AU659438B2 - One-way fluid flow non-return valve - Google Patents

Description

z.; 7 OPI DATE 22/07/92 AOJP DATE 03/09/92 APPLN. JD 12446 92 PCT NUMBER PCT/HIS91/09199 N TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 5 (11) International Publication Number: WO 92/11480 FI6K 1/02 Al (43) International Publication Date: 9 July 1992 (09.07.92) (21) International Application Number: PCT/US91/09199 (81) Designated States: AU, CA, US.

(22) International Filing Date: 24 December 1991 (24.12.91) Published With international search report.

Priority data: P-2455/90 25 December 1990 (25.12.90) YU P-1830/91 21 November 1991 (21.11.91) YU (71X72) Applicants and Inventors: PECOVIC, Predrag, J. 6 5 9 4 [YU/YU]; Patrisa Lumumbe 24, 11000 Beograd (YU).

PESOVIC, Nemanja, P. [YU/US]; PESOVIC, Vojin, P.

[YU/US]; 233 Alexander Hall, Raleigh, NC 27607 (US).

(74) Agents: FELL, Gordon, C. et al.; Fleit, Jacobson, Cohn, Price, Holman Stern, 400 Seventh Street, Washington, DC 20004 (US).

(54) Title: ONE-WAY FLUID FLOW NON-RETURN VALVE r (57) Abstract The invention concerns a one-way fltid flow.non-return valve, consisting of body (19) with shaft onto which cover with'eal (16) is mounted. Into the blind hole in shaft a helical spring is inserted together with piston in a sliding fit.

S1'aft'(2), together with piston is introduced into the central opening of bushing having on its lower part a groove into wiich wedge engages. Bushing has two diametrially opposed cut-out grooves while the valve body (19) carries a cover With mutually rectangular molded grooves A modified form of the invention includes telescoped external and internal envelopes to reduce the possibility of malfunction due to impurities in the liquid flowing through the valve.

0' .7 .4 -1- ONE-WAY FLUID NON-RETURN VALVE The present invention relates to a one-way fluid flow, non-return valve.

The present invention may have application as a valve for use in sanitary water systems with the valve functioning to prevent the wreathen of fluid back into the water system in case of pressure lost, even when the valve has been left in the open position.

Although various forms of valves of this eneral type heretofore have been provided, one problem existing with previously produced valves is that in the event the valve handles water having dirt or other impurities therein it is possible that dirt 940831,p:\oper\kay,12446.spe,l -2within the water passing through the valve may accumulate in internal areas of the valve and prevent proper non-return flow of water therethrough.

Prior art non-return flow valves have been used not only in domestic water systems but also in other fluid systems and usually operate on the principle of a threaded shaft, whereby movement of a valve operation piston is effected by rotation of the threaded shaft or a shaft equipped with a helical groove. Each of these forms of valves usually does not protect the fluid system from return flow of fluid in the case of lost inlet pressure.

Fluid flow control valves may be used in many different fluid handling systems 10 in which the valves, during operation of the systems, normally remain open. In many S4" of these types of systems it is imperative to provide a one-way fluid flow non-return valve in order to prevent reverse flow of fluid in the event of pressure lost.

Further, in most fluid handling systems non-return flow valves are installed at the inlet for the system and are not readily adaptable for use at various discharge points of the fluid handling system.

A preferred object of the present invention is to provide a one-way fluid flow, non-return flow valve which may be used in substantially any environment, and which is specifically adapted for use at each domestic plumbing water flow controlling valve station.

Another preferred object of this invention is to provide a non-return flow valve which will be wholly operative to prevent the return flow of fluid therethrough, Ti even if the pressure of supply fluid to the valve is reduced to zero.

Yet another preferred object of this invention is to provide a non-return flow 4 hvalve in accordance with the preceding objects which may be readily substituted for 0> B 940831,p:\oper\Lkay,l2446.spe I2 -3existing flow controlling valve assemblies of pre-existing domestic water controlling valve fixtures.

A final preferred object of this invention is to provide a non-return flow valve construction in accordance with the preceding preferred objects, which will conform to conventional methods of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long-lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a oneway fluid flow valve including a tubular body having a closed end and an open inlet end, a -ontrol shaft having one end journaled through said closed end and a second end terminating within said body a spaced distance from said open end, a control sleeve slidable in said body and journaled on said control shaft inward of said closed end and including a reduced internal diameter portion spaced beyond said second end toward said open end and defining an annular seat at said reduced internal 15 diameter portion, a piston slidably mounted in said sleeve between said second end and said seat and seatable against the latter, biasing means operably connected between said piston and shaft biasing said piston toward said seat, said sleeve defining at least one lateral opening therein adjacent said seat and between the latter and said shaft when said valve is closed, said sleeve and shaft including coacting S I 20 motion converting means operative to shift said sleeve back and forth within said body responsive to rotary oscillation of said shaft relative to said tubular body, said tubular body including at least one lateral opening therein in constant communication with the first mentioned lateral opening, and I i wherein the end of said control sleeve adjacent said open inlet end includes 950301,p:\opcr\kay,12446.spe,3 i -4screen means extending thereacross.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first form of non-return flow valve constructed in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second modified form of nonreturn flow valve constructed in accordan with the present invention.

