Valve assembly having a valve spring retainer

摘要

A piston is reciprocable in a cylinder of a valve body. A spring in the cylinder has one end bearing against the piston. An abutment holds a retainer in bearing engagement with the opposite end of the spring to hold the spring under compression. The valve body has a slot through which the retainer may be introduced transversely into the cylinder when the spring is further compressed. The retainer has a locking tab. The valve body has an axial notch extending from the slot in a direction away from the spring to clear the tab when the spring is further compressed by a tool and the retainer is introduced. When the tool is withdrawn and the retainer is forced back against the abutment by the spring, the tab extends beyond the notch to be overlain and trapped or blocked by a portion of the valve body to prevent the retainer from falling out of the cylinder through the slot.