Valve guide bracket

In a pump having a main body at a fluid end thereof, a chamber formed within said main body which is in comunication with the piston chamber of the pump, a check valve assembly positioned within a passageway formed in said main body for controlling flow through the main body chamber;

• said check valve assembly includes a valve seat formed in said passageway, said valve seat having a longitudinal axis;
• said check valve assembly includes a valve element and a valve guide assembly, the method of removing said valve element and valve guide from the main body comprising the steps of:
• forming an access port into said main body through which said valve element and valve guide assembly therefor can be introduced into said passageway, arranged said access port to have a longitudinal axis disposed perpendicularly respective to said longitudinal axis of said seat;
• forming a circumferrentially extending shoulder in said access port;
• mounting a valve guide adaptor in seated relationship against said shoulder;
• pivotally attaching a yoke to a bracket;
• placing a valve guide in said bracket for reciprocatingly receiving and guiding a valve stem of said valve element;
• forming abutment means on said bracket and said yoke by which the yoke can be pivoted toward the bracket and into perpendicular relationship thereto;
• placing the valve stem within the guide of the bracket, moving the bracket, yoke, and valve element into the variable chamber, and mounting the yoke to the valve guide adpator and in a plane parallel to the axis of the valve stem with the valve element being aligned with the valve seat and the bracket being mounted in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the valve stem.

In a pump apparatus of the type having a variable chamber formed therein, said pump having a fluid end opposed to a power end, a main body forms the fluid end, a passageway in said main body in communication with the variable chamber through which fluid is forced to flow, a check valve assembly in said passageway;

• an access port in said main body arranged perpendicular to the passageway and in communication with the variable chamber;
• the method of removing a valve element and valve guide from the fluid end of a pump comprising the steps of:
• mounting a valve guide adaptor in said access port;
• pivotally attaching a yoke to a bracket in a manner to enable the yoke to be pivoted toward the bracket and into perpendicular relationship thereto and away from the bracket into an obtuse angle respective thereto;
• placing a valve guide means in said bracket for reciprocatingly receiving and guiding a valve stem of said valve element;
• moving the bracket and yoke into the variable chamber, placing the valve stem in the valve guide and mounting the yoke to the adaptor in a plane parallel to the axis of the valve stem with the valve element being aligned with the valve seat and the bracket being mounted in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the valve stem.

In a pump apparatus of the type having a variable chamber formed therein, with there being a fluid end opposed to a power end, a main body forms the fluid end, a passageway in said main body in communication with the variable chamber through which fluid is forced to flow;

• a check valve assembly in said passageway;
• an access port in said main body arranged perpendicular to the passageway and in communication with the variable chamber;
• the combination with said main body and check valve assembly of a valve guide assembly;
• said check valve assembly includes a valve seat formed in said flow passageway, a valve element, and a valve spring, said valve seat having a longitudinal axis,
• said access port has a longitudinal axis arranged perpendicularly respective to said longitudinal axis of said seat;
• means in said access port for mounting said valve guide assembly therein;
• said valve guide assembly includes a yoke, a bracket, and an adaptor;
• valve guide means on said bracket for reciprocatingly receiving and guiding a valve stem of the valve element;
• means by which said valve guide bracket is pivotally mounted to said yoke to enable said bracket and said yoke to be pivoted into perpendicular relationship to one another while the yoke is mounted to the adaptor and in a plane which is parallel to the axis of the valve stem, and by which the bracket can be pivoted away from the yoke;
• said yoke is removably mounted in a plane parallel to the axis of the valve stem, and with the valve seat being axially aligned with the valve stem guide;
• whereby the yoke can be released from the adaptor, the valve stem removed from the bracket, and the yoke and bracket pivoted away from one another and removed through the access port.