A rotatable shaft assembly comprising a body with a bore having a first end and a second end and an annular abutment formed intermediate the first and second ends of the bore and extending radially inwardly into the bore, a shaft or stem rotatably received in the bore, said shaft having a reduced diameter portion forming an annular shoulder which faces the second end of the bore, a retaining collar disposed in the bore adjacent the abutment, the retaining collar including an annular band and a plurality of resiliently, radially deflectable fingers depending radially inwardly from said band, each of the fingers forming a strut portion terminating in a free end which engages the shoulder on the shaft upon movement of shaft toward the second end of the bore and a stop member disposed in the bore for stopping movement of the retaining collar toward the second end of the bore.

An apparatus for fixing the longitudinal position of a shaft, e.g., a valve stem, within the bore of a body, e.g., a valve body comprising a shaft having a plurality of peripherally extending, generally equally spaced, discrete grooves, the grooved portion of the shaft being received in the bore, a stop being provided internally of the bore, a washer having an inwardly tapered abutment surface engaging the stop, a split ring received on the shaft and engaging the inwardly tapered abutment surface, the apparatus further including a gland assembly including a second washer for engagement with the first washer, the gland assembly urging the second washer against the first washer, the split ring being forced into engagement with the abutment surface and into a groove adjacent the abutment surface. The apparatus is particularly useful in fixing the position of the stem in a butterfly valve to prevent a longitudinal force acting on the valve stem from forcing the disk out of its centered disposition with respect to the valve seat.

The invention relates to a regulating valve having a valve housing (1) and an essentially horizontally arranged linearly movable valve member (2) for regulating a flow through the valve. The valve member is by a cylindrical portion (22) arranged in a bearing (6) contained in the valve housing. To reduce the wear to which the bearing paths of the valve member and the bearing are subjected and, resulting therefrom, the deterioration of the guiding of the valve member, the outer bearing path of the bearing is arranged with a "bed" in the base of the bearing path. The "bed" comprises a depression (29) which is formed as a part, limited by generatrices, of a cylindrical surface having a cross-sectional radius (30) which corresponds to that of the cylindrical portion or just above and is smaller than half of a vertical diametrical dimension of this outer bearing path, and a centre angle (31) of preferably about 70.degree.. The invention also relates to a process for manufacturing the outer bearing path.

A unitary bearing and locator assembly is provided having a body portion with a passageway therethrough and an integral shoulder flange portion. In one embodiment, this shoulder flange includes a rectilinear perimeter and a radiussed surface. In another embodiment, the shoulder flange has a generally curved perimeter with only a portion thereof being flattened. The bearing is adapted to be inserted in a valve assembly between a rotatable shaft, on which a valving member is mounted, and a shaft bore in the valve body. The shoulder flange is adopted to support and distribute the load from this valving member within the valve body and the fluid passageway therethrough. The linear portions shoulder flange perimeter are adapted to engage portions of the valve body and prevent rotation of the unitary bearing and locator with respect to the valve body. The radiussed surface of the shoulder flange is adapted to engage portions of said valve body to prevent bearing rotation, provide positive location, and improve load distribution and carrying capabilities.

A valve having a valve packing removal device attached thereto is disclosed. The valve may include a valve plug reciprocally disposed within the valve housing and connected to a sliding stem. The packing may be provided about the valve stem to ensure or minimize leakage of regulated fluid from the valve. A sleeve may have a diameter less than a bore in which the packing is disposed and may be connected to the valve stem such that when the valve stem is sufficiently pulled from the valve, the sleeve engages the packing and pulls the packing from the valve.