Granted Patent B2

US 7,322,372 · App. 10/999,789 · Granted Jan 29, 2008

Assignee: Elkhart Brass Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (68)

1. A pressure reducing valve for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, said valve comprising:

a valve body with an inlet for coupling to the pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body having a valve seat in said passage at or adjacent said inlet;

a valve stem extending into said passage, said valve stem having a sealing member and having first and second valve stem portions coupled to said sealing member;

an automatic pressure reducing system for urging said scaling member toward said valve seat for throttling said valve to thereby reduce the pressure at said outlet, wherein said automatic pressure reducing system comprises a piston mounted to said first valve stem portion; and

a manual system coupled to said second valve stem portion for urging said sealing member toward said valve seat, said manual system being decoupled from said automatic pressure reducing system such that said second valve stem portion and said sealing member are adapted to move with respect to said first valve stem portion and said piston.

2. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 1 , said valve further comprising a chamber, the water pressure at said inlet being directed to said chamber and applying pressure on said piston to apply a load on said valve stem to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat to adjust the pressure at said outlet.

3. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 2 , wherein said manual system is decoupled from said pressure on said piston.

4. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 2 , further comprising a spring, said spring coupled to said first valve stem portion and generating a spring force opposed to said pressure on said piston to adjust the load on said valve stem and to thereby adjust the pressure at said outlet.

5. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 4 , wherein said manual system is decoupled from said pressure on said piston and said spring force of said spring to facilitate closing of the valve, wherein said manual system can urge said scaling member toward said valve seat without having to overcome said spring force or said pressure on said piston.

6. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 4 , wherein said manual system includes a hand operable member, said hand operable member coupled to said second valve stem portion and being movable to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat, and wherein movement of said hand operable member is decoupled from said pressure on said piston and said spring force of said spring.

7. A pressure reducing valve for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, said valve comprising:

a valve body with an inlet for coupling to the pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body having a valve seat in said passage at or adjacent said inlet;

a valve stem extending into said passage, said valve stem having a sealing member;

an automatic pressure reducing system for urging said scaling member toward said valve seat for throttling said valve to thereby reduce the pressure at said outlet, wherein said automatic pressure reducing system comprises a piston mounted to said valve stem: and

a manual system coupled to said scaling member for urging said sealing member toward said valve seat, said manual system being decoupled from said automatic pressure reducing system such that said manual system can urge said sealing member toward said valve seat without having to overcome said pressure on said piston;

said valve further comprising a chamber, the water pressure at said inlet being directed to said chamber and applying pressure on said piston to apply a load on said valve stem to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat to adjust the pressure at said outlet;

further comprising a spring, said spring coupled to said valve stem and generating a spring force opposed to said pressure on said piston to adjust the load on said valve stem and to thereby adjust the pressure at said outlet;

wherein said manual system includes a hand operable member, said hand operable member coupled to said valve stem and being movable to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat, and wherein movement of said hand operable member is decoupled from said pressure on said piston and said spring force of said spring;

wherein said valve stem includes a first valve stem portion coupled to said piston and said spring, said valve stem including a second valve stem portion coupled to said hand operable member; and

wherein said second valve stem portion is guided by said first valve stem portion and movable relative to said first valve stem portion.

8. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 7 , wherein said first valve stem portion comprises an outer valve stem portion, said second valve stem portion comprising an inner valve stem portion guided in said outer valve stem portion.

9. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 4 , wherein said spring comprises a coil spring.

10. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 6 , wherein said hand operable member comprises a rotatable handwheel.

11. A pressure reducing valve for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, said valve comprising:

a valve body with an inlet for coupling to the pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body having a valve seat in said passage at or adjacent said inlet;

a valve stem extending into said passage, said valve stem having a first valve stem portion, a second valve stem portion, and a sealing member coupled to said first valve stem portion and said second valve stem portion, and said second valve stem portion movable with respect to said first valve stern portion;

an automatic pressure reducing system for urging said first valve stem portion and said sealing member toward said valve seat for throttling said valve to thereby reduce the pressure at said outlet;

a manual system decoupled from said automatic pressure reducing system for manually urging said second valve stem portion and said sealing member toward said valve seat for closing said valve, wherein said second valve stem portion is movable relative to said first valve stem portion; and

wherein said first valve stem portion comprises an outer valve stem portion, said second valve stem portion comprising an inner valve stem portion guided entirely in said outer valve stem portion.

12. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 11 , wherein said automatic pressure reducing system comprises a piston mounted to said first valve stem portion, said valve further comprising a chamber, the water pressure at said inlet being directed to said chamber and applying pressure on said piston to apply a load on said first valve stem portion to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat to adjust the pressure at said outlet.

13. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 12 , further comprising a spring, said spring coupled to said first valve stem portion and generating a spring force opposed to said pressure on said piston to adjust the load on said first valve stem portion and to thereby adjust the pressure at said outlet.

14. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 13 , wherein said manual system is decoupled from said pressure on said piston and said spring force of said spring.

15. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 14 , wherein said manual system includes a hand operable member, said hand operable member being selectively coupled to said second valve stem portion and being movable to urge said second valve stem portion and said sealing member toward said valve seat, and wherein movement of said band operable member is decoupled from said pressure on said piston and said spring force of said spring.

16. A pressure reducing valve for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, said valve comprising:

a valve body with an inlet for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body having a valve seat in said passage at or adjacent said inlet;

a housing mounted to said valve body, said housing including a chamber;

a valve stem extending through said chamber and into said passage, said valve stem having first and second valve stem portions coupled to a sealing member for sealing said valve seat;

a piston mounted to said first valve stem portion and located in said chamber, and said valve stem having a passageway in communication with said passage and said chamber, wherein water flows through said passageway into said chamber and exerts pressure on said piston wherein said piston applies an urging force to said first valve stem portion to urge said sealing member toward said valve seat to thereby restrict the flow of water through said inlet;

a spring coupled to said first valve stem portion for applying a biasing force against the pressure exerted on said piston to thereby adjust the urging force of said piston on said first valve stem portion;

a hand operable member coupled to said second valve stem portion for selectively moving said second valve stem portion to manually urge said sealing member to seal against said valve seat to thereby close the valve, and wherein said hand operable member is decoupled from the biasing force of said spring and said urging force of said piston to facilitate the closing of the valve, wherein said second valve stem portion and said sealing member are adapted to move with respect to said first valve stem portion and said piston.

17. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 16 , wherein said first valve stem portion comprises an outer valve stem portion, said second valve stem portion comprising an inner valve stem portion guided in said outer valve stem portion.

18. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 16 , wherein said spring is mounted outside said first valve stem portion in said housing.

19. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 18 , wherein said piston is coupled to said first valve stem portion in said chamber.

20. A pressure reducing valve for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, said valve comprising:

a valve body with an inlet for coupling to the pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between said inlet and said outlet, said valve body having a valve seat in said passage at or adjacent said inlet;

a housing mounted to said valve body, said housing including a chamber;

a valve stem extending through said chamber and into said passage, said valve stem having a sealing member for sealing said valve seat;

said valve stem including a piston, said piston located in said chamber, and said valve stem having a passageway in communication with said passage and said chamber, wherein water flows through said passageway into said chamber and exerts pressure on said piston wherein said piston applies an urging force to said valve stem to urge said sealing member of said valve stem toward said valve seat to thereby restrict the flow of water through said inlet;

a spring applying a biasing force against the pressure exerted on said piston to thereby adjust the urging force of said piston on said valve stem;

a hand operable member selectively moving said valve stem to manually urge said sealing member of said valve stem to seal against said valve seat to thereby close the valve, and wherein said hand operable member is decoupled from the biasing force of said spring and said urging force of said piston to facilitate the closing of the valve;

wherein said valve stem includes a first valve stem portion coupled to said spring, said piston, and said sealing member, said valve stem further including a second valve stem portion coupled to said sealing member and said hand operable member and decoupled from said spring and said piston wherein said hand operable member is operable to move said sealing member to seal said valve seat to thereby close said valve independent from said spring and said piston; and

wherein said hand operable member comprises a handwheel, said handwheel selectively engageable with said second valve stem portion to thereby manually move said second valve stem portion.

