Gas bypass device

摘要

A bypass device used in conjunction with a gas meter has a normal mode and a bypass mode. In the normal mode, the bypass device routes gas through the gas meter to a customer. In the bypass mode, the bypass device routes gas through a bypass path so that the gas meter can be serviced or replaced without interrupting gas service to the customer. Manual operating ball valves select either the normal mode or the bypass mode. Each ball valve includes a rotatable diverter ball with a 90° flow passage. Each diverter ball is mounted within the bypass device between pair of polymer annular valve seats.

主权项

1. A bypass device comprising:
a housing having a gas inlet port, a meter inlet port, a gas outlet port, a meter outlet port, a bypass passage extending between a bypass inlet and a bypass outlet, an inlet valve chamber located at an intersection of the gas inlet port, the meter inlet port and the bypass inlet, an outlet valve chamber located at an intersection of the gas outlet port, the meter outlet port, and the bypass outlet; wherein the meter inlet port and the bypass inlet are positioned opposite one another across the inlet valve chamber and the gas inlet port is located at 90° from each of the meter inlet port and the bypass inlet, and wherein the meter outlet port and the bypass outlet are positioned opposite one another across the outlet valve chamber and the gas outlet port is located at 90° from each of the meter outlet port and the bypass outlet; an inlet diverter ball positioned in the inlet valve chamber and having a 90° inlet flow passage with two openings, wherein the two openings in the inlet flow passage can be oriented to allow flow from the gas inlet port to the meter inlet port or to allow flow from the gas inlet port to the bypass inlet; a first polymer annular inlet valve seat located adjacent to and having a center bore aligned with the bypass inlet to provide a seal between the inlet diverter ball and a portion of the housing surrounding the bypass inlet; a second polymer annular inlet valve seat located adjacent a first end cap mounted in the meter inlet port and having a center bore aligned with a passage in the first end cap to provide a seal between the inlet diverter ball and the first end cap mounted in the meter inlet port; an inlet control handle connected to rotate the inlet diverter ball by 90° between a meter inlet position in which the 90° inlet flow passage connects the gas inlet port and the meter inlet port and the inlet diverter ball blocks the bypass inlet, and a bypass inlet position in which the 90° inlet flow passage connects the gas inlet port and the bypass inlet and the inlet diverter ball blocks the meter inlet port; an outlet diverter ball positioned in the outlet valve chamber and having a 90° outlet flow passage with two openings, wherein the two openings in the outlet flow passage can be oriented to allow flow from the meter outlet port to the gas outlet port or to allow flow from the bypass outlet to the gas outlet port; a first polymer annular outlet valve seat located adjacent the bypass outlet and having a center bore along with the bypass inlet to provide a seal between the outlet diverter ball and a portion of the housing surrounding the bypass outlet; a second polymer annular outlet valve seat located adjacent a second end cap mounted in the meter outlet port and having a center bore aligned with a passage in the second end cap to provide a seal between the outlet diverter ball and the second end cap; an outlet control handle connected to rotate the outlet diverter ball by 90° between a meter outlet position in which the 90° outlet flow passage connects the gas outlet port and the meter outlet port and the outlet diverter ball blocks the bypass outlet, and a bypass outlet position in which the 90° outlet flow passage connects the gas outlet port and the bypass outlet and the outlet diverter ball blocks the meter outlet port; wherein the first and second polymer annular inlet valve seats and the first and second polymer annular outlet valve seats are made of polytetrafluoroethylene; wherein the inlet diverter ball is engaged by and held between the first and second polymer annular inlet valve seats; and wherein the outlet diverter ball is engaged by and held between the first and second polymer annular outlet valve seats; and wherein, each of the polymer annular inlet valve seats and each of the polymer annular outlet valve seats comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene ring having a flat rear surface with a circular center bore extending between the front surface and the rear surface, the front surface including an outer rim section, a first conical section extending radially inward from the rim section toward the center bore, and a second conical section extending radially inward from the first conical section to the center bore.