A suction valve including a valve seat and a piston movably joined to the valve seat. The piston has a head for engaging the top surface of the valve seat and a stem extending downwardly from the head through the valve seat. A valve guide is positioned adjacent the bottom surface of the valve seat and slidably receives the stem. A valve keeper is fitted upon the stem such that the valve guide is disposed between the valve seat and the valve keeper. A keeper pin is slidably positioned within a transverse aperture in the stem and abuts the bottom of the valve keeper. A compressed spring is positioned between, and exerts opposing forces upon, the valve guide and the valve keeper so as to normally retain the head of the piston in engagement with the top surface of the valve seat.
1. A piston for a suction valve, composing:
a head for engaging a top surface of a suction valve seat and a stem extending downwardly from said head through said suction valve seat, said stem having a first transverse aperture and a second transverse aperture; said second aperture opens to said first aperture, both said first and second aperture are at a lower portion of said stem, said first aperature at a right angle to said second aperture.