Abstract: A valve assembly for insertion in a pipe containing fluid under pressure includes a valve body adapted to be assembled over the pipe and a valve-stopping mechanism that mounts on the valve body. The hollow valve body interior and an access opening in the valve body are sufficiently large to receive a hole saw element no smaller than the outside diameter of the pipe as installers advance the hole saw element radially through the access opening to form a gap in the pipe. The valve-stopping mechanism includes a gate with a cross sectional area greater than the pipe that mates with the valve body interior so that the gate can be advanced radially through the gap in the pipe into direct fluid-tight contact of the valve body in order to thereby stop the flow of fluid through the pipe.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body with an access opening in which a linearly installed but pivotally operated gate-like valve-stopping mechanism is disposed, said mechanism including a support structure or cartridge with a pivotally moveable valve-stopping element or isolator (e.g., a butterfly element). A method for hot tapping a pipeline with a valve assembly as described above proceeds by (i) connecting the valve body to a line to be tapped, (iii) connecting a hot-tapping machine to the valve body, (iv) connecting a bonnet holding the valve-stopping mechanism to the valve body over the access opening, (v) hot tapping the line, (vi) advancing the valve-stopping mechanism into the valve body interior, and (vii) disconnecting the hot-tapping machine from the valve body with the valve-stopping element pivoted to the first position where it stops fluid communications. The gate-like valve-stopping mechanism can replace a gate in an insert valve (IV) or a repair-under-pressure (RUP) valve.

Abstract: A valve includes a valve body with a hollow valve body interior and an opening-defining portion that defines an access opening. The opening-defining portion is arranged as a connection-facilitating structure for facilitating the fluid-tight connection of a separate isolation valve assembly to the opening-defining portion in a position over the access opening that enables removal and replacement of a valve-stopping mechanism from the valve through the isolation valve assembly. It may include a flange, exterior thread, one or more annular grooves or rings, and/or a segmented cam lock arrangement.

Abstract: A valve assembly includes a valve body with an access opening in which a linearly installed but pivotally operated gate-like valve-stopping mechanism is disposed, said mechanism including a support structure or cartridge with a pivotally moveable valve-stopping element or isolator (e.g., a butterfly element). A method for hot tapping a pipeline with a valve assembly as described above proceeds by (i) connecting the valve body to a line to be tapped, (iii) connecting a hot-tapping machine to the valve body, (iv) connecting a bonnet holding the valve-stopping mechanism to the valve body over the access opening, (v) hot tapping the line, (vi) advancing the valve-stopping mechanism into the valve body interior, and (vii) disconnecting the hot-tapping machine from the valve body with the valve-stopping element pivoted to the first position where it stops fluid communications. The gate-like valve-stopping mechanism can replace a gate in an insert valve (IV) or a repair-under-pressure (RUP) valve.

Abstract: A valve includes a valve body with a hollow valve body interior and an opening-defining portion that defines an access opening. The opening-defining portion is arranged as a connection-facilitating structure for facilitating the fluid-tight connection of a separate isolation valve assembly to the opening-defining portion in a position over the access opening that enables removal and replacement of a valve-stopping mechanism from the valve through the isolation valve assembly. It may include a flange, exterior thread, one or more annular grooves or rings, and/or a segmented cam lock arrangement.

Abstract: A valve assembly for insertion in a pipe containing fluid under pressure includes a valve body adapted to be assembled over the pipe and a valve-stopping mechanism that mounts on the valve body. The hollow valve body interior and an access opening in the valve body are sufficiently large to receive a hole saw element no smaller than the outside diameter of the pipe as installers advance the hole saw element radially through the access opening to form a gap in the pipe. The valve-stopping mechanism includes a gate with a cross sectional area greater than the pipe that mates with the valve body interior so that the gate can be advanced radially through the gap in the pipe into direct fluid-tight contact of the valve body in order to thereby stop the flow of fluid through the pipe.

Abstract: A valve assembly for insertion in a line formed by an existing pipe of predetermined outside diameter containing fluid under pressure includes a valve body with a bonnet-supporting flange that defines an access way into the valve body through which an installer can cut and remove a section of the existing pipe. A bonnet with a moveable gate having a width no less than the predetermined outside diameter of the pipe, includes a flange-mating portion that fits into the access way in a fluid-tight fit while defining a gate opening through which the gate moves into the valve body to a closed position in which the gate extends through the gate-receiving gap in the pipe and into fluid-tight engagement of the valve body.