Control valve

Claim 2

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing the magnitudes of separate fluid pressures supplied to said housing and movable therein from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the separately supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing in response to one of the supplied fluid pressures to effect a metered application thereof through said housing, means in said firstnamed means and metering means respectively defining bypass passage means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure and connected in bypass relation with said metering means, said bypass passage means being subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure to bypass said metering means and obviate the metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure exceeds that of the other of the supplied fluid pressures by the predetermined amount, and other means movable in said housing for engagement with said housing and said first named means and subjected to one of the one and other supplied fluid pressures, said other means being urged in response to the one of the one and other supplied fluid pressures acting thereon toward engagement with said housing and with said first-named means to oppose movement of said first-named means toward one of its one translated position and the other of its translated positions.

Claim 3

A control valve according to claim 1, wherein said metering means includes a portion engaged with said first-named means to normally close said bypass passage means, said bypass passage means being opened and subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure upon the movement of said first-named means toward its one translated positioN relative to said portion.

Claim 4

A control valve according to claim 1, comprising means on one of said first-named means and metering means defining valve means normally engaged with the other of said first named means and metering means to isolate said bypass passage means from said one supplied fluid pressure, said valve means being disengaged from said other of said first-named means and metering means to open said bypass passage means and subject said bypass passage means to the one supplied fluid pressure upon the movement of said first named means toward its one translated position.

Claim 5

A control valve according to claim 1, comprising opposed effective areas on said first-named means respectively subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure and the other of the supplied fluid pressures, said first-named means being movable toward its one translated position when the differential between the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure acting on one of said opposed areas exceeds that of the other supplied fluid pressure acting on the other of said opposed areas by the predetermined amount.

Claim 6

A control valve according to claim 4, wherein said other opposed area is predeterminately greater than said one opposed area, a third area on said other means subjected to the one fluid pressure and additive to said one opposed area, the sum of said one opposed area and said third area being greater than said other opposed area, said other means being normally urged in response to the one supplied fluid pressure acting on said third area toward engagement with said housing and with said first named means to oppose movement of said first named means from its centered position toward its one translated position in response to the other supplied fluid pressure acting on said other opposed area in opposition to the one supplied fluid pressure acting on said one opposed area.

Claim 7

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing the magnitudes of separate fluid pressures supplied to said housing and movable therein from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the separately supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing in response to one of the supplied fluid pressures to effect a metered application thereof through said housing, means in said first named means and metering means respectively defining bypass passage means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure and connected in bypass relation with said metering means, said bypass passage means being subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure to bypass said metering means and obviate the metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure exceeds that of the other of the supplied fluid pressures by the predetermined amount, and sealing means normally engaged between said first-named means and said metering means to close said bypass passage means, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first-named means and said metering means upon the movement of said first-named means to its one translated position to open said bypass passage means and subject it to the one supplied fluid pressure.

Claim 8

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing the magnitudes of separate fluid pressures supplied to said housing and movable therein from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the separately supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing in response to one of the supplied fluid pressures to effect a metered application thereof through said housing, means in said first named means and metering means respectively defining bypass passage means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure and connected in bypass relation with said metering means, said bypass passage means being subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure to bypass said metering means and obviate the metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure exceeds that of the other of the supplied fluid pressures by the predetermined amount, and sealing means normally engaged between said first-named means and said metering means to close said bypass passage means, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first-named means and said metering means upon the movement of said first-named means to its one translated position to open said bypass passage means and subject it to the one supplied fluid pressure.

Claim 9

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing the magnitudes of separate fluid pressures supplied to said housing and movable therein from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the separately supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing for controlling the application of one of the supplied fluid pressures through said housing, a bore in said first-named means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure, said metering means being slidable in sAid bore, passage means in said metering means connected in bypass relation therewith having one end in open pressure fluid communication with the applied fluid pressure and the other end thereof in pressure fluid pressure and the other end thereof in pressure fluid communication with said bore, and sealing means engaged between said bore and said metering means when said first named means is in its centered position to normally isolate the other end of said bypass passage means from the one supplied fluid pressure, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said bore and said metering means to subject the other end of said bypass passage means to the one supplied fluid pressure and bypass said metering means to obviate metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure exceeds that of the other of the supplied fluid pressures by the predetermined amount.

