Multifunction check valve

Abstract: A multifunctional non-return valve comprises a cylindrical tubular valve housing (1), inside which housing an annular valve seat (108) is provided which acts on a shut-off member (7) moving axially. The valve housing (1) comprises a baffle (5) in the shape of a conical cap on the further side from the valve seat (108) and fixed by means of radial fins (6), while the shut-off member (7) is positioned between the baffle (5) and the valve seat (108) and is of the cup type, having a cylindrical internal portion (107) and a conical or ogival end portion (207) that acts on the annular valve seat (108). Between the shut-off member (7) and the baffle (5), elastic means (15,16) may be provided which oppose any coming together of these components, or alternatively the shut-off member (7) may be replaced by a filter of essentially similar shape.

Description: The invention relates to a multifunctional non-return valve according to the pre-characterising part of claim 1. A non-return valve of this kind is known from the document GB-A-2 159 248. In this known construction, the shut-off member is guided coaxially by its cylindrical part sliding in a cylindrical cavity of the baffle fixed to the valve housing. To allow an easy axially sliding of the shut-off member in the cavity of the baffle, a compensation hole must be provided in the conical cap of the baffle on the opposite side of the shut-off member. The object of the invention is to construct a valve according to the pre-characterising part of claim 1, in such a way that it is useable in any of the alternative ways without requiring any substantial modification and that it is of simple and inexpensive construction, as well as being easy and quick to assemble and disassemble to adapt it to the various types of use. The invention achieves these objects with a multifunctional valve of the type described in the pre-characterising part of claim 1 and characterised in that the shut-off member is guided coaxially in the valve housing by its cylindrical part sliding along the radial fins of an internal circular array of radial fins connected to the valve housing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal radial fins are formed by axial extensions towards the annular sealing seat of the radial fins to which the baffle is fixed. In another improvement, the baffle is positioned at a head end of the tubular valve housing, while the annular valve seat is formed by a sealing ring which is sealable against and removable from the opposite head end of the valve housing and which is provided with a conical or ogival sealing surface corresponding to the mating part of the cup-type shut-off member. When used as a foot valve, for example at the bottom of pipes drawing liquids from wells or the like, in order to close the valve under the weight of a fluid, the valve of the invention is so oriented that the closing movement of the cup-type shut-off member corresponds to the direction of the gravitational pressure of the fluid on this member, that is generally vertically and with the open head end of the cup-type shut-off member facing upwards. When used as an air relief valve, the valve of the invention is again arranged generally vertically, with the open end of the cup-type shut-off member facing generally downwards. In another variant of the invention, there can be placed between tha baffle and the cup-type shut-off member, elastic means acting in the opposite direction to the opening movement of the shut-off member. When used as a safety valve or pressure regulating valve, these elastic means may be a calibrated spring which is loaded in the direction of compression of the shut-off member against the annular valve seat and is fixed between the mutually confronting internal sides of the conical cap and the cup-type shut-off member, while the valve is positioned so that the conical or ogival head end of the cup-type shut-off member acting on the valve seat faces the fluid at pressure and so that its open end is facing outwards. When used as a horizontal non-return valve, the elastic means between the conical cap and the cup-type shut-off member may be of any kind, for example an elastically compressible blister which is placed between the mutually confronting head ends of these and which, when the shut-off member is in the closed position, is essentially in its expanded rest condition or in slight compression. When used as an impurities collector, a filter element is placed between the annular sealing seat and the baffle, in place of the cup-type shut-off member. This element may be a cylindrical tubular sleeve with an internal and external diameter approximately the same as the shut-off member and with a permeable peripheral wall and whose open head ends are joined in a leaktight manner to the peripheral edge of the conical cap and to the sealing surface of the sealing ring. The structural simplicity and the multifunctionality