AU2016102375A4 - A torque transfer bracket for a large ball valve - Google Patents

Abstract

A torque transfer bracket mounting assembly for a gearbox and motor actuator to a large ball valve. The mounting assembly may have two opposed bracketing members that are applied to two opposed end faces of a ball housing of the ball valve. The actuator maybe coupled to the mounting assembly by a top plate. In use of the mounting assembly, a resultant torque from the actuator acting on a stem of the ball valve is transferred or transmitted to the end faces of the ball housing, well away from the stem bearing housing.

Description

A Torque Transfer Bracket for a Large Ball Valve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to ball valves which may be used for flow control of gas, liquid and mixtures of gas and liquid that includes abrasive material such as slurries.

[0002] In particular the invention relates to actuating the opening and closing of large ball valves with a bore in the order of 500 mm or in the range of 400 mm to 700 mm or more. Furthermore the ball valve body and / or housing may be made of a plastic.

2. Description of the Art [0003] There are various known arrangements and constructions for large ball valves. Large ball valves with a bore in the approximate range of 300 mm to 700 mm or more are typically actuated or controlled by the use of motors with a suitable gearbox or other such mechanism. The large opening or breakaway torques for such large ball valves are dependent on the construction of the ball valve as well as the application area. For example opening and closing torques are dependent on line pressure to and about the ball valve, type of liquid and / or gas. In addition the presence of abrasives such as fine particulates from gas and liquids extracted from wells or bores may also significantly increase operational torques. For example gas and liquid slurries from gas and liquid wells may be particularly demanding of large ball valves used in the harvesting network of a hydrocarbon gas field. Torques in the order of several thousand Newton metres or more may be necessary to operate a large ball valve.

[0004] None of these prior art methods, apparatus or devices provides an entirely satisfactory solution to the provision of actuation for a large ball valve with a

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 plastic body or housing, nor to the ease of construction and operation of such large ball valves.

[0005] Any reference herein to known prior art does not, unless the contrary indication appears, constitute an admission that such prior art is commonly known by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, at the priority date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] The present invention aims to provide an alternative mounting for actuators used to operate large ball valves which overcomes or ameliorates the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provides a useful choice.

[0007] In one form, the invention provides an actuator mounting assembly for a ball valve, the ball valve having a stem and ball valve body, the mounting assembly comprising: a bracket mounted across opposed portions of the ball valve body distal to the stem; and a coupling between the bracket and the actuator; wherein the mounting assembly transfers a resultant torque on the actuator, from acting on the stem, to the distal portions of the ball valve body.

[0008] The opposed portions of the ball valve body are two opposed end faces of a ball housing. The bracket includes a clamping means of two or more members adapted to clamp across an upper, respective portion of the two opposed faces of the ball housing.

[0009] In another form, the invention provides a mounting assembly for an actuator to a ball valve, comprising: a torque transfer means from the actuator to a portion of a body of the ball valve.

[0010] The torque transfer means transfers the torque from the actuator to a portion of the ball valve body distal from a stem bearing housing. The portion of the ball valve body is at least one end face of a ball housing of the ball valve. The torque transfer means includes a bracket applied to a portion at least of two opposed end faces of a ball valve housing. The actuator is coupled with the bracket. The bracket includes a clamping means of at least two members adapted to clamp across the portion of the two opposed faces of the ball valve housing.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0011] The clamping means includes a means for pulling together the two members of the clamping means, whereby the two members securely clamp to a portion of the two opposed faces of the ball valve faces. The two members are each a plate. The means for pulling together is at least one bolt and a corresponding nut located in or about the two opposed plates to pull them together.

[0012] The body of the ball valve is in part at least of a plastic material. The plastic material is a polyethylene.

[0013] In another form, the invention provides a mounting assembly for an actuator to a ball valve substantially as described herein.

[0014] In further form, the invention provides a method for transferring torque from an actuator to a ball valve housing substantially as described herein.

[0015] In yet another form, the invention provides a ball valve comprising: a stem, a ball and a ball valve body; and a mounting assembly including: a bracket mounted across opposed portions of the ball valve body distal to the stem and a coupling between the bracket and a ball valve actuator; wherein the mounting assembly transfers a resultant torque on the actuator, from acting on the stem, to the distal portions of the ball valve body.

[0016] In an alternate form, the invention provides a ball valve substantially as described herein.