Referring now more specifically to Figure 1, a valve body is designated at 19 and threaded at 22 for threaded engagement with and mounting within the body of a domestic water supply valve housing. The body 19 includes suitable seal rings 26 and 28 for forming desired seals with the associated valve housing.

The body 19 defines an inner chamber 20 in which a shaft 2 is loosely received and one end of the shaft 2 includes a blind bore 4 formed therein in which a

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QAl,. -950301,p:\oper\kay, 12446.spe, WO 92/11480 PCT/US91/09199 compression spring 3 is seated, the shank or stem 23 of a piston 1 being loosely telescoped within the outer end of the blind bore 4 outwardly of the spring 3. The piston 1 overlies and abuts the end of the shaft 2 through which the blind bore opens and the shaft 2 includes a diametrically enlarged shoulder or flange 6 disposed immediately inward of the centrally apertured end wall 29 of the body 19 through which the shaft 2 projects. In addition, a clip-type retainer washer 8 is releasably engaged in a circumferential groove 30 formed in the shaft 2 immediately outward of the end wall 29 and thus retains the shaft 2 against axial shifting relative to the body 19, the end of shaft 2 remote from the blind bore 4 being splined as at 7 for receiving a handwheel thereon.

The interior of the body 19 inward of the end wall 29 defines the chamber 20 and the end of the chamber remote from the end wall 29 is partially closed by a tubular cover 15 provided with diametrically opposite mutually rectangular grooves 18 establishing water outlet openings from the cover 15, the grooves 18 being formed in, the tubular cover 15 at the juncture thereof with end of the tubular body 19 remote from the end wall 29.

A sleeve or bushing 9 is disposed within the chamber 31 about the shaft 2 and includes a helical groove

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WO 92/11480 PCT/US91/09199 6 formed therein. The shaft 2 includes a radially outstanding wedge 5 slidingly received within the groove and the bushing 9 is loosely received in the chamber and includes a O-ring 31 sealing the exterior of the bushing 9 to the chamber 20 while the shaft 2 includes a pair of O-rings 32 and 33 sealing the exterior of the shaft 2 to the interior of the bushing 9.

The end of the bushing 9 adjacent the flange 6 is somewhat larger in diameter than the end of the bushing 9 adjacent the cover 15, whereupon an annular space 21 is defined about the end of the bushing 9 remote from the flange 6 within the body 19.

The end of the bushing 9 in which the shaft 2 is rotatably received has a large inside diameter as at 11 and the end of the bushing 9 remote from the flange 6 has a small inside diameter as at 12, the bushing 9 defining an annular seating surface at 24 between the large and small inside diameter portions of the bushing 9. 4 The small inside diameter end portion of the bushing 9 is slidably received within the cover 15 and includes an 0-ring 34 forming a fluid tight seal between the interior of the cover 15 and the bushihg 9.

The open end of the bushing 9 remote from flange 6 is provided with a relatively coarse screen and the open upper end of the cover 15 is provided with a finer ii

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WO 92/11480 PCT/US9I/09199 7 integral screen 17, the upper terminal end of the cover including an annular gasket supported therefrom for fluid tight seal engagement with an opposing seat of a valve casing (not shown) in which the body 19 is threadedly engaged.

The sleeve or bushing 9, downstream from the seating surface 24, includes diametrically opposed tangential grooves 13 by which water may pass from the interior of the sleeveo or bushing 9 into the annular space 21 and thereafter from the annular space 21 through the rectangular grooves 18 to the exterior of the body 19 along path A when the piston 1 is moved away from the seating surface 24.

Assuming that the body 19 is threaded into an attendant valve casing, by turning the shaft 2 through the utilization of a handwheel secured over the splined portion 7, the sleeve may be axially shifted upwardly as viewed in Figure 1 from the closed position of the valve.

This of course moves the seating surface 24 upwardly away from the upper end of the shaft 2 in which the blind bore 4 is formed and, with the pressure of the attendant water supply pushing downward on the piston 1, the seating surface 24 moves upwardly away from the piston 1 to thereby allow water flow downwardly through the upper small diameter interior portion 12 of the bushing 9, (N N i eA WO 92/11480 PCT/US91/09199 8 through t tangential grooves 13, into the annular space 21 and thereafter outwardly of the grooves 13 along path A. However, should the pressure of the water supply entering the upper end of the bushing 9 be substantially reduced or terminated, the spring 3 upwardly biases the piston 1 back into contact the seating surface 24 and thereby terminates the flow of fluid through the body 19 in either direction.

