DESC:FIELD OF INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a tool for assembling and disassembling of ball valves. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tool to facilitate assembly and disassembly of ball valve with easy and without any damage to either the ball or the seats. The present invention further relates to a method of assembling and disassembling ball valves using the said tool.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
A ball valve is a flow control device to control the flow of liquid or gas medium. The said ball valve mainly consists of a valve body that houses all the components, a rotary ball with a hole, seats between the body and ball and a lever for ball rotation. The flow of the medium can be controlled by rotating the rotary ball using the lever.

Stainless steel ball valve is an important equipment onboard submarines, thus integrity of the valve is very important for safe operation of the submarine. The ball valve has to undergo unforeseen maintenance whenever it fails to hold pressure. Thus, for such maintenance the valve needs to be dismantled completely.

Conventionally, the disassembly of the valves is carried out using basic engineering tools such as hammer, chisel, etc. This conventional method of disassembly leads to damage of the rotary ball as well as the seats of the ball valve.

CN201552548U discloses a top-mounted ball valve dismantling tool comprising a positioning plate with two positioning holes. However, the tool is connected by hinges, and the said hinges are more prone to damage when large thrust is applied.

CN203956862U discloses a ball valve disassembly and assembly tool comprising a tensioning device comprising a rotating device, a screw rod connected with the rotating device, a stretching device, a spring, a spring seat and a power device. As a result, there is a need for a simple tool that can dismantle the ball valve effortlessly and with minimal parts.

The present invention thus discloses a tool to facilitate assembly and disassembly of ball valve with ease and without any damage to either the ball or the seats of the ball valve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool to facilitate assembly and disassembly of ball valve with ease and without any damage to either the ball or the seats of the ball valve.

The disassembly and assembly tool according to the present invention comprises of four main parts comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and a fourth member, connected together to form the tool.

The disassembly and assembly tool according to the present invention comprises of, a first member, male wedge screw, which is a cylindrical shaft having a threaded body surface with a rectangular shaped protrusion on one end and a tapering screw head on the other end; a second member (2), female wedge screw, which is a hollow cylindrical shaft having a threaded surface on its outer circumferential surface; a third member (3), a male wedge screw nut, which is a nut having a threaded hole to fasten on said first member; and a fourth member (4), a female wedge screw nut, which is a nut having a threaded hole to fasten on said second member.

The present invention further discloses a method of assembling said tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:
The figures below show an exemplary embodiment:
Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of the tool in disassembled form consisting of four parts
Figure 2 illustrates a pictorial view of the tool in disassembled form
Figure 3 illustrates a pictorial view of the tool in assembled form

List of reference numerals
Part ref Description
1 First member
2 Second member
3 Third member
4 Fourth member
10 Assembly disassembly tool

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention is described herein in detail with the help of figures appended at the end of the specification. The figures illustrate the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments that define the scope of the present invention. However, it may be understood that the figures presented herein are intended to exemplify the scope of the invention only. The person skilled in art may note that by no means the figures limit the scope of the invention. Any variation in the drawings by any other person will be falling in the scope of the present invention.

As illustrated in Figures 1-3, disassembly and assembly tool (10) comprises of four main parts connected together. The said four parts are assembled together to form the tool for assembling and disassembling ball valve.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of four main parts of said disassembly and assembly tool (10) in a disassembled form, comprising a first member (1), which is a cylindrical shaft having a threaded body surface with a rectangular shaped protrusion on one end and a tapering screw head on the other end; a second member (2) which is a hollow cylindrical shaft having a threaded surface on its outer circumferential surface; a third member (3) which is a nut having a threaded hole; and a fourth member (4) which is a nut having a threaded hole.

Figure 2 illustrates a pictorial view of four main parts of said disassembly and assembly tool (10), comprising a first member (1), which is a cylindrical shaft having a threaded body surface with a rectangular shaped protrusion on one end and a tapering screw head on the other end; a second member (2) which is a hollow cylindrical shaft having a threaded surface on its outer circumferential surface; a third member (3) which is a nut having a threaded hole; and a fourth member (4) which is a nut having a threaded hole.