Claim 10

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing the magnitudes of separate fluid pressures supplied to said housing and movable therein from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the separately supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing for controlling the application of one of the supplied fluid pressures through said housing, a bore in said first-named means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure, said metering means being slidable in sAid bore, passage means in said metering means connected in bypass relation therewith having one end in open pressure fluid communication with the applied fluid pressure and the other end thereof in pressure fluid pressure and the other end thereof in pressure fluid communication with said bore, and sealing means engaged between said bore and said metering means when said first named means is in its centered position to normally isolate the other end of said bypass passage means from the one supplied fluid pressure, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said bore and said metering means to subject the other end of said bypass passage means to the one supplied fluid pressure and bypass said metering means to obviate metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure exceeds that of the other of the supplied fluid pressures by the predetermined amount.

Claim 11

A control valve according to claim 7, comprising first and second opposed areas on said first-named means for respective subjection to the one and other supplied fluid pressures, said first named means being movable toward its one translated position when the differential between the magnitude of the one supplied fluid pressure acting on said first area exceeds that of the other supplied fluid pressure acting on said second area by the predetermined amount.

Claim 12

A control valve according to claim 8, wherein said second area is predeterminately greater than said first area, a pair of abutment means on said housing and said first named means, respectively, other means movable in said housing for engagement with said abutment means, and a third area on said other means for subjection to the one supplied fluid pressure and additive to said first area, the sum of said first and third areas being at least as great as said second area, said other means being normally urged in response to the one supplied fluid pressure acting on said third area into abutting engagement with said abutment means to oppose movement of said first-named means from its centered position toward one of its one translated positions and the other of its translated positions in response to the other supplied fluid pressure acting on said second area in opposition to the one supplied fluid pressure acting on said first area.

Claim 13

A control valve according to claim 7, comprising a pair of opposed differential areas on said metering means respectively subjected to the one supplied fluid pressure and the applied fluid pressure, said metering means being initially movable in response to the one supplied fluid pressure and applied fluid pressures of a predetermined value respectively acting on said differential areas toward a position in said housing isolating the one supplied fluid pressure from the applied fluid pressure and being thereafter further movable in response to increases in the one supplied fluid pressure acting on one of said differential areas toward a metering position to effect a metered increase in the applied fluid pressure acting on the other of said differential areas in a predetermined ratio with the increased one supplied fluid pressure in excess of the predetermined value.

Claim 14

A control valve comprising a housing having a pair of inlet chambers and an outlet chamber, means movable in said housing between said inlet chambers from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the fluid pressures in said inlet chambers acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing between one of said inlet chambers and said outlet chamber for controlling pressure fluid communication therebetween, said metering means being movable in response to the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber in excess of a predetermined value toward a metering position in said housing establishing metered pressure fluid commUnication between said one inlet chamber and said outlet chamber to effect a metered increase in the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in a predetermined ratio with the fluid pressure in said inlet chamber in excess of the predetermined value, bypass passage means in said first named and metering means connected with the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in bypass relation with said metering means and including a chamber in one of said first named and metering means, and sealing means normally engaged between said first named and metering means to isolate said included chamber from the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first named and metering means to subject said included chamber to the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber to bypass said metering means and obviate the metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure in one of said one and other inlet chambers exceeds that of the fluid pressure in the other of said one and other inlet chambers by the predetermined amount.

Claim 15

A control valve comprising a housing having a pair of inlet chambers and an outlet chamber, means movable in said housing between said inlet chambers from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely acting differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the magnitudes of the fluid pressures in said inlet chambers acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing between one of said inlet chambers and said outlet chamber for controlling pressure fluid communication therebetween, said metering means being movable in response to the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber in excess of a predetermined value toward a metering position in said housing establishing metered pressure fluid commUnication between said one inlet chamber and said outlet chamber to effect a metered increase in the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in a predetermined ratio with the fluid pressure in said inlet chamber in excess of the predetermined value, bypass passage means in said first named and metering means connected with the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in bypass relation with said metering means and including a chamber in one of said first named and metering means, and sealing means normally engaged between said first named and metering means to isolate said included chamber from the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first named and metering means to subject said included chamber to the fluid pressure in said one inlet chamber to bypass said metering means and obviate the metering actuation thereof upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure in one of said one and other inlet chambers exceeds that of the fluid pressure in the other of said one and other inlet chambers by the predetermined amount.

