In prior known Ball Valves, the valving means firmly engages valve seats at both the inlet and outlet ports and is in pressure contact therewith. Accordingly, relatively high torques are required for rotating the valve body to control the flow of fluid. In order to create substantial pressure between the ball valve and the cooperating seats, the valve seats embodied complicated structures and included such relatively hard materials such as Teflon and elastic rubber gaskets for urging the valve seats against the ball. The manufacture and assembly of such seats and the installation of the Ball Valvesis tedious and time consuming and results in a material increase in the cost of the valve. Furthermore, such prior known ball valves have required the use of a relatively long operating lever in order to facilitate rotation of the valve and correspondingly heavy stops were required to limit rotational movement of the ball valve.

This invention has as one of its objects the provision of a novel and improved ball valve which enables rotation of the ball by the application of a relatively small torque and embodies a simplified construction which greatly facilitates manufacture and assembly of the completed valve. This is attained through the utilization of a ball-shaped valve which is freely movable within the housing and a valve seat associated with the outlet port so that the fluid pressure from the inlet port will function as back pressure when the valve is in the closed position. With this arrangement the BALL VALVES will firmly contact the valve seat and completely interrupt the flow of fluid.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved ball valve embodying a simplified housing which greatly facilitates operation and maintenance of the structure. By reason of the utilization of a ball-shaped valve within the housing, which is freely movable therein, a relatively small operating handle can be employed with the result that a simplified form of rotation-limiting means may be employed.

A still further object of the invention resides in a novel and improved ball valve embodying means for lightly urging the ball-shaped valve against the cooperating valve seat. Since a light spring or other resilient means having a force merely sufficient to support the ball-shaped valve and urge it in contact with the cooperating seat, the increase in torque is negligible, and the valve will always remain in the closed position even though the fluid pressure at the inlet side of the valve approaches zero.

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