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;
• 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 its distal end 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 its distal end 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.