This Dixon BBV50SR ball valve is made of bronze with a stainless steel lever and chrome-plated ball for higher strength and corrosion resistance. This valve has a plastic-covered spring-close lever to ensure the valve is open only when an operator is at hand, and a blow-out proof stem to reduce leakage and valve damage. The operating torque (force) on this valve is three-times the torque of standard valves. It has reinforced tetrafluoroethylene (RTFE) seats, a stuffing box ring to reduce leakage, and an adjustable packing gland around the stem handle assembly to prevent loosening. This inline valve has a full port flow for higher operating efficiency than standard port and 1/2" female National Pipe Taper (NPT) threads for connecting two male threaded pipe fittings going in the same direction. It is pressure rated to 600 pounds per square inch (psi) at 70 degrees F, 150 psi for saturated steam, and has a vacuum rating of 29" Hg. This full port ball valve is suitable for use in air, water, oil and gas applications.

Ball valves use a spherical disc to control the flow between pipes, tubes, or hoses. Flow is allowed when the hole that pierces the ball-shaped disc is in line with the inlet and outlet of the valve and is blocked when the ball is horizontally swiveled 90 degrees, so that the hole of the ball is perpendicular to the opening of the valve. Ball valves can be referred to as full port or reduced port (also known as regular or standard port) depending on the inner diameter or the valve. A ball valve is full port if the hole of the ball is the same size as the inner diameter of the connecting pipeline (resulting in lower friction) and termed reduced port if the hole of the valve is one pipe size smaller than the pipe, resulting in less flow through the valve than through the shaft of the pipe. Ball valves may have a handle or lever that aligns with the ball's position (open or closed) for manual operation. They are primarily used in air, gas, liquid, and steam applications.

Dixon Valve & Coupling Company manufactures pipe and hose fittings and accessories. The company, founded in 1916, is headquartered in Chestertown, MD.