Disc valve assembly with tilt in valve member

Claim 1

A valve assembly, comprising: a valve body having opposite end faces and a bore extending therethrough; a disc valve member in the bore of the valve body having opposite end faces and a seating surface formed about the outer periphery thereof between the opposite end faces, said disc valve member having upper and lower diametrically opposed flanges projecting from one end face thereof, the diameter of the disc valve member and the distance between the upper end of the upper flange and the lower end of the lower flange being sufficiently less than the diameter of the valve body bore that the disc valve member may be tilted from a nonvertical to a vertical plane into operating position in the valve body bore; a first valve stem having an upper end and a lower end and being journaled in the valve body to extend at a right angle to the bore in the valve body, the lower end of the first valve stem being adapted to be removably connected to the upper flange of the disc valve member for turning the disc valve member from a fully open to a fully closed position; second valve stem means journally supporting the lower flange of the disc valve member in the valve body, said second valve stem means including a ball and socket connection whereby the disc valve member may be inserted in the valve body bore at an angle to the vertical and tilted into position for connection of the first valve stem to the upper flange thereof; and seat means disposed in The bore of the valve body having a seating surface thereon sized and positioned to seatingly and sealingly engage the seating surface of the disc valve member in one position of the disc valve member.