Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02270008 1999-04-22
UNIVERSAL FIL1, VALVE
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve of a type suitable for periodic
filling a lLlel
storage vessel. More particularly, this invention relates to a improved fill
valve for external
or internal threaded connection with a standard control valve mounted on a
propane use tank.
The fill valve of the present invention may control propane flow from a
flexible hose
extending from a large storage tank to the control valve and then to the
smaller propane use
tank. The fill valve may be closed and disconnected from the control valve
without
discharging significate amounts of propane to the environment.
Backeround of the Invention
Propane tanks have long been used for home heating and cooking, and for
limited
commercial and industrial applications. The standard propane use tank includes
a control
valve for controlling the flow of propane from the use tank to a regulator and
then to the fuel
burner. To periodically refill the propane use tank, a large propane storage
vessel is either
transported to the propane use tank, or the propane use tank is transported to
the large
storage vessel. In either case, the propane use tank is conventionally filled
by disconnecting
the regulator and interconnecting a fill valve at the end of the flexible hose
to the control valve
mounted on the propane tank. The fill valve includes an elongate discharge
nose for mated
interconnection with threads internal of the control valve, and positions the
fill valve handle
outside a tank guard ring. Once the fill valve has been fluidly connected to
the control valve,
both the fill valve and the control valve are opened for releasing the
pressurized propane from
the large storage vessel to the propane use tank.
In order to reduce the time required to fill the propane use tank, the fill
valve flow
passageway is conti',ured so that is does not substantially restrict the fluid
flow from the
flexible fill line to the propane use tank. The fill valve preferably is also
of the type which may
be reliably used by relatively inexperienced personnel. Preferably the fill
valve is of quick-
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acting type with a handle which pivotably moves with respect to the valve body
to move the
stem from an opened position to a closed position. The fill valve is thus
connected to the
control valve, the operator pivots the handle to the opened position and
quickly fills the
propane use tank, then returns the handle to the closed position and
disconnects the fill valve
from the control valve.
A significant problem with the prior art propane fill valves is that the fill
valve seat is
spaced substantially from the end of the elongate discharge nose which is
interconnected with
the control valve. Accordingly, after the propane use tank is refilled and the
fill valve and
control valve are closed, propane in the elongate nose between the fill valve
seat and the
control valve seat is discharged to the environment when the fill valve is
threadably
disconnected from the control valve. In excess of 27 cc of pressurized propane
is commonly
released in a refilling operation, with the released pressurized propane
expanding hundreds
of times when vaporizing in the air. The cost of the discharged propane is
nominal compared
to the significant environmental impact caused by thousands of propane filling
operations
occurring daily in many locations. Also, the discharged propane may adversely
affect the
safety of the propane filling operator and others located in the vicinity of
the filling operation.
Another significant problem with prior art propane fill valves is that the
fill valve
comprises a number of threadably interconnected subassemblies which, under
pressure, are
prone to release propane during the filling process and contribute to numerous
environmental
and safety hazards.
Yet another problem with prior art fill valves is the relatively high cost of
manufacturing the fill valve. Components exposed to hiQh -ear are preferably
manufactured
from a more expensive material, such as stainless steel, =hile other
components are preferably
manufactured from lower cost grades of steel.
Ttie disadvantages of the prior art are overconle by ttie present invention,
and an
improved fill valve suitable for filling a propane use tank Nvith an
externally or internally
threaded standard control valve niounted thereon is hereinafter disclosed.