of the valve of the invention are both clear from the foregoing. The various functions are obtained by simply varying the arrangement and orientation of the valve with respect to the fluid flow and by inserting or omitting the elastic component in its desired form or by replacing the shut-off member with the cylindrical filter element. Constructing the annular valve seat as a sealing ring that can be removably fixed to the valve housing enables the abovementioned modifications to be made very quickly and without special tools. The invention also encompasses other features which further improve the valve described above and these are the subjects of the subclaims. The special features of the invention and the advantages which it procures will be described in greater detail in the description of a number of preferred embodiments. These are illustrated by way of non-restricting examples in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an axial section of the valve according to the invention in the form that can be used either as a foot valve or as an air relief valve. Fig. 2 shows two half axial sections relating to the variant of the valve shown in Fig. 1 in the form usable as a horizontal non-return valve and as a safety valve, respectively. Fig. 3 shows an axial half section of the variant of the valve shown in Fig. 1 in the form that can be used as an impurities collector. Figs 4 and 5 show an enlarged cross section of two embodiments of the sealing ring acted on by the shut-off member. Fig. 6 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 4 and shows an alternative embodiment of the conical or ogival cap of the shut-off member. Referring to Fig. 1, the valve of the invention comprises a cylindrical tubular valve housing 1 that is open at its head ends to which pipe couplings 4 can be sealingly fixed by means of seals 2 and round nuts 3. Positioned inside the tubular valve housing 1, at one of its head ends, is a baffle 5 in the form of a coaxial conical cap. The baffle 5 is stationary and points out of the valve housing 1. The external diameter of said baffle 5 is less than the internal diameter of the valve housing 1 and this baffle 5 is preferably fixed integrally inside the valve housing 1 by means of a series of (in this example three) radial fins 6. The radial fixing fins 6 are positioned at equal angular distances from each other and connect a peripheral portion of the external surface of the conical cap 5 to the confronting portion of the internal surface of the valve housing 1. In particular, level with this conical cap 5, the internal surface of the valve housing 1 tapers conically so as generally to match the taper of this conical cap 5, with the result that between the conical cap 5 and the valve housing 1 an annular conical passage is formed which is divided into a series of adjacent channels by the radial fixing fins 6. The radial fixing fins 6 possess an axial extension 106 beyond the conical cap 5 towards the opposite head end of the valve housing 1. The extensions 106 thus form an internal circular array of radial fins to guide a cup-type shut-off member 7. The cup-type shut-off member 7 is open on the side that faces the conical cap 5 and possesses a cylindrical portion 107 within the valve housing 1. The cylindrical portion 107 is of slightly smaller external diameter than the internal diameter of the circular array of extensions 106 and is guided as it slides axially along said extensions 106, so that it is not shifted out of the axis of the valve housing 1 or of the cooperating valve seat 108. The head end of the shut-off member 7 furthest from the conical cap 5 is closed and is formed by a portion 207 of conical or ogival shape pointing out of the valve housing 1. The conical portion 207 of the shut-off member 7 is intended to act by means of its external surface on the confronting annular valve seat 108 which is given a corresponding conical or ogival shape and is provided with a housing groove 208 for an annular seal 9. The annular valve seat 108 is positioned at the associated head end of the valve housing 1. An advantageous feature is that it consists of the internal lateral surface or of a portion of said internal surface of a sealing ring 8 which fits leaktightly and removably within the valve housing 1. The sealing ring 8 is advantageously secured by using the pipe coupling 4 and the associated round nut 3 which clamps the latter against the corresponding head end of the valve housing 1. The sealing ring 8 is clamped between an internal annular shoulder 101 on the valve housing 1 and the flange 104 of the pipe coupling 4. In particular, the sealing ring 8 comprises, on its side facing towards the interior of the valve housing 1, a stepped cylindrical widening 308 which interacts with the internal annular shoulder 101 on the valve housing 1, while the remote head end is parallel with the confronting end surface of the flange 104 and preferably carries an annular