Top Entry Soft Seats Floating Ball Valve

A method of assembling the top entry ball valve, comprising:

• providing:
• a housing with a central cavity communicating with two bores which define a flow path through the housing;
• a ball valve element with a central bore and first and second flat surfaces on opposite sides of the element;
• first and second seats;
• and
• first and second protective rings for receiving and supporting at least a portion of the first and second seats, inserting at least a portion the first and second seats into the first and second protective rings respectively;
• inserting the first and second seats and rings into the central cavity, aligned with the bores of the housing;
• inserting the ball element into the central cavity, with the central bore transverse to the flow path and the first and second flat surfaces extending transverse to the flow path;
• rotating the ball element until the central bore is substantially aligned with the flow path.