Butterfly Valve Comprising Removable Coupling Part

Abstract

A soft-sealing, concentric butterfly valve for mounting with grooved couplings or flanges in a pipe system. The butterfly valve comprising a valve housing with a through running boring with a rotary damper, mounted to a spindle placed upright in a circular-cylindrical valve seat, said valve seat being equipped internally with conical contact surfaces for the damper, and the valve housing comprises on a first side a coupling end piece cast in one piece with the valve housing and equipped with an external circular groove. The valve has a removable coupling part, comprising a second coupling end piece equipped with an external circular groove, mounted to said second side of the valve housing, and said valve seat is compressed between the valve housing and the removable coupling part and surrounds the damper to provide a leak proof connection.

Claims

1. A butterfly valve for grooved couplings in a pipe system, the butterfly valve comprising: a valve housing with a through running boring, a rotary damper, mounted to a spindle, placed upright in a circular-cylindrical valve seat in the valve housing, the valve housing comprises on a first side of the through running boring a first coupling end piece cast in one piece together with the valve housing and which is equipped with an external circular groove for connection with a first grooved coupling in the pipe system, the valve housing comprises on a second side of the through running boring a removable coupling part with a second coupling end piece which is equipped with an external circular groove for connection with a second grooved coupling in the pipe system, said removable coupling part has a through running boring aligned with the through running boring of the valve housing, and said valve seat is equipped internally with respective conical contact surfaces for sealing receipt of the rotary damper, wherein said valve seat is compressed between the valve housing and the removable coupling part and surrounds the damper to provide a soft-sealing and concentric butterfly valve with a leak proof connection.

2. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the spindle runs through the valve seat, and the valve seat comprises integrated sealing rings for the spindle.

3. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the removable coupling part mounted on the second side of the valve housing comprises a boring with the same diameter as the boring in the valve housing.

4. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing is equipped with a neck comprising a collar, wherein an upper part of the spindle extends up above the collar to provide a rotating pivot point for an activator.

5. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing comprises, on one or both sides of the damper, bushes or bearings for mounting of the spindle.

6. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat is compressed between an internal surface of the valve housing and an external surface of the removable coupling part to provide said leak proof connection.

7. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the butterfly valve is surface treated with hot-dip galvanising.

8. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the valve housing comprises on the second side several threaded bolt holes radially around the through running boring, and the removable coupling part is connected to the valve housing by bolts inserted in the threaded bolt holes.

9. The butterfly valve according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable damper is made of metal without any covering and the valve seat is made of rubber.

10. A pipe alignment system, comprising: a first pipe, a second pipe, a butterfly valve, said butterfly valve comprises: a valve housing with a through running boring, a rotary damper, mounted to a spindle, placed upright in a circular-cylindrical valve seat in the valve housing, the valve housing comprises on a first side of the through running boring a first coupling end piece cast in one piece together with the valve housing and which is equipped with an external circular groove for connection with a first coupling groove of the first pipe, the valve housing comprises on a second side of the through running boring a removable coupling part with a second coupling end piece which is equipped with an external circular groove for connection with a second coupling groove of the second pipe, said removable coupling part has a through running boring aligned with the through running boring of the valve housing, and said valve seat is equipped internally with respective conical contact surfaces for sealing receipt of the rotary damper, wherein said valve seat is compressed between the valve housing and the removable coupling part and surrounds the damper to provide a soft-sealing and concentric butterfly valve with a leak proof connection, wherein the external circular groove of the first coupling end piece is connected with the first coupling groove of the first pipe by a first clamp, and the external circular groove of the second coupling end piece is connected with the second coupling groove of the second pipe by a second clamp.

11. The pipe alignment system of claim 10, wherein a first gasket covers the external grooved couplings of the first coupling end piece and the first pipe, and a second gasket covers the external grooved couplings of the second coupling end piece and the second pipe.

12. The pipe alignment system of claim 10, wherein said first and second clamps each comprises two half circular and connectable clamp parts.

