Abstract:
An apparatus and process for removing a ball valve is provided. The ball valve removal tool provides a handle sliding along the length of a shaft. One end of the shaft is secured within an interior cavity of a ball valve while the opposite end of the shaft defines a stop member. By providing a manual sliding force to the handle, the handle impacts the stop member and transmits the force to the ball valve. The direction of the force is along the shaft of the removal tool and disengages the ball valve from the ball valve housing.

Description:
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     The U.S. Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC09-96SR18500 between Westinghouse Savannah River Company and the U.S. Department of Energy. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed towards an impact tool useful in extracting ball valves from a ball-valve housing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ball valves are extensively used in industry to control and regulate the flow of fluid materials through pipelines and similar conduits. The ball valves are dimensioned according to the pipeline and may, therefore, vary enormously in size. Commonly used ball valves have an inner flow diameter openings which range from 1″ and may exceed 12″ depending upon the conduit size. A typical ball valve is seated within a housing and is secured opposite conduit openings by a pair of opposing rubber or silicone gaskets held in place by gasket holders. The ball valve is designed to rotate within the holder at least 90° and thereby provide a means of regulating flow through a pipeline or conduit. 
     A ball valve is designed to fit within a housing and has tight dimensional tolerances so as to provide a secure, leak-proof seal. As a result, when repair or maintenance is required on the ball valve structure, the removal of the valve from the housing is a labor intensive endeavor. Heretofore, removal of a ball valve often required a specialized clamp-on tool as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,577, incorporated herein by reference, or as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,104 to Wilkins et al also incorporated herein by reference. The specialty tools referenced above require additional set up time. 
     A common removal technique also involves the use of pliers or a bar to pry the ball valve loose. However, prying and loosening of a ball valve using conventional hand tools may take as long as 40 to 45 minutes for removal. Further, the removal frequently damages the ball valve surface. Once damaged, the ball valve surface will degrade the integrity of the ball valve seals each time the surfaces make contact. As a result, more frequent repair and replacement of ball valve seals is required which necessitates additional ball valve removals and hence additional damage to the ball valve. Accordingly, there remains a need for improvement within the art of ball valve removal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One aspect of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a process for the removal of ball valves. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and a process which facilitates the rapid removal of a ball valve and does so in a manner which avoids damage to any of the ball valve surfaces or associated seals. 
     Another aspect of this invention is to provide a ball valve removal tool which has a set of interchangeable tips to facilitate the use of the removal tool with a variety of different sized ball valves. 
     One embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the ball removal process is provided by a ball valve removal tool comprising a shaft having a first end, a second end, and defining an axial length therebetween. The first end of the shaft defines a tip adapted for engaging the stem hole of a ball valve joint and a second end of the shaft defines a stop member. The removal tool further defines a handle, the handle operatively engaging in a rotatable and slideable manner the axial length of the shaft along an opening defined along the length of the handle. The tool may be used by inserting the first tip end of the shaft into the stem hole and securing the tip within the ball valve. Therefore, the handle is used to sharply impact the stop member, thereby delivering a force to the ball valve in the direction along the axis of the shaft. The force displaces the ball valve from the ball valve housing. 
     The above apparatus is useful in a method of removing a ball valve, a method of removal comprising providing a shaft having a first end and a second end, the first end defining a tip, the tip defining a pair of opposite edges, each edge extending beyond a surface plane of the shaft; 
     inserting the shaft tip into a stem hole of a ball valve; 
     rotating the shaft and thereby placing the tip engaging walls in an engaged position within the ball valve; 
     impacting a stop member carried on a second end of a shaft by sliding the handle from a first position in proximity to the shaft tip end to a second position which impacts the stop member, thereby releasing the ball valve from the ball valve housing. 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the specification, including reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball-valve secured within a ball valve housing having the removal tool inserted into the stem hole. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a ball valve extractor apparatus in accordance with this present invention. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are additional perspective views of the apparatus seen in FIG. 2 showing the sliding handle in an alternative positions along the tool shaft. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Reference now will be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are set forth below. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present invention, which broader aspects are embodied in the exemplary constructions. 
     In describing the various figures herein, the same reference numbers are used throughout to describe the same material, apparatus or process pathway. To avoid redundancy, detailed descriptions of much of the apparatus once described in relation to a figure is not repeated in the descriptions of subsequent figures, although such apparatus or process is labeled with the same reference numbers. 
     As best seen in FIG. 1, a conventional ball valve  40  defines curved outer walls. The ball valve  40  is operatively seated between a pair of opposing gaskets  44 , each gasket  44  being maintained in position by a respective gasket holder  46  and positioned within a ball valve housing  43 . 
     In normal use, ball valve  40  is rotated by an actuator (not illustrated) which engages stem hole  42  and thereby providing a mechanism for rotating the ball valve  40  from an open position to a closed position. 
     As seen in reference to FIGS. 1-4, a ball valve removal apparatus  10  is provided having a cylindrical shaft  20  made from a durable, rigid material such as stainless steel. A first end of shaft  20  defines a stop member  22 . Stop member  22  is illustrated as a rectangular plate welded to the distal end of shaft  20 . However, stop member  22  may assume a variety of shapes. 
     A second end of shaft  20  defines a tip  24 . Tip  24  is configured so as to be received within a stem hole  42  of a ball valve  40 . One form of a configured tip  24  provides for a tip having at least one pair of opposite edge walls  26  and  28  which extend beyond a surface plane of shaft  20 . As illustrated, all walls of the rectangular tip  24  may extend beyond a surface plane of the shaft  20 . Preferably, tip  24  has a length greater than the width of the stem hole  42 . 
