Multiple wave form spring valve assembly

Claim 1

In a high performance compressor having a cylinder, a rapidly operating piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, and a valve plate at one end of said cylinder having at least one discharge opening with a valve seat, the improvement comprising a substantially non-resilient valve having at least one edge and normally engaging the valve seat of said plate, a first undular wave form spring having shallow hills and valleys with portions of said valleys frictionally engaging said valve, said first spring having at least one edge in alignment with the edge of said valve, a flat substantially non-resilient spacer frictionally engaging portions of the hills of said first spring and having at least one edge in alignment with the edge thereof, a second undular wave form spring having shallow hills and valleys with portions of the valleys frictionally engaging said spacer, said second spring having at least one edge in alignment with the edge of said spacer, a flat substantially non-resilient backing member located in alignment with said second spring and frictionally engaging portions of the hills thereof, means for mounting said backing member in fixed position and in spaced relationship with said valve plate, and guide means disposed along the edges of said valve, springs and spacers for maintaining the same in alignment with each other, whereby movement of said valve away from said valve seat caused by the pressure of fluid within said cylinder sequentially compresses said springs to permit compressed fluid to be discharged through said discharge opening during the compression stroke of said piston and said springs operate simultaneously to close said valve when the compression stroke of said piston is completed.