Claim 16

A control valve comprising a housing having three ports therein, means movable in said housing for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at two of said ports metering means movable in said housing and operable generally in response to the fluid pressures at one of said two ports to establish a metered fluid pressure at said third port upon preselected conditions, passage means in said first named and metering means for connecting said one of said two ports and said third port in open pressure fluid communication to obviate the metering actuation of said metering means, and sealing means engaged between said first-named and metering means normally isolating said passage means from the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first-named and metering means to connect said passage means in open pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port upon the movement of said first named means relative to said metering means toward a translated position in said housing when the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports exceeds that at the other of said two ports by a predetermined amount.

Claim 17

A control valve comprising a housing having three ports therein, means movable in said housing for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at two of said ports metering means movable in said housing and operable generally in response to the fluid pressures at one of said two ports to establish a metered fluid pressure at said third port upon preselected conditions, passage means in said first named and metering means for connecting said one of said two ports and said third port in open pressure fluid communication to obviate the metering actuation of said metering means, and sealing means engaged between said first-named and metering means normally isolating said passage means from the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports, said sealing means being disengaged from one of said first-named and metering means to connect said passage means in open pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port upon the movement of said first named means relative to said metering means toward a translated position in said housing when the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports exceeds that at the other of said two ports by a predetermined amount.

Claim 18

A control valve comprising a housing having three ports therein, means for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at two of said ports and movable in said housing between said two ports from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely directed differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the fluid pressures at said two ports respectively acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between one of said two ports and said third port, said metering means being initially movable in response to the fluid pressures at said one of said two ports and said third port of a predetermined value toward a position interrupting pressure fluid communication therebetween and being thereafter further movable in response to increases in the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports in excess of the predetermined value toward a position establishing metered pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port to effect a metered increase in the fluid pressure at said third port in a predetermined ratio with the increased fluid pressure at said one of said two ports in excess of the predetermined value, a bore in said first-named means for subjection to the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports, said metering means being slidable in said bore, passage means in said metering means for connection in bypass relation therewith between said one of said two ports and said third port, said passage means having one end connected in open pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said third port and the other end thereof in said bore, and seal means engaged between said bore and said metering means interrupting pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said passage means when said first named means is in its centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said bore and said metering means to establish bypass pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port through said passage means and obviate metering actuation of said metering means upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports exceeds that at the other of said two ports by the predetermined value.

Claim 19

A control valve comprising a housing having three ports therein, means for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at two of said ports and movable in said housing between said two ports from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions in response to oppositely directed differentials in excess of a predetermined amount between the fluid pressures at said two ports respectively acting thereon, metering means movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between one of said two ports and said third port, said metering means being initially movable in response to the fluid pressures at said one of said two ports and said third port of a predetermined value toward a position interrupting pressure fluid communication therebetween and being thereafter further movable in response to increases in the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports in excess of the predetermined value toward a position establishing metered pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port to effect a metered increase in the fluid pressure at said third port in a predetermined ratio with the increased fluid pressure at said one of said two ports in excess of the predetermined value, a bore in said first-named means for subjection to the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports, said metering means being slidable in said bore, passage means in said metering means for connection in bypass relation therewith between said one of said two ports and said third port, said passage means having one end connected in open pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said third port and the other end thereof in said bore, and seal means engaged between said bore and said metering means interrupting pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said passage means when said first named means is in its centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said bore and said metering means to establish bypass pressure fluid communication between said one of said two ports and said third port through said passage means and obviate metering actuation of said metering means upon the movement of said first-named means toward one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure at said one of said two ports exceeds that at the other of said two ports by the predetermined value.

Claim 20

A control valve according to claim 13, comprising opposed end portions on said metering means, one of said end portions being subjected to the fluid pressure at said third port and the other of said end portions being slidable in said bore, peripheral groove means on said one end portion and communicating with said bore, said one end of said passage means intersecting with said one end portion and said other end of said passage means intersecting with said groove means, and said seal means defining a peripheral seal on said one end portion and normally engaged with said bore between said groove means and said one of said two ports, said bore being displaced from engagement with said peripheral seal upon the movement of said first named means to its one translated position.

