A top entry ball valve including a valve body, a valve cover, a valve stem, an assembly screw, a spring, a support sleeve, a support valve seat, a sphere, and a sealing valve seat. The valve stem passes through the valve cover and the valve body and is fixedly connected to the sphere disposed within the valve body; the valve cover is fixed to the opening of the cavity of the valve body by screws, to seal the cavity of the valve body; the sphere spherically fits with the support valve seat and the sealing valve seat; the support sleeve and the spring are provided between the support valve seat and the valve body; the spring presses the support sleeve and the support valve seat such that the support valve seat clings to the sphere; the support sleeve is fixedly connected to the valve body by the assembly screw.

A method for isolating a water valve for repair or replacement includes closing the valve and thereafter replacing an outlet pipe with an adapter pipe. An expandable plug is used to seal the adapter pipe, after which the valve is opened and an air tube having a bladder on an end thereof is inserted through the valve and expanded to seal the inlet pipe. Thereafter, the stem assembly of the valve or the entire valve itself may be removed for simple replacement of the sealing washer or total replacement of the valve. The apparatus for practicing the method, and including the expandable plug, inflatable bladder, and necessary tubing, plug actuator, and air valve are presented.

A method for isolating a water valve for repair or replacement includes closing the valve and thereafter replacing an outlet pipe with an adapter pipe. An expandable plug is used to seal the adapter pipe, after which the valve is opened and an air tube having a bladder on an end thereof is inserted through the valve and expanded to seal the inlet pipe. Thereafter, the stem assembly of the valve or the entire valve itself may be removed for simple replacement of the sealing washer or total replacement of the valve. The apparatus for practicing the method, and including the expandable plug, inflatable bladder, and necessary tubing, plug actuator, and air valve are presented.

An air chuck includes a body and a valve core interface. The body includes output, interface, and input ports. The body defines a first passageway that extends between the output and interface ports. The input port defines a second passageway that is in fluid communication with the first passageway. The valve core interface is slidably coupled with the body and is slidable between extended and retracted positions. The valve core interface includes a shaft and a knob. The shaft includes proximal and distal ends. The distal end is at least partially disposed in the first passageway. The knob is coupled with the proximal end of the shaft. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the body and is selectively rotatable in either tightening or loosening directions via the knob. The distal end of the shaft comprises a grasping feature that is configured to grasp a valve core of a valve stem.

A multipurpose valve tool is provided. The multipurpose valve tool includes multiple flow control discs, a retention ring, and a valve key. The flow control discs are configured to be installed within a valve body of a valve assembly to modulate a flow of fluid through an outlet port of the valve body. The retention ring is configured to retain the flow control discs on a component of the valve assembly when the flow control discs are not installed within the valve body. The valve key includes a first end configured to engage an installation feature in a retention fastener for one of the flow control discs. The flow control discs, the retention ring, and the valve key are detachably coupled to each other.

A valve device includes a valve housing, a valve member, a limiter portion and a contact portion. The valve housing includes an upstream-side flow passage, which is communicated with an intake passage, a receiving space, which is communicated with an EGR passage, a valve chamber, which communicates between the upstream-side flow passage and the receiving space, and a valve-housing-side seal portion, which is placed around an opening that communicates between the upstream-side flow passage and the receiving space. The valve member includes a valve-member-side seal portion, which blocks communication between the intake passage and the EGR passage when the valve-member-side seal portion contacts the valve-housing-side seal portion. The rotation of the valve member is limited when the contact portion contacts the limiter portion.

A valve and tool assembly includes a valve seat, a valve seat recess, a seat carrier and a valve seat displacement tool. A valve seat installation tool is also described, as well as a valve seat replacement kit and a method for replacing a valve seat. The valve may be a diaphragm valve, for example.

An air chuck includes a body and a valve core interface. The body includes output, interface, and input ports. The body defines a first passageway that extends between the output and interface ports. The input port defines a second passageway that is in fluid communication with the first passageway. The valve core interface is slidably coupled with the body and is slidable between extended and retracted positions. The valve core interface includes a shaft and a knob. The shaft includes proximal and distal ends. The distal end is at least partially disposed in the first passageway. The knob is coupled with the proximal end of the shaft. The shaft is rotatably coupled with the body and is selectively rotatable in either tightening or loosening directions via the knob. The distal end of the shaft comprises a grasping feature that is configured to grasp a valve core of a valve stem.

A system for performing rapid charging and evacuation of systems that contain a fluid, such as cooling systems on refrigeration products. In addition, the invention relates to methods of accomplishing rapid charging and evacuation, as well as to tools that form part of the system and that are used to accomplish the methods.

A top entry ball valve including a valve body, a valve cover, a valve stem, an assembly screw, a spring, a support sleeve, a support valve seat, a sphere, and a sealing valve seat. The valve stem passes through the valve cover and the valve body and is fixedly connected to the sphere disposed within the valve body; the valve cover is fixed to the opening of the cavity of the valve body by screws, to seal the cavity of the valve body; the sphere spherically fits with the support valve seat and the sealing valve seat; the support sleeve and the spring are provided between the support valve seat and the valve body; the spring presses the support sleeve and the support valve seat such that the support valve seat clings to the sphere; the support sleeve is fixedly connected to the valve body by the assembly screw.