Valve structure for a compressor

A valve plate for an air compressor comprising:

• a fluid passageway;
• free-floating reed valve means disposed in said plate for opening and closing said passageway;
• and
• keeper bar means movably capturing said reed valve means in said valve plate for free-floating movement between a closed position and a flexed open position
• wherein said valve plate has a first side and wherein said keeper bar means are disposed in at least one recess in said first side of said plate over said flexible free-floating reed valve means, said keeper bar means extending outwardly from said recess beyond said first side of said valve plate.

A valve plate for covering and defining a part of an expansible chamber and for mounting at least one valve in operative position with respect to said chamber and including:

• a first recess in one side of said plate and defined by recess walls for receiving a reed valve therein;
• a fluid port extending from said recess to another side of said plate;
• a flexible free-floating reed valve disposed in said first recess in one position for closing said port and in another flexed position for opening said port;
• at least a second recess in said one side of said valve plate disposed at least adjacent said first recess;
• a keeper bar disposed in said second recess, said keeper bar over said first recess;
• and
• said keeper bar having a lower surface for engaging said free-floating reed valve in its other position, said lower surface being spaced from a wall of said first recess a distance greater than the thickness of said reed valve so that said reed valve is free to float between said keeper bar lower surface and said walls of said first recess.

A compressor of the type having at least one cylinder having a reciprocable piston therein, a valve plate at one end of said cylinder defining with said cylinder and said piston an expansible chamber, and a cylinder head disposed over said valve plate and said cylinder, the improvement including:

• a fluid passageway in said valve plate;
• a flexible reed valve means disposed in said valve plate for opening and closing said passageway, and having at least one free-floating reed end;
• at least one keeper bar means in said valve plate movably capturing said flexible free-floating reed end in said valve plate for movement of the valve between a passage closing position in said valve plate and a flexed passage opening position, and
• said keeper bar means having an edge transverse to said flexible reed valve means wherein said flexible reed valve means is flexed about said edge when opened.

A reed valve assembly for opening and closing a port in response to pressure differential thereacross and including:

• a flexible, free-floating reed valve having at least two end portions and being disposed in operative relationship with a port;
• and
• first and second keeper bars normally spaced from and transversely overlying respective end portions of said valve;
• wherein a pressure differential at said port is sufficient to flex said reed valve about said keeper bars into a non-planar operative configuration with respect to said port, and between said keeper bars.