[0017] The present invention also aims to provide an over rotation limiter for use in operating large ball valves which overcomes or ameliorates the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provides a useful choice.

[0018] In one form, the invention provides a rotation limiter for a ball valve comprising: means for stopping rotation of a ball of a ball valve beyond at least one of an open position and a closed position of a ball valve.

[0019] The means for stopping rotation limits the ball valve operation to between a range of the open position and the closed position. The open position corresponds to a longitudinal axis of a bore of the ball being in substantial alignment with another longitudinal axis of at least one of a port to the ball valve and a pipe to the ball valve. The closed position corresponds to when the bore of the ball of the ball

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 valve is not in substantial fluid or gas communication with at least one of a port to the ball valve and a pipe to the ball valve.

[0020] The means for stopping rotation includes: a closed position projection, an open position projection, a protrusion, and a stem connected to the ball of the ball valve; wherein a rotation of the stem is limited by the protrusion abutting the closed position projection or the open position projection. The closed position projection and the open position projection are located on or formed in a plate about the stem. The protrusion is fixed in position with reference to a ball valve body. The closed position projection and the open position projection are fixed in position with reference to a ball valve body. The protrusion is located with the stem or formed to the stem. The means for stopping rotation is located within a bonnet of the ball valve.

[0021] In another form, the invention provides a rotation limiter for a ball valve substantially as described herein.

[0022] In further form, the invention provides a method for limiting over rotation of a ball valve substantially as described herein.

[0023] Further forms of the invention/s are as set out in the appended claims and as apparent from the description.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0024] The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

[0025] FIGURE 1 is a schematic of a longitudinal, sectional view of a large, prior art ball valve.

[0026] FIGURE 2 is a schematic photograph / diagram of part of another large ball valve, showing the upper part of the ball housing with a stem and stem bearing housing visible.

[0027] FIGURE 3 is a schematic photograph / diagram of the ball valve of FIGURE 2 with a bonnet attached to the stem bearing housing.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0028] FIGURE 4 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a torque transfer bracket (TTB) mounting assembly viewed from the underside.

[0029] FIGURE 5 is a photograph / diagram schematic of the ball valve of FIGURE 3 with the TTB of FIGURE 4 installed.

[0030] FIGURES 6 to 8 are schematic photographs / diagrams providing other respective views of the installation of the TTB mounting assembly shown in FIGURE 5 as follows: a further perspective view to FIGURE 5, a front elevation view and an end elevation view.

[0031] FIGURE 9 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a stop plate of a rotation limiter to prevent over-rotation of a ball of the ball valve.

[0032] FIGURE 10 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a pin plate to correspond to the stop plate of FIGURE 9.

[0033] FIGURE 11 is a schematic photograph / diagram of an end perspective view of an alternate clamping side plate to FIGURE 8.

[0034] FIGURE 12 is a schematic photograph / diagram of an enlarged view of the torque transfer bracket mounting assembly of FIGURE 7.

[0035] FIGURE 13 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal, sectional view of a large ball valve with an alternate torque transfer bracket 1332 mounting assembly.

[0036] In the figures the reference numerals are prefixed by the figure number. For example FIGURE 1 is the “100” series, FIG 2 is the “200” series and so on. In addition like features across figures may be indicated by like reference numerals, for example the stem 112 of FIGURE 1 and the alternate stem 212 of FIGURE 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0037] FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a large, prior art ball valve 110. A stem 112 is shown connected to a ball 114 within a ball housing 116 of a ball valve body 110. Rotating or turning the stem 112 and the ball 114 operates the ball valve between open and closed positions: corresponding respectively to when a bore 118 of the ball 114 is in alignment or not with the inlet and outlet ports 120, 122 of the ball valve 110. That is the alignment of the respective longitudinal axes of the bore 118 and the inlet and outlet ports 120, 122. A typical two way ball valve may

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 require a 90° rotation of the stem and ball between the fully open and fully closed states or positions.

[0038] Large ball valves due to their high operating torques are typically actuated or operated by the use of a motor 124 coupled to an appropriate gearbox 126 which is coupled to the stem 112. Typically in the prior art the gearbox 126 at its base may be conveniently secured to a stem bearing housing 128 and / or bonnet 130 over the stem bearing 128 and thence to the ball housing 116. Ball valve housings of metal are typically well suited for such coupling between the gearbox 126 and the bonnet 130.

