Compression cartridge for a faucet valve assembly

An improved valve and cover plate construction comprising:

• a cover plate,
• an underbody having an axial bore, a top edge, and a valve seat disposed below said top edge, and
• a valve assembly comprising a hollow bonnet and a stem movably disposed in said bonnet with a valve disc disposed at the bottom of said stem adapted to cooperate with said valve seat to regulate fluid flow,
• said bonnet being fixedly disposed in said axial bore and said stem axially movable in said bonnet,
• the improvement comprising said bonnet having a first annular flange extending circumferentially therearound, said first flange having an undercut therein and a sealing element disposed in said undercut, said undercut being generally U-shaped and forming a downwardly extending outer rim having an undersurface on a radially outer edge of said flange adapted to sealingly engage at least a portion of said top edge of said underbody, and a second annular flange having an abutment surface on the bottom thereof, and said cover plate having at least one flange having an opening therethrough adapted to receive said valve assembly, said flange having an annular seat circumscribing said opening and adapted to seat a retaining ring, wherein said retaining ring is pressed against said annular seat by said abutment surface.