Discharge valve

Abstract

A discharge valve including a tubular, valve seat and a valve guide disposed above the valve seat. The valve guide has a discharge passage plug and a guide rod that is affixed to, and projects downwardly from, the bottom of the plug. The valve guide also has an interiorly threaded, lifting sleeve that is affixed to, and projects upwardly from, the top of the plug. A piston is disposed between the valve seat and the valve guide. The piston has a conical, head portion for engaging the top of the valve seat, and a stem portion that is affixed to, and extends upwardly from, the head portion. The stem portion has a longitudinal socket within which the guide rod is slidably received. The stem portion also has a number of apertures that intersect the socket for providing pressure relief to the socket. A compressed spring is disposed between the valve guide and the head portion of the piston for normally retaining the head portion in engagement with the valve seat. An externally threaded, valve retainer is disposed above the valve guide for pressing the valve guide toward the valve seat.

1 . A discharge valve, comprising:
 a tubular, valve seat;   a valve guide being disposed above said valve seat, said valve guide including:
 a discharge passage plug; 
 a guide rod being affixed to, and projecting downwardly from, the bottom of said plug; and, 
 an interiorly threaded, lifting sleeve being affixed to, and projecting upwardly from, the top of said plug; 
   a piston being disposed between said valve seat and said valve guide, said piston including:
 a conical, head portion for engaging the top of said valve seat; and, 
 a stem portion being affixed to, and extending upwardly from, said head portion; said stem portion having a longitudinal socket within which said guide rod is slidably received; and said stem portion having a plurality of apertures intersecting said socket for providing pressure relief therein; 
   a compressed spring being disposed between said valve guide and said head portion of said piston for normally retaining said head portion in engagement with said valve seat; and,   an externally threaded, valve retainer being disposed above said valve guide for pressing said valve guide toward said valve seat.   
     
     
         2 . The discharge valve according to  claim 1  wherein said head portion of said piston includes:
 a conical, bottom part having a rounded bottom wall and a first side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom wall; and,   a rim part being affixed to said bottom part, said rim part having a second side wall extending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom part at a shallower angle than said first side wall.   
     
     
         3 . The discharge valve according to  claim 1  wherein said seat portion includes a plurality of spaced-apart, peripheral channels in said outer surface and further includes a plurality of o-ring seals, a respective one of which is positioned in each of said peripheral channels. 
     
     
         4 . The discharge valve according to  claim 1  wherein said head portion of said piston has a peripheral recess and said discharge valve further comprises an insert with a back edge that is circular in cross section being snugly positioned within said peripheral recess for engaging said top part of said seat portion. 
     
     
         5 . The discharge valve according to  claim 1  wherein said radial apertures in said stem portion slope downwardly to intersect the bottom of said longitudinal socket. 
     
     
         6 . The discharge valve according to  claim 5  wherein said valve retainer includes a cutout in the bottom thereof for receiving therein said sleeve of said valve guide.