VALVE MECHANISM WITH BUILT-IN PURIFYING FILTER

Abstract: A valve mechanism comprising a valve body (1) having an inlet (2) and an outlet (3), and a valve (4, 5) disposed between the inlet and the outlet for controlling the fluid flow. A purifying filter (6) surrounds the valve on the inlet side so that particles carried along by the fluid are retained by the filter and fall down into a sump disposed below the filter.

Description: VALVE MECHANISM WITH BUILT-IN PURIFYING FILTER This invention relates to a valve mechanism comprising a valve body having an inlet and an outlet, a valve disposed between the inlet and the outlet for controlling the fluid flow, and a purifying filter which encloses the valve on the inlet side. Valves in fluid pipes, for instance distant heating conduits, are very sensitive to impurities in the form of burrs and other particles which may be contained inthe conduit system owing to negligent flushing of the pipes before the valves are mounted. It is therefore customary to insert ahead of the valve a purifying filter in the pipeline. This of course involves additional cost. Prior art purifying filters generally are of cylindrical shape and disposed in such a manner in the pipeline that the contaminated liquid flows into the filter and escapes through the circumferential surface thereof for transmission to the valve. The filter must be opened at regular intervals for emptying and cleaning. FR 2,459,416 discloses a purifying filter which surrounds the valve on the inlet side. After some time of use, a bank of impurities is built up against the filter wall, whereby the capacity of the filter is deteriorated. The valve mechanism must be dismounted and the filter flushed clean. The object of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism with built-in purifying filter which need not be dismounted, at least not as frequently as the purifying filters in the prior art valves. According to the invention, this object is realised by means of a valve mechanism of the above-mentioned type, the features of which will appear from the characterising clauses of the appendant claims. The advantages gained by the valve mechanism according to the invention are that the work of mounting the mecha nism is facilitated and reduced in that one need not insert separate filters, and that the valve mechanism requires less maintenance in that the filter proper need not be emptied and/or dismounted nor cleaned to an equally large extent as is the case with prior art filters. The invention will now be described in greater detail below with reference to an embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows a section of a valve mechanism according to the invention. The drawing shows a valve mechanism according to the invention, which consists of a valve body 1 having an inlet 2 and an outlet 3. The inlet is separated from the outlet by a partition 19 which accommodates a valve seat 4 in which a valve cone 5 is shiftable for control of the fluid flow between the inlet 2 and the outlet 3. A preferably cylindrical purifying filter 6 is detachably mounted in the valve body 1 around the valve seat 4. The filter consists of a fine-mesh netting 7 and a lower end wall 8 and is inserted through an opening 20 in the valve body. The filter has an upper flange 15 which on mounting the filter is placed in an annular recess 14 in the partition 19, and also a lower flange 16 which forms a seat for the end wall 8 via an annular recess 17 therein. The opening 20 in the valve body is closed by means of a bottom plate 11 which is screwed to the valve body with the aid of screws 13. The inner side of the bottom plate 11 is slightly cup-shaped and a through bore 21 in the bottom plate is closed by means of a drain plug 12. The purifying filter 6 is supported on the bottom plate 11 by feet or distance members 9, only two of which are shown in the drawing. The distance members are placed in a circle at the periphery of the underside of the end wall 8 and are preferably secured to said end wall. By this arrangement there is formed below the purifying filter 6 a sump 10 for collection of particles in the fluid. The distance members may instead consist of ra dial spokes mounted on the circumferential surface of the filter and engaging the opposite walls of the valve mechanism. Fluid from the inlet 2 is distributed in an annular space 18 around the purifying filter and flows into the filter through the fine-mesh netting 7. Dirt particles retained by the netting fall down and are collected in the sump 10 which can readily be emptied by removal of the drain plug 12. On cleaning or exchange of the filter 6 the entire bottom plate 11 is screwed off, whereafter the filter can be readily removed through the opening 20 in the valve body 1. It should be pointed out that other geometrical shapes of the filter can be employed, for instance filters of rectangular cross section.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A valve mechanism comprising a valve body (1) having an inlet (2) and an outlet (3), a valve (4, 5) disposed between the inlet and the outlet for controlling the fluid flow, and a filter (6) which encloses the valve on the inlet side, wherein there is provided below the filter (6) a sump (10) in the valve body (1), in which particles retained by the filter are collected. 2. A valve mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sump (10) is formed between the end wall (8) of the filter (6) and a bottom plate (11) in the valve body (1), said bottom plate being equipped with a drain plug (12). 3. A valve mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filter (6) is arranged to be clamped in the valve body (1) by means of the bottom plate 11. 4. A valve mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein distance members (9) are provided between the end wall (8) and the bottom plate (11) to form said sump (10).

Inventors: CATO, KENNETH Y.
Applicants: OSBY ARMATUR AB
Application year: 1983
Main classification: F16K1
IPC codes: F16K1, B01D35