Abstract: A gate valve gate is raised and lowered by a threaded stem. The stem threads into a separately formed nut that is secured to the gate.

Abstract: A nonfreezing, nonpolluting hydrant construction. The hydrant includes an above-ground discharge head, a main valve body disposed below frost line, and a stand pipe interconnecting the two. A flow tube is mounted inside the stand pipe. The upper end of the flow tube is connected to a hydrant opening and closing actuator which reciprocates the flow tube. The lower end of the flow tube carries an ejector assembly incorporating a venturi. In its lower position the ejector engages a seat to close off an inlet line. When the hydrant is shut off, water in the upper portion of the hydrant drains to the valve body and lower portion of the stand pipe below frost line. On subsequent opening of the hydrant, this water is ejected through the venturi. The hydrant also includes a float and check valve assembly to prevent filling of the stand pipe in the event the discharge line is blocked while the hydrant is open. A modified unit in which the hydrant mechanism is embodied in a drinking fountain is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel self-tightening seal arrangement for a gate valve, parallel valve or the like. A stuffing box chamber containing sealing material is located within the valve head, which takes advantage of the internal pressure of the valve for improved sealing. A sleeve is provided upon the valve spindle and moves upwardly with the valve blocking element as the latter is raised to open the valve, continued raising of the blocking element forcing the sleeve to engage and compress the sealing material in the stuffing box chamber. Locking means are provided to prevent the sleeve from withdrawing as the valve is closed by lowering the blocking element, and the compression upon the sealing material is thus maintained. By fully raising the blocking element after the normal opening function of the valve and thus periodically increasing the compression upon the sealing material, the normal tendency of the material to lose its normal resiliency and sealing effect can be compensated for in a simple and effective manner.

Abstract: A guillotine-type valve in which the plate thereof is sealed around all edges relative to the housing in which it operates, said seals being pressure assisted. Adjacent the periphery of the plate, including its upper and lower edges, are curved, flexible strips of sealing material which contact the opposite face surfaces of the plate near the edges to form the seal. Surrounding such seals is a chamber and means is provided to maintain such chamber under pressure greater than the pressure of the fluid being controlled by the valve.

Abstract: A gate valve includes a pair of identically shaped tapered discs defining a tapered self-locking axially translatable gate wherein each disc has an annular hardened seating surface which engages the mating surfaces on the valve body adjacent the flow ports. Tongues on the sides of the discs ride in vertical grooves on the valve body as the gate travels between a raised open and a lowered closed position. The discs of the gate are provided with a slot transverse to the flow ports which captures a T-head on the stem assembly, the slot being positioned in the gate interior radially within the seating contact area to thereby reduce the overall height of the valve.

Abstract: A valve is disclosed that has an upper stem and a lower stem that are received in a gland and connected together by a threaded connection. The gland has an axial slot and the lower valve stem has a diametrically extending pin that extends into the slot so that when the upper stem is rotated, the lower stem moves axially into engagement with a valve seat thereby eliminating a rotation of the lower stem which insures against the stem rotating on the valve seat and prevents galling and reduces backlash between the upper stem and the lower stem to being almost non-existent without requiring periodic adjustment to compensate for wear.

Abstract: A gate valve structure for use in mains carrying fluid, such as water mains or the like, the gate valve structure having a non-rising stem-type actuating mechanism. The gate valve structure includes a hollow gate member having a chamber therein open to the exterior and a valve stem which extends through the valve casing to the exterior thereof, the valve stem having exterior threads cooperating with interior threads carried by the gate member and the arrangement being such that the threads of the valve stem are completely protected from water and foreign material, such as dirt and abrasives and the like, when the gate member is in its completely opened position. This arrangement reduces torque necessary to operate the valve to the closed position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a water tap in which a screw threaded valve member is operated by a handle. Between the handle and valve member there is an intermediate member which is snapped into the valve housing and transmits rotary motion from the handle to the valve member. The handle is removably connected to the intermediate member and is arranged to overlie the intermediate member so as to conceal it and retain it in snap fit engagement with the valve body.