Abstract:
A rotary valve is provided with an elliptical valve disc that seats against a seal element operatively mounted in an elliptically shaped depression formed in the rigid annular portion of a seal cartridge structure carried by the valve body. Due to the elliptical shapes of the disc and corresponding seating structure, and a conical configuration of the disc periphery, sealing of the valve disc, the integrity of the seal, and the ability of the seal to completely stop the flow of fluid through the valve body are desirably improved. The centering of valve disc relative to the seal cartridge is facilitated by a specially designed disc mounting structure that eliminates any necessity of adjusting the disc along its rotational axis, and a one-piece actuator bracket is removably mounted to the valve body to substantially simplify and reduce the expense of operatively associating an actuator with the valve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the filing benefit of copending U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/113,086 filed on Dec. 21, 1998 and entitled “ROTARY VALVE ASSEMBLY”, such provisional application being hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to valves and methods for fabricating them and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to rotary valves, such as “butterfly” valves, and associated valve fabrication methods.  
           [0003]    Rotary valves, also commonly referred to as “butterfly” valves, are typically provided with a shut-off disc which is rotationally drivable between open and closed positions about an axis diametrically extending across the interior of a generally annular valve body. In its open position the disc permits fluid flow through the valve body, and when the disc is rotated to its closed position its periphery is brought into operative engagement with an annular seal member, which is part of an annular seal cartridge structure supported by the valve body, to shut off further fluid flow through the valve and piping sections that are suitably secured to opposite sides of its body portion.  
           [0004]    Although rotary valves of this general type have been utilized for many years in both fluid throttling and shut-off applications, and have been refined in a variety of manners over this time span, they are still subject to several well-known problems, limitations and disadvantages. For example, rotary valve discs are customarily formed as a segment of a sphere and thus have a rounded peripheral seating surface. Because of this conventional disc configuration it is often difficult to reliably and accurately conform the valve seal to the peripheral disc seating surface without undesirably stretching the seal element to a substantial degree. Due to this geometric seal/seat interface problem the integrity of the seal is often compromised and it is difficult to completely stop the flow of fluid through the valve.  
           [0005]    Because the periphery of the disc is used as the seal contact surface for the valve, it is critical to proper seal performance that the disc be precisely centered within the valve body. To this end, various structures have been incorporated into conventional rotary valve assemblies to permit the installed disc to be adjusted within the valve body in a manner effecting this necessary disc centering. This centering adjustment, of course, must be carefully and accurately performed to achieve the desired sealing effectiveness. Adjustment error, on the other hand, can seriously reduce the valve&#39;s sealing efficiency.  
           [0006]    Another limitation present in rotary valves of conventional construction is related to the manner in which an actuator, a motorized device used to forcibly rotate the closure disc between its open and closed positions, is operatively mounted on the valve. In rotary valves of conventional construction an actuator base structure is formed integrally with the valve body (or permanently secured to as by welding) and projects radially outwardly from the valve body. In order to mount an actuator on the valve, an adapter structure is interposed between the actuator and the outwardly projecting base structure and secured to the actuator and base structure. This overall adapter mounting structure undesirably adds to the construction cost of the overall valve assembly and makes the fabrication of the assembly more complex and time-consuming.  
           [0007]    As can readily be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for an improved rotary valve assembly, and associated fabrication methods therefor, which eliminate or at least substantially reduce the above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages typically associated with rotary valves of conventional construction as generally described above. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a specially designed rotary valve is provided which includes a valve body and a seal structure, carried by the valve body, for forming an elliptical seating surface. A disc is rotatably carried by the valve body and has an elliptical periphery rotatable into and out of sealing engagement with the seating surface. The elliptical disc periphery has a conical shape which creates an entrance angle on the disc seating surface that provides a variety of operational benefits including a reduction in the torque required to seat and unseat the valve disc from the associated seal structure, and a reduction in the wear on both the disc periphery and the seal seating surface. Due to the reduced operational torque requirements, the parts carrying the actuation load may be smaller, and a smaller valve actuator may be used to seat and unseat the valve disc against the associated seal seating surface. Further, broader manufacturing tolerances may be utilized in conjunction with the disc and seal structures due to a wedging effect provided by the elliptical seal and disc design.  
