Fluid-control valve

Claim 1

A ported, fluid control valve of the channel type, having a valve seat; elongated valve members disposed on said valve seat and displaceable for a given distance toward and away from said valve seat for effecting opening and closing of the valve porting; a pair of guide members fixed proximate to terminal ends of each of said valve members for confining said valve members to a given area of displacement; and a stop plate replaceably secured to said valve seat, overlying said guide members and said valve members; the improvement comprising: inserts interposed between said valve members and said guide members for protecting said valve members and said guide members against wear and scoring; said inserts being replaceably engaged with said guide members, wherein; said stop plate restrains said inserts against movement, and holds said inserts in engagement with said guide members; said inserts being removable from said guide members, upon removal of said stop plate from said valve seat; said guide members have pilot means for restricting movement of said valve members through X and Y planes of said given area, and for accommodating displacement of said valve members through the Z plane of said given area; said pilot means comprises troughs formed in said guide members, said troughs each having opposed first and second surfaces joined by a third surface; said opposed first and second surfaces defining the limits of said X plane and said third surface defining a limit of said Y plane; said inserts are in abutting engagement with said first, second, and third surfaces; and wherein said inserts have keying means for effecting engagement with said first, second, and third surfaces; and said first and second surfaces have relieved areas formed therein for receiving said keying means.