Help with Vintage Valve ID. Big Letter R on the face.

[WB2GLP]

I came across this valve and I'm wondering if anyone has seen one before. It looks like an AMF or Swimaster knob. The big letter "R" is throwing me off. It says made in USA on the reverse. I can't think of any manufacturers beginning with R, past or present. I don't believe it's an R-valve. Anyone know?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

It is not an R-valve (Restrictor Valve), as to my knowledge only USD made those, and discontinued them in the mid-1950s. This may be made by AMF Voit, as you state. But it doesn't look exactly right for that. I'll compare it tonight with my AMF Voit valves.

SeaRat

 

[Sitkadiver]

I'm wondering if it came off a Voit modular valve system. Voit made a setup in the early 70's where you could run a cross-over bar to the tank on your left, or put a j-valve in it's place and have a single tank. This might be one of those.

I'll research further when I get home tonight.

Handle definately looks like a Voit.

 

[Mike Lev]

I would guess it could mean Rental.I have seen regs marked rental by a few companies.

 

[herman]

The knob does look like a Voit but they always put their name on the valves.

 

[WB2GLP]

Thanks for all the replies. All the responses are plausible, but I'm leaning toward Sitkadiver's response only because the guy I bought it from had a lot of miscellaneous gear. He also mentioned using a "suicide manifold" before going to the Voit standard manifold that's currently on a set of doubles I bought from him. I assumed a "suicide manifold" was industry or local slang for one of those yoke to yoke cross-over bars. This valve may have been part of that original setup.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

WB2GLP, It actually does look like an AMF Voit design, but the Voit trade name used a different type of plug. It is not a modular design, at least not to my knowledge. That design was different, and was made for tanks with a 1/2 inch thread, as I recall. I'll try to post something on the modular design. But I think AMF (American Machine and Foundry) made these valves for other manufacturers too. I have one which apparently is made of aluminum. I'll have more later.

SeaRat

 

[mcgowman]

Any chance it was once part of a manifold? Could 'R' start for 'Right' (instead of 'Left')?

 

[Wolfie]

perhaps it's the "right" side of the crossover. I wonder if anyone has seen an "L"?

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Well, it is not the AMF Voit valve. That valve has a peculiar squared body. So it is something else.

SeaRat