Figure 3 illustrates a pictorial view of plurality of said disassembly and assembly tool (10) in an assembled form.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the said disassembly and assembly tool (10) comprises of a first member, male wedge screw, which is a cylindrical shaft having a threaded body surface with a rectangular shaped protrusion on one end and a tapering screw head on the other end; a second member (2), female wedge screw, which is a hollow cylindrical shaft having a threaded surface on its outer circumferential surface; a third member (3), a male wedge screw nut, which is a nut having a threaded hole to fasten on said first member; and a fourth member (4), a female wedge screw nut, which is a nut having a threaded hole to fasten on said second member.

Further, two numbers of said disassembly and assembly tool (10) are required for disassembling of each ball valve.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the method of disassembling the ball valve using said tool (10) comprises the steps of:
Step 1: Inserting a male wedge screw (1) in a female wedge screw
Step 2: Inserting the assembly of step 1 inside the face of seat inner diameter of a ball valve
Step 3: Tightening the male wedge screw nut (3) till the outer diameter of female wedge screw (2) expands and holds firmly on the seat inner diameter
Step 4: Tightening the female wedge screw nut (4) so that the entire assembly along with the seat is slowly pulled outside.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the method of assembling the ball valve using said tool (10) comprises the steps of:
Step 1: Pulling out the new seats as in disassembly procedure.
Step 2: Inserting ball in the valve body.
Step 3: Unscrewing the nut (4) slowly and completely, so that the valve seat matches the ball.
Step 4: Unscrewing the nut (3) slowly, to let go of the valve seats.
Step 5: Pulling out the male wedge screw (1) and female wedge screw (2) from the ball valve.

Further, the said tool according to the present invention can be used for various other similar valves and is not limited to ball valves for submarine operation. Furthermore, the said tool can be used for ball valves of different sizes by changing the size of the tool accordingly.

The advantages of the present invention include, ease of use, compact and no damage to any seats or ball of the valve.

The foregoing descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention, but are not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any variation or replacement readily figured out by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.
,CLAIMS:1. An assembly and disassembly tool (10) for ball valve comprising;
a first member (1) having a threaded body surface with a rectangular shaped protrusion on one end and a tapering screw head on the other end;
a second member (2) having a threaded surface on its outer circumferential surface;
a third member (3) having a threaded hole to fasten on said first member; and
a fourth member (4) having a threaded hole to fasten on said second member;
wherein the said third member is comparatively smaller than the fourth member.

2. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first member (1) is a male wedge screw.

3. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second member (2) is a female wedge screw.

4. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third member (3) is a male wedge screw nut.

5. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fourth member (4) is a female wedge screw nut.

6. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third member (3) and fourth member (4) are selected from hexagonal nuts.

7. The assembly and disassembly tool (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tool (1) is made of material selected from stainless steel, brass, bronze, mild steel and carbon steel.

8. The method of disassembling the ball valve using said tool (10) comprises the steps of:
(i) inserting a male wedge screw (1) in a female wedge screw;
(ii) inserting the assembly of step i inside the face of seat inner diameter of a ball valve;
(iii) tightening the male wedge screw nut (3) till the outer diameter of female wedge screw (2) expands and holds firmly on the seat inner diameter; and
(iv) tightening the female wedge screw nut (4) so that the entire assembly along with the seat is slowly pulled outside.

9. The method of assembling the ball valve using said tool (10) comprises the steps of:
(i) pulling out the new seats as in disassembly procedure;
(ii) inserting ball in the valve body;
(iii) unscrewing the nut (4) slowly and completely, such that the valve seat matches the ball;
(iv) unscrewing the nut (3) slowly, to let go of the valve seats; and
(v) pulling out the male wedge screw (1) and female wedge screw (2) from the ball valve.