Fluid system and valve assembly therefor

Claim 1

IN A FLUID SYSTEM OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE OPERATIVELY INTERPOSED BETWEEN A PUMP, A DOUBLE ACTING FLUID MOTOR, AND A RESERVOIR TO CONTROL FLOW OF FLUID TO SAID MOTOR FROM SAID PUMP AND TO SAID RESERVOIR FROM SAID MOTOR; THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE HOUSING HAVING AN INLET PORT, A PAIR OF MOTOR PORTS, AND A RETURN PORT CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO SAID PUMP, FLUID MOTOR, AND RESERVOIR, AND HAVING A DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE IN SAID HOUSING BETWEEN A NEUTRAL POSTION BLOCKING FLUID COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INLET PORT AND BOTH MOTOR PORTS AND BETWEEN SAID RETURN PORT AND BOTH MOTOR PORTS AND OPERATING POSITIONS SELECTIVELY COMMUNICATING SAID MOTOR PARTS WITH SAID INLET AND RETURN PORTS, SAID HOUSING HAVING A BYPASS PASSAGE THERETHROUGH WHICH IS OPEN WHEN SAID DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE MEMBER IS IN NEUTRAL POSITION FOR FLOW OF FLUID FROM SAID INLET PORT TO SAID RETURN PORT, SAID BYPASS PASSAGE BEING CLOSED BY MOVEMENT OF SAID DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE MEMBER TO EITHER OPERATING POSITION; AND A FLOW CONTROL VALVE IN SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A TUBULAR MEMBER IN SAID RETURN PORT CONSTITUTING A PORTION OF SAID BYPASS PASSAGE FOR FLOW OF FLUID THERETHROUGH WHEN SAID VALVE MEMBER IS IN NEUTRAL POSITION, AND A FLOW CONTROL VALVE MEMBER ACTUATED BY FLUID PRESSURE IN SAID INLET PORT TO ESTABLISH RETURN FLOW TO SAID RETURN PORT FROM THE MOTOR PORT THEN IN COMMUNICATION THEREWITH WHEN SAID DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VALVE MEMBER IS IN AN OPERATING POSITION CLOSING SAID BYPASS PASSAGE.