valve units 30(a), 30(b) (when telescoped together) must coincide closely 
to the distance between closure 96 and abutment 24 when closure 96 is in 
its closed and sealed condition in order for the safety indexing system to 
indicate improper insertion of a valve unit 30(a), 30(b). 
While the drawings show a failsafe double valve unit, the invention 
contemplates the use of a single valve unit. In such a case, the outlet 
passage 18 could be shortened to provide the desired indication upon 
improper reverse flow insertion of the single valve unit. Alternatively, 
the casing of the single valve unit could be made twice as long (to equal 
the length of the two single valve units shown) to prohibit closure upon 
reverse insertion of the valve. Other methods to allow use of a single 
valve unit may include use of a second spacer unit, or a longer spider 
spacer cage to provide the required distance to prohibit closure thread 
engagement upon reverse orientation of the valve. 
The present invention also contemplates that the relative positions of the 
inlet and outlet, as described and referred to in connection with the 
specific embodiment shown in the drawings, may be reversed. However, as in 
the embodiment shown, the spider spacer cage is preferably located at the 
"90.degree. end" of the assembly and is preferably attached to a closure 
device. Furthermore, certain aspects of the invention, such as the 
provision of an indication of improper installation of the check valve 
elements, may be applicable to other types of check valve assemblies, as 
well. 
From the preceding description of the preferred embodiments, it is evident 
that the objects of the invention are attained. Although the invention has 
been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood 
that the same is intended by way of illustration and example only and is 
not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit and scope of the 
invention are to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.