This Smith-Cooper International 8140 Series mini ball valve is made of forged brass for higher corrosion resistance than steel and has a plastic-covered lever handle for on/off manual control. It has PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) seats and seals for resistance to chemicals, moisture, and high temperatures. This inline valve has a full port flow for higher operating efficiency than standard port and 1/4" 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) for cold working pressure (CWP), 150 psi for saturated steam. This mini ball valve is suitable for use in 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.

Smith-Cooper International distributes pipe, fittings, and valves under its SCI trademark and manufactures valves under the Sharpe brand. The company, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Commerce, CA, meets International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 9002.