Valve assemblies with internal protective elements and methods of using same

1. A valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing;

an inner valve element secured to an inner valve rod which extends into the valve housing;

an outer valve element secured to a valve stem which extends into the valve housing, the valve stem has a threaded segment and is secured to a handwheel;

a connector element located in the valve housing, the connector element including a first threaded area in which the threaded segment of the valve stem is received, and a spaced-apart second threaded area in which a threaded segment of the inner valve rod is received; and

a protective element located within the valve housing and covering a distal portion of the valve stem.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion of the valve stem covered by the protective element is closer to the outer valve element than to the inner valve element.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the valve stem is moveable within the protective element.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the protective element provides a substantially fluid or liquid tight environment in which the threaded portion of the valve stem covered by the protective element is located.

5. The valve assembly of claim 1 , which further comprises a seal element positioned between the protective element and the connector element and being effective to substantially prevent liquid from passing across the seal element.

6. The valve assembly of claim 5 wherein the connector element includes a hollow tubular section having a first end and an opposing second end.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first end and the second end of the connector element is threaded.

8. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein both the first end and the second end of the connector element are threaded.

9. The valve assembly of claim 7 , wherein the threaded end or ends of the connector element have internal threads.

10. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the connector element has a groove extending inwardly and circumferentially from an outer surface of the connector element.

11. The valve assembly of claim 10 , which further comprises a seal element located in the groove and in contact with the protective element.

12. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein both the inner valve element and the outer valve element are operable with a single handwheel.

13. The valve assembly of claim 12 , wherein the single handwheel is located closer to the outer valve element than to the inner valve element.

14. The valve assembly of claim 1 , which is constructed so that foreign matter located in a fluid passed through the valve assembly substantially does not come in contact with the threaded portion of the valve stem covered by the protective element.

15. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion of the valve stem covered by the protective element includes added lubrication, and the protective element is effective in maintaining the added lubrication on said threaded portion of the valve stem for a longer period of time during valve assembly operation relative to valve assembly operation without the protective element being present.

16. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the threaded portion of the valve stem covered by the protective element has a longer useful life relative to a substantially identical valve assembly including a threaded portion of the valve stem without the protective element being present.

17. A method of controlling the flow of a liquid comprising providing the valve assembly of claim 1 ; providing the liquid to the valve assembly and controlling the valve assembly to obtain the desired flow of the liquid.