USOO6899599B1
(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,899,599 B1
Hsiang-Hui (45) Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
(54) MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO MAKE A (56) References Cited
VALVE BALL U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
(76) Inventor: Chiang Hsiang-Hui, P.O. Box 697, 5,380,184. A * 1/1995 Von Holdt, Sr. ............ 425/547
Fongyuan City, Taichung County (TW) 5,979,873 A * 11/1999 Wu ....................... 251/315.16
420 sk -
cited by examiner
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this Primary Examiner-Eileen P. Morgan
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. (57) ABSTRACT
(21) Appl. No.: 10/852,564 A manufacturing process to make a ball valve of the present
invention includes the following steps: a) prepare flat cir
(22) Filed: May 25, 2004 cular metallic plates each of which has a rectangular inden
tation in a circumference; b) mold those plates into bowl
shape; c) remove the circular bottom of the bowl shapes to
(51) Int. Cl. ................................................. B24B 7/19 reform a hemi-spherical shape by another mold; d) weld
each pair of the hemi-spherical shapes into a spherical shape
each of which has a pair of aligned openings and a lateral
rectangular through hole; e) trim and grind the uneven
(52) U.S. Cl. ...................... 451/50: 451/58; 251/315.16 connection Seam; and f) polish and Smooth the outer Surface
to finished a qualified ball valve which has uniform arc and
thickness.
(58) Field of Search .............................. 451/49, 57,58,
451/178,292, 296,50; 251/315.16; 29/870.132 5 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
40 12b
1OC
11C
13
( / 51
IN
50
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 1 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
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U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 2 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
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U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 3 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
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U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 4 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
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FIG. 8
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 5 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
11C
FIG 10
Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 6 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
81
FIG 11
Prior Art
81
F.G. 12
Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 7 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
8O
O 82
FIG. 13
Prior Art
91
F.G. 14
Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 8 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
F.G. 15
Prior Art
92 s
922
921
FG 16
Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 9 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
921
FIG. 17
Prior Art
F.G. 18
Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 10 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
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F.G. 19
Prior Art
2001
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Prior Art
U.S. Patent May 31, 2005 Sheet 11 of 11 US 6,899,599 B1
FG.21
Prior Art
FIG.22
Prior Art
US 6,899,599 B1
1 2
MANUFACTURING PROCESS TO MAKE A SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
VALVE BALL
The present invention has a main object to provide a
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION manufacturing process to make a ball valve which process is
rapid and precise. The result will be in good quality in
The present invention relates to hydroelectric apparatus uniform thickneSS and circular measure. Therefore, a high
and more particularly to a manufacturing process to make a qualified proportion in addition to a ready assembly become
feasible.
ball valve which is capable of rapidly and precisely to make Accordingly, the manufacturing process to make a ball
shape of a ball valve. Valve of the present invention comprises generally the
As we know that the ball valve is popularly used to the following Steps:
Switches. The manufacturing process of the ball valve is a) prepare a pair of circular flat metallic plate and punch
categorized as forging, punching and/or roller ramming. a rectangular indentation in a predetermined position of
FIG. 10 shows a prior art manufacturing process of a ball the circumference of the plate;
valve 70 which is adapting the roller ramming process by 15
b) put the circular plate onto an upper and a lower molds
forging a pair of Semi-spherical shapeS 71 and welding them and punches by a punching means to form a bowl
together into a ball shape and then making a central pas shaped configuration;
Sageway by a punching bar. However, this proceSS costs c) punch the bowl shaped configuration again to remove
more than others because it has to deal with epidermis the flat portion and form it into an indented hemi
chemical disposal and the Spherical trimming procedure. Spherical shape;
Besides, the residual chemical remained on the Surface of d) combine two indented hemi-spherical shaped member
the ball valve may harm human health. So that this process together by welding means to make a ball valve and
is now being abandoned. their indentations are aligned with each other to form a
FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 indicate another prior art process 25 rectangular retaining through hole which is provided to
which is adapted a Steel plate 81 and punches the Steel plate connect a valve Stem;
81 into pieces of Small arcuate sheet 81' at first, secondly, e) polish the connection Seam on the valve.
punches the Small arcuate sheet 81" into a large arcuate sheet Therefore, a ball valve of uniform thickness is rapidly and
81" and then presses the large arcuate sheets 81" into the precisely finished.
hemi-spherical shapeS 80 by an upper and a lower molds.