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Summay of the Invention
The fill valve of the present invention may be used to reliably control the
filling of a
propane use tank with a conventional control valve mounted thereon. The fill
valve may
include a quick acting pivot handle which axially nloves a valve stem between
the opened and
the closed positions. A coil spring conventionally biases the fill valve
closed. The fill valve
also includes an elongate discharge nose for insertion into the control valve
after the regulator
has been removed. In one embodiment, an external left hand thread is provided
at the
discharge end or nose tip of the elongate nose for mating connection with a
corresponding
internal thread within the interior of the control valve. In another
embodiment, an internally
threaded nose tip housing is provided around the nose tip for mating
connection with a
corresponding externally threaded control valve. The fill valve may include a
nose tip with
an elastomeric external seal mounted thereon for reliable sealing engagement
with a seat
within the interior of the control valve. Propane flows in the annulus between
the elongate
nose and the valve stem, and is discharged through an aperture in the nose tip
so as not to
substantially restrict the flow of propane when the fill valve is in the
opened position. The
valve stem may extend from the pivot handle through the fill valve body and
substantially
through the elongate discharge nose. An elastomeric seal may be provided on
the end of the
valve stem for reliable sealing engagement with a seat. In one embodiment, the
seat is formed
separate from the nose tip.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved fill valve of the type
which may
be used for filling a fluid tank. The fill valve of the present invention may
include an elonJate
dischar;e nose with an external seal provided on the nose tip for sealing with
a seat in a
convention control valve. Alternatively, a surface on the nose tip may engage
a seal provided
in the control valve. The fill valve seal and seat are positioned closely
adjacent the discharge
end of the fill valve. The fill valve nlay thus be connected to the control
valve mounted on
the fluid usz tank, and very little fluid is discharged to the environnient
when the fill valve is
removed froni the control valve.
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It is anottier object of the invention to provide an improved fill valve with
a elongate
discharge nose, nose tip and nose tip housing surrounding the nose tip such
that the fill valve
may be threadably connected to a control valve mounted on the propane use
tank. In one
embodiment, the fill valve is designed for engagement with internal pocket
threads in the
control valve. In another embodiment, the fill valve is designed to be secured
to external
threads on the control valve.
Yet another object of the present invention is providing an improved technique
for
manufacturing and assembling a fill valve to provide a highly reliable valve
with a lower
manufacturing cost. According to one embodiment, an elongate sleeve is
permanently
interconnected with a seat member to form a sleeve-seat subassembly, and a
discharge
housing is thereafter positioned over the sleeve-seat subassembly. A nose tip
is thereafter
permanently secured to a lower end of the sleeve-seat subassembly, and a valve
stem is
positioned through the valve body and the sleeve-seat subassembly. According
to another
embodiment of the invention, the elongate sleeve is permanently interconnected
with a nose
tip to form a sleeve-nose tip subassembly, an upper housing is positioned
about the sleeve-
nose tip subassembly, the nose tip housing is thereafter secured to the upper
housing, then a
valve stem is positioned between the valve body and the sleeve-nose tip
subassembly.
It is a feature of the invention to provide an improved fill valve with at
least a body,
a housing, a sleeve, and a nose tip that may be integrally connected by two or
more flared
portions for preventing the escape of propane and enhancing safety during use
of the fill
valve.
Yet another feature of the invention is a fill valN=e which may be
manufactured at a
relatively low cost and which is highly reliable.
It is an advantage of the invention. that the lower steni may include an
alignment
niechanisni for substantially aligning the lower steni NN-ithin the flow
passageway in the
elon,,,ate discliarge nose of ttie fill valve. The loNver stem may be provided
with one or more
ali~nment pins which slidably engage the interior surface of the passa~,eway
in the elongate
nose wlien the handle nioves between the opened and closed positions.
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It is further advantage of this invention that the fill valve may be used is
conjunction
with existing control valves of the type conventionally mounted on propane
tanks. It is
estimated that several million such control valves are in operation.
Accordingly, the fill valve
of the present invention significantly reduces the discharge of propane to the
environment but
does not require modifications to the conventional control valve. In another
embodiment, the
fill valve is designed for use with a newer type of control valve having
external threads and
a check valve.
In the further advantage of the present invention that the fill valve may be
manufactured at a cost which is not significantly greater than prior art fill
valves, although the
fill valve of the present invention has a significant advantage of reducing
the discharge of
propane to the environment.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will
become
apparent from the following detailed description, wherein reference is made to
the figures in
the accompanying drawings.
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Brief Description of the Drawinigs
Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the fill
valve having
an externally threaded elongate discharge nose interconnected with an
internally threaded
conventional control valve on a propane tank.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a simplified cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the
fill valve
having a elongate discharge nose and internally threaded nose tip housing for
interconnection
with an externally threaded conventional control valve on a propane tank.
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Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
The fill valve of the present invention is suitable for use in periodically
filling a fuel
storage tank, and particularly a propane use tank. Propane use tanks are
widely used in many
countries for home heating and cooking, and are also used in some commercial
and industrial
applications. During normal use of the propane tank, a regulator is threadably
connected to
a control valve (also referred to as a filler valve) mounted on the propane
use tank to regulate
output propane pressure, so that the user opens the control valve to control
the flow of
propane to a burner. The propane use tank must be periodically refilled from a
large propane
storage vessel. Depending on the practice in a particular locale and the
desires of the propane
user, the user may either transport the propane use tank to a large propane
storage vessel to
refill the propane use tank, or a service company may periodically bring a
large propane
storage tank by the home or business of the user to periodically fill the
propane use tank.