[0039] FIGURE 2 is a schematic photograph / diagram of part of a large ball valve 210, showing the upper part of the ball housing 216 with a stem 212 and stem bearing housing 228. The ball housing 216 of FIGURE 2 is predominantly made of a suitable plastic. Preferably the plastic is a polyethylene or another suitable plastic or composite as selected by a person skilled in the art. Typically when forming or fabricating the ball housing 216 of such large predominantly plastic ball valves suitable coupling points or fixtures for a gearbox may be more problematic to form than their equivalents for ball housings made of metal. The large ball valve 210 of FIGURE 2 has an outer surface of the ball housing 216 which is predominantly smooth and featureless. Providing suitable coupling points or fixtures to such plastic surfaces may be problematic for the high operational torques of up to and beyond 7000 Nm from the gearbox, as the resultant forces may be prone to shearing or distorting such coupling points or fixtures. Similarly, suitably securing a gearbox / actuator to the stem bearing housing 228 for high operational torques may be problematic as described further below.

[0040] The example, large ball valve 210 shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 has a plastic housing material of polyethylene, the inlet and exit port 120, 122 internal diameters to the bore 118 are approximately 515 mm. Alternatively the nominal dimension of large ball valves may also be defined by the outside diameter of the spigot or pup ends of the inlet and outlet ports 120, 122 which connect to the pipe. For the 515 mm bore example, a pipe outside diameter of approximately 630 mm may be connected where a polyethylene (PE) pipe of Standard Dimension Ratio (SDR) of 11 may be specified. Such a large ball valve may be subjected to line pressures of up to

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 bar (1 MPa) or more in service. Accordingly design breakaway torques in the order of 7000 Nm or more may be typical.

[0041] FIGURE 3 is a schematic photograph / diagram of the ball valve 210 of FIGURE 2 with a bonnet 330 attached to the stem bearing housing 228. A gearbox 326 for actuation is shown bolted to the bonnet 330. The gearbox’s 326 substantial torque may thus be applied to the plastic stem bearing housing 228 at only a comparatively small radial distance from the stem, compared to that described below with respect to FIGURES 5 to 8. Accordingly the resultant shear forces applied to the interface between the bonnet 330 and stem bearing housing 228 may be very high and beyond the capacity for whatever prior art securing method is used. It will be readily appreciated that securing methods between the bonnet 330 and stem bearing housing 228 may be limited due to the plastic material used and that the amount of any clamping force to the stem bearing housing 228 may also be limited in order to maintain the integrity of the stem bearing.

[0042] In the prior art the mounting of the bonnet 330 with the gearbox 326 to the stem bearing housing 228 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 is highly advantageous in order to allow for ease of installation and removal for maintenance. In addition the top mounting of the gearbox 326 with motor provides a compact assembly with ease of access for routine plant inspection and maintenance, despite the prospect of issues to sufficiently securing.

[0043] Insufficient securing of the gearbox 326 to the stem bearing housing 228 typically results in shearing and slippage. Once shearing or stripping is complete then there is a loss of control to opening and closing of the ball valve. Prior to complete shearing, slippage provides problems with maintaining the alignment calibration between the bore 118 of the ball 114 and the inlet and outlet ports 120,

122.

[0044] FIGURE 4 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a torque transfer bracket 432 (TTB) viewed from the underside. The TTB has a top plate 434 with bolt holes 436 for securing the gearbox 326 or actuator (described below with respect to FIGURE 5), bonnet 330 and the TTB 432 together as described below with respect to FIGURES 5 to 8. That is the gearbox base of the actuator is coupled to the TTB via

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 the top plate 434. In addition the TTB provides a mounting assembly for the actuator to the ball valve 210 with respect to the stem 212 as well as for the transferral of torque in operation, as described herein. Attached to the two ends of the top plate 434 are two, opposed side plates 438 or members. Through each of the two side plates are two threaded rods 440 with corresponding nuts and washers 442. The threaded rods 440 and nuts 442 may be used to draw or pull together the two side plates 438 as a clamping means. That is the TTB 432 may also form a clamping means to clamp onto the ball valve housing 216 as described below with respect to FIGURES 5 to 8. In addition the threaded rods 440 and nuts 442 are one example of a means for pulling together the two opposed side plates, other examples may be readily selected by a person skilled in the art of mechanics and / or a workshop craftsman.

