Patent ID: 9581249
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: F16K,Y10T

Claim:
1. A valve assembly comprising: a housing having an inlet and an outlet spaced from each other along a first axis, a first chamber defining said inlet, a second chamber defining said outlet, and a valve seat disposed between said first and second chambers, wherein fluid communicates between said first and second chambers; a valve head disposed in said housing and moveable relative to said housing between an open position spaced from said valve seat and a closed position engaged with said valve seat, said valve head defining a bore through said valve head along a second axis, wherein said first axis intersects said second axis and said first axis is positioned at an acute angle relative to said second axis; a valve stem coupled to said valve head and being rotatably and reciprocally movable along said second axis for moving said valve head between said open and closed positions, said valve stem disposed in said bore and moveable relative to said valve head from a sealed position preventing fluid communication through said bore to an unsealed position allowing fluid communication through said bore for relieving pressure differences between said first chamber and said second chamber when said valve head is in said closed position; and an intermediate member formed separate from said valve head and said valve stem and disposed between said valve stem and said valve head, said intermediate member being disposed in said bore and axially fixed to one of said valve stem and said valve head and retaining said valve head and said valve stem together in a swiveling configuration such that said valve head can swivel about said valve stem, wherein another one of said valve stem and said valve head defines a travel space in said bore along said second axis with said intermediate member retained in said travel space between said valve stem and said valve head in said sealed position wherein said travel space is sized larger than said intermediate member along said second axis for allowing selective movement of said valve stem relative to said valve head between said sealed and unsealed positions.