US 12,442,452 B2
Dynamic slab gate valves
Don Channing Gramlich, Richmond, TX (US); and Mehul Jain, Houston, TX (US)
Assigned to Bestway Oilfield, Inc., Channelview, TX (US)
Filed by Bestway Oilfield, Inc., Channelview, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/416,795.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/544,777, filed on Oct. 18, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/535,053, filed on Aug. 28, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2025/0075803 A1, Mar. 6, 2025
Int. Cl. F16K 3/20 (2006.01); F16K 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 3/20 (2013.01) [F16K 3/0227 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A slab gate valve comprising:
a valve body formed with a through-bore in a first direction and formed with a gate cavity in a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction;
a slab gate having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the slab gate has a first side and a second side;
wherein the gate cavity is sized and configured to receive the slab gate;
wherein the first portion of the slab gate is sized and configured to occlude the through-bore when the slab gate is in a closed position;
wherein the second portion of the slab gate is formed with a flow aperture for allowing flow therethrough when the slab gate is in an open position;
an upper stem coupled to the slab gate for selectively moving the slab gate between the open position and the closed position;
a lower stem coupled to the slab gate and at least partially disposed within the gate cavity;
a downstroke lubricant cavity formed in a portion of the valve body proximate to the gate cavity for containing a lubricant for lubricating the lower stem in a downstroke;
a first seat cavity formed in the valve body proximate a first intersection of the through-bore and the gate cavity on a first side of the first intersection;
a second seat cavity formed in the valve body proximate a second intersection of the through-bore and the gate cavity on a second side of the second intersection;
a first dynamic seat assembly disposed in the first seat cavity;
a second dynamic seat assembly disposed in the second seat cavity;
a first dynamic skirt, disposed adjacent to the first side of the slab gate and disposed between the first seat cavity and the downstroke lubricant cavity, wherein a face of the first dynamic skirt contacts the first side of the slab gate;
a second dynamic skirt disposed adjacent to the second side of the slab gate and disposed between the second seat cavity and the downstroke lubricant cavity, wherein a face of the second dynamic skirt contacts the second side of the slab gate; and
wherein the first dynamic seat assembly comprises:
a first cylindrical seat having a first side and a second side, wherein the second side is adjacent to the first side of the slab gate,
wherein a first debris ring slot is formed on an inner portion of the first cylindrical seat,
a debris ring proximate the first side of the first cylindrical seat and disposed at least partially within the first debris ring slot,
wherein the first cylindrical seat is formed with a seat energizer cavity proximate the first side of the first cylindrical seat, and
a seat energizer disposed at least partially in the seat energizer cavity and operable to urge the cylindrical seat toward the slab gate.