seal 2, for example an O ring, which is housed in an annular groove 408. To enable the O ring 2 to be compressed, the groove 408 is shallower in depth and greater in width than the diameter of this O ring 2. A peripheral seal 11 can be provided also between the internal surface of the valve housing 1 and the external surface of the sealing ring 8. The housing of the peripheral seal 11 is a stepped annular recess 508 with a smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the valve housing 1, which recess is provided on the innermost side of the sealing ring 8 and is open towards said side. Advantageously the stepped recess 508 joins smoothly with the stepped widening 308. According to a further feature which is shown more clearly in Figs 4 and 5, the seal 9 of the valve seat 108 is an O ring and fits securely into the housing groove 208 which covers more than 180°. Advantageously the cross section of the housing groove 208 is a polygon circumscribing the circular section of the O ring, for example a pentagon arranged so that one of its diagonals is perpendicular to the valve seat 108 and the distance between its centre and the valve seat 108 is less than the radius of the circular cross section of the O ring. The pentagonal shape illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is particularly simple and is oriented with one side parallel to the valve seat 108, the distance of which from the centre of the polygon is greater than the distance of the valve seat 108 from said centre. As a result the seal 9 is housed securely, free spaces are obtained in the corners sufficient to permit the seal 9 to deform elastically when compressed, the seal is provided with stable and continuous support, and a secure axial and radial protection is provided against forces acting on the seal and tending to expel it from the housing groove 208. With particular reference to Fig. 5, to enable easy fabrication, for example injection moulding of the sealing ring 8, eliminating the problems caused by the undercuts of the housing groove 208, it is advantageous make the sealing ring in two parts that can be fixed together integrally, for example by welding, bonding or other similar processes, or detachably by virtue of the pipe coupling 4 and of the associated round nut 3, and each of which two annular portions 8', 8'' forms half of the cross section of the annular housing groove 208 for the seal 9 fitted to the valve seat 108 and part of the outermost side of the sealing ring 8. Preferably the two portions 8' and 8'' are so made that they possess a cylindrical contact surface 12 which terminates at the vertex of the housing groove 208 diametrically opposite the valve seat 108 and a mutual abutting surface perpendicular to the axis of the sealing ring 8 which is met in the direction of the outermost side of the sealing ring 8 by another cylindrical surface 14, 14'. The contact surface 13 perpendicular to the axis of the sealing ring 8 extends advantageously level with the base of the housing groove 408 of the seal 2 on that side of the sealing ring 8 that acts on the flange 104 of the pipe coupling 4 and the cylindrical surfaces 14, 14' are radially separated from each other and form the opposing lateral walls of said housing groove 408. Referring to the variant shown in Fig. 6, the shut-off member 7 acts on the valve seat 108, that is on the annular seal 9 of the ring 8, via a coaxial external annular spur 407 on the conical portion 207 of this 7. The function of the annular spur 407 is to prevent leaks, especially during the initial moments of valve closure: such leaks would be due to a slight misalignment or to an inclination of the shut-off member 7 within the intended play. The annular spur therefore projects beyond the outer surface of the portion 207 of the shut-off member sufficiently to compensate in great measure for the intended play, and consequently acts on the conical surface of the valve seat (108) during the approach of the shut-off member towards it, easily preventing the shut-off member 7 from tilting in the last moments of valve closure. The annular spur advantageously tapers towards its free end to a point, by which it acts on the annular seal 9. Leaktightness between the shut-off member 7 and the seal 9 is thus provided by a single annular sealing line or in an annular plane perpendicular to the axis of the valve seat 108. To prevent the seal 9 from also touching the conical surface 207 of the shut-off member 7, which would compromise the leaktightness between the spur 407 and the seal 9, that side of the annular spur 407 nearest the free extremity of the shut-off member 7 is given an annular groove or hollow 507. