Diverter valve assembly and method

In a diverter valve having a valve housing with a plurality of openings spaced circumferentially about a central axis of said housing, a diverter member mounted in said housing for rotation about said axis and having a radially outwardly extending portion, and a diverter portion substantially mating with the interior surface of said housing proximate said openings and extending circumferentially about said axis a distance sufficient to span across one of said openings upon positioning of said diverter portion in front of said one of said openings, a seal assembly carried by said diverter portion and slidably sealing against fluid flow between said diverter portion and said interior surface, and lubricant passageway means formed in said housing and through said radially outwardly extending portion for the flow of a lubricant therein, said diverter portion includes a removable arcuate retention plate means, wherein the improvement in said diverter valve comprises:

• said seal assembly being formed as an endless ring-type flexible seal member mounted to said diverter portion and disposed between and in abutting engagement with said passageway means and said arcuate plate means to slidably engage said interior surface, said flexible seal member being dimensioned to extend around said one of said openings when said diverter portion is positioned in front of said one of said openings, said flexible seal member having two resiliently displaceable side-by-side endless ribs defining an endless groove therebetween encircling said one of said openings, and
• said lubricant passageway means including passageway portions extending through said flexible seal member to said endless groove for the discharge of lubricant between said diverter portion and said interior surface from said endless groove to provide lubrication for easy rotation of said diverter member without the need for diassemble of said diverter valve.