A steam trap including a buoyant float member is equipped with a valve seat assembly which is closed by abutment of the float with a valve seat portion surrounding the flow orifice. BALANCING VALVESThe assembly is formed with a float abutment member made of carbide located adjacent the valve seat surface on the outer periphery thereof and located to serve as a contact point for the float member and to define a fulcrum about which the float may pivot when moving into and out of contact with the valve seat surface. The material of the float abutment member ensures a longer service life and a more secure closure of the flow orifice. Forged Steel ValvesA valve seat assembly for a steam trap including a housing having an interior wall defining a valve chamber,Needle & Gauge Valves said valve seat assembly being mounted in said housing and defining a valve orifice in flow communication with said valve chamber with a buoyant float member being movably mounted within said valve chamber and adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with said valve seat assembly to close and open said orifice, said valve seat assembly comprising a body portion made of stainless steel mounted within said housing and defining a valve bore having said valve orifice defined at the inner end of said valve bore, a valve seat surface contiguous with and surrounding said valve orifice, and a float abutment member made of carbide located adjacent said valve seat surface on the outer periphery thereof, said float abutment member being located to serve as a contact point for said float member and to define a fulcrum about which said float member may pivot when moving into and out of contact with said valve seat surface. Briefly, the present invention may be defined as a valve seat assembly for a steam trap which includes a housing having an interior wall defining a valve chamber, a valve seat assembly mounted in the housing and defining a valve orifice in flow communication with the valve chamber and a buoyant float member movably mounted within the valve chamber and adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the valve seat assembly to close and open the valve orifice. The valve seat assembly of the invention comprises a body portion made of stainless steel mounted within the housing and defining a valve bore having the valve orifice defined at the inner end thereof, a valve seat surface defined contiguously with and surrounding the valve orifice and a float abutment member made of carbide located adjacent the valve seat surface on the outer periphery thereof, the float abutment member being located to serve as a contact point for the float member and to define a fulcrum about which the float may pivot when moving into and out of contact with the valv seat surface. In the operation of the device of the present invention, when the float moves to close the valve orifice, it is brought into contact with the float abutment member which is made of carbide along the valve seat surface located on the outer peripheral portion of the valve orifice. As the float comes into contact with the float abutment member, it swings about this portion as a fulcrum and it seats itself to close the circular edge of the valve orifice. Therefore, the float member operates to pivot about the abutment member which is made of carbide and which operates as a fulcrum so that sliding contact of the float member occurs along that portion of the valve seat assembly which is made of carbide. Carbide displays favorable wear-resistant characteristics as compared with stainless steel and, as a result of the structure of the invention, the parts of the seat assembly through which the fluid flow occurs will be made of stainless steel, while the parts which are in abutment or abrasive contact with the float are made of carbide thereby to reduce wear. The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

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