Finally, Weld their coupling rims 82 together on pair by pair The present invention will become more fully understood
basis. This process is Somewhat complicated due to its by reference to the following detailed description thereof
repeated punching activities and has to Weld the hemispheri when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.
cal shapes together before removing of the upper and lower BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
molds.
35
FIGS. 14 to 17 show still another prior art process which FIG. 1 is a perspective to show a flat circular plate of the
punches a plate into a cup shaped Semi-finished product 91
at first and punches the Semi-finished products into a similar present invention,
Spherical shapes 92. Then make an upper, a lower openings FIG. 2 is a Sectional view to show an upper and a lower
921 and a lateral through hole 922 by punching or drill 40
mold in a punch machine,
method. Due to that the openings 921 punched by the upper FIG. 3 is a sectional view to show that the flat circular
and lower molds may create protrudent Stripes and the lower plate is punched into an indented bowl shape,
rim of the cup shape Semi-finished product becomes thinner FIG. 4 is a perspectively view of FIG. 3,
than the other portions of the ball valve that causes the ball FIG. 5 is a sectional view to show the flat bottom of the
Valve in uneven thickness in addition to that the protrudent 45 bowl shape being punched off,
Stripes are to be dealt with. So that this proceSS always cause FIG. 6 is a perspective view to show that the semi-product
great defective proportion, than other process. of the present invention is punched into a hemi-spherical
Referring to FIGS. 18 to 22, a further prior art process of shape,
manufacturing a ball valve is shown. This process is to FIG. 7 is a perspective view to show that a pair of
punch a plate 1 into a hollow cylindrical shape 2 and a flap 50 corresponding hemi-spherical shape Semi-products are
3 which must be removed later, to accomplish a hollow welded into a ball valve,
cylindrical shape 2 and a bottom 2001 which is then cut off FIG. 8 is a sectional view to show that the connection
to remain the hollow cylindrical shape 2 only, next Step is to Seam on the valve is polishing by a grinder,
make the cylindrical shape 2 into a ball shape 4 by roller
ramming method. Finally makes a rectangular through hole 55
FIG. 9 is a perspective view to show a finished ball valve
5 in a periphery of the ball shape 4. So that a ball valve is of the present invention,
therefore finished. However, this proceSS requires twice FIG. 10 is a perspective view to show a prior art ball valve
cutting procedures and the thickness of the ball is not So is made up with forging process,
even. Besides, the circular measure is always not symmetri FIGS. 11 to 13 are the plane views and a perspective view
cal Such that the result is not qualified. 60 to show another prior art ball valve made up with punching
The above discussed prior art manufacturing processes proceSS,
have a common disadvantage that the connection hole for FIGS. 14 to 17 are the sectional views to show a still
linking a valve Stem is punched after the configuring of the another prior art ball valve made up with punching process,
ball valve that may cause a deformation of the ball valve that and
not only affects a perfect connection of the valve Stem with 65 FIGS. 18 to 22 are the sectional and perspective views to
the ball valve but also face the leakage of the water and/or show a further prior art ball valve made up with roller
the air. ramming process.
US 6,899,599 B1
3 4
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE 11c of the ball valve 10c of the present invention is formed
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT at the beginning. So it don’t have to be punched after the
accomplishment of the ball valve 10c. Thus, avoid a defor
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the mation of the products in comparison with the prior art
manufacturing process to make a ball valve of the present manufacturing process.
invention comprises the following Steps: Note that the specification relating to the above embodi
a) prepare a pair of flat circular metallic plates 10 and each ment should be construed as an exemplary rather than as a
of the plates 10 has a roughly rectangular indentation limitative of the present invention, with many variations and
11 in a predetermined position of its circumference; modifications being readily attainable by a perSon of average
b) put the flat circular metallic plate 10 on one by one skill in the art without departing from the Spirit or Scope
basis, on a lower mold 21 which has a punch 23 thereof as defined by the appended claims and their legal
slidably disposed in the center and incorporates with an equivalents.
