This rotatable Ball Valves provides a quick cutoff means without producing a locked-up system downstream of the valve. Thus, downstream moving parts, such as pistons, may be freely relocated. The valve permits direct bleeding of the system and the bleed orifice may be utilized to provide a three-way valve.

The valve includes a body having a valve chamber, inlet and outlet ports which communicate with the chamber, and an orifice also communicating with the chamber.Ball Valves A rotatable valve element is disposed within the chamber and this element includes a first conduit operatively communicating between the inlet and outlet ports in a first position and a second transverse conduit communicating between one of said ports and the orifice in a second position.

A seal provides a seating between the valve element and the body and actuating means are provided to rotate the valve element between the first and second positions. The rotatable valve element has a ball configuration.

The inlet and outlet ports are in substantial axial alignment and define a flow axis, the first conduit of the rotatable ball being in substantially axial alignment with the flow axis in the first position and in substantially perpendicular alignment with the flow axis in the second position. The second conduit of the rotatable ball includes an arcuate groove in the surface of the ball. BALL VALVESThe orifice provides a bleed hole and the arcuate groove extends between one of the ports and the bleed hole in the second position.

The actuating means include a rotatable key engaging and rotating the ball. The key includes a handle portion having a lip and the body is provided with angularly related stop portions engageable by the lip to limit rotation of the key between the first and second positions. The handle is aligned with the axis of flow in the first position and transversely disposed of the axis of flow in the second, bleed, position.

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