Soft seat Y pattern globe valve

Claim 1

A valve for controlling fluid flow, the valve having a body and a valve stem for movement between an opened position permitting fluid flow through the valve and a closed position blocking fluid flow through the valve, the valve stem moving along a first axis, comprising: a seal surface defined on the valve body concentric with the first axis and surrounding the fluid passage through the valve; structure mounted on the valve stem having a cylindrical portion concentric with the first axis and defining an annular rigid end surface at one end of the cylindrical portion facing the seal surface on the body, the end of the cylindrical portion spaced from the seal surface on the body being closed; a generally cylindrically shaped hard seal positioned partially within the interior of the cylindrical portion and confined by the inner walls of the cylindrical portion for limited movement along the first axis relative to the cylindrical portion, said hard seal defining an annular hard seal surface facing the seal surface of the body; means for resiliently urging the hard seal out of the interior of the cylindrical portion along the first axis so that the hard seal surface is spaced toward the seal surface of the body relative to the rigid end surface; means for limiting the movement of the hard seal toward the seal surface of the valve body; a soft seal positioned partially within the chamber of the cylindrical portion concentric with the first axis and supported on its outer surface by the inner surface of the hard seal, the soft seal defining a soft seal surface extending from the chamber and positioned between the hard seal surface and the rigid end surface when the valve is open; means for retaining the soft seal within the chamber; and the hard seal surface initially contacting the seal surface on the valve body as the valve stem is moved toward the closed position to block fluid flow through the valve and reduce the pressure drop across the soft seal to prevent extrusion of the soft seal, the resilient member being compressed and the hard seal retracting within the chamber of the cylindrical portion as the valve stem moves further to the closed position, the soft seal surface contacting the seal surface on the valve body and deforming as the valve stem is moved to the closed position with the rigid end surface in contact with the seal surface of the valve body, the soft seal and seal surface of the valve body forming a seal to block fluid flow in the closed position with the deformation of the soft seal being limited by contact between the rigid end surface and the seal surface of the valve body.