     Tip  24  is inserted into stem hole  42  a sufficient depth so as to allow rotation of the tip  24  within a central cavity defined within the ball valve. Preferably, the shaft  20  is rotated about 90° so as to place the tip edges  26  and  28  in a locked position within the ball valve and which prevents the withdrawal of the apparatus  10  from the ball valve. 
     Ball valve removal apparatus  10  further defines a handle  50 . Handle  50  defines an aperture along its axis and through which the handle is attached to shaft  20  in a freely slideable and rotatable manner. This arrangement permits the handle to be positioned anywhere along the respective length of shaft  20 . Handle  50  further defines an engagement region  52  which is adapted for grasping by a user. The engagement region  52  may have any conventional material coating or ergonomic shape designed to facilitate the grasping and movement of the handle. 
     An upper handle terminus  54  is seen in the form of an enlarged diameter circular plate and is adapted for direct engagement with stop member  22 . In addition to the striking function described below, the upper handle terminus  54  provides a protective shield for the operator&#39;s hand when the handle is being reciprocated. A similar lower handle terminus  56  is provided and which serves a similar protective function. As illustrated in the figures, stop member  22  and tip  24  additionally serve as retaining members for maintaining the handle  50  on shaft  20 . 
     Upon securement of tip  24  within the stem hole  42 , handle terminus  54  is used to strike the stop member  22 , thereby providing a hammer-like blow to the ball valve. The force of the impact is directed upwardly in the axial direction of shaft  20 . It has been found that in accordance with this invention that a single operator may easily disengage a ball valve from the ball valve housing and gaskets by the striking of handle  50  to stop member  22 . The actual time required to remove the ball valve takes just a matter of seconds from the time the tool is inserted into the stem hole until the time a blow from handle  50  to stop member  22  operates to free the ball valve  40  from the ball valve housing. 
     It is envisioned that a single ball valve removal apparatus may be used to engage a variety of different sized ball valves by providing interchangeable tips  24  of various sizes. Tips  24  may be attached to the respective end of shaft  20  by a number of conventional means such as a mated, threaded engagement. Further, while a majority of ball valves have, as depicted, a rectangular stem hole opening defined in the top of the ball valve, the present invention envisions tip  24  being configured to mate with any alternative shaped stem holes which may be present within a ball valve. Irrespective of the stem hole shape, tip  24  may be designed to be inserted into the opening. Upon rotation of shaft  20 , the tip  24  is thereafter secured within the ball valve. 
     It has been found useful to provide handle  50  with a sufficient mass such that a strong, forceful impact is provided to stop member  22 . If handle  50  is too light weight, a force sufficient to loosen the ball valve is not provided. Handle  50  preferably has a length greater than its width, the handle further defining an aperture through its length and through which handle  50  may slide and rotate relative to shaft  20 . 
     Ball valves are used in many industrial processes and work environments. Oftentimes, the industrial process results in a residue which forms on the ball valve assembly components which may render conventional removal of the ball valve more difficult. For instance, a gummy fluid or high concentrations of brine solutions will often coat the ball valve and associated seals in a way that requires greater force to remove the ball valve. It has been found that the apparatus and process of the present invention provides an effective tool and method for the removal of such coated ball valves. 
     One advantage of the ball valve removal tool is that no damage results to the outer ball valve surfaces. Accordingly, the sealing surface of the ball valve maintains a smooth condition and thereby minimizes wear and tear on the associated gaskets. Removal efforts which contacted the outer surface of the ball valve tended to scar the ball valve surface. Accordingly, subsequent use of the surface-damaged ball valve brought about a more rapid degradation of the sealing gaskets where the damaged ball valve surface made contact with the seals. 
     The present ball valve removal apparatus and process allows for a rapid removal of the ball valve without damage to the component parts. As a result, repair and replacement of ball valves may be brought about more efficiently. Further, future maintenance of the ball valve assembly seals is lessened by avoiding damage to the exterior surface of the ball valve. 
     While the drawings are in reference to a ball valve which is being removed in a vertical direction, it is understood and appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that a ball valve may be oriented in a variety of locations. The present ball valve removal tool is operative in any such position or angle and requires only sufficient clearance for the ball valve tool to be inserted and the handle to be sharply impacted against the terminal stop member. 
     In addition, the enlarged upper and lower ends as seen as circular plates on handle  50  may be used to receive a blow from a hammer or other similar tool if there is insufficient clearance to operate the handle as described above. In other words, by placing the upper handle end  54  adjacent to the stop member  22 , a blow directed along a lower surface of the handle  50  will provide a similar impact force in a direction along the axis of shaft  20 . In this manner, the engaged ball valve may be removed. 
     Further, it is also envisioned that the removal tool of the present invention may be provided in any size needed to remove a ball valve. In the case of extremely large industrial valves or for valves positioned in locations or work environments where worker access is limited, the handle may be moved remotely by attachment of a cable to the handle. If desired, an aperture or securing means may be defined within the handle  50  to allow the handle  50  to be operated remotely. A remote operation may include manually engaging the cable so as to provide the impact between the handle  50  and the stop member  22 . In addition, a rapid engagement of the handle via an interconnected motor, hydraulically controlled arm, or other actuator may be used. 
     Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described using specific terms, devices, and methods, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than of limitation. It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims. In addition, it should be understood that aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged, both in whole or in part. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained therein.