upper mold 20 which is moving downward onto the I claim:
plate 10. Then striking the punch 23 upward to form the 1. A manufacturing process to make a ball valve com
circular plate into a bowl shape piece 10a due to that a 15
prising the following Steps:
bowl shaped depression 22 formed in the upper mold a) preparing a pair of flat circular metallic plates each of
20. The bowl shape piece 10a has an indentation 11 in which has a rectangular indentation in a predetermined
a lower rim and a circular bottom 12 on the Specific position along a circumferential edge thereof;
surface (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4); b) putting said plates on one by one basis between an
c) place the bowl shape piece 10a into a semi-circular upper mold and a lower mold in a punching machine,
mold 30 (as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6), and use a sharp Said plate being punched into a bowl shaped Semi
punch bar 31 to punch the bottom 12 of the bowl finished product each of which has a rectangular inden
shaped piece becoming a circular opening 12b. The tation in a rim and a circular bottom on Specific Surface;
bowl shape piece 10a which is already punched into c) placing each of Said bowl shaped semi-finished prod
hemi-spherical shaped configuration that will not be 25
ucts in a Semi-circular shaped mold and using a sharp
deformed due to the inner Semi-circular depression of punch bar to punch Said circular bottom of each bowl
the semi-circular mold 30 which has the function of
stability; shaped Semi-product into a circular opening and Said
d) combine two hemi-spherical shaped configurations 10b bowl shaped Semi-products into a piece of hemi-spheri
with their indentations 11 engaged with each other. cal shaped Semi-finished products,
Then weld them together to complete a spherical ball d) combining each pair of Said hemi-spherical shapes
valve 10c. Meanwhile, the two indentations 11 are together to complete a spherical shaped ball valve by
aligned together to form a rectangular retaining through welding means and their indentations being aligned
hole 11c (as shown in FIG. 7) which is provided to with each other to form a rectangular retaining through
connect a valve stem (not shown); 35 hole which is provided to connect a valve Stem;
e) trim and grind the uneven connection Seam 13 and e) trimming and grinding uneven connection Seam of each
perform a global shaped Solidification method disposal; ball valve and performing a global shaped Solidification
f) polish the outer surface of the ball valve 10c by method;
inserting a rotatable cylindrical bar 40 through the f) polishing outer surface of each of said ball valve by
aligned openings 12b and use a polish machine 50 40 inserting a rotatable cylindrical bar through aligned
which has an inward curved semi-circular Surface 51 on circular openings and adapting a polish machine which
a lateral Side engaged with the outer Surface of the ball has an inward curved Semi-circular Surface in a lateral
valve 10c. When rotates the bar 40, the ball valve 10c Side engaged with outer Surface of Said ball valve and
is being polished until the outer surface of the ball valve rotating said bar to polish said ball valve until that the
10c becoming smooth (as shown in FIG. 8). Then 45 Surface of said ball valve becomes Smooth, then
removes the cylindrical bar 40, a qualified ball valve removes Said bar;
10c of the present invention is therefore finished (as whereby, a qualified valve ball is therefore finished.
shown in FIG. 9). 2. The manufacturing process as cited in claim 1, wherein
Base on the above process, the ball valve 10c of the Said upper mold in Step b has a bowl shaped depression in
present invention is combined with a pair of corresponding 50 Center.
semi-spherical shaped configuration 10b. So that the result 3. The manufacturing process as recited in claim 1,
should be in uniform arc and thickneSS which insures a good wherein Said lower mold has a slidable punch bar in center
quality and reliability. Not as the prior arts manufacturing engageable with the bowl shaped depression in Said upper
processes that use only one piece of Steel plate and manu mold.
factured through repeated Strokes to form a valve ball that 55 4. The manufacturing proceSS as recited in claim 1, further
must be in uneven thickneSS and different arc, especially the has a Semi-circular mold in corporation with an upward
high defective products are unavoidable. Nevertheless, shaped punching bar in Step c to punch the circular bottom
though Some of the producers previously forge a pair of of each of Said bowl shaped pieces into a circular opening
corresponding hemi-spherical shaped pieces and then weld and a Semi-circular shaped configuration of the valve.
them together to finish a ball valve (as shown in FIG. 10). 60 5. The manufacturing proceSS as recited in claim 1,
But a forged product has to finish through chemical disposal. wherein Said polishing machine in Step f is of conventional.
That the residual chemical still remains in the Surface of the
ball valve. Further, the rectangular retaining through hole k k k k k
