US 6,981,691 B2
Dual segment ball valve
Brian J. Caprera, Warwick, R.I. (US)
Assigned to Dresser, Inc., Addison, Tex. (US)
Filed on Oct. 17, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/688,778.
Prior Publication US 2005/0082506 A1, Apr. 21, 2005
Int. Cl. F16K 5/06 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 251—298 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A ball valve, comprising:
a valve body defining an inner seat and having a fluid inlet and fluid outlet; and
a control ball element rotatably mounted in the inner seat, and having
a partially spherical outer surface,
a flow passage through said ball element having disposed on an upstream end of said flow passage,
a leading edge,
a first inner control surface abutting the leading edge, and
a second inner control surface abutting the leading edge at an angle oblique to the first inner control surface;
wherein the first inner control surface comprises a cylindrical surface having a first longitudinal axis and the second inner control surface comprises a cylindrical surface having a second longitudinal axis and the first longitudinal axis is at an angle between about six degrees and about twelve degrees to the second longitudinal axis.