Apparatus to bias valve closure members

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having an opening defining a passageway, the opening having an axis that is substantially coaxially aligned with a flow path axis defined by the passageway;
• a shaft to support a closure member within the passageway of the valve body and relative to the opening, wherein the shaft includes a bore and an inner surface of the bore defines a first seating surface;
• an end cap removably coupled to the valve body to retain the shaft within the valve body;
• and
• a spring at least partially disposed within the bore of the shaft between the first seating surface and a second seating surface opposite the first seating surface, the spring to provide a force to oppose a weight of the closure member and facilitate alignment of the closure member relative to the opening, the second seating surface including a ball bearing disposed between the end cap and the spring.

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having an opening defining a passageway, the opening having an axis that is substantially coaxially aligned with a flow path axis defined by the passageway;
• a first shaft to support a closure member within the passageway of the valve body and relative to the opening;
• an end cap removably coupled to the valve body to retain the first shaft within a bore of the valve body;
• and
• a spring disposed between a first seating surface and a second seating surface opposite the first seating surface to provide a force to oppose a weight of the closure member and facilitate alignment of the closure member relative to the opening, wherein the first seating surface is integrally formed with an end of the first shaft, wherein the first seating surface includes a first protruding leg that is to slidably engage a second protruding leg extending from the second seating surface, wherein the second seating surface is disposed between the end cap and the first shaft.