13. A method for alignment of a first pipe and a second pipe in a pipe system, comprising: placing a butterfly valve between said first pipe and said second pipe, wherein the butterfly valve comprises: a valve housing with a through running boring, a rotary damper, mounted to a spindle, placed upright in a circular-cylindrical valve seat in the valve housing, the valve housing comprises on a first side of the through running boring a first coupling end piece cast in one piece together with the valve housing and which is equipped with an external circular groove, the valve housing comprises on a second side of the through running boring a removable coupling part with a second coupling end piece which is equipped with an external circular groove, said removable coupling part has a through running boring aligned with the through running boring of the valve housing, and said valve seat is equipped internally with respective conical contact surfaces for the rotary damper, wherein said seat is compressed between the valve housing and the removable coupling part and surrounds the damper to provide a soft-sealing concentric butterfly valve with a leak proof connection, wherein the method further comprises the steps: connecting the external circular groove of the first coupling end piece with a first coupling groove of the first pipe using a first clamp, and connecting the external circular groove of the second coupling end piece with a second coupling groove of the second pipe using a second clamp.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises placing a first gasket covering the external grooved couplings of the first coupling end piece and the first pipe, and placing a second gasket covering the external grooved couplings of the second coupling end piece and the second pipe.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises assembling said first and second clamps covering respective first and second gaskets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The invention shall now be described in more detail with help of the enclosed figures, in which

[0037] FIG. 1 shows an outline of a butterfly valve according to the invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a section of the butterfly valve according to the invention.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a top outline of the butterfly valve shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows an outline of a removable coupling part according to the invention.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a section of the removable coupling part according to the invention.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows an outline of the butterfly valve according to the invention.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows a section of the butterfly valve according to the invention.

[0044] FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of a pipe alignment system according to the invention, and with a butterfly valve.

[0045] FIG. 9 shows the pipe alignment system of FIG. 8 assembled.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] FIGS. 1-3 show a valve housing 12 of a butterfly valve 10 according to the invention. The valve housing 12 comprises a spindle 18 that extends vertically through most of the valve housing 12. A damper 16 is arranged upright or standing in a through running boring 14, in where the damper 16 is mounted to the spindle 18. The spindle 18, and thus the damper 16, can be rotated either manually or automatically with the help of an activator 70, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The activator 70 can be a handle or any electro-mechanical unit capable of rotating the spindle 18. For example, an upper end 32 of the spindle 18 that extends out of or extends above the valve housing 12 can function as a rotation pivot and is activated for rotation of the damper 16 so that flow through the valve housing is permitted and regulated. The valve housing 12 can comprise, on one or both sides of the damper 16, bushes or bearings 34 for the mounting of the spindle 18.

[0047] Furthermore, a valve seat 20 is arranged in the boring 14 and surrounds the damper 16, where the valve seat can be formed with a basically circular-cylindrical form and in various materials and which can be cast in a sealing material and/or which can be fitted with or vulcanised on a hard insert ring or support ring (for example, as illustrated in FIG. 2). The valve seat 20 can have conical contact surfaces 20a for the damper 16 at the through running of the spindle and also integrated sealing rings 26. The valve seat 20 can also be cast, for example, in one piece of plastic or rubber. Furthermore, the valve seat 20 lies against an inner edge 36 in the valve housing 12 and a second removable coupling part 40 can provide a corresponding surface 38 which the valve seat 20 can lie against.

[0048] In one embodiment the damper 16 is made of metal and the valve seat 20 is made of rubber. The damper 16 is not provided with any covering, such as for instance vulcanised rubber, for sealing between the damper and the valve seat.

[0049] As seen in particularly FIGS. 2 and 7 the conical contact surfaces 20a of the valve seat 20 are bevelled or chamfered with an increasing diameter towards each side of the opening in the valve seat 20.

[0050] The damper 16 is formed, basically with a circular shape with an external diameter that corresponds with the inner diameter of the valve seat 20, but where the damper 16 at the through running of the spindle 18 is formed with respective bevelled and flat top and bottom sections 16a.

[0051] The upper part of the valve housing 12 can comprise, in a known way, a neck 28 and a top flange 30.

[0052] A first side 12a of the valve housing 12 comprises a coupling end piece 22 for connection in a pipe system and comprises an external circular coupling groove 22a. A second side 12b of the valve housing 12 comprises a coupling surface with for instance several threaded bolt holes 24 arranged radially about the boring 14. Thereby, the butterfly valve 10 as shown in FIGS. 1-3, can be connected to a coupling on one side and to a standard flange connection (not shown), or the like, of a pipe on the other side.

[0053] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a second removable coupling part 40 for use together with the valve housing 12. The removable coupling part 40 comprises a pipe piece in the form of a coupling end piece 42 for connecting in a pipe system. In a corresponding way, the coupling end piece 42 can be equipped with an external circular coupling groove 42a. The coupling part 42 further comprises a flange-like connection 48 equipped with several bolt holes 46, where the placing of the bolt holes 46 corresponds to the bolt holes 24 in the valve housing 12, i.e. with the same radial centreline. The removable coupling part 40 comprises a through running boring 44 with the same diameter as the through running boring 14 in the valve housing 12.

