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It is arguable as to when Ball valves were first invented, but certain that a sphere-shaped ball type valve was first patented in 1871, and this was probably the forerunner of today’s Ball valves. Ball valves are essential to many of today’s industries. The petroleum, water, electric power, chemical, paper, pharmaceuticals, food, steel, mines and other industries all rely upon Ball valves – indeed could not function without Ball valves. A ball valve is just a ball, usually steel or brass, that is inside a flush-fitting housing. The ball is turned by means of a handle, and there is a hole pierced through the centre of the ball. When the hole is aligned with the inlet and outlet pipes, the ball valve is open, allowing a flow of fluid from one side of the valve to the other. When not aligned the ball valve is closed – it’s as simple as that.
Ball valves are just one of the things that are taken for granted in today’s society. They do not necessarily have just a single channel running through them, but can have either an L or T shaped channel, enabling more than the usual two connections to be made. Modern Ball valves did not become commercially available until the mid 1960s even though the hard-wearing seated ball valve patent was issued in April 1945. Today almost every industry and household makes some use of the humble ball valve – it is an invention that has proved crucial to every flow control system.
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