Patent ID: 7644732

Claim:
A flapper valve assembly for use with a fluid device having a flow chamber from which intermittent flow is desired, the flapper valve assembly comprising: a shim plate having a fluid port therethrough for communication with said flow chamber; a face plate overlying the shim plate and having an outlet port communicating with said fluid port; the shim plate and the face plate defining a slot located between the shim plate and the face plate, the slot extending between one of the fluid and outlet ports and the periphery of at least one of the shim plate and the face plate; a flapper valve having a first portion slidably located in said slot, and a flexible second portion movable from a first position where the second portion at least partially blocks flow through the fluid port, to a second position where the second portion unblocks flow through the fluid port; flapper gripping means for locking the first portion against movement in the slot; and bias means for urging the second portion into the first position wherein the slot is located in the face plate and is dimensioned to permit the flapper valve first portion to be operatively positioned in the slot by firstly inserting the flapper valve second portion into the slot.