A suction valve seat and guide assembly has an outer ring and a peripheral flange projecting outwardly from the bottom of the outer ring, and an inner surface with a top part sloping downwardly and inwardly toward the center of the outer ring. The outer ring has an outer surface that slopes upwardly and inwardly from the flange. The guide has an inner ring positioned within the outer ring and a number of spaced-apart fins connecting the inner ring to the outer ring. A retainer has an internal passageway, an externally threaded, upper segment within the top of which is fitted the peripheral flange of the seat; a middle segment that is affixed to the bottom of the upper segment and has a polygonal cross section for easy gripping by a wrench; and, a bottom segment that is affixed to the bottom of the middle segment.
1. A suction valve, comprising:
a valve seat and guide assembly including:
a seat portion having an outer ring and a peripheral flange projecting outwardly from the bottom of said outer ring, said outer ring having an inner surface with a top part sloping downwardly and inwardly toward the center of said outer ring, and said outer ring having an outer surface sloping upwardly and inwardly from said peripheral flange; and,
a guide portion having an inner ring being positioned within said outer ring and a plurality of spaced-apart fins connecting said inner ring to said outer ring;
a piston having a head for engaging said top part of said seat portion and a stem extending downwardly from said head and through said inner ring of said guide portion, and said stem also having a peripheral groove therein;
a valve keeper being fitted upon said stem such that said inner ring is disposed between said top part of said seat portion and said valve keeper, and said valve keeper having a recess in the bottom thereof;
a split ring being positioned within said peripheral groove in said stem and within said recess in said valve keeper;
a compressed spring being positioned between, and exerting opposing forces upon, said inner ring and said valve keeper so as to normally retain said head in engagement with said top part of said valve seat; and,
a valve retainer having an internal passageway for delivering fluids to said valve seat and guide assembly, said valve retainer including:
an externally threaded, upper segment within the top of which is fitted said peripheral flange of said seat portion;
a middle segment being affixed to the bottom of said upper segment and having a polygonal cross section for easy gripping by a wrench; and,
a bottom segment being affixed to the bottom of said middle segment and being adapted for attachment to the suction manifold of a pump.
2. The suction valve according to claim 1 wherein said inner surface of said outer ring has a bottom part, located beneath said top part, that slopes upwardly and inwardly toward the center of said outer ring, and said inner surface further has a medial part that slopes upwardly and inwardly toward the center of said outer ring at a shallower angle than said bottom part and connects said top part to said bottom part.
3. The suction 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 suction valve according to claim 1 wherein said head of said piston has a peripheral recess and said suction valve further comprises an insert with a back edge that is circular in cross section snugly positioned within said peripheral recess for engaging said top part of said seat portion.
5. The suction valve according to claim 1 wherein said internal passageway of said valve retainer has a narrowed neck for increasing the velocity of fluids drawn past said valve keeper.
6. The suction valve according to claim 1 wherein said inner ring includes:
an interior wall for engaging said stem of said piston;
an exterior wall being opposite said interior wall; and,
a radial flange extending outwardly from said exterior wall serving as an abutment for the top of said compressed spring.
7. The suction valve according to claim 1 comprising three of said fins radiating from said inner ring at 120° intervals.
8. The suction valve according to claim 1 wherein said split ring has a peripheral slot therein and said suction valve further includes an o-ring positioned in said peripheral slot.