21. A method of closing a pressure reducing valve, the valve having a valve body with an inlet for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between the inlet and the outlet, the valve body having a valve seat at or adjacent the inlet, the valve further having a valve stem extending into the passage, the valve stem having a sealing member, and the valve including an automatic pressure reducing system for urging the sealing member toward the valve seat for throttling the valve to thereby reduce the pressure at the outlet, wherein the automatic pressure reducing system comprises a piston mounted to the valve stem, said method comprising:

providing the valve stem with a first valve stem portion coupled to the piston and a second valve stem portion coupled to the sealing member, wherein the second valve stem portion and the sealing member are movable with respect to the first valve stem portion and the piston;

providing a manual system for manually urging the sealing member toward the valve seat, the manual system being selectively coupled to the second valve stem portion; and

decoupling the manual system from the automatic pressure reducing system wherein the force needed to manually urge the second valve stem portion and the sealing member toward the valve seat for closing the valve is independent from the forces generated by the automatic pressure reducing system that urge the sealing member toward the valve seat, wherein the manual system can urge the second valve stem portion and the sealing member toward the valve seat without having to overcome pressure from the piston.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein said providing a manual system includes providing a handle that is selectively engageable with the valve stem.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein said providing a valve stem with a first valve stem portion and a second valve stem portion includes providing an outer valve stem portion coupled to the sealing member and to the automatic pressure reducing system arid providing an inner valve stem portion in the outer valve stem portion that is coupled to the sealing member and the manual system.

24. A method of closing a pressure reducing valve, the valve having a valve body with an inlet for coupling to a pressurized water supply line, an outlet, and a passage extending between the inlet and the outlet, the valve body having a valve seat at or adjacent the inlet, the valve further having a valve stem extending into the passage, the valve stem having a sealing member, and the valve including an automatic pressure reducing system for urging the sealing member toward the valve seat for throttling the valve to thereby reduce the pressure at the outlet, wherein said automatic pressure reducing system comprises a piston mounted to the valve stem, said method comprising:

providing a manual system for manually urging the sealing member toward the valve seat; and

decoupling the manual system from the automatic pressure reducing system wherein the force needed to manually urge the sealing member toward the valve seat for closing the valve is independent from the forces generated by the automatic pressure reducing system that urge the sealing member toward the valve seat, wherein the manual system can urge the sealing member toward the valve seat without having to overcome pressure from the piston;

wherein said decoupling includes providing the valve stem with a first valve stem portion and a second valve stem portion movable with respect to the first valve stem portion, coupling the first valve stem portion with the automatic pressure reducing system, and coupling the second valve stem portion with the manual system;

wherein said providing the valve stem with a first valve stem portion and a second valve stem portion includes providing the valve stem with an outer valve stem portion coupled to the sealing member and to the automatic pressure reducing system and providing the valve stem with an inner valve stem portion that is coupled to the sealing member and the manual system, the inner valve stem portion being guided in the outer valve stem portion; and

wherein providing a manual system includes providing a handle, said handle selectively coupled to said inner valve stem portion.

25. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 20 , wherein said first valve stem portion comprises an outer valve stem portion, said second valve stem portion comprising an inner valve stem portion guided in said outer valve stem portion.

26. The pressure reducing valve according to claim 25 , wherein said spring is mounted outside said first valve stem portion in said housing.

27. The method according to claim 24 , further comprising providing a spring coupled to the first valve stem portion for applying a biasing force against the pressure exerted on the piston.

28. The method according to claim 27 , further comprising selectively turning said handle to urge the inner valve stem portion and the sealing member toward the valve seat to thereby close the valve, wherein the handle is decoupled from the biasing force of the spring and the urging force of the piston.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (1)