The fill valve 10 of the present invention is intended for internal (Fig. 1)
or external
(Fig. 3) threaded connection with a standard control valve CV as shown in Fig.
1 which
mounts to a propane use tank T. The handle H of the control valve CV may be
rotated to
engaae and disengage the control valve stem ST with the control valve seat SE,
thereby
closinor and opening the control valve. A flexible fill line FL feeds propane
in the direction
indicated by arrow 8 and interconnects a larger propane storage tank (not
shown) with the
fill valve 10. To fill the propane use tank, a regulator (not shown) is
disconnected from the
closed control valve and the fill valve 10 is connected to the control valve.
More particularly
the regulator is thus normally connected to the threaded port TP of the
control valve, with
the control valve including a frustoconical seat FS for sealinor with the
regulator. The control
valve CV may be closed, the regulator renloved, and the fill valve 10
connected to the
threaded port TP and seated wittl the frustoconical seat FS durin, a propane
filing operation.
The fill valve and control valve are then opened to discharge the pressurized
propane from
the storage tank to the propane use tank. After the filling operation, the
control valve and fill
valve are closed, the fill valve is renloved, and the regulator is a'ain
connected to the control
valve.
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The propane use tank T conventionally includes a ring guard G which protects
the
control valve. Ttie elongate discharge nose 14 of the fill valve 10 thus
spaces the operating
handle for the fill valve laterally from the control valve CV, and preferably
laterally exterior
of the guard G, to easily and safely interconnect the equipment as shown in
FIG. I and to
accomplish the filling operation. The fill valve 10 therefore generally
includes a valve body
12, an elongate discharge nose 14, a pivot handle 16, and a valve stem 18 each
discussed in
further detail below. The flexible fill line connects to threaded inlet port
20 in the valve body
12. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fill line extends from a
large propane
storage tank to the fill valve 10.
The fill valve 10 is shown in its vertical position in the figures for ease of
reference.
It should be understood that the terms "top" or "upper" and "bottom" or
"lower" when
referring to the fill valve FL are intended to reference the handle end and
discharge end,
respectively, of the fill valve, and do not limit the design or orientation of
the fill valve once
installed on a control valve.
To facilitate interconnection of the fill valve 10 in Fia. 1 with a control
valve, the fill
valve 10 is provided with an elongate discharge nose 14 which includes an
outer nose housing,
22, a nose sleeve 24, and a nose tip 26. The nose housing 22 includes a
handwheel 28
threaded at 29 to the housing 22. The handwheel 28 includes an outer torque
surface which
may have circumferentially spaced gripping recesses for connecting the
housinc., 22 to the
control valve without requiring a wrench. The fillinQ operator may thus
initially interconnect
the threads 30 at the lower end of the housing 22 to the threaded port of a
control valve, and
make up a reliable connection between the fill valve 10 and the control valve
by applying a
selected torque to the housing 22 using only the handwheel 28. During the make-
up
operation, the housing 22 rotates about the stationary sleeve 24 connected
with the valve
body 12, so that the valve body 12 and the flexible line connected therewith
need not rotate.
Axial force will be transnlitted fronl the housing 22 to the nose tip 26 to
force the nose tip
into reliable sealing engagement with a seat in the control valve. The fill
valve 10 as shown
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in Fig. I is in the closed position, while the similar fill valve 10 as shown
in Fig. 3 is in the
opened position.
The nose tip 26 is connected via seat member 31 to the lower end of the sleeve
24,
and is also generally sleeve-shaped. The seat member 31 includes a seating
surface 33, an
upper internally threaded end 35 and a lower internally threaded end 37. Thus,
the upper
internally threaded end 35 is threadably connected to a lower externally
threaded end 39 of
the sleeve 24. The lower internally threaded end 37 is threadably connected to
an upper
externally threaded end 41 of the nose tip 26. A conventional static 0-ring 43
is positioned
between the upper internally threaded end 35 and the lower externally threaded
end 39.
