Abstract: A drain-back valve is provided for draining a submersible pump system in a water well. The drain-back valve includes, for example, a body, an end cap and a plunger assembly. The end cap is inserted into one end of the body includes at least one port that is in fluid communication with an interior passageway of the body. The plunger assembly engages the opposing end of the body. When closed, the plunger assembly prevents water from flowing into the interior passageway of the body. The drain-back valve is activated or opened by dropping a weight into a riser or drop pipe. The weight strikes the plunger assembly and opens the drain-back valve to allow water to flow through the body and out the end cap. This allows well water in the drop or riser pipe to drain back into the water well. With this water drained from the drop or riser pipe, a pump service personnel on the ground surface is able to pull up the pump without the water weight that was in the drop or riser pipe.

Abstract: A drain-back check valve assembly includes a body having a passageway with an inlet and an outlet. A bypass port extends from the passageway to an outer surface of the valve body. A main poppet valve assembly is disposed in the passageway and moveable between a closed position which prevents fluid flow from the outlet to the inlet and an open position which allows fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet. The main poppet valve assembly includes a poppet and a spool guide fixed to the poppet. The guide has a sidewall which includes a drain-back port. When the main poppet valve assembly is in the closed position, the drain-back port is aligned with the bypass port. When the main poppet valve assembly is in the opened position, the drain-back port is not aligned with the bypass port.

Abstract: A tank tee assembly includes a tank tee body including a tank tee inlet, a tank tee outlet and a tank tee passageway therebetween. An annular flange is disposed on a peripheral surface of the tank tee passageway. At least one through-hole structure is disposed in the tank tee body downstream of the annular flange. A poppet valve assembly is disposed in the tank tee passageway between the annular flange and the at least one through-hole structure. The poppet valve assembly includes a poppet and a guide. The guide is rigidly secured within the tank tee passageway. The guide includes a guide base. The guide base has an outside diameter that is larger than an inside diameter of the annular flange. The tank tee passageway is free of any threaded connections between the annular groove and the at least one through-hole structure.

Abstract: A check valve is provided for use with, for example, variable frequency drives and other applications without the valve becoming misaligned. In one aspect, the valve includes a housing with an inner surface and a passage. A flange within the housing divides the housing into upstream and downstream portions, and extends around the inner surface, defining a valve seat and a valve aperture. A poppet is positioned in the downstream portion. The poppet includes a valve head and a stem extending from the valve head and into the downstream portion, and not through the valve aperture. The valve head is resiliently biased in the closed position against the valve seat to inhibit fluid flow in a first direction. A guide disposed within the housing receives the stem of the poppet valve as the poppet valve moves between an open position and a closed position. The guide is secured into place by a spring clip.

Abstract: A drain-back valve is provided for draining a submersible pump system in a water well. The drain-back valve includes, for example, a body, an end cap and a plunger assembly. The end cap is inserted into one end of the body includes at least one port that is in fluid communication with an interior passageway of the body. The plunger assembly engages the opposing end of the body. When closed, the plunger assembly prevents water from flowing into the interior passageway of the body. The drain-back valve is activated or opened by dropping a weight into a riser or drop pipe. The weight strikes the plunger assembly and opens the drain-back valve to allow water to flow through the body and out the end cap. This allows well water in the drop or riser pipe to drain back into the water well. With this water drained from the drop or riser pipe, a pump service personnel on the ground surface is able to pull up the pump without the water weight that was in the drop or riser pipe.

Abstract: A tank tee assembly includes a tank tee body including a tank tee inlet, a tank tee outlet and a tank tee passageway therebetween. The tank tee body also includes a first tank leg having a first tank leg passageway disposed in fluid communication with the tank tee passageway intermediate the tank tee inlet and tank tee outlet. The tank tee assembly also includes a ball valve assembly including a valve body including a valve inlet, a valve outlet and a valve passageway therebetween. A ball element is disposed within the valve passageway. A ball valve seat is disposed within the valve passageway between the tank tee outlet and the ball element. The valve inlet is in threaded engagement with the tank tee outlet such that the tank tee body urges the ball valve seat into sealing engagement against the ball element.

Abstract: A check valve is provided which may be installed horizontally or in other non-vertical orientations, and used with variable frequency drives and other applications without the valve becoming misaligned. In one aspect, the valve includes a housing with an inner surface and a passage. A flange within the housing divides the housing into upstream and downstream portions, and extends around the inner surface, defining a valve seat and a valve aperture. A poppet is positioned in the downstream portion. The poppet includes a valve head and a plurality of guide legs extending from the valve head and into the downstream portion, and not through the valve aperture. The valve head is resiliently biased in the closed position against the valve seat to inhibit fluid flow in a first direction. A guide disposed within the housing receives the plurality of guide legs of the poppet valve as the poppet valve moves between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: A swing check valve with a combination of a flapper and a spring return mechanism is provided. The spring return mechanism includes a spring housing removeably coupled to a valve cover affixed to a valve body. The spring return mechanism also include at least two springs separated by a spring pivot guide for engaging the flapper to bias the flapper in the closed position against a valve seat.

Abstract: A check valve is provided for use with variable frequency drives and other applications. In one aspect, the check valve provides a poppet guided by a poppet guide in at least two locations to ensure stability between fully open and fully closed positions. In another aspect, the check valve includes a poppet guide adapted to receive a poppet in a stem receiving channel, the stem receiving channel including guide vanes engaging the poppet and auxiliary channels for self cleaning. The check valve may also include a valve seal. In one embodiment, the valve seal is an o-ring received by a poppet head, based of the poppet guide and valve seat. The valve seat and/or the base may include expansion channels to receive a portion of the valve seat during compression when the check valve is in a closed position.

