Flexible valve seat

Claim 1

A VALVE, COMPRISING: A BODY HAVING A VALVE CHAMBER THEREIN, AN INLET COMMUNICATING WITH THE VALVE CHAMBER AND AN OUTLET COMMUNICATING WITH THE VALVE CHAMBER; A VALVE MEMBER SUPPORTED IN THE VALVE CHAMBER FOR MOVEMENT, WHEN IN A CLOSED POSITION, TOWARD THE OUTLET OF THE VALVE IN RESPONSE TO A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL ACROSS THE VALVE MEMBER; AND AN ANNULAR-SHAPED SEAT IN THE VALVE CHAMBER SURROUNDING THE VALVE OUTLET, COMPRISING: AN ELASTIC MATERIAL BEARING RING HAVING A TAPERED SURFACE FACING THE VALVE MEMBER AND POSITIONED WITH ONLY A PORTION THEREOF CONTACTING THE VALVE MEMBER WHEN THE VALVE MEMBER IS CENTERED IN THE VALVE CHAMBER, SAID BEARING RING ALSO HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE IN SAID SURFACE FACING THE VALVE MEMBER; AND AN ELASTIC MATERIAL SEAL RING SECURED IN AND SUBSTANTIALLY FILLING SAID GROOVE AND HAVING A LOWER MODULUS OF ELASTICITY THAN SAID BEARING RING; SAID BEARING RING AND COOPERATING WALLS OF THE VALVE CHAMBER BEING SHAPED FOR DISTORTION OF THE BEARING RING AND EXTRUSION OF A PORTION OF SAID SEAL RING FROM SAID GROOVE INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VALVE MEMBER WHEN THE VALVE MEMBER IS MOVED TOWARD THE OUTLET BY FLUID PRESSURE.