Similarly, an 0-ring 45 seals between the lower internally threaded end 37 and
the upper
externally threaded end 41. A frustoconical exterior surface 68 and an
elastomeric 0-ring 70
are provided at the lower end of the nose tip 26 for sealing engagement with a
mating
frustoconical surface in the control valve.
In the embodiment depicted in Fig. 3, a nose tip housing 15 may be threadably
connected to the upper housing 22 for interconnection with a control valve
that is externally
threaded. Thus, the nose tip housing 15 includes a first internally threaded
end 17 for
threaded connection with the threads 30 at the lower end of the housing 22 and
a second
internally threaded end 19 for threaded connection with an externally threaded
control valve.
Ideally, a lockpin 11 is used to fixedly interconnect the housing 22 and nose
tip housing 15,
althouah a swaging or dimpling operation alternatively could be used for this
purpose. The
upper externally threaded end 41 of the nose tip 26 is threadably connected to
a lower
internally threaded end 9 of sleeve 24 thus, replacing the seat member 31 in
Fig. 1. A
conventional static 0-ring 7 seals the connection between the upper threaded
end 41 of the
nose tip 26 and the lower threaded end 9 of the sleeve 24.
Referring now to botll Figs. I and 3, the inlet port 20 in the valve body 12
is nornially
sized for matin~ connection ~vitll a 3/4" NPT thread on a flexible hose. The
opposin~ side of
the valve body preferably includes a port to optionally interconnect a
hydrostatic relief valve
to the valve body, witli this port being filled for the depicted enibodinlent
by a conventional
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plug 32. A bonnet 34 is threadably connected at 36 to the valve body 12, and
valve stem 18
having a stem axis 38 passes through the bonnct 34, the valve body 12, and the
sleeve 24.
Sleeve 24 is threadably connected to the valve body 12 by threads 56, and is
sealed therewith
by conventional static 0-ring 58.
A quick acting pivot handle 16 is pivotably connected to stem 18 by pin 42,
and may
also include a latch 44 for engagement with the valve body 12 to lock the
valve closed. The
handle 16 includes a side surface 46 for engagement with pad 50 on the upper
end of the
bonnet 34 when the fill valve 10 is in the closed position, and an end surface
52 for
engagement with the pad 50 when the valve 10 is in the opened position. The
handle 16 thus
typically rotates through an obtuse angle of about 100' between the opened and
the closed
positions, and this obtuse angle assists in holding the handle 16 and thus the
valve in the
opened position. The handle 16 is one type of operator for moving the valve
item between
the opened and the closed position. Other types of operators, including
powered valve
operators, may be used for opening and closing the fill valve. Valve operators
are well known
in the art and are commercially available from various sources.
The valve stem 18 includes upper stem 72 and lower stem 74. The lower stem 74
threadably receives a valve plug 73 with a Teflon sea176 on a lower end of the
plug 73. A
seal 75 seals between the upper stem 72 and the bonnet 34. The upper stem 72
includes a
stem portion 77 and a stem niember 78 interconnected by a ball and socket
connection 80
'0 which allows rotation of the nlember 7S v6th respect to the stem portion 77
to minimize wear
on the seal 76 during operation of the fill valve. Coil spring 82 is
sandwiched between the
upper spring retainer 84 and the stem member 78 and biases the stem member 78
downward
towards the discharge nose 14 of the fill valve. Stenl nienlber 7S includes
internal threads 47
for threadably connectinc, the upper externally threaded end 49 of the
(Yenerally cylindrical
lower stem 74.
The sleeve 24 and lower stenl 74 define an elon~;ate annular passageway 92
therebetween for transmitting propane from the fill line to the control valve
and then to the
use tatik. A plurality of circumferentially spaced alionment niembers 94
including radially
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projecting stubs as shown in Fig. 2 are positioned between the lower stem 74
and the plug 73
and include end surfaces 95 for sliding engagement with the interior surface
128 of the sleeve
24 for maintaining the axis of the lower stem 74 in proper alignment with ttie
axis of the
sleeve 24. A central passageway 96 is formed in the interior cylindrical
surface of the nose
tip 26. The passageway 96 is more restrictive than annulus 92, and effectively
governs the
maximum flow of propane through the fill valve 10 for a given differential
pressure. The left
hand thread 30 at the end of the housing 22 in Fig. 1 is sized for mating
engagement with a
threaded port in a conventional control valve such that the cross-sectional
flow area of the
discharge port 102 from the nose tip 26 is sufficiently large to meet or
exceed the cross-
sectional area of prior art fill valves and comply with industry standards for
passing propane
to fill the propane tank in a satisfactory time period. Similarly, the cross-
sectional flow area
of the discharge port or opening 102 in the nose tip 26 of Fig. 3 is
sufficiently large to meet
or exceed the cross-sectional area of prior art fill valves and comply with
industry standards
for passing propane to fill the propane tank in a reasonable time frame.
