Clapper-type check valve

Claim 2

A check valve structure comprising, a valve body having a flow passage, a valve seat about the flow passage, a clapper type valve member, an arm connected to said valve member, a support shaft mounted on said body and fixed to said arm to support the arm for movement of the valve member between open and closed positions, drive means engaging said shaft for raising the valve member from the closed position to open position and maintaining said valve member in open position when rotated In one direction, said drive means permitting the valve member to move by gravity from an open position to a closed position when rotated in an opposite direction, said drive means permitting the valve member when in a closed position to swing freely in one direction to an open position relative to said drive means so that said valve member may open freely from a closed position without the actuation of said drive means.

Claim 3

A check valve structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a shaft extension projecting axially of said support shaft and adapted to rotate relative to said shaft, and drive lugs secured to said support shaft and said shaft extension engaging each other for raising the valve member and being out of engagement when the valve member freely swings open from closed position.

Claim 4

A check valve structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein said shaft extension has a central bore therethrough, an indicator rod is secured to said drive shaft for rotation therewith and is received within said central bore for relative rotation, and a valve position indicator is secured to an end of said rod outwardly of said shaft extension to indicate the position of said clapper-type valve member.

Claim 5

A check valve structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein a worm wheel is secured to said shaft extension, a worm engages said worm wheel, and handwheel is connected to said worm for rotation thereof.

Claim 6

A check valve structure comprising a valve body having a flow passage, a bowl-shaped clapper-type valve member adapted to seat about the flow passage in closed position, said bowl-shaped valve member having a convex surface on one side thereof and a concave surface on the other side thereof, a driven shaft, means connecting the driven shaft to the concave surface of the valve member generally adjacent the center thereof for movement of the valve member between open and closed positions, drive means engaging the driven shaft for raising the valve member from the closed position to open position and maintaining the valve member in open position when rotated in one direction, said drive means permitting the valve member to move by gravity from an open position to a closed position when the drive means is rotated in the opposite direction, the drive means permitting the valve member when in a closed position to swing freely in one direction to an open position relative to the drive means so that the valve member may open freely from a closed position without actuation of the drive means, the drive means including a shaft extension projecting axially of the driven shaft and mounted for rotation relative to the driven shaft, cooperating means secured to the driven shaft and the shaft extension in engagement with each other for raising the valve member to an open position and being out of engagement when the valve member swings open from a closed position, the shaft extension having a central bore therethrough, an indicator rod secured to the driven shaft for rotation therewith and received within the central bore, and a valve position indicator secured to an end of the rod outwardly of the shaft extension to indicate the position of the clapper-type valve member at all times.

Claim 7

A check valve structure comprising a valve body having a flow passage, a bowl-shaped clapper-type valve member adapted to seat about the flow passage in closed position, said bowl-shaped valve member having a convex surface on one side thereof and a concave surface on the other side thereof, a driven shaft, means connecting the driven shaft to the concave surface of the valve member generally adjacent the center thereof for movement of the valve member between open and closed positions, drive means engaging the driven shaft for raising the valve member from the closed position to open position and maintaining the valve member in open position when rotated in one direction, said drive means permitting the valve member to move by gravity from an open position to a closed position when the drive means is rotated in the opposite direction, the drive means permitting the valve member when in a closed position to swing freely in one direction to an open position relative to the drive means so that the valve member may open freely from a closed position without actuation of the drive means, the drive means including a shaft extension projecting axially of the driven shaft and mounted for rotation relative to the driven shaft, cooperating means secured to the driven shaft and the shaft extension in engagement with each other for raising the valve member to an open position and being out of engagement when the valve member swings open from a closed position, the shaft extension having a central bore therethrough, an indicator rod secured to the driven shaft for rotation therewith and received within the central bore, and a valve position indicator secured to an end of the rod outwardly of the shaft extension to indicate the position of the clapper-type valve member at all times.

Claim 8

A swing check valve structure comprising, a valve body having a flow passage, a valve seat about the flow passage, a bowl-shaped clapper-type valve member having a convex surface on one side and a concave surface on the opposite side thereof, a support member having one end fixed to the concave surface of the valve member generally adjacent the center thereof, an arm supported adjacent one end to the valve body and mounted adjacent the other end to the support member about a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint being positioned within the volume formed by the bowl-shaped valve member and generally in the area of the center of gravity of the valve member, a shaft connected to said arm for movement of said arm and valve member between open and closed positions, said shaft and said ball and socket joint being positioned generally in a plane extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the flow passage, the arm being generally U-shaped to fit about the outer circumference of the bowl-shaped valve member, and drive means to rotate said shaft in one direction from the closed position to the open position thereof, said drive means in the closed position of the valve member permitting the valve member to swing freely from the closed position in one direction.

Claim 9

A swing check valve structure comprising, a valve body having a flow passage, a valve seat about the flow passage, a bowl-shaped clapper-type valve member having a convex surface on one side and a concave surface on the opposite side thereof, a support member having one end fixed to the concave surface of the valve member generally adjacent the center thereof, an arm supported adjacent one end to the valve body and mounted adjacent the other end to the support member about a ball and socket joint, the ball and socket joint being positioned within the volume formed by the bowl-shaped valve member and generally in the area of the center of gravity of the valve member, a shaft connected to said arm for movement of said arm and valve member between open and closed positions, said shaft and said ball and socket joint being positioned generally in a plane extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the flow passage, the arm being generally U-shaped to fit about the outer circumference of the bowl-shaped valve member, and drive means to rotate said shaft in one direction from the closed position to the open position thereof, said drive means in the closed position of the valve member permitting the valve member to swing freely from the closed position in one direction.

Claim 10

A swing check valve structure comprising, a valve body having a flow passage, seat means about the flow passage, a swing check valve member adapted to seat on said valve seat in a closed position to prevent flow through the flow passage in one direction, means connected to said valve member to support the valve member for movement between open and closed positions including a support shaft mounted on said body for rotation, drive means engaging said shaft for raising the valve member from the closed position to open position and maintaining said valve member in open position when rotated in one direction, said drive means permitting the valve member to move from an open position to a closed position when rotated in an opposite direction, said drive means permitting the valve member when in a closed position to swing freely in one direction to an open position relative to said drive means so that said valve member may open freely from a closed position without the actuation of said drive means.

Claim 11

A swing check valve structure comprising, a valve body having a flow passage, seat means about the flow passage, a swing check valve member adapted to seat on said valve seat in a closed position to prevent flow through the flow passage in one direction, means connected to said valve member to support the valve member for movement between open and closed positions including a support shaft mounted on said body for rotation, drive means engaging said shaft for raising the valve member from the closed position to open position and maintaining said valve member in open position when rotated in one direction, said drive means permitting the valve member to move from an open position to a closed position when rotated in an opposite direction, said drive means permitting the valve member when in a closed position to swing freely in one direction to an open position relative to said drive means so that said valve member may open freely from a closed position without the actuation of said drive means.