Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4340204?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2016-02-07 07:10:26
Document Index: 321076869

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 21', 'art 22', 'art 22', 'art 21', 'art 21', 'art 22', 'art 21', 'art 21']

Patent US4340204 - High pressure gate valve with preloaded, stacked, solid lubricated stem seals - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA high pressure gate valve having at least one pressure actuated seal means between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and between the chamber part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem is disclosed. Each seal means includes at least one seal assembly. Each seal assembly...http://www.google.com/patents/US4340204?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4340204 - High pressure gate valve with preloaded, stacked, solid lubricated stem sealsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4340204 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 05/833,684Publication dateJul 20, 1982Filing dateSep 15, 1977Priority dateFeb 6, 1976Also published asCA1113914A, CA1113914A1, DE2840323A1Publication number05833684, 833684, US 4340204 A, US 4340204A, US-A-4340204, US4340204 A, US4340204AInventorsDavid P. HerdOriginal AssigneeSmith International, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (25), Referenced by (42), Classifications (16), Legal Events (3) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetHigh pressure gate valve with preloaded, stacked, solid lubricated stem seals
US 4340204 AAbstract
A high pressure gate valve having at least one pressure actuated seal means between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and between the chamber part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem is disclosed. Each seal means includes at least one seal assembly. Each seal assembly includes two sets of plural, e.g., four, metal rings with an elevated temperature resistant and chemical resistant ring of solid lubricant, e.g., tetrafluoroethylene or graphite, separating the metal rings. Each metal ring is softer than the stem and is of rectangular cross-section. The seal assembly is actuated by pressure on larger follower metal rings. When multiple seal means are involved, another metal follower ring larger than the set of metal rings of the seal means also separates the two sets of seal assemblies. The seal means may also include a biasing spring. Each seal means is disposed in an annular pocket or stuffing box in the adjacent part of the valve body extending around the stem. Each stuffing box is closed by an annular packing gland screwed into the stuffing box far enough to flatten out the lubricant sufficiently for the inner and outer peripheries of the inner and outer metal rings respectively of the set of metal rings to engage the stem and stuffing box walls respectively and seal in the lubricant ring. The valve stem sealing arrangement may also be employed for packing off lock screws and in other situations wherein relatively movable parts are to be sealed both during and after relative motion.
1. A valve including a hollow body having a flow path therethrough and a port, stem gate means in the body moving to control fluid flow through the body and including an actuator and a stem extending through the port in the body from the inside thereof, there being an annular stuffing box in the body around the stem, stem seal means in the stuffing box, and a packing gland engageable with the stem seal means for compressing the stem seal means, the stem seal means including at least one seal assembly having four metal back-up rings and one seal ring, the seal ring having grooves on its outer periphery adjacent to each of the metal back-up rings and the seal ring being made of a more compliant material than the metal back-up rings, the stem seal means further including a second seal assembly and a first metal ring, the metal ring being sandwiched between the first and second seal assemblies.
3. Valve according to claim 2 wherein the first metal ring includes an annular opening and there is further includeda packing fitting; a passage between the annular opening and the external surface of the body; and means for receiving and holding the packing fitting to the body at the position the passage emerges on the external surface of the body. 4. Valve according to claim 2 wherein the first metal ring includes dual ring elements adjacently located.
The valve of this invention is of the high pressure gate valve type as disclosed in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 655,693 filed Feb. 6, 1976, by Herd entitled "High Pressure Valve" which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 512,368 filed Oct. 4, 1974, now abandoned.
In recent years, a few wells have been drilled in very high pressure sour gas fields. These wells have bottom hole pressures to 22,000 psi (152 MPa) and bottom hole temperatures up to 385� Fahrenheit (196� Centrigrade). The well fluids contain methane, some CO2, salt water, and high percentage of H2 S, such as 27 to 46 percent H2 S for example. Lower pressure fields with high percentages of H2 S are also being produced. Several references have indicated that the standard oilfield valve elastomer stem packings which have worked well with fluids containing small amounts of H2 S and at temperatures less than 250� Fahrenheit (121� Centrigrade) will deteriorate and leak after only a short period in an elevated temperature and H2 S environment. See, for example, Hamby, T. W. and Tuttle, R. N., "Deep High-Pressure Sour Gas Wells--An Industry Challenge," 1975 Annual Meeting, Division of Production, American Petroleum Institute and Hamby, T. W., Broussard, L. P., and Taylor, D. B., "Producing Mississippi's Deep High Pressure Sour Gas," Paper No. SPE 5604, Society of Petroleum Engineers of American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., 1975.
The primary design requirement for a high pressure valve stem packing is to seal, bubble-tight, gas with a high percentage of H2 S at 25,000 psi (172 MPa) working pressure at 300� Fahrenheit (149� Centrigrade) with hydrostatic test pressure at, for example, 37,500 psi (259 MPa). Additional design requirements are low friction, low maintenance, and a long service life. The preferred design for the valve stuffing box would allow application of the seal to balanced or unbalanced stem, rising or non-rising stem valves and would be as short as possible. The stem packing cycle life is important and should be relatively high, such as, for example, 300 cycles without leakage. A cycle is defined as the stem movement to first open a gate valve and then close the valve. The 300-cycle number is, for example, based on operation of a valve once per week for approximately six years. Designs which did not rely on extended neck bonnets or air cooling fins to lower the packing temperature are also desirable.
It is believed that the valve of the present invention can be used without leakage in environments of high H2 S content with higher pressure and over a wider temperature range than the valves discussed above.