Of course of the strength of the spring 3 may be varied in order to prevent reverse flow of fluid through the body 19 whenever the inlet pressure of fluid drops below a selected predetermined value.

With attention now invited more specifically to Figure 2, a second form of invention is illustrated including various parts thereof which correspond directly to similar parts of the first form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 and which are indicated by corresponding prime reference numerals.

The structure of Figure 2 differs from the structure of Figure 1 in that the sh ft 2' includes a single O-ring 32' sealing the shaft 2' relative to the bushing 9' and the bushing 9' includes a pair of O-rings 33' sealing the bushing 9' to the chamber 20', the upper end of the shaft 2' being radiused as at "i ji 1

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1 WO 92/11480 PCTI/US91/09199 9 In addition, the cover 15' includes an inwardly projecting upper annular end wall 38 downwardly from whose inner periphery an internal sleeve 39 extends defining an annular space 40 within the cover the In addition, the upper end of the bushing 9 includes a smaller diameter upper portion 41 which is upwardly slidingly received within the annular space 40 and includes an o-ring 42 establishing a fluid tight seal between the exterior of the upper portion 41 and the outer surface of the annular space The operation of the invention as illustrated in Figure 2 is generally the same as the operation of that form of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, rotation of the shaft 2' causing upward displacement of the bushing 9' and thereby enabling inlet pressure of fluid within the inner sleeve 39 maintain the piston 1' seated upon the upper end of the shaft 2 and water to therefore pass downwardly through the internal sleeve 39, the smaller part 41 of the bushing 9' and thereafter outwardly through the grooves 13' and the grooves 18' along path A'.

on the other hand, should the inlet pressure of fluid Sto the internal sleeve 39 be terminated, the piston 1' will be biased upwardly by the spring 3' to seat the piston 1' against the seating surface 24', to thus iJ WO 92/11480 PCT/US9I/09199 terminate flow of fluid through the valve in either direction.

The internal sleeve 39 includes crossed bars forming a screen.

The internal sleeve 39 of cover 15' functions to reduce pressure within the annular space 40 to thereby reduce to a great extent the possibility of eventual sticking of the small diameter upper portion 41 of the bushing 9' during axial and rotational displacment when the wsdge 5' contacts the end of the spiral groove Thus, the second modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2 is less likely to malfunction in the event of impurities contained within the liquid flowing therethrough.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwie, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

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Claims (6)

1. A one-way fluid flow valve including a tubular body having a closed end and an open inlet end, a control shaft having one end journaled through said closed end and a second end terminating within said body a spaced distance from said open end, a control sleeve slidable in said body and journaled on said control shaft inward of said closed end and including a reduced internal diameter portion spaced beyond said second end toward said open end and defining an annular seat at said reduced internal diameter portion, a piston slidably mounted in said sleeve between said second end and said seat and seatable against the latter, biasing means operably connected between said piston and shaft biasing said piston toward said seat, said sleeve defining at least one lateral opening therein adjacent said seat and between the latter and said shaft when said valve is closed, said sleeve and shaft including coacting motion converting means operative to shift said sleeve back and forth within said body responsive to rotary oscillation of said shaft relative to said tubular body, said tubular body including at least one lateral opening therein in constant communication with the first mentioned lateral opening, and wherein the end of said control sleeve adjacent said open inlet end includes screen means extending thereacross. 20

2. A valve according to claim ,1 wherein said open inlet end of said body includes an internal sleeve projecting inwardly therefrom and defining an annular space between said body and internal sleeve closed at said inlet end of said body, said control sleeve including an end portion remote from said closed end of said body slidingly telescoped and sealed within said annular space. 950301,p:\opcrkkay,12446.spc,1 I ?'HECLAMS EFINNG H[EINVETIO AR ;~SFOLOii 12

3. A valve according to claim 2 wherein said end of internal sleeve remote from said inlet end of said body includes screen means extending thereacross.

4. A valve according to claim 1 wherein said motion converting means includes a helical slot in said control sleeve and a radially outwardly projecting wedge lug on said control shaft slidable in said slot.

A valve according to claim 1 wherein said inlet and said body includes annular seal means for sealed engagement with a valve housing inlet and the exterior of said body is threaded for engagement within a threaded access port provided on said valve housing.

6. A valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 1st day of March 1995 Predrag L.J. Pesovic, Nemanja P, Pesovic AND Vojin P. Pesovic By Their Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE I" 950301,p:\ope r\k ayl 2416.spe,1 2 i d