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the valve of the invention can be used as a foot valve, for example at the bottom inlets of suction pipes through which liquids are drawn from wells or the like, closure of which is brought about by the pressure produced by the weight of a column of water above the valve. For this purpose the valve is connected to the unit in a vertical position with the open rim of the cup-type shut-off member uppermost. If the same valve is mounted upside down as compared with the above, for example at the top outlets of accumulator units or containers or the like, it can be used as an air relief valve. The cup-type shut-off member is moved into the closed position by the rising level of liquid in the valve, acting as a float because of the air trapped inside it, whereas when only air gathers in the valve, this air does not have sufficient force to resist the downward action of gravity on the cup-type shut-off member into the open position: the valve thus automatically acts as an air relief (siphon action). Referring to Fig. 2, it is possible to provide elastic components between the baffle 5 and the cup-type shut-off member 7. Depending on the type of function desired, that is whether as a horizontal non-return valve or as a safety valve, the elastic component may be a blister 16: this compresses elastically as the valve opens, offering a slight resistance to compression, whereas as the shut-off member 7 closes, the blister becomes more or less expanded, although it may still be under a slight compressive load; or it may be a calibrated spring 15 which is stressed to compress the shut-off member 7 against the valve seat 108 with a predetermined force. The assembling of the elastic components is facilitated by the previously described structure and further facilitated by the fact that two central axial hubs 105 and 307 extend towards each other from the internal surfaces of the mutually confronting head ends of the baffle 5 and of the cup-type shut-off member 7. If a calibrated spring 15 is used, it may usefully be a helical spring and its ends may be engaged over said hubs 105, 307, whereas if an elastically compressible blister 16 is used, it may be fixed by means of a suitable socket 116 to one of the hubs 105, while the other hub 307 is the compressing member acting on this blister 16. Referring to Fig. 3, the valve of the invention may easily be modified to allow it to be used as an impurities collector. This is achieved by simply replacing the cup-type shut-off member with a cylindrical tubular filter 18 consisting of a permeable peripheral wall 118 placed between head rings 218 which can usefully form a rigid cylindrical supporting cage, these rings being connected to each other by equidistant axial ribs 318. The filter 18 has an external diameter corresponding approximately to that of the cup-type shut-off member 7 and is held tightly between the sealing ring 8 and the baffle 5 which seals off the corresponding head end to allow the fluid to pass only through the permeable wall 118. In particular, the head rings are of an elastic material which will ensure a sufficient seal, such as for example hard rubber, or a plastic that is softer than the valve housing and valve seat, or similar materials. The external diameter of the peripheral edge of the baffle 5 corresponds to the internal diameter of the associated head ring 218 of the filter 18 and fits sealingly against said peripheral edge. A certain radial compressive action of the head ring 218 against the baffle 5 can be encouraged by the radial fixing fins 6 which project beyond the peripheral edge of the baffle with a free section extending flush with the external conical surface of the baffle and which have the same inclination, which section joins up with the axial extensions 106, forming an inclined surface which axially abuts and wedges the terminal end of the head ring 218 - this terminal end being advantageously cylindrical. The head ring 218 that acts on the valve seat 108 is correspondingly conical. Advantageously, to save making two different head rings 218, and to further facilitate the fitting of the filter 18, the rings are identical in shape. The external side of each ring tapers conically so as to correspond to the taper of the valve seat 108 and terminates in a cylindrical extension. As can be seen in Figure 3, the dimensions of the whole are such that at the baffle 5 end the cylindrical portion acts on the abovementioned free sections of the radial fins 6, while at the valve seat 108 end the cylindrical portion can pass freely into the housing groove 208 of the seal 9, advantageously not present, without thus impeding the seal against said seat 108. Alternatively, if a suitable seal 9 is used, it can be left in the housing groove 108 and will provide additional leaktightness against the cylindrical extremity of the head ring 218. The structural simplicity of the valve of the invention means that it can be fabricated, for example from plastic, by the injection moulding of a small number of separate structural parts, basically the pipe couplings 4, the round nuts 3, the sealing rings 8', 8'', the shut-off member 7 and the valve housing 1 together with the baffle 5.