[0054] FIGS. 6 and 7 show the removable coupling part 40 mounted to the valve housing 12. In this preferred embodiment the butterfly valve according to the invention can be used between two couplings in a pipe system. As shown in the figures, the removable coupling part 40 is securely bolted with the help of the bolts 50 that run through the bolt holes 24 in the flange part 48 of the removable coupling part 40 and which are screwed into the threaded bolt holes 24 of the valve housing 12. Thus, this provides a butterfly valve with two opposite coupling ends 22,42. Alternatively, the coupling part 40 can be fastened in other ways or with other means to the valve housing 12 than those shown in the figures. It can also be imagined that the coupling part can be cast integrated with the valve housing in one piece.

[0055] The valve seat 20 lies, as shown, against an inner edge or surface 36 in the valve housing 12 and the second removable coupling part 40 provides a corresponding edge or surface 38 against which the valve seat 20 lies. Thus, the valve seat 20 is inserted between the valve housing 12 and the removable coupling part 40 and surrounds the damper 16. Thereby, the valve seat 20 seals without the use of an additional gasket as the surface 36 in the valve housing 12 and the contact surface 38 of the removable coupling part 40 can function as sealing surfaces so that the valve seat 20 is compressed between these two parts and a watertight connection in all joints is achieved. The corresponding will be relevant at the use of a standard flange connection instead of the second coupling part, as described above.

[0056] Furthermore, the valve seat will be able to isolate the valve housing, which may contribute to reduce internal wear in the valve housing.

[0057] The butterfly valve 10 can be supplied in a hot-dip galvanized embodiment. In, for example, a ballast system, hot-dip galvanisation is a common surface treatment of components. The valve 10 with the coupling ends 22,42 is both a valve and a piece of the pipe system and a corresponding surface treatment of the valve could therefore be an important feature. Previously, it has not been common that valves for use in such pipe systems have been supplied in hot-dip galvanised embodiments.

[0058] It shall also be mentioned that the coupling parts 22,42 can alternatively be connected to the pipes in the pipe system with the help of a loop coupling, i.e. a loop that can be tightened with the help of a rotary lifting arm and is securely locked in a tightened position. The intended loop coupling is not a real quick coupling, but a coupling intended for use in installation areas where pipe routes are often re-laid.

[0059] FIG. 8 shows a pipe alignment system comprising a first pipe 60, a second pipe 62, and the butterfly valve 10 as disclosed previously.

[0060] Said butterfly valve 10 comprises the valve housing 12 with the through running boring 14, the rotary damper 16 mounted to the spindle 16 placed upright or standing in the circular-cylindrical valve seat 20 in the valve housing 12. The valve housing 12 comprises on a first side of the through running boring 14 the first coupling end piece 22 cast in one piece together with the valve housing 12 and is equipped with the external circular groove 22a for connection with a first coupling groove 60a of the first pipe 60. The valve housing 12 comprises on a second side of the through running boring 14 the removable coupling part 40 with the second coupling end piece 42 equipped with the external circular groove 42a for connection with a second coupling groove 62a of the second pipe 62. The valve seat 20 is as mentioned equipped internally with respective conical contact surfaces 20a for the rotary damper, wherein said valve seat 20 is compressed between the valve housing 12 and the removable coupling part 40 and surrounds the damper 16 to provide a soft-sealing and concentric butterfly valve with a leak proof connection.

[0061] The external circular groove 22a of the first coupling end piece 22 is connected with the first coupling groove 60a of the first pipe 60 by a first clamp 64, and the external circular groove 42a of the second coupling end piece 42 is connected with the second coupling groove 62a of the second pipe 62 by a second clamp 64.

[0062] Preferably is a first gasket 66 covering the external grooved couplings 22a,60a of the first coupling end piece 22 and the first pipe 60, and a second gasket 66 covers the external grooved couplings 42a,62a of the second coupling end piece 42 and the second pipe 62. To provide easier assembling of the clamps 64, the first and second clamps 64 comprise each two half circular and connectable clamp parts 64a,64b.

[0063] According to the invention the butterfly valve 10 is thus placed between said first pipe 60 and said second pipe 60, and the external circular groove 22a of the first coupling end piece 22 is connected to the first coupling groove 60a of the first pipe 60 using a first clamp 64, and the external circular groove 42a of the second coupling end piece 42 is connected to the second coupling groove 62a of the second pipe 62 using a second clamp 64.