Fluid-controlled selection system

Claim 2

A fluid-controlled selection system for the selective transmission of a fluid pressure to fluid-controlled devices to be connected to outputs of the selection system, characterized in that the selection system comprises a number (n) of logical fluid elements, each of which has a pressure output communicating with a pressure input, said communication incorporating at least two (m) fluid interrupters which are arranged in series and which are to be individually operated by a control signal supplied thereto, said system communicating with a number (x) of control pressure lines for the selective control of the logical fluid elements, fluid interrupters of the various logical fluid elements to be operated by a control signal communicating with these control pressure lines so that each of the various fluid interrupters of one of the same logical fluid element communicates with a different control pressure line and the fluid interrupters of the various logical fluid elements each communicate with a different combination of control pressure lines from the total number (x) of control pressure lines.

Claim 3

A selection system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that in each of the (n) logical fluid elements each of the (m) fluid interrupters is associated with a further fluid interrupter, controlled by one of the control pressure lines, which communicates with a pressure output of the relevant fluid element communicating with an output of the selection system, a fluid interrupter and its associated fluid interrupter being so controlled that the first-mentioned fluid interruptor is open if the last-mentioned associated fluid interrupter is closed, or vice versa, an open associated fluid interrupter establishing a communication between the pressure output and a space having a pressure level different from that of the pressure input of the relevant fluid element.

Claim 4

A selection system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the number of control pressure lines (x) is twice as large as the number of first-mentioned fluid interrupters (m), one control pressure line of a pair of control pressure lines each time having a comparatively high pressure level and the other control pressure line having a comparatively low pressure Level, one control pressure line of the said pair communicating with one of the firstmentioned (m) fluid interrupters and the other control pressure lines communicating with the further fluid interrupter associated with the said fluid interrupter, the number of logical fluid elements (n) to be selected satisfying the relation n < or = 2m.

Claim 5

A selection system as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the pressure output of each logical fluid element each time communicates via a first automatically operating fluid interrupter with an output of the selection system, said output communicating via a second automatically operating fluid interrupter with a space having the same pressure level as the pressure input, the said two automatically operating fluid interrupters, viewed from the said output, having an opposite direction of operation, both automatically operating fluid interrupters being open if the pressure on both sides of the relevant fluid interrupter is the same.

Claim 6

A selection system as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that in each fluid element each of the control pressure lines controlling a fluid interrupter of the first-mentioned number (m) of series-arranged fluid interrupters, also controls a further number (m) of series-arranged fluid interrupters which is equal to the first-mentioned number, via which fluid interrupters the first-mentioned pressure input or a further similar input communicates with the output of the selection system associated with the relevant fluid element, an automatically-operating fluid interrupter being incorporated or not incorporated in the said communication.

Claim 7

A selection system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the pressure output of each of the fluid elements has a number of branches, each of which each time communicates, via an automatically-operating fluid interrupter and a further fluid interrupter, arranged in series therewith and controlled by an additional control pressure, with an output of the selection system, said output communicating, via a further fluid interrupter which is also controlled by the said additional control pressure and a further automatically operating fluid interrupter arranged in series therewith, with a restoring pressure output which communicates, via a number of series-arranged similar fluid interrupters which is equal to the first-mentioned number of series-arranged fluid interrupters, with the said pressure input or a further similar fluid input, each of the last-mentioned fluid interrupters being controlled by one of the control pressure lines by means of which one of the fluid interrupters from the first-mentioned number of series-arranged fluid interrupters is already controlled, the said additional control pressure each time originating from the pressure output of one of a number of further fluid elements as claimed in Claim 1 which is equal to the said number of branches.

Claim 8

A selection system as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each of the outputs of the selection system communicates, via a first automatically operating fluid interrupter, with a reservoir having a comparatively high pressure level and, via a second automatically operating fluid interrupter, with a reservoir having a comparatively low pressure level.

Claim 9

A selection system as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the pressure outputs and restoring pressure outputs of the selection system communicate with a fluid-controlled device, comprising a number of mutually parallel electrically conducting flexible contact strips situated in a first plane, and a number flatly situated mutually parallel flexible contact strips which are situated in a second plane parallel to the first plane and which cross the contact strips of the first plane, the contact strips of the first plane being separated from the contact strips of the second plane by means of a plate-shaped insulator, in which at the area of a cross-point apertures are made which are at least partly Limited on the one side by a contact strip of the first plane and on the other side at least partly by a contact strip of the second plane, at least one of the two co-operating contact strips at each crosspoint in a row of crosspoints communicating with a pressure output, common to all crosspoints of that row, of one of the fluid elements of the selection system for transmitting a fluid signal having a comparatively high pressure level to a row of crosspoints via a fluid interrupter associated with each of the crosspoints and communicating with one of the pressure outputs of one of the fluid elements of a selection system, for the selective admission of the said fluid signal each time to one of the crosspoints of the row, as well as via an automatically operating fluid interrupter which is arranged in series with a further automatically operating fluid interrupter which communicates with a restoring pressure output of the said fluid element of the selection system which is common to all crosspoints in the said row.

Claim 10

A selection system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the contact strips are permanently connected to the surface of the plate-shaped insulator.

Claim 11

A selection system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that each of the contact strips cooperating at the area of a crosspoint closes off the relevant side of the aperture in the plate-shaped insulator.

Claim 12

A selection system as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that at least one of the two mutually co-operating contact strips communicates at each of the crosspoints via a first automatically operating fluid interrupter with a first reservoir having a comparatively high pressure level and via a second automatically operating fluid interrupter with a second reservoir having a comparatively low pressure level, the first and the second automatically operating fluid interrupter, viewed from the contact strips, having an opposed direction of operation.