Referring still to Fig. 1, the nose tip 26 is designed for sealinc, engagement
with a
frustoconical seat within the control valve. Thus, the nose tip 26 is desianed
so that the plug
73 and the Teflon seal 76 do not substantially restrict the flow of propane to
the tank when
the fill valve is open. More particularly, the cross-sectional flow area past
the plug 73 when
the fill valve is fully open is equal to or exceeds the cross-sectional flow
area of the discharge
2 0 opening 102 which, as explained above, is equal to or exceeds the industry
standard for prior
art fill valves. The plug 73 for the fill valve 10 depicted in Fig. 3 is
similarly designed.
In Fig. 3, the nose tip 26 is provided with a seat 3 for sealina enaagement
with the seal
76 on the plug 73 when the fill valve 10 is in the closed position. Therefore,
the function of
sealinc between the seal 76 and seat 3 is similar to that described in
reference to the fill valve
depicted in Fi~. 1, with the exception that the seat 3 is formed in the nose
tip 26 rather than
on the seat nieniber 31 shown in Fig. 1. The nose tip 26 as shown in Fig. 3
includes an
external seatin(T surface 140 for sealing en-a;ement Nvith a sealing surface
(not shown) on the
control valve CN'. Ttie control valve CV in this case may have external
threads for mating
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with threads 19, and may also contain a conventional 0-ring or other
clastomeric seal for fluid
tight sealing engagement with seating surface 140. An end projection 142 on
the nose tip 26
is provided for opening a check valve positioned within the control valve CV,
thereby
automatically opening the check valve when the nose tip 26 is sealed with the
control vaive
seat.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, retaining latch 44 may be provided on the
handle 16
for fitting within the groove 104 in the bonnet 34, thereby ensuring that the
fill valve 10
cannot be inadvertently bumped and the handle 16 moved to the opened position.
Instead,
the filling operator must first release the interconnection between the latch
44 and the bonnet
34, and then rotate the handle from the closed position to the opened
position. When the
handle 16 is lowered to the closed position, the substantial biasing force of
the spring 82
biases the plug 73 and seal 76 downward against the seat surface 33 in Fig. 1
and seat surface
3 in Fig. 3.
When the fill valve 10 in Fig. 1 is installed on the control valve, the
shoulder surface
136 mates with the end surface 138 on the housing 22 so that these mating
surfaces cooperate
to reliably transmit the force required to seal between the nose tip 26 and
the control valve.
When the fill valve 10 shown in Fig. 3 is installed on the control valve, the
shoulder surface
137 mates with stop surface 139 on the housing 22 so that these mating
surfaces cooperate
to reliably transnlit the force required to seal between the nose tip 26 and
the control valve.
A radially inward directed ring 144 on the nose tip housing 15 prevents the
upper housing 22
front moving upward toward the valve body 12, thereby protecting the nose tip
26 of the fill
valve prior to assembly on the control valve CV.
According to a preferred embodiment, the plug 73 of the lower stem portion 74
has
aOenerally barrel-shaped configuration, and the seal 76 is positioned on the
lower portion of
the plug 731 about a-enerall}, frustoconical surface of the plua 73 having an
apex below the
stem IS. In less desired embodiments, a metal sealing, surface on the plug 73
could sealingly
en~,a~,e the seating surface on either the seating nienlber as shown in Fig. I
or the nose tip as
shov,-n in Fig. 3.
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A nominal diameter of the discharge opening 102 from the fill valve 10 is at
least
0.240 inches, and preferably the opening 102 has a nominal diameter of at
least 0.245 inches
so as not to substantially restrict the flow of propane from the fill valve.
The desired
relatively large diameter of the opening 102 inherently causes the valve stem
seal to have an
effective seal diameter for sealing engagement with the seating surface which
is larger than
the diameter of opening 102. Preferably, the valve stem seal thus has an
effective nominal
sealing diameter which is at least 0.280 inches, and preferably is at least
0.295 inches.
