Lamina valve for reciprocating compressors

Claim 1

In a compressor having a cylinder containing a cylinder bore, a cylinder head, a seating plate disposed between said cylinder and said head and having at least one port therein, a gasket of a first predetermined thickness disposed between said plate and said cylinder, and a lamina valve between said plate and said cylinder and lying inwardly of said gasket, said valve bearing against a surface of said seating plate for closing said port and being movable away from said port for opening same, the improvement wherein said valve comprises a lamina plate having opposed ends bridging said cylinder bore and being clamped in place at said ends, said lamina plate having a second predetermined thickness less than said first thickness and having resilient projections at at least one of said ends, said projections extending away from said surface of said seating plate and toward said cylinder, said projections having a thickness at least equal to said first thickness of said gasket and bearing against an end surface of said cylinder, said surfaces lying parallel to one another, whereby said projections compensate for any difference in thickness between said lamina plate and said gasket and further prevent any shifting of said lamina plate relative to said seating plate when said seating plate is clamped down over said cylinder.