Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow

Claim 2

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means including a regulating valve cylinder having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means further including a regulating valve slide forming in said cylinder, a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and means forming with said valve slide a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve slide, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve slide assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first outlet means include first and second outlets for a main flow and for a secondary flow of said pressure fluid, said first and second outlets having ports; wherein said valve slide has control edges cooperatinG with said ports, respectively; and wherein said valve slide has a normal balanced position in which pressure fluid flows through both said second outlets so that when said valve slide is displaced out of said normal position, one of said ports is reduced and closed while the respective other port is increased in size.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said differential pressure means include control valve means between said first and second inlet means and said first and second outlet means, respectively.

Claim 5

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means comprising a stationary housing including a stationary regulating valve cylinder having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means further comprising a regulating valve slide forming in said cylinder a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and stationary piston means forming in said valve slide a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow.

Claim 6

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means comprising a stationary housing including a stationary regulating valve cylinder having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means further comprising a regulating valve slide forming in said cylinder a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and stationary piston means forming in said valve slide a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said valve slide has two end portions formed with cylinder bores, and a central portion between the same formed with a bearing bore; and wherein said piston means include two pistons respectively located in said cylinder bores, and a connecting piston rod between said pistons passing through said bearing bore in sealing contact and slidably supporting said valve slide, said pistons forming in said cylinder bores said second pair of variable chambers, and having end portions projecting from said second pair of variable chambers into said first pair of variable chambers and abutting said housing.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first outlet means include first and second outlets having first and second ports opening into said variable chambers of said first pair, respectively, and wherein said piston means has control edges cooperating with said ports, respectively, for controlling the flow through said first and second ports and outlets.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said regulating valve slide forms in said valve cylinder a pair of annular recesses, said regulating valve slide having end portions formed with cylinder bores; wherein said stationary pistons are respectively located in said cylinder bores forming in said cylinder bores said second pair of variable chambers; wherein said inlet means include a first pair of inlets communicating with said first pair of variable chambers, respectively, and a second pair of inlets communicating with said pair of annular recesses, respectively; wherein said first outlet means include a pair of outlets having ports communicating with said annular recesses, respectively; and wherein said valve slide has in said annular recesses control edges cooperating with said ports to vary the flow through the same.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said differential pressure means include first throttle means in one inlet of said first pair of inlets, and in one inlet of said second pair of inlets, and second throttle means connecting said second inlet means with said second outlet means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said differential pressure means includes third throttle means located in the other inlet of said second pair of inlets.

Claim 12

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein one of said first and second throttle means is variable.

Claim 13

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said pressure differential means includes first throttling means in said first inlet means, and second throttling means connecting said control inlet with the second control outlet.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second throttling means is variable.

Claim 15

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means forming a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; said first inlet means including two inlet conduits and said first outlet means including two outlet conduits communicating with said variable chambers of said first pair, respectively, and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow, said differential pressure means including a throttle in one of said inlet conduits, and another throttle connecting said second inlet means with said second outlet means.

Claim 16

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means forming a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; said first inlet means including two inlet conduits and said first outlet means including two outlet conduits communicating with said variable chambers of said first pair, respectively, and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow, said differential pressure means including a throttle in one of said inlet conduits, and another throttle connecting said second inlet means with said second outlet means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means forming a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow, said differential pressure means including control valve means between said first and second inlet means and said first and second outlet means, respectively, said control valve means including a control slide having a first control edge controlling the flow of pressure fluid from said first inlet means to One variable chamber of said first pair of variable chambers, and a second control edge controlling the flow of control fluid from said second inlet means to said second outlet means.

Claim 18

Apparatus for regulating a first flow depending on a controlled second flow, comprising first supply means for a pressure fluid; second supply means for a control fluid; regulating valve means having first inlet means connected with said first supply means and first outlet means for a flow of said pressure fluid, second inlet means connected with said second supply means and second outlet means for a flow of said control fluid, said regulating valve means forming a first pair of variable chambers both connected with said first inlet means and outlet means, and a second pair of variable chambers connected with said second inlet means and second outlet means, respectively, said variable chambers of said first and second pairs being disposed so that the fluid pressures in the variable chambers of each pair act in opposite directions on said valve means, and each chamber of each pair increases and decreases as the correlated chamber of the same pair decreases and increases in volume, respectively; and differential pressure means for producing a pressure differential between said variable chambers of each pair until said valve means assumes a balanced position in which the flow of said pressure fluid depends on the controlled flow of said control fluid and varies with said controlled flow, said differential pressure means including control valve means between said first and second inlet means and said first and second outlet means, respectively, said control valve means including a control slide having a first control edge controlling the flow of pressure fluid from said first inlet means to One variable chamber of said first pair of variable chambers, and a second control edge controlling the flow of control fluid from said second inlet means to said second outlet means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first inlet means includes a first inlet conduit having a first port cooperating with said first control edge, and wherein said second inlet means includes an inlet having a second port cooperating with said second control edge, said ports and control edges being shaped so that during movement of said control edges over said ports, the ratio of the open flow cross sections of said first and second ports is constant and independent of the position of said control slide.