[0045] The TTB 432 may also feature threaded bolt holes 444 in the side plates 438 as shown. The threaded bolt holes may provide a further securing means as described below with respect to FIGURES 5 to 8. In FIGURE 4 spacing bars 446 are shown between the side plates 438. The spacing bars 446 are not part of the TTB 432. The spacing bars 446 may be used to temporarily maintain sufficient spacing between the opposed side plates 438 prior to installation to the ball valve housing 216. The fabrication of the side plates 438 to the top plate 434 being done such that the side plates 438 may initially clamp to or mate to or bracket across the ball housing 216 without the aid of the threaded rods 440 and nuts 442 when the spacing bars 446 are removed. An alternate TTB is described below with respect to FIGURE 13 where a clamping means may not be used.

[0046] FIGURE 5 is a photograph / diagram schematic of the ball valve 210 of FIGURE 3 but with the TTB of FIGURE 4 installed. FIGURE 5 also shows the inlet and outlet ports 520, 522 to the ball housing 216 to form the ball valve body 210. The ball housing 216 has two opposed circumferential end faces 532 which overlook and mate with the inlet and outlet ports 520, 522. As shown in FIGURE 5 the two opposed side plates 438 or members of the TTB 432 clamp to the two opposed end faces 532 of the ball housing 216. Further clamping force may be applied to the end faces 532 as required by the use of the threaded rods 440 and nuts 442. The bonnet 330 and gearbox 326 are shown secured to the top plate 434 by numerous through bolts 533. In the alternate view of the gearbox 326 of FIGURE 5 motor 524, as part of the actuation

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 mechanism 326, 524, is shown coupled to the side of the gearbox 326. The actuator 326, 524 includes the machinery and controls, such as the gearbox 326 and motor 524, to rotate the stem 112 for opening and closing the ball valve 210.

[0047] In FIGURE 5 it can be seen that the TTB 432 transfers the torque from the gearbox / actuator to the more radially distant or distal, with respect to the stem 212, end faces 532 of the ball valve housing 216. Accordingly the force applied to the end faces 532 is substantially reduced compared with that which may be applied to the stem bearing housing 228in the prior art. In addition the side plates 438 engage with an elongated portion of the ball housing which is greater in area than may be provided by the stem bearing housing 228. This has particular advantage for ball housings of plastic in that the pressure applied to the ball housing plastic material is significantly reduced whilst still providing a secure mounting assembly for the application of the considerable operating torques. In the example shown of FIGURES 2, 3 and 5 to 8 the reduction in forces applied, compared from the stem bearing housing 128 to the end faces 532, is approximately a factor of three at least. Further detail to the advantages of the TTB to reduction of forces applied for the high operational torques is described below with respect to FIGURE 13.

[0048] FIGURE 5 also shows further securing bolts 534 through the threaded bolt holes 444 in the side plates 438. These further securing bolts 534 may be used to prevent riding up or other movement of the TTB 432 with the bonnet 330 and actuator 326, 524. The securing bolts 534 may be screwed into corresponding bores in the end faces 532 of the ball housing 216. It will be readily appreciated that the further securing bolts 534 do not provide the torque transfer advantage of the TTB, are optional and may be substituted by other securing techniques to prevent riding up and to provide location to the end faces as selected by a person skilled in the art.

[0049] FIGURES 6 to 8 are schematic photographs / diagrams providing other views of the installation of the TTB shown in FIGURE 5. FIGURE 6 is a further perspective view to FIGURE 5. FIGURE 7 is a front elevation view showing the TTB 432 clamping or bracketing across the ball housing 216 and the increase in radial distance of the side plates 438 from the stem bearing housing 228 beneath the bonnet 330. The view of the TTB in FIGURE 7 is described further below with respect to an enlarged view shown in FIGURE 12.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0050] FIGURE 8 is an end elevation view showing one side plate 438 across an upper portion of the body of the ball valve 210, in particular an upper portion of one end face 532 of the ball housing 216.

[0051] FIGURE 11 is a schematic photograph / diagram of an end perspective view of an alternate clamping side plate 1138. The alternate side plate 1138 extends along the end face 532 of the ball housing 216 less at the lower comers 1140 of the alternate plate, compared with side plate 438 of FIGURE 8. That is less of the end face 532 is clamped or bracketed by the alternate side plate 1138. FIGURE 11 also shows an aperture 1142 in the alternate side plate 1138 which may be used to access securing bolts between the TTB top plate 434 and actuator 326, 524. In addition the aperature illustrates that the side plate 438, 1138 may vary in shape but still provide the required bracketing and transfer of torque of the invention to the ball valve body as described herein. For example the aperture in the side plate may extend to the end faces 532 of the ball housing such that bracketing by the TTB may be via multiple members on each side of the TTB.

