Flow divider control valve assembly

Claim 2

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling the flow of a fluid from a variable fluid pressure and supply source, comprising: an inlet port in fluid communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source; first and second spaced outlet ports, and an exhaust port in fluid communication with said variable fluid pressure and supply source; flow divider valve means having a first flow control orifice permanently operatively connecting said inlet port with said first outlet port and a second flow control orifice permanently operatively connected with said inlet port, said flow divider valve means being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said first flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said first outlet port to a predetermined rate by diverting the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said predetermined flow rate to said second outlet port via said second flow control orifice; and operating valve means operatively connected with said inlet port and with the second flow control orifice at its downstream side and being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said second flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said second outlet port to a second predetermined rate by allowing the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said second predetermined flow rate to be exhausted out said exhaust port.

Claim 3

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling the flow of a fluid from a variable fluid pressure and supply source, comprising: an inlet port in fluid communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source; first and second spaced outlet ports, and an exhaust port in fluid communication with said variable fluid pressure and supply source; flow divider valve means having a first flow control orifice permanently operatively connecting said inlet port with said first outlet port and a second flow control orifice permanently operatively connected with said inlet port, said flow divider valve means being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said first flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said first outlet port to a predetermined rate by diverting the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said predetermined flow rate to said second outlet port via said second flow control orifice; and operating valve means operatively connected with said inlet port and with the second flow control orifice at its downstream side and being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said second flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said second outlet port to a second predetermined rate by allowing the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said second predetermined flow rate to be exhausted out said exhaust port.

Claim 4

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling the flow of a fluid from a variable fluid pressure and supply source, comprising: an inlet port in fluid communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source; first and second spaced outlet ports, and an exhaust port in fluid communication with said variable fluid pressure and supply source; flow divider valve means having a first flow control orifice permanently operatively connecting said inlet port with said first outlet port and a second flow control orifice permanently operatively connected with said inlet port, said flow divider valve means being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said first flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said first outlet port to a predetermined rate by diverting the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said predetermined flow rate to said second outlet port via said second flow control orifice; and operating valve means operatively connected with said inlet port and with the second flow control orifice at its downstream side and being shiftable in response to a predetermined pressure drop across said second flow control orifice to limit the flow rate out said second outlet port to a second predetermined rate by allowing the fluid supply in excess of that required to maintain said second predetermined flow rate to be exhausted out said exhaust port.

Claim 5

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid from a variable fluid pressure and supply source Comprising: a valve body having an inlet port in communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source, first priority and secondary spaced outlet ports and an exhaust port; a first valve member having first and second flow control orifices permanently in communication with said inlet port, said first control orifice also being in constant communication with said first priority outlet port, said first valve member being biased toward a first position in which it blocks communication between said second flow control orifice and said secondary outlet port, said first valve member being shiftable relative to the valve body from its first position to unblock communication between said second flow control orifice and said secondary outlet port in response to a predetermined pressure drop occurring across the first flow control orifice, a second valve member separate from but axially aligned with said first valve member and which is biased toward a normal position in which it blocks communication between said inlet port and said exhaust port, said second valve member being shiftable to communicate the inlet port with the exhaust port in response to a predetermined pressure drop occurring across the second flow control orifice.

Claim 6

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid from a variable fluid pressure and supply source Comprising: a valve body having an inlet port in communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source, first priority and secondary spaced outlet ports and an exhaust port; a first valve member having first and second flow control orifices permanently in communication with said inlet port, said first control orifice also being in constant communication with said first priority outlet port, said first valve member being biased toward a first position in which it blocks communication between said second flow control orifice and said secondary outlet port, said first valve member being shiftable relative to the valve body from its first position to unblock communication between said second flow control orifice and said secondary outlet port in response to a predetermined pressure drop occurring across the first flow control orifice, a second valve member separate from but axially aligned with said first valve member and which is biased toward a normal position in which it blocks communication between said inlet port and said exhaust port, said second valve member being shiftable to communicate the inlet port with the exhaust port in response to a predetermined pressure drop occurring across the second flow control orifice.

Claim 7

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling a supply from a variable fluid pressure and supply source to first and second hydraulic units, comprising: an inlet port in fluid communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source; first and second outlet ports in fluid communication with the hydraulic system; an exhaust port in fluid communication with said variable fluid pressure and supply source; flow divider valve means including a first flow control orifice operatively connecting said inlet port with said first outlet port and a second flow control orifice operatively connected with said inlet port for delivering all available fluid supply at said inlet port in a low fluid supply pressure range to said first outlet port and blocking said second outlet port to prevent delivery of said fluid supply via said second flow control orifice to said second outlet port, said flow divider valve means in a higher fluid supply pressure range being responsive to predetermined pressure drops across said first flow control orifice for gradually restricting said first outlet port to prevent a flow rate out said first outlet port in excess of a predetermined rate and for gradually opening said second outlet port to deliver the resulting excess fluid supply to said second outlet port via said second flow control orifice; operating valve means operatively connected with said inlet port and with the downstream side of said second flow control orifice for blocking said exhaust port in low and higher fluid supply pressure ranges to deliver all of said fluid supply to said first and second outlet ports, said operating valve means in a high fluid supply pressure range being responsive to predetermined pressure drops across said second flow control orifice for gradually opening said exhaust port to allow the excess of said fluid supply over that required to maintain said predetermined flow rate out said second outlet port to exhaust out said exhaust port; and pressure relief means operatively connected with said exhaust port and with said downstream side of said second flow control orifice and being responsive to a predetermined pressure on the downstream side of either of said first or second control orifices to exhaust some of the fluid flow and create a pressure drop across said operating valve means to cause the same to be shifted to open said exhaust port and allow excess fluid supply to be exhausted.

Claim 8

A flow divider control valve assembly for controlling a supply from a variable fluid pressure and supply source to first and second hydraulic units, comprising: an inlet port in fluid communication with the variable fluid pressure and supply source; first and second outlet ports in fluid communication with the hydraulic system; an exhaust port in fluid communication with said variable fluid pressure and supply source; flow divider valve means including a first flow control orifice operatively connecting said inlet port with said first outlet port and a second flow control orifice operatively connected with said inlet port for delivering all available fluid supply at said inlet port in a low fluid supply pressure range to said first outlet port and blocking said second outlet port to prevent delivery of said fluid supply via said second flow control orifice to said second outlet port, said flow divider valve means in a higher fluid supply pressure range being responsive to predetermined pressure drops across said first flow control orifice for gradually restricting said first outlet port to prevent a flow rate out said first outlet port in excess of a predetermined rate and for gradually opening said second outlet port to deliver the resulting excess fluid supply to said second outlet port via said second flow control orifice; operating valve means operatively connected with said inlet port and with the downstream side of said second flow control orifice for blocking said exhaust port in low and higher fluid supply pressure ranges to deliver all of said fluid supply to said first and second outlet ports, said operating valve means in a high fluid supply pressure range being responsive to predetermined pressure drops across said second flow control orifice for gradually opening said exhaust port to allow the excess of said fluid supply over that required to maintain said predetermined flow rate out said second outlet port to exhaust out said exhaust port; and pressure relief means operatively connected with said exhaust port and with said downstream side of said second flow control orifice and being responsive to a predetermined pressure on the downstream side of either of said first or second control orifices to exhaust some of the fluid flow and create a pressure drop across said operating valve means to cause the same to be shifted to open said exhaust port and allow excess fluid supply to be exhausted.