Accuracy enhancing valve assembly and method
A device and method to improve accuracy of a water meter where a fluid is introduced into a valve assembly having an external casing. The fluid contacts a toggle stopper having a shaft, plate, and guides. A calibrated spring positioned around the shaft in contact with the plate assesses if the desired fluid meets a predetermined pressure. If yes, the calibrated spring compresses thereby toggling the plate within the chamber to allow desired fluid to enter the chamber. If no, the calibrated spring remains in an expanded state to seal the valve assembly. Upon such seal, there is an equalizing of both the desired and undesired fluids to the same pressure by decreasing the volume of the undesired fluid, causing the calibrated spring to compress and reopen.
1. A valve assembly to improve accuracy of a meter employed to measure a desired fluid, the valve assembly comprising:
a one-piece external casing having an inlet and an outlet;
the casing defining a first internal chamber and a second internal chamber, the second internal chamber extending from the outlet of the casing to an intermediate point within the casing, the first internal chamber extending from the intermediate point to the inlet of the casing, the second internal chamber having a first diameter and the first internal chamber having a second diameter smaller in size than the first diameter;
a toggle stopper including a shaft, a plate having a first side and a second side, and one or more guides, the shaft extending outward from the first side of the plate and the one or more guides extending outward from the second side of the plate, the toggle stopper positioned within the external casing, in a valve closed position the one or more guides are disposed within and nearly abutting an interior surface of the first internal chamber;
a calibrated spring positioned around the shaft capable of exerting force on the first side of the plate; and
a connector monolithically formed with the casing as a one-piece member and located at the inlet of the external casing, the connector comprising an outer flange and a lip member, the outer flange extending outwardly and perpendicular to the external casing, the lip member extending outwardly from the inlet and perpendicular to the outer flange and the lip member defining an opening having a diameter larger in size than the diameter of the first internal chamber, the opening of the lip member in communication with the first internal chamber, the opening of the lip member having a curved inner surface beginning at a lip member outer end and terminating at the first internal chamber;
wherein the diameter of the first internal chamber being smaller than the diameter of the second chamber creates an internal wall at the intermediate point within the external casing.
2. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plate of the toggle stopper is positioned within the second chamber, the plate having an exterior diameter proximate to that of the diameter of the second chamber and larger than the diameter of the first chamber.
3. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft of the toggle stopper extends outward perpendicular to the first side of the plate.
4. The valve assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guides are three or more guides that extend outward perpendicular to the second side of the plate, the three or more guides are oriented to create a shape and size sufficient to conform to the internal diameter of the first chamber.
5. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an o-ring within a seating groove positioned proximate to the wall, the o-ring capable of effectuating a seal when pressed by the second side of the plate when the spring is in an expanded position during a valve closed state.
6. The valve assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a perforated positioning member secured directly to an inner surface of the casing within the second internal chamber and proximate to the outlet of the external casing, the perforated positioning member having a shape of a disk, wherein the disk includes a first side, a corresponding second side, an opening and one or more flow-through perforations, wherein the opening is located in the middle of the disk and has a size and dimension capable of receiving the shaft of the toggle stopper, such that the calibrated spring rests upon the second side of the disk, and wherein the flow-through perforations are capable of allowing the desired fluid to flow through the outlet for removal from the valve assembly.
7. The valve assembly of claim 6 , wherein the calibrated spring is capable of being compressed when the desired fluid flowing into the inlet is at a predetermined sufficient pressure such that at least a portion of the guides of the toggle stopper will shift into the second internal chamber and correspondingly the shaft will toggle into the opening of the perforated positioning member.
8. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the casing has a plurality of threads on an external surface near the outlet of the casing.