Mud Valve with Integral Yoke and Flange

A valve plug for a mud valve having an annular frame having a lower surface forming a flange, and an upper surface with an open center having an inner circumference forming a seating surface with a seat angle relative to the upper surface of the annular frame;

• and a yoke having an arch with an apex, a first arm with an inner surface and an end, and a second arm with an inner surface and an end, the inner surface of the first arm having a guide rail with a thickness, and the inner surface of the second arm having a guide rail with a thickness, the end of the first yoke arm and the end of the second yoke arm being connected to the upper surface of the annular frame;
• and a valve stem passing through the apex of the yoke and having a lower end;
• the valve plug comprising:
• a) a body having a diameter with a first end and a second end, an upper surface, a lower surface with a circumference, and a seating surface on the circumference of the lower surface of the body having a seat angle corresponding to the seat angle of the inner circumference of the annular frame;
• b) a first pair of tabs comprising a near tab and a far tab mounted on the upper surface of the body at opposite sides of the first end of the diameter, the pair of tabs extending radially past the first end of the diameter of the body and being separated from each other by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the guide rail on the inner surface the first arm of the yoke;
• c) a second pair of tabs comprising a near tab and a far tab mounted on the upper surface of the body at opposite sides of the second end of the diameter, the pair of tabs extending radially past the second end of the diameter of the body and being separated from each other by a distance at least as great as the thickness of the guide rail on the inner surface the second arm of the yoke;
• the near tab of the second pair of tabs being on a same side of the diameter as the near tab of the first pair of tabs, and the far tab of the second pair of tabs being on a same side of the diameter as the far tab of the first pair of tabs;
• d) a fitting on the upper surface of the body for coupling with the lower end of the valve stem;
• wherein each of the near tabs are mounted closer to the upper surface of the body than each of the far tabs, a distance between an upper edge of each near tab and a lower edge of the far tab in the pair of tabs being at least as great as the thickness of the guide rail on the inner surface of the yoke.