According to the invention, a high pressure gate valve has at least one pressure actuated seal means in the stuffing box between the bonnet part of the valve body and the valve actuating stem and, for balanced valves, between the chamber part of the valve body and the balancing stem. The seal means includes a packing gland for actuating the seal and at least one seal assembly. Each seal assembly has at least one set of plural metal rings with an elevated temperature resistant and chemical resistant ring of solid lubricant between the set of plural metal rings. Each metal ring is softer than the stem and is of, for example, rectangular cross-section. Each seal assembly is actuated by a metal follower ring larger than any of the set of plural metal rings. The metal follower ring transmits pressure from the packing gland to the seal means. When multiple sets of seal means, e.g., two sets of plural metal ring/lubricant combinations, are used, the sets are usually separated by another metal ring of, for example, substantially rectangular cross-section which is larger than any of the set of plural metal rings. The seal means may also include a biasing spring. The packing gland is screwed into the stuffing box far enough to elastically or plastically deform the lubricant sufficiently to exert sufficient pressure on the set of plural metal rings to cause the inner and outer peripheries of the inner and outer metal rings respectively to engage the stem and stuffing box respectively. The valve stem sealing arrangement may also be employed for packing off lock screws and in other situations wherein relatively movable parts are to be sealed both during and after relative motion.
For a further understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description, taking in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein:
The seal of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The valve includes a hollow body having a chamber part 21 and a bonnet part 22, Bonnett part 22 is secured to chamber part 21 by studs 23 and nuts 24. The chamber part 21 and bonnet part 22 are sealed by suitable sealing means 25. Passages 26, 27 in the chamber part 21 provide a path for fluid flow into and out of the chamber part 21. Seats 29, 31 mounted at the inner ends of passages 26, 27 cooperate with a pair of ported gates 33, 35 which control flow of fluid (e.g. water, oil, gas) through the valve. Plastic sealant material is stored in reservoirs 37, 39, and sealant is automatically supplied through the sealant distribution passages 41, 43 to the gate-seat and seat neck-body interfaces to effect sealing, as described in the above mentioned patents and applications. The valve is rated at 25,000 psi working pressure and may be tested at up to 37,500 psi.
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*Mar 8, 1966Hoke IncValve* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS4516752 *Jan 12, 1984May 14, 1985Joy Manufacturing CompanyMechanically preloaded packing assemblyUS4519412 *Jun 1, 1983May 28, 1985Cameron Iron Works, Inc.Valve and seal thereforUS4685655 *Jan 30, 1986Aug 11, 1987Smith International, Inc.Pressure-balanced gate for split-gate valveUS5022846 *Aug 29, 1989Jun 11, 1991Mold-Masters LimitedPneumatic actuating mechanism for injection moldingUS5244183 *Oct 4, 1991Sep 14, 1993Keystone International Holdings Corp.Fugitive emission sealing assemblyUS5341835 *Dec 14, 1992Aug 30, 1994Foster Valve CorporationLubrication system for valve seat of a gate valveUS5826788 *Jan 25, 1996Oct 27, 1998Kohler Co.Handle assembly for rotatable stemUS6367657 *Feb 5, 2001Apr 9, 2002Samhongsa, Co., Ltd.Control valve for a gas cylinderUS6497244Feb 15, 2001Dec 24, 2002David NeedhamFluid flow proportioning deviceUS6684897 *Dec 3, 2002Feb 3, 2004Worldwide 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International LlcLow friction live-loaded packingUS20110278489 *Nov 17, 2011Mark John LinserMovable valve apparatus having conditioned lubricating surfacesUS20130048900 *Feb 28, 2013Grant McGuffeyHydraulic seal assembly for a thermoplastic material dispensing valve assemblyUS20130299008 *Mar 14, 2013Nov 14, 2013Control Components, Inc.Low Diffusivity Barrier Fluid Packing SystemUS20140209827 *Mar 11, 2013Jul 31, 2014Wan-Rong KungValveUS20140325791 *May 1, 2014Nov 6, 2014Aes Engineering Ltd.Annular seal cavity throat bushingCN103620281B *Jul 25, 2011Nov 25, 2015世伟洛克公司抗挤压填充支承装置EP2847502A4 *Apr 29, 2013Dec 16, 2015Control ComponentsLow diffusivity barrier fluid packing systemWO2000032979A1 *Oct 27, 1999Jun 8, 2000Bordignon RomeoLubrication arrangement through deposition of solid lubricant filmWO2004065834A1 *Jan 22, 2004Aug 5, 2004Varriale VincenzoA stuffing sealWO2012015716A2 *Jul 25, 2011Feb 2, 2012Swagelok CompanyAnti-extrusion packing support* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification251/327, 277/518, 277/512, 251/355, 277/529, 251/214International ClassificationF16K3/02, F16K3/36, F16K41/04, F16K41/14Cooperative ClassificationF16K41/04, F16K3/36, F16K41/14European ClassificationF16K41/14, F16K41/04, F16K3/36Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionFeb 22, 1988ASAssignmentOwner name: CAMERON IRON WORKS USA INC.Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:004833/0129Effective date: 19880212Feb 4, 1991ASAssignmentOwner name: COOPER INDUSTRIES, INC., 1001 FANNIN, HOUSTON, TXFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:CAMERA IRON WORKS USA, INC., A CORP OF DE;REEL/FRAME:005587/0874Effective date: 19910125May 5, 1995ASAssignmentOwner name: COOPER CAMERON CORPORATION, TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:COOPER INDUSTRIES, INC.;REEL/FRAME:007462/0622Effective date: 19950417Owner name: COOPER INDUSTRIES, INC., TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SMITH INTERNATIONAL, INC.;REEL/FRAME:007462/0554Effective date: 19950112RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services