           [0009]    In a preferred embodiment of the rotary valve, the seal structure includes facing annular seal cartridge members, and a resilient annular seal member, representatively a Teflon seal, which is sandwiched between the facing seal cartridge members. An elliptical cavity is formed between the cartridge members and receives a portion of the seal member in a manner deforming it to and holding it in an elliptical configuration, with a radially inner annular portion of the seal member protruding from the seal cartridge members into the valve body interior for operative sealing engagement by the disc periphery. In an alternate embodiment of the rotary valve, the seal member received in the elliptical seal cavity between the seal cartridge members is of a metal material.  
           [0010]    According to another feature of the invention, the elliptical seal cavity is formed in at least one of the facing annular seal cartridge members by resiliently deforming the originally circular cartridge member to an elliptical shape and holding the deformed cartridge member in such elliptical shape while at least a portion of the seal cavity is formed on a side of the cartridge member in a circular pattern circumscribing its central axis. The elliptically deformed cartridge member is then released, to thereby permit it to return to its original circular shape. This, in turn, deforms the originally circular seal cavity portion to an elliptical shape conforming to the elliptical shape of the disc periphery.  
           [0011]    In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the disc is precisely centered within the valve body, and with respect to the seal structure, in automatic response to installation of the disc within the valve body using two guide members which are inserted inwardly through suitable openings in diametrically opposite flat portions on the outer periphery of the valve body which representatively has an annular configuration.  
           [0012]    Portions of the inserted guide members have abutment portions which are brought into contact with corresponding abutment portions on the disc to automatically center it within the valve body. The positions of the abutment portions on the inserted parts of the guide members are precisely controlled by external flange portions on the guide members which abut the diametrically opposite flat portions on the exterior periphery of the valve body. Illustratively, an inner end of one of the guide members is rotatably received in a mounting structure carried on the disc, and a longitudinal portion of a disc-rotating shaft is rotatably extended through the other guide member and is rotationally locked to the mounting portion of the disc.  
           [0013]    According to yet another feature of the present invention, a specially designed actuator support structure is secured to the valve body and substantially simplifies and reduces the cost of operatively coupling a motor-driven actuator to the outwardly projecting portion of the disc-rotating shaft. Illustratively, the actuator support structure is of a one-piece construction, is removably secured to the valve body, and is directly connectable to a selected actuator without the conventional necessity of an intermediate adapter structure interconnected between the actuator support structure and the actuator.  
           [0014]    Representatively, the annular valve body has a circumferentially spaced pair of flat areas formed on the external periphery of the valve body on opposite sides of the longitudinal drive shaft portion projecting radially outwardly from the valve body periphery. In a preferred embodiment thereof, the one-piece actuator support structure has a generally inverted U-shaped configuration with a spaced pair of leg portions with free end portions removably secured to these flat area of the valve body, and a closed outer end portion to which a valve actuator may be directly secured.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a specially designed rotary valve assembly embodying principles of the present invention and illustrated in a closed position;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a somewhat reduced scale perspective view of the rotary valve assembly in an open position and additionally illustrating a conventional actuator mechanism mounted atop a specially designed one-piece actuator support structure portion of the valve assembly;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a reduced scale exploded perspective view of the rotary valve assembly;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 is a reduced scale, partially elevational cross-sectional view through the rotary valve assembly taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 2;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a reduced scale, partially elevational cross-sectional view through the rotary valve assembly taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 1;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 6 is an enlarged scale cross-sectional view of the circled area “ 6 ” in FIG. 5 and illustrates the construction of a specially designed seal cartridge portion of the rotary valve assembly;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view similar to that in FIG. 6 but illustrating an alternate embodiment of the seal cartridge portion;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a side edge view of a valve disc portion of the rotary valve assembly schematically illustrating the manner in which the disc is machined to an elliptical peripheral configuration;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a side edge view of the completed valve disc;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8A is an enlarged scale detail view of the circled area “ 8 A” in FIG. 8; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 8B is an enlarged scale detail view of the circled area “ 8 B” in FIG. 8.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0026]    Referring initially to FIGS.  1 - 3 , the present invention provides a specially designed rotary valve  10  (also commonly referred to as a “butterfly” valve) that incorporates therein various advantages over conventionally constructed valves of this general type. Valve  10  includes an annular metal body portion  12 , a metal closure disc  14  rotatable between closed and open positions (respectively illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2) about an axis  16  extending diametrically through the body  12 , and an annular seal cartridge structure  18 . With the disc  14  in its FIG. 1 closed position it cooperates with the seal cartridge structure  18  to prevent fluid flow through the interior of the body  12  and piping sections (not shown) operatively connected to its opposite sides. Alternatively, with the disc  14  in its FIG. 2 open position, fluid flow through the interior of the valve body  12 , and piping operatively coupled to the valve body  12 , is permitted.  