Abstract: A check valve is provided for use with variable frequency drives and other applications. In one aspect, the check valve provides a poppet guided by a poppet guide in at least two locations to ensure stability between fully open and fully closed positions. In another aspect, the check valve includes a poppet guide adapted to receive a poppet in a stem receiving channel, the stem receiving channel including guide vanes engaging the poppet and auxilliary channels for self cleaning.

Abstract: A check valve is provided for use with variable frequency drives and other applications. In one aspect, the check valve provides a poppet guided by a poppet guide in at least two locations to ensure stability between fully open and fully closed positions. In another aspect, the check valve includes a poppet guide adapted to receive a poppet in a stem receiving channel, the stem receiving channel including guide vanes engaging the poppet and auxiliary channels for self cleaning. The check valve may also include a valve seal. In one embodiment, the valve seal is an o-ring received by a poppet head, based of the poppet guide and valve seat. The valve seat and/or the base may include expansion channels to receive a portion of the valve seat during compression when the check valve is in a closed position.

Abstract: A back pressure valve comprises a pressure regulator housing affixed to a pressure controller housing and a diaphragm disposed between the pressure regulator housing and the pressure controller housing. In one aspect, the back pressure valve includes a valve member moveable between a fully open position and a fully closed position. The pressure regulator housing includes an inlet chamber communicating with an outlet chamber through at least one fluid passage in a sleeve. The valve member includes a stem connected to a valve head. The valve head includes an outer surface that is received and guided during movement by an inner surface of the sleeve. The outer surface of the valve head includes an upper outer surface and a lower outer surface separated by a cavity adapted to receive a sealing element. Upper and lower outer surface of the valve head provide stability to the valve member during opening and closing of the back pressure valve.

Abstract: A backflow assembly including a housing with a passage having at least one check valve positioned therein to permit fluid flow in one direction while preventing fluid flow in the reverse direction. The check valve includes a valve head connected to a stem having an outer surface. A hump extends radially outward from the outer surface of the stem. The stem is guided by a bushing during opening and closing of the valve. The bushing includes at least one retention member that moves along the outer surface of the stem during opening and closing of the valve. The interaction between the retention member and the hump on the outer surface of the stem causes a higher friction loss during opening and closing of the valve than other portions of the outer surface.

Abstract: A backflow assembly including a housing with a passage having at least one check valve positioned therein to permit fluid flow in one direction while preventing fluid flow in the reverse direction. The check valve includes a valve head connected to a stem having an outer surface. A hump extends radially outward from the outer surface of the stem. The stem is guided by a bushing during opening and closing of the valve. The bushing includes at least one retention member that moves along the outer surface of the stem during opening and closing of the valve. The interaction between the retention member and the hump on the outer surface of the stem causes a higher friction loss during opening and closing of the valve than other portions of the outer surface.

Abstract: A ball check valve comprises a housing having walls defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a chamber communicating with the inlet and with the outlet. The ball check valve includes a spherical hollow ball housing a plurality of spherical shock absorbing members that stabilize the spherical hollow ball during operation of the valve. The spherical hollow ball moves between a first, flow impeding position adjacent the inlet and a second position spaced from the inlet laterally of a fluid passageway in the chamber.

Abstract: A check valve comprises a casing having a flange extending circumferentially around the inner periphery of the body. The flange defines a valve aperture for receiving a poppet valve. The poppet valve includes a stem including a plurality of legs each having an outer peripheral surface facing the inner surface of the flange. The outer peripheral surface of the legs having a first section in close proximity to the inner surface of the flange and a second section recessed or cut back from the first section. The second section defines a flow path to allow debris to pass through the valve between the outer peripheral surface and the inner surface of the flange during operation.

Abstract: A check valve comprising a casing having a flange extending circumferentially around the inner periphery of the body. The flange is constructed by first drilling from a first direction at a diameter less than the predetermined diameter and then drilling from an opposite direction at the predetermined diameter. The flange defines a valve aperture for receiving a poppet valve. The poppet valve includes a stem including a plurality of legs each having an outer peripheral surface facing the valve aperture. The outer peripheral surface of the valve legs have rounded or recessed edges such that only a center portion of the outer peripheral surface of the legs can come into contact with the inner surface defining the valve aperture.

Abstract: A check valve having a valve housing with a pair of opposite end faces including an upstream end face and a downstream end face. The valve housing has a fluid passage extending axially therethrough between the upstream end face and the downstream end face. A first seating surface is formed within the valve housing around the fluid passageway and adjacent to the upstream end face. A seating ring is provided having a second seating surface adapted to engage the first seating surface when the seating ring is disposed in engagement with the valve housing. An o-ring is sized to reside between the first seating surface and the second seating surface when the seating ring and valve housing are placed in engagement to maintain the seating ring and valve housing in fixed relation to each other notwithstanding an outward axial biasing force thereon.

Abstract: A check valve includes an outer poppet therein having a central opening therein where the outer poppet is mounted on the internal lip within the body of a valve. The outer poppet is translatable relative to the inner lip and body and an inner poppet is mounted within the central opening of the outer poppet where the inner poppet is also translatable relative to the outer poppet and inner lip. A means for limiting the translation of the outer poppet relative to the internal lip and a means for limiting translation of the inner poppet relative to the internal lip allow the outer and inner poppet to extend between an open position and retracted position to allow improved flow area through the valve.