Claims
- 1. An in-line valve for controlling fluid flow through a supply line, the in-line valve comprising:an outer casing defining a casing passageway having a longitudinal axis; an attachment device mounted to the outer casing for connecting the outer casing to a supply line, the attachment device defining an attachment passageway, and comprising a dividing wall spanning the attachment passageway and having a fluid port extending therethrough; a valve stem defining a valve stem passageway and comprising a wall spanning the valve stem passageway and having a fluid port extending therethrough, the valve stem passageway being in fluid communication with the casing passageway; wherein the attachment device dividing wall cooperates with the valve stem wall to control fluid flow from the supply line through said valve by the movement of the valve stem wall relative to the dividing wall between an open position and a closed position where the at least one fluid port of the valve stem wall and the at least one port of the dividing wall are fluidly connected and fluidly disconnected, respectively.
- 2. The in-line valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve stem passageway and the attachment device passageway are axially aligned with the casing longitudinal axis.
- 3. The in-line valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve stem wall comprises a plate mounted to the valve stem, with the valve stem fluid port extending through the plate.
- 4. The in-line valve according to claim 3, and further comprising a seal surrounding one of the dividing wall fluid ports and the valve stem fluid port to seal the dividing wall relative to the plate.
- 5. The in-line valve according to claim 4, and further comprising multiple fluid ports in the dividing wall and plate, wherein each fluid port in the dividing wall is paired with a corresponding port in the plate.
- 6. The in-line valve according to claim 5, and further comprising a seal positioned around one of the fluid ports of each corresponding pair of fluid ports.
- 7. The in-line valve according to claim 1, and further comprising a handle connected to the valve stem and the handle having a portion that extends externally relative to the casing for rotating the valve stem relative to the attachment device.
- 8. The in-line valve according to claim 7, wherein the externally extending handle portion extends from the casing in a direction that is radial to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 9. The in-line valve according to claim 7, wherein the externally extending handle portion extends from the casing in a direction that is axial to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 10. The in-line valve according to claim 9, and further comprising a control knob mounted to the handle.
- 11. The in-line valve according to claim 9, and further comprising a spout having a passageway extending away from the casing at an angle relative to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 12. The in-line valve according to claim 1, wherein the attachment device comprises an attachment portion and a removable casing portion, with the dividing wall located in the removable casing portion.
- 13. The in-line valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve stem is rotatable relative to the attachment device wherein the valve is moved between the open and closed positions by rotating the valve stem relative to the attachment device to axially align and mis-align the at least one valve stem fluid port with the at least one dividing wall fluid port, respectively.
- 14. The in-line valve according to claim 13, wherein the valve stem wall comprises a plate mounted to the valve stem, with the valve stem fluid port extending through the plate.
- 15. The in-line valve according to claim 14, and further comprising a cup seal positioned within the dividing wall fluid port to seal the dividing wall relative to the plate.
- 16. The in-line valve according to claim 15, and further comprising a spring disposed within the dividing wall fluid port to bias the cup seal against the plate.
- 17. The in-line valve according to claim 14, wherein the attachment device comprises an attachment portion and a removable casing portion, with the dividing wall spanning the removable casing portion.
- 18. The in-line valve according to claim 17, and further comprising a handle connected to the valve stem and having a portion that extends externally of the casing for rotating the valve stem relative to the attachment device.
- 19. The in-line valve according to claim 18, wherein the valve stem comprises a body that is received within the removable casing portion, the plate is mounted to the body and the body includes a handle coupler, which connects to one end of the handle.
- 20. The in-line valve according to claim 19, wherein the externally extending handle portion extends from the casing in a direction that is axial to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 21. The in-line valve according to claim 20, and further comprising a control knob mounted to an end of the handle opposite the end of the handle mounted to the handle coupler.
- 22. The in-line valve according to claim 21, and further comprising a spout having a passageway extending away from the casing at an angle relative to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 23. An improved in-line valve for controlling fluid flow through a supply line, comprising:an outer casing defining a casing passageway engageable with the supply line and an operating handle opening formed in and extending through a sidewall of said outer casing, the operating handle opening extending radially about a predetermined portion of said outer casing; an attachment device receivable within and engageable with said outer casing for connecting said outer casing to the supply line, said attachment device including an attachment passageway therethrough for fluid to flow through said valve, said attachment device further including a dividing wall spanning said attachment passageway, said dividing wall having at least one fluid flow port formed therein and a seal stud extending from a first surface of said dividing wall; a valve stem defining a valve stem passage, said valve stem mounted for selective rotation about a central axis; a plate spanning an opening of said valve stem passage, said plate having at least one fluid port formed therein, said plate being mounted onto said valve stem so as to be axially aligned along said central axis and abutting said dividing wall, said plate being selectively rotatable between an open position and a closed position about said central axis; wherein said plate cooperates with said dividing wall to control fluid flow through said valve, wherein said fluid ports of said dividing wall and said plate are axially mis-aligned when said plate is in said closed position and said fluid ports of said dividing wall and said plate are at least partially axially aligned when said plate is in said open position; and an operating handle received in said operating handle opening and fixedly secured to said valve stem, said operating handle having a predetermined angle of rotation about said central axis for selectively rotating said first cooperating member between said open and closed positions.
