Flexible guide

摘要

A flexible beam arrangement functioning as a valve member guide in a pressure relief valve for maintaining proper alignment of a valve member and a valve seat is disclosed wherein one end of the flexible beam is affixed to a valve housing and the other end thereof is fixed to the valve member so that opening and closing of the valve is associated with a flexing of the beam, however sliding motion of the valve member relative to the guide is eliminated. This assures an accurate reseating of the valve member on the valve seat. In the preferred form the flexible beam is formed as a relatively flat disc with an outer peripheral portion being the one end that is fastened to the housing and a central portion being the other end which is fastened to the valve member. Fastening of the other end to the valve member may be accomplished by a shoulder and snap ring arrangement so that the valve member may rotate about its axis relative to the disc, however, axial valve movement requires flexing of the disc. The disc may be provided with a pair of nested oppositely facing C-shaped cutout sections to aid flexure thereof so that on valve opening and closing the valve member moves axially.