[0052] FIGURE 12 is a schematic photograph / diagram of an enlarged view of the TTB of FIGURE 7. The threaded rod 440 and nuts 442 to provide further clamping force to the end faces 532 of the ball housing are shown more clearly.

[0053] FIGURE 13 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal, sectional view of a large ball valve 210 with an alternate torque transfer bracket 1332 mounting assembly. In FIGURE 13 the optional bonnet 330 is not shown as the bonnet 330 over the stem bearing housing 228 is no longer required for operation of the ball valve by the actuator 326, 524 when the TTB mounting assembly is used. In the alternate example of FIGURE 13 a space or small clearance 1334 is shown between the base plate 434 of the alternate TTB 1132 and the stem bearing housing 228 to show that no mechanical coupling is required.

[0054] Alternatively to FIGURES 4 to 8, FIGURE 13 shows an alternate TTB 1332 with a continuously formed surface from the top plate 434 through to a bracketing by the two opposed members 438 against the two opposed end faces 532 of the ball housing 216. That is, a transition 1136 from the top plate 434 to the bracketing members 438 may have a radius of curvature rather than a right angle to the side plates 438 of FIGURES 4 to 8.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0055] FIGURE 13 is also an example to a TTB which may not use the clamping means described above with respect to FIGURES 4 to 8. The alternate TTB 1332 may be configured and constructed such that, at least, two opposed members 438 may provide an interference fit or a sliding fit over and to the upper portions of the two end faces 532 of the ball housing 216. The alternate TTB may then be secured in place to the end faces to prevent riding up, for example, or other movement as described above with respect to FIGURE 5. In use then, no substantial compressive force may be applied by the alternate TTB 1332 to the two end faces 532, however when the actuator applies a torque to the stem and the resultant torque from the actuator is transferred or transmitted to the alternate TTB 1332, via a coupling to the top plate 434, opposed members 438 may then apply a resultant force from the resultant torque to the upper portions of the end faces 532.

[0056] FIGURE 13 also shows the substantially improved radial distance from the center of the stem 212 to the stem bearing housing 228, Ri, to the clamping or bracketing members 438, R2 of the TTB mounting assembly. As described above the ratio of R2 to Ri may be a factor of approximately three at least such that the bracketing members are advantageously more distant or distal to the stem 212 than the periphery of the stem bearing housing 228 that the prior art may use for securing an actuator. Consequently for the same torque applied by the actuator to the stem 212 the resultant force applied to the end faces 532 of the ball housing 216 may be at least three times less than that which may be applied to the stem bearing housing 228 periphery for prior art arrangements.

[0057] Also advantageously the surface area over which the two or more opposed members / side plates 438 may apply the resultant force to the upper portions of the end faces 532 may be considerably greater than that available about the periphery of the stem bearing housing 228. Consequently the pressure applied to a plastic or other material of the end faces 532 and underlying structures of the ball housing 216 may be considerably reduced compared with securing to the stem bearing housing 228 periphery of the prior art arrangements.

[0058] It will be readily appreciated that the torque transfer bracket (TTB) mounting assembly in its various forms described herein provides a torque transfer means for the resultant torque from the actuator acting on the stem (212) of the ball

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 valve (210) to be transferred or transmitted to the end faces (532) of the ball housing (216), well away from the stem bearing housing (228).

[0059] It will also be readily appreciated that the advantageous reduction in forces applied to the ball housing provided by the TTB may depend on the particular ball housing configuration as well as other configurations for a particular ball valve. The TTB mounting assembly may be configured to adapt to different shaped ball housings as well as ball housing materials so as to provide the necessary secure mounting assembly and application of forces to the ball housing resulting from the considerable operating torques. For example the side plates or multiple members of the TTB may be extended and I or shaped so as to extend further and couple with other portions of the ball valve body more towards or at the ball valve inlet and outlet ports 520, 522. Similarly the TTB mounting assembly may have asymmetric, extended and shape adapted side plates or members according to particular restrictions present for installing a ball valve in an operating environment. However the preferred examples of the TTB mounting assembly described herein with respect to the figures advantageously provide a compact, easily maintained solution that also may be retrofitted to existing ball valves in use.

