Patent ID: 7726418

Claim:
A valve assembly for use in continuously supplying drilling fluid from a tubular to a drill string comprising: (a) a valve body having a first inlet passage adapted to be connected to a tubular, and an outlet passage adapted to be connected to a drill string; (b) said valve body having a second inlet passage, said second inlet passage extending into said valve body at substantially a right angle with respect to that of said first inlet passage and said outlet passage; (c) high pressure seal means surrounding said second inlet passage; (d) annular fluid passage means within said seal for flowing drilling fluid from outside said seal into said second inlet passage; (e) a two position valve positioned in said valve body such as to, in a first position permit flow from said tubular to said drill string while preventing flow from said second inlet passage, and in a second position preventing flow from said tubular to said drill string while permitting flow into said drill string from said second inlet passage; and (f) actuator means for moving said two position valve to and from said first and second positions.