         [0027]    Referring now additionally to FIGS.  7 - 8 B, the disc  14  has a body portion with a front or outer side  20 , a rear or inner side  22 , and a peripheral sealing edge portion  24 . A diametrically spaced pair of attachment bosses  26  extend outwardly from the rear side  22  and have aligned, circularly cross-sectioned bores  28  extending through oppositely facing outer side surfaces  26   a  of the bosses  26 . For purposes later described herein, the outer side surfaces  26   a  are equidistant from the centerline of the body portion of the disc  14 .  
         [0028]    The body of the disc  14 , as schematically illustrated in FIG. 7 has a centerline  30 , and is formed (by appropriately machining its outer edge) as a segment of a cone  32  having an axis  34  tilted at a relatively small angle A relative to the disc body centerline  30 . Representatively, the angle of the cone  32  is approximately 34°, and the machining tilt angle A is approximately 8°. This machining of the body of the disc  14  as a segment of the cone  32  gives the peripheral sealing edge portion  24  of the disc an elliptical shape in which the major rear side diameter D of the disc body, which extends transversely to the disc rotational axis  16 , is greater than the minor rear side diameter of the disc  14  which extends parallel to the disc rotational axis  16 .  
         [0029]    The machining of the body of the disc  14  as a segment of the cone  32  also gives portions of the disc periphery  24  adjacent opposite ends of the major diameter D different slope angles from the rear side  22  of the disc body to the front side  20  of the disc body. Representatively, an upper portion of the disc periphery  24  (as viewed in FIG. 7) slopes outwardly and radially inwardly at an angle B of approximately 15°, and a lower portion of the disc periphery  24  (as viewed in FIG. 7) slopes outwardly and radially inwardly at an angle C of approximately 31°. In a conventional manner, the bore centerlines  36  of the attachment bosses  26  are offset a small distance E from the rotational axis  16  of the closure disc  14  to effect a desirable “camming” action of the disc as it lifts off of a seal structure later described herein.  
         [0030]    With reference now to FIGS.  1 - 5 , the disc  14  is rotatably mounted within the annular valve body  12 , in a unique automatic centering manner which will now be described, using a cylindrical shaft  38  having flats  40 , 42  respectively formed on upper and lower end portions thereof (see FIG. 3), and upper and lower cylindrical guide members  44 , 46 . The upper guide member  44  is of a hollow tubular configuration and has an upper body portion  48 , a reduced diameter lower body portion  50  having a lower end  52 , and an elongated transverse mounting flange  54  disposed at the junction of the body portions  48 , 50 . The lower guide member  46  has a cylindrical upper body portion  56  with an upper end  58 , an enlarged diameter cylindrical lower body portion  60 , and an elongated transverse mounting flange  62  at its bottom end. An upwardly facing annular shoulder  64  is defined at the juncture of the upper and lower body portions  56 , 60 .  
         [0031]    As best illustrated in FIGS.  3 - 5 , the annular valve body portion  12  has diametrically opposite upper and lower flat portions  66 , 68  formed on its outer peripheral surface and having circular bores  70  formed therethrough and spaced apart along the disc rotation axis  16 . The parallel planes of these upper and lower flat portions  66 , 68  are positioned on the valve body  12  in a manner such they are equal radial distances away from the centerline of the body  12 .  
         [0032]    The closure disc  14  is installed within the interior of the valve body  12  by placing the disc bosses  26  within the interior of the body  12 , inserting the tubular lower end portion  50  of the upper guide member  44  downwardly through an annular gasket  72 , the upper circular bore  70  and into the interior of the valve body  12 . As the upper guide member  44  is being moved downwardly in this manner, the upper end portions of a pair of threaded studs  74  pass upwardly through mounting holes in the opposite ends of the flange  54 . When the flange  54  bottoms out on the upper flat area  66 , nuts  76  are threaded onto the studs  74  to hold the flange  66  against the upper valve body flat area  66 . A lower end portion of the shaft  38  is passed downwardly through the installed upper guide member  44  and into the bore  28  of the upper disc boss  28 , and is secured in place within the upper boss  28  by a set screw  77  threaded into a corresponding opening in the upper disc boss  28  and forced against the lower shaft flat area  42 . As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the lower end  52  of the lower body portion  50  of the upper guide member  44  abuts the upper s side surface  26   a  of the upper disc boss  26 .  
