Valve seat retention

A method for retaining a seat in a valve body, wherein the seat has a first seat side adjacent to the valve body and a second seat side, comprising the steps of:

• placing a seat spacer adjacent to the seat and in the valve body, wherein the seat spacer has a first seat spacer side and a second seat spacer side;
• wherein the seat spacer includes a movable fastener;
• placing a seat retainer adjacent to the second seat spacer side and in the valve body;
• placing a seat retaining ring in a groove defined in the valve body;
• extending the movable fastener out of the second seat spacer side and thus moving against the seat retainer towards the seat retaining ring;
• further comprising the step of clamping the seat retainer against the seat retaining ring as a result of the step of extending the moveable fastener.

A valve with an improved retention arrangement for a seat, wherein the seat has a first seat surface and a second seat surface, comprising:

• a valve body defining a through-bore, and wherein the first seat surface is positioned adjacent to the valve body in the through-bore;
• a seat spacer having a first seat spacer surface and a second seat spacer surface, wherein the first seat spacer surface is adjacent to the second seat surface;
• a fastener threadably inserted into the second seat spacer surface, wherein a top of the fastener is movable towards and away from the second seat spacer surface;
• a seat retainer adjacent to the top of the fastener, wherein the seat retainer has a first seat retainer surface and a second seat retainer surface;
• and
• a seat retaining ring inserted into a groove defined in the through-bore of the valve body;
• further comprising a counter bore defined through first seat retainer surface and the second seat retainer surface, wherein the counter bore is complementary to the top of the fastener;
• further comprising a first notch defined on the valve body;
• a second notch defined on the seat;
• and the alignment button inserted into both the first notch and the second notch;
• further comprising a wide end of the counter bore complementary to the top of the fastener;
• and a narrow end of the counter bore, wherein the narrow end of the counter bore has a smaller diameter than the top of the fastener;
• wherein the fastener comprises a socket head cap screw;
• wherein the seat retainer defines a sloped surface connecting the second seat retainer surface to an exterior wall of the seat retainer;
• and
• wherein the seat retaining ring abuts the sloped surface;
• wherein the socket head cap screw is configured to increase a clamping force on the seat retainer and seat retaining ring as the top is moved away from the second seat spacer surface.