Claims: Multifunctional non-return valve that can be used, in particular, either as a gravity-closed non-return valve, air relief valve, horizontal non-return valve or spring-loaded safety valve, or as an impurities collector; and that comprises a basically cylindrical tubular valve housing (1) which is open at its head ends, with which leaktight connections with pipe couplings (4) can be made and inside which housing an annular valve seat (108) is provided which acts on a shut-off member (7) moving axially inside said valve housing (1) between a closed position, leaktightly against the valve seat (108), and an open position away from said seat (108), where inside the valve housing (1), at the opposite end from the annular valve seat (108), is a baffle (5) in the shape of a conical cap of much smaller diameter than the valve housing (1), pointing towards the exterior of the valve housing (1) and fixed coaxially to said valve housing (1) by means of radial fins (6), so forming a series of channels distributed peripherally about the baffle (5), while the shut-off member (7) is positioned between the baffle (5) and the annular valve seat (108) and is of the cup type, having a generally cylindrical portion (107) inside the valve housing (1) and a conical or ogival end portion (207) at the end that acts on the annular valve seat (108), the shut-off member (7) being guided coaxially in the valve housing (1) by its cylindrical part (7) sliding along the cylindrical part of the baffle, characterised in that the shut-off member (7) is guided coaxially in the valve housing (1) by its cylindrical part (7) sliding along the radial fins (106) of an internal circular array of radial fins connected to the valve housing (1). Valve according to Claim 1, characterised in that the internal radial fins by which the shut-off member (7) is guided are formed by axial extensions (106) towards the annular valve seat (108) of the radial fins (6) to which the baffle (5) is fixed. Valve according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the baffle (5) is positioned at a head end of the tubular valve housing (1), while the annular valve seat (108) is formed by the internal radial surface of a sealing ring (8) which is sealable against and removable from the opposite head end of the valve housing (1) and is conical or ogival corresponding to the mating conical or ogival portion (207) of the cup-type shut-off member (7). Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is used as a foot valve and is so oriented that the closing movement of the cup-type shut-off member (7) corresponds to the direction of the gravitational pressure of a fluid on this member, that is generally vertically and with the open head end of the cup-type shut-off member (7) facing upwards. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is used as an air relief valve, being again arranged generally vertically, with the open end of the cup-type shut-off member (7) facing generally downwards. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is used as a horizontal non-return valve, there being provided between the baffle (5) and the cup-type shut-off member (7) elastic means (15) that are compressible by a slight force in the direction of opening of the shut-off member (7) and that when the shut-off member (7) is in the closed position are essentially expanded in the rest position or in slight compression. Valve according to Claim 6, characterised in that the elastically compressible component consists of a blister (16) and the baffle (5) and the shut-off member (7) are provided with coaxial hubs (105, 307) pointing towards each other which form either the fixing component of the blister (16) or the member that compresses the latter. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is used as a safety valve or pressure regulating valve, the elastic means placed between the baffle (5) and the shut-off member (7) being a calibrated spring (15) which is stressed under a predetermined load in the direction of compression of the shut-off member (7) against the annular valve seat (108). Valve according to Claim 8, characterised in that the calibrated spring (15) is helical and is fixed by means of its ends on the hubs (105, 307) projecting internally to the valve housing (1) from the mutually confronting internal sides of the conical cap (5) and cup-type shut-off member (7), while the valve is positioned so that the conical or ogival head end (207) of the cup-type shut-off member (7) acting on the valve seat (108) faces the fluid at pressure and so that its open end is facing outwards. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is used as an impurities collector, the cup-type shut-off member (7) being replaceable by a tubular filter (18) having permeable peripheral cylindrical walls and an internal and external diameter approximately the same as the cylindrical portion (107) of the shut-off member (7) and which can be sealed tightly between the valve seat (108) and the baffle (5). Valve according to Claim 10, characterised in that the external diameter of the peripheral edge of the conical cap baffle (5) corresponds approximately to the diameter of the cup-type shut-off member (7) and of the tubular filter (18), the filter (18) consisting of a cage providing cylindrical support (218, 318) for a permeable filtering wall (118), the head ends of which cage comprise head rings (218) that are sealingly compressible against the external peripheral edge of the conical cap baffle (5) and against the valve seat (108). Valve according to Claim 11, characterised in that the radial fins (6) to which the baffle (5) is fixed comprise a radial section projecting beyond the peripheral edge of the baffle (5) which extends level with the external surface of the baffle (5) and is inclined so as to match the taper of this baffle (5), forming surfaces which axially abut the filter (18) and wedge the corresponding head ring (218) against the peripheral edge of the baffle (5), while the head ring (218) acting on the valve seat (108) is correspondingly conical on its external peripheral side. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve seat (108) is a conical surface and has an annular groove (208) to house a seal (9) which covers more than 180° around the seal and the distance between whose centre and the valve seat (108) is less than the radius or than the thickness of said seal (9). Valve according to Claim 13, characterised in that the seal (9) is an annular seal and is of circular cross section, while the associated housing groove (208) is a polygon circumscribing the cross section of the seal (9). Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sealing ring (8) is made from two separate portions (8', 8'') fixed stably together or sealable together, the two said portions being so shaped that each has a portion or half of the cross section of the housing groove (208) for the seal (9) of the valve seat (108). Valve according to Claim 15, characterised in that the two portions (8', 8'') of the sealing ring (8) are formed by two rings provided with a cylindrical surface (12) of mutual contact which on one side meets that vertex of the housing groove (208) in the valve seat (108) furthest from said valve seat (108) and on the other side meets an annular surface (13) of mutual contact in the axial direction which extends over an intermediate plane in the sealing ring (8) perpendicular to the axis of the sealing ring (8), while said annular surface (13) meets another cylindrical surface of mutual contact (14, 14') of greater diameter than the first cylindrical surface (12) of mutual contact. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sealing ring (8) can be clamped leaktightly between an annular shoulder of axial abutment (101) near the corresponding head end of the valve housing (1) and the flange (104) of a pipe coupling (4) compressible against the external head end of the sealing ring (8) by the use of clamping means (3). Valve according to Claim 17, characterised in that between the flange (104) of the pipe coupling (4) and the external head surface of the sealing ring (8) is an annular seal (2) which is housed in an annular groove (408) in the sealing ring (8), the innermost wall of said groove being formed by part of the annular surface (13) of mutual contact between the annular portions (8', 8'') and the lateral walls of this groove (408) being formed by the cylindrical surfaces (14, 14') of mutual contact between said two ring portions (8', 8'') which have different radii from each other. Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sealing ring (8) comprises an external stepped cylindrical widening (308) which abuts against the internal annular shoulder (101) of the valve housing (1), which step extends radially towards the interior of the sealing ring (8) and forms a housing groove (508) which is open at the head end of the sealing ring (8) facing into the interior of the valve housing (1), for an annular peripheral seal (11). Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shut-off member (7, 207) acts on the valve seat (108, 9) by means of an external annular spur (407). Valve according to Claim 20, characterised in that the external annular spur (407) is formed into a point at its free end by which it acts on the annular seal (9) provided in the valve seat (108). Valve according to Claim 20 or 21, characterised in that the annular spur (407) is coaxial with the shut-off member (7). Valve according to one or more of Claims 20 to 22, characterised in that the annular spur (407) projects beyond the external surface of the shut-off member (7, 207) sufficiently to compensate at least partly for the play between the shut-off member (7) and the valve seat (108). Valve according to one or more of preceding Claims 20 to 23, characterised in that on that side of the annular spur (407) nearest the free extremity of the shut-off member (7) is an annular hollow or an annular groove (507). Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the head rings (218) of the cylindrical filter cage (18) are manufactured identical to each other and comprise a section which tapers conically towards the external head end that is formed by a cylindrical section, the dimensions of the whole being such that the cylindrical section of the head ring (218) acting on the valve seat (108) can project into the housing groove (208) of this seat, enabling the conical section to act on said valve seat (108), while the cylindrical section of the ring (218) at the baffle end acts on the free inclined sections of the radial fixing fins (6) in such a direction that the head ring (218) abuts axially and wedges against the external peripheral edge of the baffle (5). Valve according to Claim 25, characterised in that the housing groove (208) of the valve seat (108) can house an annular seal (9) acting sealingly on the cylindrical head end of the corresponding head ring (218) of the filter (18). Valve according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the valve housing (1) and the baffle (5) with the radial fixing fins (6) and the axial extensions (106) are made in one piece, preferably of plastic.

Inventors: TUBARO BRUNO, TUBARO, BRUNO
Applicants: TECNO PLASTIC SRL, TECNO PLASTIC S.R.L.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F16K15
IPC codes: F16K15, F16K27