Alternatively, an enlarged diameter stem seal could be mounted on the
lowermost end of the
valve stem 18 which has a lower stem portion 74 of a uniform diameter. In any
event,
however, the stem seal must have a diameter greater than the opening 102, and
preferably the
stem seal has a diameter at least as large as the nominal diameter of the
lower stem portion
74 which is intentionally small in order to maintain a large cross-sectional
flow passageway
96.
The term "nominal diameter" as used herein with respect to opening 102 and
stem seal
76 is intended in its normal sense to mean the effective diameter if the
component has a
~enerally circular configuration. For example, the openin~ 102 could have a
non-circular
confi~uration, in which case the opening 102 would still have a nominal
diameter which
corresponds to the diameter of the opening if circular, so as to achieve the
purposes and
benefits described herein, and particularly the benefits of maximizing flow of
propane through
the relatively small nose tip.
The fill valves depicted in Figs. 1 and 3 are therefore functionally similar
and contain
similar components with the differences described above. Likewise, the
manufacture and
productioti nlethods used to nianufacture the fill valve 10 depicted in Figs.
I and 3 are
similarl}, related with niinor distinctions described below. \'otwithstandin~
the manufacturin~
differences between the fill valve 10 depicted in Fi,s. 1 and 3, both fill
valves are
economically manufactured to conserve manufacturina costs and reduce
environmental and
safety hazards associated with conventional fill valves.
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'The fill valve is capable of attachment to a control valve that is cither
internally or
externally tlireaded, as shown in Figs.l and 3. In either case, the fill valve
is light-weight,
easy to use, and designed to minimize the amount of fluid released during a
disconnect
operation. The enibodiment as shown in Fig. I releases only about 1.4 cc of
fluid upon a
disconnect, and the enibodiment as shown in Fig. 3 releases only about 0.4 cc
upon
disconnect. The nose tip 26 which mates with the control valve CV may be
manufactured
from stainless steel to ensure reliable operation over a relatively long life
without signficantly
increasing the cost of the fill valve.
It is also important according to this invention to appreciate the manner in
which such
components and sub-components of the fill valve are machined and assembled.
The nose tip
26 and seat member 31, if used, are typically machined from a corrosion
resistant hardened
material such as 17-4 stainless steel, and are preferably fabricated as
separate components
from the sleeve 24. If desired, the nose tip housing 15 may also be fabricated
from stainless
steel. The sleeve 24, the upper housing 22 and most other metal components of
the fill valve
may be machined from a less expensive and softer material, such as
conventional carbon steel.
Thus, the hardened material is used to machine most of the fill valve
components that are
subject to frequent use, friction and wear near the elongate nose portion 14
of the fill valve
10, while less expensive material is used to manufacture less critical
components.
The subassembly of the housing 22, sleeve 24, seating member 3.1 and nose tip
26 as
shown in Fig. 1 may be formed by first threadably connecting the upper
threaded end 35 of
the seating member 3 1 to the lower threaded end 39 of the sleeve 24. Once the
seating
member 31 and sleeve 24 are threadably connected, a radial inward flared
portion 21 is
fornled by radially deforming the distal upper threaded end 39 of the seating
member 31 with
respect to the housing 24. Once the seatinQ nienlber 3 1 is permanently
secured to the sleeve
24 by radially deforming the inward flared portion 21, the sleeve 24 and
seating meniber 3 1
(forming a sleeve-seat subassembly) niay then be inserted through the open
upper end of the
housin'a 22. The upper tilreaded end 41 of the nose tip 26 niay then be
threadably connected
to the lower tlireaded end 37 of the seatino nlember 31. .after the nose tip
26 is threadably
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connected to the sleeve-seat subassembly, the connection may then be made
pernianent by
radially deforming a distal end of ttie upper threaded end 41 of the nose tip
26 with respect
to the seating member 3 I to form a outward flared portion 23. The outward
flared portion
23 may be formed by any conventional flaring tool which may be inserted
through the lov,-er
opening 102 of the nose tip 26. Alternatively, a flaring tool to forni the
flared portion 23 may
be inserted through the upper end of the sleeve 24. Once the sleeve 24,
housing 22, seating
member 31 and nose tip 26 are integrally connected by flared portions 21 and
23, this
subassembly may then be threadably connected at 56 to the valve body 12 and
permanently
secured thereto by radially deforming a distal end of the threads 56 with
respect to the body
12 to form a outward flared portion 57. By providing flared portions 21, 23
and 57, the
manufacturer of the fill valve essentially ensures that the user cannot
inadvertently remove the
subassemblies comprising the sleeve 24, housing 22, seatinc, member 31 and
nose tip 26 from
the body 12. For purposes of comparison to conventional valves, only the right
of each flared
portion 21, 23 and 57 is depicted in the fill valve shown in Figs. I and 3,
and the left side is
shown in its connected but pre-flared state.
