Spring-biased flap valve for chemical pump and the like

A spring-biased flap valve for use in and with a pump having a wall and port therein, said port alternately closed and opened during fluid actuation, said flap valve providing a spring adapted to urge the flap valve into a substantially closed condition, said wall providing a support means for said flap valve when secured thereto, said flap valve including:

• (a) a sheet-like facing portion of a selected thickness and having an exterior surface adapted to engage the port in said wall and when seated thereagainst to close said port to fluid flow toward the wall and facing portion, this facing portion having a given width and length greater than the port to be closed, said facing portion having aligning means provided within the facing portion;
• (b) a plurality of sheet-like plastic member portions each providing sliding surfaces and in the lower portions thereof having aligning means compatible with said facing portion and with said member portions having a width similar to the facing portion when secure thereto and having a vertical extent greater than the extent of the said facing portion and in this extending extent there is formed at least two elongated apertures;
• (c) a plurality of thin sheet-like spring-tempered metal member portions, each portion having an aligning means compatible with said facing portion and having a vertical extent greater than the extent of said facing portion, said extending extent similar to and disposed between and secured to said sheet-like plastic member portions with each metal member portions having like elongated apertures formed in the extending extent with at least the extending extent of the metal member portions having smooth sliding surfaces;
• (d) means for securing the facing portion, the plurality of sheet-like plastic members and interspaced spring-tempered metal members in an aligned condition and with the extending extents of the laminate providing an axial alignment of the elongated apertures;
• (e) at least one spacer member positioned adjacent the wall and having substantially the same thickness as the facing member, this spacer next to the wall carried on at least two securing stud-like means attached to said wall, each providing a shank on which the elongated apertures of the sheet-like plastic portions and spring-tempered metal portions may be secured, and
• (f) means for securing said sheet-like portions and the spring-tempered metal portions on said stud-like means and with the spacer retaining the flap valve in the desired condition and position away from the wall so that the member portions having the elongated apertures may provide a hinge area and slide with respect to one another as the valve is swung inwardly to permit fluid flow with the metal members urging the flap valve assembly toward and to the closing condition when fluid pressure is reduced or absent.