         [0033]    The upper end portion  56  of the lower guide member  46  is passed upwardly through an annular gasket  78 , the lower valve body circular bore  70  and into the circular bore  28  in the lower disc boss  26  until the lower guide member flange  62  comes into abutment with the lower flat area  68  on the annular valve body  12 . The flange  62  is held against the flat area  68  by a pair of bolts  80  extended upwardly through corresponding holes in the flange  62  and threaded into aligned holes in the valve body  12 . The mounting of the upper and lower guide members  44 , 46  in this manner supports the disc  14  within the valve body  12  for rotation relative thereto about the rotational axis  16 .  
         [0034]    Such mounting of the upper and lower guide members  44 , 46  also automatically centers the disc  14  within the valve body  12 , and relative to the later described annular seal cartridge structure  18 , without any necessity of subsequently adjusting the installed disc  14  relative to the valve body  12  or seal cartridge structure  18 . This automatic disc centering is achieved by axially configuring the upper and lower cylindrical guide members  44 , 46  in a manner such that when they are operatively secured to the valve body  12  as described above the distance between the lower end  52  of the upper guide member  44  and the annular flange portion  64  of the lower guide member  46  is precisely identical to the distance between the oppositely facing outer sides  26   a  of the disc bosses  26  (which, as previously mentioned, are representatively equidistant from the centerline of the disc body). in this manner, because the distances between the valve body upper and lower flat areas  66 , 68  are identical, the disc  14  is automatically centered within the valve body  12  by the abutments  26   a , 52  and  26   a , 64  between the guide members  44 , 46  and the disc bosses  26 , when the guide member flanges  54 , 62  respectively abut the valve body flat areas  66 , 68 .  
         [0035]    The shaft  38  extends upwardly through an annular packing structure  82  (see FIG. 3) received within the upper body portion  48  of the upper guide member  44 . Shaft  38  also passes through and upwardly beyond a tubular packing retainer member  84  telescoped within the upper body portion  48  and having a transverse flange portion  86  on its upper end. As illustrated, the studs  74  pass upwardly through corresponding holes in the outer ends of the flange  86 , with the packing retainer member  84  being held in place with nuts  88  threaded onto the upper ends of the studs  74 . An upper end portion of the shaft  38  is operatively connected to a conventional motorized actuator  90  which, as later described herein, is operatively associated with the valve body  12  in a unique manner. The actuator  90  may be selectively utilized to forcibly rotate the shaft  38  about the disc rotation axis  16  to thereby forcibly rotate the disc  14  between its FIG. 1 closed position and its FIG. 2 open position.  
         [0036]    With reference now to FIGS.  1 - 6 A, the annular seal cartridge structure  18  is complementarily and removably received within an annular recess  92  (see FIG. 3) formed in the side  12   a  of the valve body  12  and is captively retained within the recess  92  by means of a snap ring  94  (see FIG. 5) removably received in an annular groove  96  (see FIG. 3) in the valve body recess  92 . The seal cartridge structure  18  includes a flat annular metal seal support member  98 , a flat annular metal seal retaining member  100 , and an annular seal member  102  sandwiched between the members  98  and  100 .  
         [0037]    Representatively, the annular seal member  102  is substantially identical to the seal member  24  illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,848 to Eggleston and comprises an annular Teflon body having (as best illustrated in FIG. 6) an annular, radially inner sealing portion  104 ; an annular, radially outer peripheral portion  106 ; an annular, axially inwardly projecting flexible web portion  108 ; and an annular, axially outwardly projecting lip portion  110 . An annular resilient garter spring member  112  outwardly circumscribes the annular sealing portion  104  and exerts thereon a radially inwardly directed resilient biasing force.  
         [0038]    According to a feature of the present invention, the seal member  102  is held by the balance of the seal cartridge structure  18  in a manner causing the sealing portion  104  of the seal member  102  to assume an elliptical shape precisely corresponding to the elliptical configuration of the peripheral edge  24  of the disc  14  to provide substantially improved valve sealing performance as later described herein.  
