Inline check valve

In a combination with a valve body having an enlarged diameter valve chamber therein and opposed inlet and outlet flow passages of a generally constant diameter in fluid communication with the valve chamber, and an annular valve seat mounted in said inlet flow passage adjacent said valve chamber;

• an improved cage assembly mounted within said valve chamber in axial longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of said inlet and outlet flow passages;
• said cage assembly comprising:
• a cage body of a generally cylindrical shape having one end mounted about said outlet flow passage securing said cage body within said valve chamber, an opposed free end extending within said valve chamber in an unsupported cantilevered manner to define an annular flow passage between the cage body and the enlarged diameter valve chamber, and a plurality of connecting ribs between said ends defining a plurality of fluid flow slots therebetween for fluid flow from the valve chamber to the outlet flow passage;
• and
• a check valve member mounted on said free end of said cage body for movement between a seated closed position on said inlet seat and an unseated open position;
• said cylindrical cage body having an end securing ring fitting within said valve body at the juncture of said fluid outlet passage and said valve chamber to mount said cage body therein, said cage body having an inner peripheral surface defined by said ring forming a continuation of the fluid outlet passage and being of the same inner diameter as the diameter of the outlet flow passage;
• said cage assembly being of an outlet diameter throughout its length less than the outer diameter of said inlet seat, and said inlet seat being removable from said inlet flow passage to permit insertion and removal of said cage assembly.

In combination with a valve body having an enlarged diameter valve chamber therein and opposed inlet and outlet flow passages in fluid communication with the valve chamber, and a removable annular inlet seat mounted in said inlet flow passage adjacent said valve chamber;

• an improved cage assembly mounted within said valve chamber in axial longitudinal alignment with the longitudinal axis of said inlet and outlet flow passages;
• said cage assembly comprising:
• a cage body of a generally cylindrical shape having one end mounted about said outlet flow passage in supporting relation, an opposed free end extending within said valve chamber in an unsupported cantilevered manner, and a plurality of connecting ribs extending between said ends and defining fluid flow passage slots therebetween for fluid flowing between said inlet flow passage and said outlet flow passage;
• a fluid flow diverter mounted within said cage adjacent said slots and exposed to fluid flowing through said slots from said valve chamber to said fluid outlet passage, said diverter having a generally conically shaped downstream surface facing said outlet flow passage and directing the flow of fluid from said valve chamber and slots to said outlet flow passage in a relatively smooth fluid stream with a minimum of turbulence;
• and
• a piston check valve member mounted on said free end of said cage body for movement between a seated closed position and unseated open positioned relative to said inlet seat;
• said piston check valve member having a front face of a generally hemispherical surface exposed to inlet fluid pressure for directing fluid flow from said fluid inlet passage into said valve chamber about said cage body;
• said piston check valve member having an opposed rear face and said conically shaped surface having an opening therethrough for directing fluid flow from said outlet flow passage to the rear face of said piston check valve upon a reversal in flow through said valve body for urging said piston check valve member to seated closed position in minimum time;
• said cage being of a maximum outer diameter less than the outer diameter of said inlet seat and removable from said check valve chamber through said inlet flow passage upon removal of said inlet seat.