IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,473,982
Granted Patent B2
US 12,473,982 · App. 18/140,547 · Granted Nov 18, 2025

Guide assembly for valve

Inventors: Eric Joseph Manternach (Chattanooga, TN); Conner Scott Holmes (Chattanooga, TN)
Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
F16K3/316F16K3/314F16K27/044
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,473,982
App. No.
18/140,547
Granted
Nov 18, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A valve comprising a valve body and a gate. The valve body defines a valve port and a guide channel. The gate is configured to slide along the guide channel between an open and closed configuration. A guide assembly within the guide channel of the valve comprises a track mounted in the guide channel, a gap defined between the guide channel and the track, a barrier covering the gap, and a cured adhesive within the gap.

Claims (17)

1 . A valve comprising:

a valve body defining a valve port and a guide channel;

a gate configured to slide along the guide channel between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and

a guide assembly comprising:

a track mounted in the guide channel, a gap defined between the guide channel and the track,

a barrier covering the gap, and

a cured adhesive within the gap;

wherein:

the barrier and the cured adhesive comprise non-corrosive materials, and

the barrier is a stainless-steel wire mesh lattice, and the cured adhesive is a thermoset epoxy, and wherein the thermoset epoxy forms a wetted surface that covers the wire mesh lattice, and the wire mesh lattice is not wetted when fluid is in the valve port.

2 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein a base seat comprises a first adhesive cured in the gap formed by the track and a second cured adhesive in the base seat downstream from the gate when the gate is closed.

3 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein the gate is a cast stainless steel plate embedded in rubber.

4 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein a width of the gap between the guide channel and the track is equal to or between ¼ inches and ½ inches.

5 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein the track is a U-shaped rail comprising a transverse section interposed between two lateral side sections, and a portion of the gate is captured between the two lateral side sections of the U-shaped rail.

6 . The valve of claim 1 , further comprising a bonnet capturing a stem and the gate; wherein the bonnet is configured to maintain a fluid-tight seal with the valve body.

7 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a U shape that captures the cured adhesive to form a boundary.

8 . The valve of claim 1 , wherein the barrier comprises a plurality of mesh lattices overlapped and joined end-to-end in the gap to form a boundary.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: MANTERNACH, ERIC JOSEPH; HOLMES, CONNER SCOTT
To: MUELLER INTERNATIONAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 063474/0170 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240360905A1 · Oct 31, 2024
References Cited (11)
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US 20240360906A1 · Holmes et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
Holmes, Conner Scott; Non-Final Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 18/140,552, filed Apr. 27, 2023, mailed Oct. 1, 2025, 19 pgs. [cited by applicant]