         [0039]    In order to hold the originally round annular seal member  102  in this elliptical configuration the seal support and retainer members  98  and  100  are specially constructed in a unique manner which will now be described. Using a suitable clamping structure, the seal support member  98  is subjected to diametrically opposite, radially inwardly directed clamping forces  114  (see FIG. 3) that resiliently deform opposite edge portions of the seal support member  98  radially inwardly, while at the same time correspondingly and resiliently deforming the member  98  radially outwardly in directions  116  transverse to the clamping forces  114 , thereby giving the seal support member  98  an elliptical configuration.  
         [0040]    While the seal support member  98  is being held in this resiliently deformed elliptical configuration, a circular seal receiving depression  118  (see FIG. 3) is suitably machined on one side of the deformed seal support member  98 . The temporarily clamped seal support member  98  is then released to permit it to return to original circular configuration, thereby causing the circular depression  118  to assume an elliptical configuration in the finished inner seal support member  98  (see FIG. 6).  
         [0041]    In a similar manner, the seal retainer member  100  is placed in the clamping structure and subjected to diametrically opposite, radially inwardly directed clamping forces  120  (see FIG. 3) that resiliently deform opposite edge portions of the seal retaining member  100  radially inwardly, while at the same time correspondingly and resiliently deforming the member  100  radially outwardly in directions  122  transverse to the clamping forces  120 , thereby giving the seal retaining member  100  an elliptical configuration. While the seal retaining member  100  is held in this elliptical configuration, a circular depression  124  (see FIG. 6) is formed in the side of the seal retaining member  100  which will face the seal support member  98 . The temporarily clamped seal retainer member  100  is then released to permit it to return to original circular configuration, thereby causing the circular depression  124  to assume an elliptical configuration in the finished inner seal support member  98 .  
         [0042]    Suitable marks (not shown) are placed on each of the completed seal support and retainer members  98 , 100  so that when the seal member  102  is operatively sandwiched therebetween, the elliptical depressions  118 , 124  may be precisely aligned with one another. When the seal member  102  is operatively sandwiched between the seal support and retainer members  98 , 100  as cross-sectionally illustrated in FIG. 6, the seal portion  108  is received in the elliptical depression  118 , the seal portion  110  is received in the depression  124 , and the seal portion  106  is clamped between facing portions of the seal support and retainer members  98  and  100 , with an inner peripheral portion of the seal member sealing portion  104  projecting radially inwardly beyond the inner peripheries of the seal support and retainer members  98  and  100 . To operatively install the annular seal member  102  in the elliptical depressions  118  and  124 , the seal member must be slightly deformed from its originally round configuration to an elliptical configuration which geometrically matches the elliptical shape of the previously described elliptical periphery  24  of the disc  14 . Accordingly, in the assembled seal cartridge structure  18  the inwardly projecting periphery of the seal member sealing portion  104  is uniquely held in this elliptical configuration.  
         [0043]    With the seal support and retainer members  98 , 100  rotationally aligned with one another, the completed seal cartridge structure  18  is installed in the valve body side recess  92  (see FIGS.  1 - 3 ) in a manner such that aligned holes  126 , 128  in the seal support and retainer members  98 , 100  are aligned with an underlying hole  130  in the axially inner surface of the valve body seal cartridge recess  92  to thereby align the major axis of the now elliptical seal portion  104  with the major axis of the elliptical disc periphery  24  when the disc is rotationally driven to its FIG. 1 closed orientation. To retain the installed seal cartridge structure  18  in this operative orientation, a retaining pin  132  is operatively positioned in the aligned holes  126 ,  128 ,  130 .  
         [0044]    When the disc  14  is rotationally driven between its open and closed positions, as indicated by the directional arrows in FIG. 8, the elliptical disc periphery  24  is driven through the rotational arc  134  shown in FIGS.  8 - 8 B to cause the indicated portions  24   a , 24   b  of the disc periphery  24  to be selectively wedged into sealing engagement with the radially inner periphery of the resilient seal portion  104  (see FIG. 6) and then be disengaged therefrom.  
