Refrigeration system

Claim 1

In a refrigeration system comprising a compressor having a compression chamber which is cyclically varied in size to compress refrigerant and a valve plate having an inlet valve controlling the flow of refrigerant from a suction chamber to said compression chamber and an outlet valve controlling the flow of refrigerant out of said compression chamber, expansion means, an evaporator and a condenser, the improvement comprising said valve plate having a first surface adjacent said compression chamber and an opposite second surface exposed to the suction chamber, said inlet valve being associated with said first surface, said outlet valve being associated with said second surface, said valve plate having an opening extending therethrough between said first and second surfaces, a normally open spring-loaded valve, a body having an opening therethrough, a valve movable axially in said opening in said valve body, a valve seat in said body against which said valve may seat, a stop in said body, and spring means normally urging said valve away from said valve seat against said stop, said valve being positioned between said compression chamber and said suction chamber, so that when the compressor is not operating, a direct passage is provided between the compression chamber and the suction chamber, the end of said valve body nearest said stop being substantially flush with said first surface, said valve substantially filling the space between said valve seat and said stop and said valve seat being positioned relative to said body which is exposed to said compression chamber and the length of the end of the opening in the valve body nearest the compression chamber being such that there is minimal volumetric area between said valve seat and said compression chamber when said valve is against said valve seat due to pressure in said compression chamber thereby maintaining a minimum recompression volume.