[0060] FIGURE 9 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a stop plate 932 of a rotation limiter to prevent over-rotation of the ball 114 with respect to the open and close positions of the ball valve 210. The stop plate 932 has a suitably shaped, square aperture 934 so that stop plate may be applied to the stem 212 of FIGURE 2. The aperture may also be shaped so that the stop plate is engaged or keyed with the stem so that minimal or no relative rotational movement may occur between the stem 212 and stop plate 932 in use, despite the considerable torques. The stop plate 932 has a closed position projection 936 formed in the periphery of the disc like stop plate. A corresponding open position projection 938 is also formed in the stop plate 932 at an angle about the center of the aperture 934 or stem 212 corresponding to the angular range between the closed and open positions of the ball valve 210. A recess or rebate 940 in the circumference of the stop plate 932 provides a region for the free movement of a pin between the closed and open position projections 936, 938. The pin is described below with respect to FIGURE 10.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0061] FIGURE 10 is a schematic photograph / diagram of a pin plate 1032 to correspond to and interact with the stop plate 932 of FIGURE 9. The pin plate 1032 may be secured within the bonnet 330 of the ball valve shown in FIGURE 3 and FIGURES 5 to 8. The through bolts 533 used for securing gearbox actuator 326, 524 to the top plate 434 of the TTB 432 may also be used to secure the pin plate 1032 to the TTB 432 via the numerous bolt holes 1034 or a separate set of internal bolts may be used within the bonnet 330. A central aperture 1036 to the pin plate 1032 is oversized to the stem 212 so that the stem 212 rotates freely with respect to the aperture 1036. Fixed to the pin plate 1032 is a pin 1038 or other suitable protrusion. The pin 1038 projects above the plane of the pin plate 1032 sufficiently so that the pin is within the recess 940 of the stop plate 932 that is located coaxially above the pin plate 1032. The pin plate 1038 and stop plate 932 may be suitably angularly positioned about the stem 212 so as to correspond to the open and closed positions of the ball valve in use, as described below.

[0062] In use the closed position projection 936 attached to the stem 212 abuts the pin 1038 when the closed position of the ball valve 210 is reached. Further rotation of the stem 212 beyond the closed position is prevented by the pin which is secured to the ball valve housing via the TTB 432. The materials used for the closed position projection and the pin may be chosen to be sufficient for the forces experienced from the large operational torques experienced by the ball valve. In a similar fashion for the open position, the open position projection 938 attached to the stem 212 abuts the pin 1038 and prevents over-rotation of the ball 114 and bore 118 beyond the open position.

[0063] The stop plate 932 together with the pin plate 1032 provide a means for stopping rotation of the ball 114, including the bore 118, beyond the open and closed positions for the ball valve 210. The considerable inlet line pressures of up to 10 bar together with the large surface area of the inlet port 520 to the bore 118 and ball 114 may result in large torques being applied to the actuator 326, 524 that may either exceed the actuator capacity to withstand for a prolonged period when energised and / or the actuator’s position locking when not energised. Accordingly the means for stopping over rotation limits the rotation of the ball 114 to only between the open and closed positions.

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2016102375 05 Aug 2016 [0064] It will be readily appreciated that the profile of the stop plate may be readily varied to accommodate different angular positions between the open and closed positions for a two way ball valve or for three way ball valves. It will also be readily appreciated that the position of the stop plate and pin plate within the bonnet 330 may be interchanged. That is an alternate pin plate may be attached to the stem 212 in a similar manner to that described above for the stop plate 932. Correspondingly an alternate stop plate may be secured or otherwise anchored to the bonnet 330 and TTB 432 as described above for the pin plate 1032.

[0065] It will be readily appreciated that the TTB 432 described above with respect to transferring torque during actuation of the ball valve 210 may also be used to transfer the torque, that may be experienced by the ball 114 in the closed or open positions, from the stem 212 connected to the ball directly to the ball housing 216.

The stem bearing housing 228 has been used in prior arrangements for transferring the open and closed position torques.

[0066] In this specification, terms denoting direction, such as vertical, up, down, left, right etc. or rotation, should be taken to refer to the directions or rotations relative to the corresponding drawing rather than to absolute directions or rotations unless the context require otherwise.

[0067] Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is recognized that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which are not to be limited to the details described herein but are to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent assemblies, devices, apparatus, articles, compositions, methods, processes and techniques.