The fill valve 10 depicted in FiQ. 3 is formed and assembled in similar but
modified
fashion. The upper threaded end 41 of the nose tip 26 is threadably connected
to the lower
threaded end 9 of the sleeve 24 and may be permanently secured by radially
deforming a distal
end of the lower threaded end 9 of the sleeve 24 to form a inward radial
portion 25. The
sleeve 24 and nose tip 26 subassembly nlay then be inserted through the open
lower threaded
end 30 of the upper housing 22. The nose tip housing 15 nlay theil be
threadably secured to
the upper tlousing 22, with this connection being fixedly secured by pin 11.
The upper end
of the sleeve 24 is then threadably connected at 56 to the body 12 and a
distal end of the
threads 56 is radially deformed to forni an outward flared portion 57 as
siniilarly described
in reference to the outward flared portion 57 in Fig. 1. Thus, once the sleeve
24 and nose tip
26 subassembly is pernianently joined with respect to each otlter and the body
12, the
subassemblies comprising the fill valve 10 may not beconie disconnected during
use. If
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desired, the nose tip housing 15 may be threadably connected to the housing 22
and lock pin
11 installed after the connection formed by flared portion 57 is made.
Although other permanent forming operations such as conventional pinning or
dimpling may be recognized by those having skill in the art, permanent
interconnection of the
lower components comprising the elongate nose 14 in Figs. 1 and 3 is
preferably
accomplished by the flaring or crimping process as described herein. The lower
components
comprising the elongate nose 14 in Figs. I and 3 preferably have a relatively
thin wall
thickness and must not be substantially deformed in such a way that will
compromise the
corresponding seal between each component, or obstruct the fluid flow path
through the fill
valve. Therefore, flared portions 21 and 23 in Fig. 1 and flared portion 25 in
Fig. 2 overcome
problems associated with less practical methods of forming a permanent
connection.
Dimplin; procedures, which are a type of circumferentially localized swaging
rather than a
conventional uniform swaging operation, may be used to permanently connect
components.
Dimplinc, procedures to form a permanent connection of these components is
less desirable
since it may lead to obstructions in the fluid flow path. Pinning procedures
to form the
interconnection of these components which may cause an unwanted leak path,
thus adversely
affecting sealing integrity.
To initially assemble the valve stem 18 within the valve body 12, a
subassembly
comprising bonnet 34, handle 16 and valve stem 78 (including stem portion 77,
member 78
and lo-,.ver stem 74), and spring 82 may be passed partially through an upper
port surrounding
valve body threads 36, and the bonnet 34 then threaded to the valve body 12.
This same
subassembly may be removed from the body 12, sleeve 24 and housing 22 to
inspect the
Teflon seal 76.
The fill valve as shown in Fig. 1 is thus intended for mating with a
conventional
control valve which has internal threads within a control valve pocket, as
shown in Fig. 1.
The moditied control valve as shown in Fig. 3 is designed for uie with a niore
recently
introduced type of control valve which has external threads and a check valve
positioned
within the body of the control valve. An elastomeric seal for reliable sealing
engagement
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between a seating surface 140 on the nose tip 26 of the fill valve may be
provided within the
control valve CV. In modified forms of the invention, the elastomeric seal 70
on the nose tip
as shown in Fig. 1 may be eliminated, and if desired an elastomeric seal may
be provided in
the control valve CV. Siniilarly, the embodiment as shown in Fig. 3 may be
adapted for
reliable sealing engagement with a control valve by providing an elastomeric
seal on the
external surface of the nose tip 26.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and
explanatory. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various
changes in the size,
shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction
or combinations
of features and the methods discussed herein may be made without departing
from the spirit
of the invention.
PG-74/Pi25s
