Valve construction and method of making the same

Claim 1

A valve construction comprising a housing means having an inlet and an outlet interconnected together by a valve seat of said housing means, and a movable valve member carried by said housing means for opening and closing said valve seat, said valve member having an elongated and integral valve stem extending from one side thereof whereby said valve member and said valve stem are one-piece, said housing means having axially spaced guide means to provide the sole means for guiding axial movement of said valve stem, said valve stem having a guide collar means thereon disposed closely adjacent said valve member and cooperating with one of said guide means of said housing means, said guide collar means extending radially outwardly from said valve stem and being larger than said valve member, said guide collar means and said one guide means of said housing means having limiting means permitting axial movement of said guide collar means relative to said one guide means while preventing rotational movement therebetween, said limiting means of said guide collar means comprising a plurality of slots in said guide collar means, said limiting means of said one guide means comprising a plurality of spline members respectively received in said slots of said guide collar means, said valve seat comprising a separate valve seat member carried by said housing means, said valve seat member carrying said spline members.