[0068] In this specification, the word “comprising” is to be understood in its “open” sense, that is, in the sense of “including”, and thus not limited to its “closed” sense, that is the sense of “consisting only of’. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words “comprise, comprised and comprises” where they appear.

Claims (30)

1. An actuator mounting assembly to a ball valve, the ball valve having a stem and ball valve body, the mounting assembly comprising:

a bracket mounted across opposed portions of the ball valve body distal to the stem; and a coupling between the bracket and the actuator; wherein the mounting assembly transfers a resultant torque on the actuator, from acting on the stem, to the distal portions of the ball valve body.

2. A mounting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the opposed portions of the ball valve body are two opposed end faces of a ball housing.

3. A mounting assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bracket includes a clamping means of two or more members adapted to clamp across upper, respective portions of the two opposed faces of the ball housing.

4. A mounting assembly for an actuator to a ball valve, comprising:

a torque transfer means from the actuator to a portion of a body of the ball valve.

5. A mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein the torque transfer means transfers the torque from the actuator to a portion of the ball valve body distal from a stem bearing housing.

6. A mounting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the portion of the ball valve body is at least one end face of a ball housing of the ball valve.

7. A mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein the torque transfer means includes a bracket applied to a portion at least of two opposed end faces of a ball valve housing.

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8. A mounting assembly according to claim 7, wherein the actuator is coupled with the bracket.

9. A mounting assembly according to claim 7 or 8, wherein bracket includes a clamping means of at least two members adapted to clamp across respective upper portions of the two opposed faces of the ball valve housing.

10. A mounting assembly according to claim 3 or 9, wherein the clamping means includes a means for pulling together the two members of the clamping means, whereby the two members securely clamp to a portion of the two opposed faces of the ball valve faces.

11. A mounting assembly according to any one of claims 3, 9 or 10, wherein the two members are each a plate.

12. A mounting assembly according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the means for pulling together is at least one bolt and a corresponding nut located in or about the two opposed plates to pull them together.

13. A mounting assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body of the ball valve is in part at least of a plastic material.

14. A mounting assembly according to claim 13, wherein the plastic material is a polyethylene.

15. A ball valve comprising:

a stem, a ball and a ball valve body; and a mounting assembly including: a bracket mounted across opposed portions of the ball valve body distal to the stem, and a coupling between the bracket and a ball valve actuator;

wherein the mounting assembly transfers a resultant torque on the actuator, from acting on the stem, to the distal portions of the ball valve body.

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16. A rotation limiter for a ball valve comprising:

means for stopping rotation of a ball of a ball valve beyond at least one of an open position and a closed position of a ball valve.

17. A rotation limiter according to claim 16, wherein the means for stopping rotation limits the ball valve operation to between a range of the open position and the closed position.

18. A rotation limiter according to claim 16 or 17, wherein the open position corresponds to a longitudinal axis of a bore of the ball being in substantial alignment with another longitudinal axis of at least one of a port to the ball valve and a pipe to the ball valve.

19. A rotation limiter according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the closed position corresponds to when the bore of the ball of the ball valve is not in substantial fluid or gas communication with at least one of a port to the ball valve and a pipe to the ball valve.

20. A rotation limiter according to any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the means for stopping rotation includes:

a closed position projection, an open position projection, a protrusion, and a stem connected to the ball of the ball valve, wherein a rotation of the stem is limited by the protrusion abutting the closed position projection or the open position projection.

21. A rotation limiter according to claim 20, wherein the closed position projection and the open position projection are located on or formed in a plate about the stem.

WO 2017/020093

PCT/AU2016/050711

2016102375 05 Aug 2016

22. A rotation limiter according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the protrusion is fixed in position with reference to a ball valve body.

23. A rotation limiter according to claim 20, wherein the closed position projection and the open position projection are fixed in position with reference to a ball valve body.

24. A rotation limiter according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the protrusion is located with the stem or formed to the stem.

25. A rotation limiter according to any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the means for stopping rotation is located within a bonnet of the ball valve.

26. An actuator mounting assembly to a ball valve substantially as described herein.

27. A method for transferring torque from an actuator to a ball valve housing substantially as described herein.

28. A ball valve substantially as described herein.

29. A rotation limiter for a ball valve substantially as described herein.

30. A method for limiting over rotation of a ball valve substantially as described herein.