Valve having improved means of removing and replacing seat elements

Claim 1

A valve having improved means of removing and replacing the seat element without the necessity of disconnecting the valve from piping or other apparatus, comprising: a valve body having a flow passageway therethrough, an upwardly extending bonnet attachment portion having a bonnet opening communicating with the fluid passageway, and an opening in the lower portion of the body opposite the bonnet attachment portion, the lower opening likewise communicating with the flow passageway, the valve body including means of attachment to other flow conducting apparatus, the body having opposed seat receiving grooves to each side of said flow passageway, the grooves being open at the bottom; a seating element removably supported in the valve body having a flow passageway opening therein coaxial with the body flow passageway opening, the seating element having an annular seating surface surrounding the flow passageway, and having a radially extending ridge on the exterior periphery, the ridge being slidably receivable in said body seat receiving grooves; key means between said seating element and lower cover plate whereby said seating element is retained in proper position with the valve body; a gate member vertically positionable in the valve body between a closed position in which said seating element seating surface is contacted, closing the valve against fluid flow therethrough, and an open position in which said gate member is withdrawn upwardly within said bonnet opening permitting free passage of fluid through the valve; means extending partially externally of the valve body for vertically positioning said gate member between opened and closed positions; and a removable lower cover plate sealably closing said lower opening in said valve body, and permitting, when said cover plate is removed, the slidable removal and insertion of said seating element, and when the cover is in closed position, serving to retain said seat element in position in the valve body.