Pilot-operated valve

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION: A VALVE BODY HAVING AN INLET CHAMBER INCLUDING A FIRST PASSAGE TERMINATING AT ONE FACE OF THE BODY, AN OUTLET CHAMBER INCLUDING A SECOND PASSAGE INITIATING AT SAID FACE WHEREBY TO COOPERATE WITH THE FIRST PASSAGE IN DEFINING A MAIN VALVE SET; A PILOT FLOW GROOVE FORMED IN SAID ONE FACE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET CHAMBER; AN ELEASTOMERIC ELEMENT HAVING A FIRST GENERALLY FLAT SEAL PORTION OVERLYING THE FLOW GROOVE, AND A SECOND DIAPHRAGM PORTION OVERLYING THE VALVE SEAT; A BLEED PASSAGE ARRANGED TO FEED PILOT FLUID FROM THE FIRST PASSAGE TO THE FACE OF THE DIAPHRAM REMOTE FROM THE VALVE SEAT, AND A PILOT PORT FORMED IN THE SEAL PORTION OF THE ELASTO MERIC ELEMENT TO ADMIT FLUID TO THE FLOW GROOVE; A HOLLOW PERIPHERALLY FLANGED COVER OVERLYING THE ELASTOMERIC ELEMENT WITH ITS FLANGE SEATED ON THE PERIPHERAL FACE AREA OF THE ELEMENT; A COVER RETAINER PLATE CLAMPED TO THE VALVE BODY WITH PORTIONS THEREOF OVERLYING THE COVER FLANGE; AN ARMATURE DISPOSED WITHIN THE COVER IN REGISTRY WITH THE PILOT PORT; AND A SOLENOID COIL DISPOSED ON THE COVER TO OPERATE ARMATURE.