Check cover assemblies for backflow prevention assemblies with integrated test cock protection shroud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12590641-B2
Application number	US-202318335553-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2023
Priority date	Aug 17, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

A check cover assembly for a backflow prevention assembly having a body defining an interior housing a test cock. The check cover assembly includes a ball with a central aperture and a complementary groove in an outer circumference of the ball as well as a base including a shroud portion housing the ball to create a ball valve. The shroud portion defines an access gap for accessing an actuation feature slot with a landkey of the ball valve and a threaded opening. A coupling is attached to the threaded opening in fluid communication with the interior for connecting to testing equipment. The actuation feature is used to open and close the ball valve.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A check cover assembly for a backflow prevention (“BFP”) assembly having a bucket defining an interior for containing a check valve assembly, the check cover assembly comprising:
a ball with a central aperture and a groove in an outer circumference of the ball;
a base for closing the bucket of the BFP and including: a shroud portion within the base and housing the ball to create a ball valve, the shroud portion defining an access gap; an actuation feature with a protrusion mounted in the access gap so that the protrusion engages the groove to open and close the ball valve; and an opening; and
a test cock coupling attached to the opening and in fluid communication with an interior of the bucket of the BFP assembly, the test cock coupling securing the ball within the shroud portion and configured to connect to testing equipment,
wherein:
when the ball valve is open, the testing equipment is in communication with the interior of the bucket,
when the ball valve is closed, the testing equipment is not in communication with the interior of the bucket and may be removed,
the ball valve comprises a lower seal piece and an upper seal piece that sandwich the ball in the shroud portion to prevent leaking,
the lower and upper seal pieces are o-rings configured to create seals against the ball, the shroud portion, and the base,
the check cover assembly forms a hollow to create a socket, and further comprising a spring bias assembly having a first ball end in the socket to form a ball-and-socket joint and allow rotational movement of the ball end of the spring bias assembly, wherein the spring bias assembly is configured to extend to a second end that urges a sealing disc towards a closed position on an opening of the BFP assembly, and
the base is dome-shaped, and the base and the shroud portion are unitarily formed from a composite polymer.

2 . The check cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the actuating feature further comprises a stem inserted into the access gap of the shroud portion to couple to the groove of the ball for rotating the central aperture of the ball between open and closed positions, wherein a distal end of the stem forms the protrusion to engage the groove.

3 . The check cover assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the base forms a passageway from an inner area into the BFP assembly configured so that when the ball valve is open, a pressure reading of a pressure zone in the BFP assembly can be taken via connecting the test equipment to the test cock coupling.

Assignees

• Watts Regulator Co

Inventors

• Doughty Jason

Classifications

• F16K27/0227

  with the valve members swinging around an axis located at the edge of or outside the valve member · CPC title

• F16K15/033

  spring-loaded · CPC title

• F16K2200/501

  Cartridge valves · CPC title

• F16K15/035

  with a plurality of valve members · CPC title

• E03B7/077

  Arrangement of backflow preventing devices · CPC title