Valve assembly

A valve assembly comprising:

• a housing having a first chamber, a second chamber, and a valve seat disposed between said first and second chambers;
• a valve head disposed in said housing and moveable relative to said housing between an open position spaced from said valve seat and a closed position engaged with said valve seat, said valve head having a front portion and a rear portion;
• a valve stem coupled to said rear portion of said valve head and being rotatably and reciprocally movable for moving said valve head between said open and closed positions;
• wherein said valve head includes a post extending from said front portion and integrally formed with the valve head;
• a valve seal including a hole receiving said post and being disposed adjacent said front portion;
• a retainer plate having a hole to receive said post and being disposed adjacent said valve seal;
• and
• wherein said post has an enlarged head at a distal end of said post spaced from said front portion to secure said retainer plate to said valve head, thereby retaining said valve seal to said valve head.

A method of assembling a valve assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having an inlet and an outlet spaced from each other, a first chamber defining the inlet, a second chamber defining the outlet, and a valve seat disposed between the first and second chambers, wherein fluid communicates between the first and second chambers;
• disposing a valve head in the housing and being moveable relative to the housing between an open position spaced from the valve seat and a closed position engaged with the valve seat;
• coupling a valve stem to the valve head and being rotatably and reciprocally movable for moving the valve head between the open and closed positions;
• disposing a valve seal adjacent the valve head;
• disposing a retainer plate adjacent the valve seal;
• and
• forming a rivet integrally with the valve head and securing the retainer plate to the valve head, thereby retaining the valve seal to the valve head.

A method of assembling a valve assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a housing having an inlet and an outlet spaced from each other, a first chamber defining the inlet, a second chamber defining the outlet, and a valve seat disposed between the first and second chambers, wherein fluid communicates between the first and second chambers;
• disposing a valve head in the housing and being moveable relative to the housing between an open position spaced from the valve seat and a closed position engaged with the valve seat, the valve head having a front portion and a rear portion;
• coupling a valve stem to the rear portion of the valve head and being rotatably and reciprocally movable for moving the valve head between the open and closed positions;
• extending a post from a front portion of the valve head;
• disposing a valve seal having a hole adjacent the front portion of the valve head such that the post extends through the hole of the valve seal;
• disposing a retainer plate having a hole adjacent the valve seal such that the post extends through the hole of the retainer plate;
• and
• enlarging the post at a distal end of the post to form an enlarged head by orbital forming to form a rivet integrally with the valve head and securing the retainer plate to the valve head, thereby retaining the valve seal to the valve head.