Claim 21

A control valve comprising a housing having first and second inlet ports and an outlet port therein, a switch-operating piston movable in said housing between said first and second inlet ports from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions including first and second opposed end portions, first and second opposed areas on said first and second end portions respectively subjected to the fluid pressures at said first and second inlet ports, said first area being predeterminately greater than said second area, and a first bore in said second end portion for pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said second inlet port, first and second abutments on said housing and said switch-operating piston, centering piston means movable in said housing including a third end portion for engagement with said first and second abutments, a fourth end portion opposed to said third end portion and defining a third area subjected to the fluid pressure at said second inlet port and additive to said second area, the sum of said second and third areas being at least as great as said first area, and a second bore intersecting said third and fourth end portions, said second end portion being slidable in said second bore, the fluid pressure at said second port acting on said third area to urge said third end portion into engagement with said first and second abutments and normally maintain said switch-operating piston in its centered position against the fluid pressure at said first inlet port acting on said first area in opposition to the fluid pressure at said second inlet port acting on said second area, a proportioning piston movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port, resilient means normally urging said proportioning piston toward a position in said housing establishing open pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and outlet port, fourth and fifth opposed areas on said proportioning piston for respective subjection to the fluid pressures at said second inlet port and said outlet port, said proportioning piston being initially movable against the force of said resilient means in response to the fluid pressures of a predetermined value at said second inlet port and outlet port respectively acting on said fourth and fifth areas toward a position in said housing interrupting pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and outLet port and being thereafter further movable in response to increases in the fluid pressure at said second inlet port in excess of the predetermined value acting on said fourth area and assisted by the force of said resilient means toward a metering position to establish metered pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port and effect a metered increased in the fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on said fifth area in a predetermined ratio with the increased fluid pressure at said second inlet port in excess of the predetermined value, extension means on said proportioning piston slidable in said first bore, a bypass passage in said proportioning piston for connection in bypass relation therewith between said second inlet port and said outlet port, said bypass passage having one end connected in open pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said outlet port and the other end thereof in said first bore, and seal means engaged between said first bore and said extension means interrupting pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said bypass passage through said first bore when said switch operating piston is in its centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said first bore and said extension means to establish bypass pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port through said bypass passage and obviate the metering actuation of said proportioning piston upon the movement of said switch piston to one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure at said second inlet port acting on said second area exceeds that of the fluid pressure at said first inlet port acting on said first area by the predetermined amount.

Claim 22

A control valve comprising a housing having first and second inlet ports and an outlet port therein, a switch-operating piston movable in said housing between said first and second inlet ports from a normally centered position toward opposed translated positions including first and second opposed end portions, first and second opposed areas on said first and second end portions respectively subjected to the fluid pressures at said first and second inlet ports, said first area being predeterminately greater than said second area, and a first bore in said second end portion for pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said second inlet port, first and second abutments on said housing and said switch-operating piston, centering piston means movable in said housing including a third end portion for engagement with said first and second abutments, a fourth end portion opposed to said third end portion and defining a third area subjected to the fluid pressure at said second inlet port and additive to said second area, the sum of said second and third areas being at least as great as said first area, and a second bore intersecting said third and fourth end portions, said second end portion being slidable in said second bore, the fluid pressure at said second port acting on said third area to urge said third end portion into engagement with said first and second abutments and normally maintain said switch-operating piston in its centered position against the fluid pressure at said first inlet port acting on said first area in opposition to the fluid pressure at said second inlet port acting on said second area, a proportioning piston movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port, resilient means normally urging said proportioning piston toward a position in said housing establishing open pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and outlet port, fourth and fifth opposed areas on said proportioning piston for respective subjection to the fluid pressures at said second inlet port and said outlet port, said proportioning piston being initially movable against the force of said resilient means in response to the fluid pressures of a predetermined value at said second inlet port and outlet port respectively acting on said fourth and fifth areas toward a position in said housing interrupting pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and outLet port and being thereafter further movable in response to increases in the fluid pressure at said second inlet port in excess of the predetermined value acting on said fourth area and assisted by the force of said resilient means toward a metering position to establish metered pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port and effect a metered increased in the fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on said fifth area in a predetermined ratio with the increased fluid pressure at said second inlet port in excess of the predetermined value, extension means on said proportioning piston slidable in said first bore, a bypass passage in said proportioning piston for connection in bypass relation therewith between said second inlet port and said outlet port, said bypass passage having one end connected in open pressure fluid communication with the fluid pressure at said outlet port and the other end thereof in said first bore, and seal means engaged between said first bore and said extension means interrupting pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said bypass passage through said first bore when said switch operating piston is in its centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said first bore and said extension means to establish bypass pressure fluid communication between said second inlet port and said outlet port through said bypass passage and obviate the metering actuation of said proportioning piston upon the movement of said switch piston to one of its translated positions when the magnitude of the fluid pressure at said second inlet port acting on said second area exceeds that of the fluid pressure at said first inlet port acting on said first area by the predetermined amount.