- 24. The in-line valve of claim 23, wherein said plate is crimped onto an end of said valve stem.
- 25. The in-line valve of claim 24, wherein said fluid flow ports of said plate and said dividing wall are spaced radially inwardly from a peripheral edge of said plate and said dividing wall, respectively.
- 26. The in-line valve of claim 24, wherein said plate and said dividing wall each have a plurality of said fluid flow ports, each of said fluid flow ports being equally spaced apart.
- 27. The in-line valve of claim 24, wherein said predetermined angle of rotation is less than or equal to 180°.
- 28. The in-line valve of claim 24, wherein said plate is constructed of steel.
- 29. The in-line valve of claim 24, wherein said operating handle further includes a shaft and a fastener, said shaft extending through said operating casing passageway, said fastener fixedly connecting said shaft to said valve stem.
- 30. The in-line valve of claim 29, wherein said operating handle further includes a bleeder cap assembly mounted to said shaft for bleeding off excessive fluid in the supply line, said assembly including a bleeder cap mounted on said shaft for axial movement to open and close a bleeder vent opening formed in a sidewall of said bleeder cap and a bleeder cap seal positioned between said shaft and a top surface of said bleeder cap, wherein said fastener further has an internal passageway formed therein extending through said bleeder seal, said bleeder vent being closed when said bleeder cap is moved axially into abutment with said fastener, thereby compressing said bleeder seal and sealing said internal passageway.
- 31. A hydrant for controlling fluid flow from a supply line, the hydrant comprising:an outer casing having a cylindrical wall with open ends defining a casing passageway with a longitudinal axis and an outlet formed in a portion of the cylindrical wall between the open ends; a spout defining a spout passageway having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being fluidly connected to the casing outlet, and the spout passageway defines an outlet oriented at an angle relative to the casing longitudinal axis; an attachment device mounted to the outer casing for connecting the outer casing to a supply line, the attachment device defining an attachment passageway in fluid communication with the casing passageway, and comprising a dividing wall spanning the attachment passageway and having a fluid port extending therethrough; a valve stem defining a valve stem passageway in fluid communication with the casing passageway, and comprising a wall spanning the valve stem passageway and having a fluid port extending therethrough, the valve stem passageway being in fluid communication with the casing passageway, and the valve stem being rotatable relative to the attachment device; a handle connected to the valve stem and having a portion that extends externally of the casing for rotating the valve stem relative to the attachment device; wherein the attachment device dividing wall cooperates with the valve stem wall to control fluid flow from the supply line through the casing passageway by rotating the handle to rotate the valve stem between open and closed positions corresponding to the axial alignment and mis-alignment of valve stem fluid port and the dividing wall fluid port, respectively.
- 32. The hydrant according to claim 31, wherein the valve stem wall comprises a plate mounted to the valve stem, with the valve stem fluid port extending through the plate.
- 33. The hydrant according to claim 32, and further comprising a cup seal positioned within the dividing wall fluid port to seal the dividing wall relative to the plate.
- 34. The hydrant according to claim 33, and further comprising a spring disposed within the dividing wall fluid port to bias the cup seal against the plate.
- 35. The hydrant according to claim 31, wherein the attachment device comprises an attachment portion and a removable casing portion, with the dividing wall spanning the removable casing portion.
- 36. The hydrant according to claim 31, wherein the valve stem comprises a body that is received within the removable casing portion, the plate is mounted to the body and the body includes a handle coupler, which connects to one end of the handle.
- 37. The hydrant according to claim 36, wherein the handle extends in a direction that is axial to the casing longitudinal axis.
- 38. The hydrant according to claim 37, wherein a portion of the handle extends through one of the casing open ends and is external to the casing.
- 39. The hydrant according to claim 38, and further comprising a control knob mounted to the external portion of the handle.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of International application PCT/US98/26196, filed Dec. 10, 1998, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/068,059, filed Dec. 18, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60/068059 |
Dec 1997 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/US98/26196 |
Dec 1998 |
US |
Child |
09/569192 |
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US |