Patent ID: 6997435
Filing Date: 2006-02-14
Classification: B67D,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A valve assembly, comprising: a valve body including a valve seat surrounding a valve outlet; a valve stem having a head portion adapted to contact and from a seal with the valve seat when the valve assembly is in a closed state, the valve stem having an elastically deformable portion which is deformed when the valve assembly is in an open position thereby providing a restorative force to bias the head portion towards contact with the valve seat; and additional biasing means mounted between the valve body and the valve stem to urge the head portion towards contact with the valve seat; wherein the additional biasing means comprise a substantially cylindrical helical compression spring having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of a substantially cylindrical portion of the valve stem; the valve body further includes mounting means on which a support plate is mounted; the support plate supports a valve body end of the spring; the valve body further comprises an upper plate in which the valve outlet is provided and a support frame which suspends the mounting means of the support plate beneath the valve outlet; and the support frame comprises at least three support posts extending substantially perpendicularly from the upper plate, distal ends of adjacent said support posts being connected by joining members which form said mounting means for said support plate.