         [0045]    Due to the unique mating of elliptical disc and seal surfaces in the valve  10 , a variety of advantages are achieved. For example, the torque required to seat and unseat the valve disc  14  from the associated seal element is substantially less than in the conventional case of a round disc seating against a round seal element. Additionally, there is less wear on the disc and seal element. Further, due to the reduced operational torque requirements, the parts carrying the actuation load may be smaller, and a smaller actuator may be used to seat and unseat the valve disc against the seal. Also, broader manufacturing tolerances may be utilized in conjunction with the disc and seal due to the wedging effect provided by the elliptical seal and disc design.  
         [0046]    An alternate embodiment  18   a  of the previously described seal cartridge structure  18  is cross-sectionally illustrated in FIG. 6A and operatively supports a deformable annular metal seal element  136  having a generally U-shaped cross-section around its periphery. The seal element  136  is sandwiched between modified flat annular seal support and retainer members  98   a , 100   a  which are operatively received and retained within the valve body side recess  92 , with a rounded, radially inner annular portion  136   a  of the metal seal member  136  projecting inwardly from the seal support and retainer members  98   a , 100   a  for operative sealing engagement by the disc periphery  24 .  
         [0047]    In constructing the modified seal cartridge structure  18   a,  the seal support member  98   a  is left in its original flat annular configuration, and the seal retainer member  100   a  is resiliently deformed to an elliptical shape, by clamping it at diametrically opposite portions as previously described for the seal retainer member  100 , while a circular depression  138  is machined into the inner side surface of the seal retainer member  100   a  on a radially inner peripheral area thereof. When the resiliently deformed seal retainer member  100   a  is unclamped, it springs back from an elliptical configuration to its original circular configuration to thereby reconfigure the circular depression  138  in a manner such that its outer peripheral surface  138   a  has an elliptical shape. With the annular metal seal  136  captively retained in the depression  138  in the assembled seal cartridge structure  18   a,  forcible engagement of the seal portion  136   a  by the disc periphery  24  deforms the seal  136  toward the elliptical shape bounded by the elliptical recess surface  138   a,  thereby providing the valve  10  with elliptical-to-elliptical sealing configuration advantages similar to those discussed above in conjunction with the flexible Teflon seal structure  102  shown in FIG. 6.  
         [0048]    Returning now to FIGS.  1 - 4 , in addition to the unique self-centering disc support and elliptical-to-elliptical seal interface features of the present invention, the invention also substantially simplifies and reduces the cost of the rotational driving interconnection between the motor-driven actuator  90  (see FIG. 2) and the shaft  38  and thus the closure disc  14 . These advantages are achieved by the use of a one-piece actuator support bracket  140  which is removably securable to the valve body  12  and may be easily customized to operatively mount motor-driven actuators of a variety of types and configurations and permit them to be drivingly coupled to the shaft  38 .  
         [0049]    Actuator bracket  140  has a generally inverted U-shaped configuration with a top end support plate portion  142 , and a pair of depending parallel leg plate portions  144  having outwardly angled foot portions  146  that may be removably secured to flat portions  148  on the valve body  12 , on opposite sides of the top flat portion  66 , with suitable fasteners such as bolts  150 . Alternatively, the actuator bracket  140  may be welded to the valve body  12 , or otherwise suitably anchored thereto.  
         [0050]    The top plate  142  is suitably drilled, as at openings  152  and  154 , as required to accommodate the particular motor-driven actuator (for example, the illustrated actuator  90 ) to be used in conjunction with the balance of the valve  10 . Accordingly, a single actuator bracket may be used as a universal mount structure to operatively couple a selected one of a variety of differently configured actuators to a given rotary valve  10 . With the actuator  90  operatively mounted atop the top end plate  142  (see FIG. 4) a rotational output portion  90   a  of the actuator  90  extends downwardly through the central upper end plate opening  152  and is drivingly coupled to the upper end of the shaft  38 .  
         [0051]    Using this unique universal actuator support structure feature of the present invention it is no longer necessary, as is required in rotary valves of conventional construction, to supply and utilize additional intermediate bracket structures between a base support structure, formed integrally with the valve body  12 , and the selected actuator. In turn, this desirably simplifies the design of the valve body  12 , and allows the valve body  12  to be produced from various materials, depending on the valve flow media, without changing the bracket material.  
         [0052]    The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as being given by way of illustration and example, the spirit and scope of the present invention being limited solely by the appended claims.