Control valve

Claim 2

A control valve comprising a housing, means for comparing 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 supplied fluid pressures acting thereon, a pair of opposed proportioning means engaged for concerted movement in said housing with said comparing means between its centered and translated positions and movable relative to said comparing means in the centered and translated positions thereof for performing proportioning operations on the separate fluid pressures, said proportioning means being operable generally in response to the separate fluid pressures in excess of a predetermined value to effect separate proportionally reduced applications thereof through said housing, respectively, an area on at least one of said proportioning means isolated from fluid pressure in said housing when said comparing means is in its centered position and subjected to one of the separate fluid pressures upon the concerted movement of said one proportioning means with said comparing means to one of its translated positions, and seal means normally engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means to isolate said area from fluid pressure in said housing when said comparing means and proportioning means are in the centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said one proportioning means to subject said area to the one separate fluid pressure upon the concerted movement of said one proportioning means with said comparing means to the one translated position, the magnitude of the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is subjected to the one separate fluid pressure being predeterminately greater than another magnitude of the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is isolated from fluid pressure.

Claim 3

A control valve according to claim 1, comprising a pair of stepped extension means on said one proportioning means, one of said extension means defining said portion of said one proportioning means, and a shoulder on said one proportioning means between said extension means, said area being on said shoulder, said seal means being engaged between one of said housing and said one extension means when said comparing means and proportioning means are in the centered position to isolate said area from the one separate fluid pressure and said seal means being disengaged from said one of said housing and said one extension means upon the concerted movement of said comparing means and one proportioning means to the one translated position to subject said area to the one separate fluid pressure.

Claim 4

A control valve according to claim 1, comprising other seal means spaced from said first named seal means and sealably engaged between said housing and another portion of said one proportioning means, a chamber in said housing defined between said first named and other seal means and isolated from the one separate fluid pressure in said housing when said first named and other seal means are engaged between said housing and said first named and other portions of said one proportioning means, respectively, said area being within said chamber when said comparing means and one proportioning means are in the centered position, and said first named seal means being disengaged from said one of said housing and said first named portion of said one proportioning means to subject said chamber and area to the one separate fluid pressure upon the concerted movement of said comparing means and one proportioning means to the one translated position.

Claim 5

A control valve according to claim 3, comprising a pair of stepped extensions on said one proportioning means respectively defining said first named and other portions thereof, said first named and other seal means being respectively engaged between said housing and said extension means when said comparing means and one proportioning means are in the centered position, a shoulder on said one proportioning means between said extension means defining said area, said shoulder being within said chamber when said comparing and one proportioning means are in the centered position, and said first named seal means being disengaged from one of said housing and one of said extension means to subject said chamber and area to the one separate fluid pressure upon the concerted movement of said comparing means and one proportioning means to the one translated position.

Claim 6

A control valve according to claim 1, wherein said one proportioning means includes resiliently urged means, said resiliently urged means being initially respectively movable in the centered and one translated positions thereof against its own force in response to the one separate fluid pressure of the other and first named magnitudes acting thereon toward an isolating position in said housing interrupting the flow of the one fluid pressure therethrough and being thereafter further movable in response to its own force assisted by increases in the one separate fluid pressure in excess of the other and first named magnitudes acting thereon toward a metering position to perform its proportioning operation and effect the separate proportionally reduced apllication of the one separate fluid pressure through said housing, said resiliently urged means also being urged by its own force toward engagement with said comparing means for the concerted movement thereof between the centered and one translated positions, and said area and said portion of said one proportioning means being on said resiliently urged means.

Claim 7

A control valve according to claim 5, wherein said resiliently urged means includes a proportioning piston movable in said housing, and spring means engaged with said proportioning piston, said area and said portion of said one proportioning means being on said proportioning piston, said proportioning piston being respectively initially movable in each of the centered and translated positions against the force of said spring means in response to the one separate fluid pressure of the other and first named magnitudes acting on said proportioning piston towards the isolating position in said housing interrupting the flow of the one fluid pressure therethrough and being thereafter further movable in response to the force of said spring means assisted by increases in the one separate fluid pressure in excess of the other and first named magnitudes acting on said proportioning piston toward the metering position to perform its proportioning operation and establish the proportionally reduced applied fluid pressure, and the force of said spring means assisting the concerted movement of said comparing means and one proportioning piston toward the one translated position.

Claim 8

A control valve according to claim 6, comprising extension means on said proportioning piston and engaged with said seal means to isolate said area when said comparing means and proportioning piston are in the centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said housing and extension means to subject said area to the one fluid pressure upon the concerted movement of said comparing means and proportioning piston to the one translated position.

Claim 9

A control valve according to claim 6, comprising a pair of stepped extensions on said proportioning piston, one of said extensions defining said portion of said one proportioning means, other seal means spaced from said first named seal means and sealably engaged between said housing and the other of said extensions, a chamber in said housing defined between said first named and other seal means and isolated from the one separate fluid pressure when said first named and other seal means are engaged between said housing and said extensions, respectively, a shoulder on said proportioning piston between said extensions defining said area and being within said chamber when said proportioning piston is in the centered position, and said first named seal means being disEngaged from one of said housing and said one extension to subject said chamber and area to the one separate fluid pressure upon the concerted movement of said comparing means and proportioning piston to the one translated position.

Claim 10

A control valve according to claim 6, comprising opposed input and output areas on said proportioning piston subjected to the one separate fluid pressure, said proportioning piston being respectively initially movable in each of the centered and translated positions against the force of said spring means in response to the one separate fluid pressure of the other and first named magnitudes acting on said opposed input and output areas towards the isolating position and being thereafter further movable in response to the force of said spring means assisted by increases in the one separate fluid pressure in excess of the other and first named magnitudes acting on said input area to the metering position to perform its proportioning operation and establish the proportionally reduced applied fluid pressure acting on the output area, said first named area being additive to said input area and subject to the one separate fluid pressure when said comparing means and proportioning piston are in the one translated position.

Claim 11

A control valve according to claim 9, wherein said output area is predeterminately greater than said input area.

Claim 12

A control valve according to claim 9, wherein said output area is predeterminately greater than the additive input area and said first named area.

Claim 13

A control valve comprising a housing, concertedly and relatively movable comparator means and a pair of opposed proportioning means in said housing and defining therewith a pair of opposed sets of inlet and outlet chambers, said comparator means and proportioning means being concertedly movable between a normally centered position and opposed translated positions in said housing upon preselected conditions and at least one of said proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in each of said positions for performing proportioning operations on the fluid pressures between the inlet and outlet chambers of at least one of said chamber sets, said one proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in the centered position and one of the translated positions in response to fluid pressure in excess of first and second predetermined values in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set to establish a proportionally reduced fluid pressure in the outlet chamber of said one chamber set in first and second predetermined ratios with the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set in excess of the first and second predetermined values, respectively, an area on said one proportioning means for isolation from and subjection to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set when said comparator and proportioning means are in the centered and one translated positions, respectively, and a sealing member normally engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means to isolate said area from the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set when said comparator means and one proportioning means are in the centered position, said sealing member being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said proportioning means to subject said area to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set upon the concerted movement of said one proportioning means with said comparator means to the one translated position, the magnitude of the second predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area is subjected to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set being predeterminately greater than that of the first predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is isolated from fluid pressure.

Claim 14

A control valve comprising a housing, concertedly and relatively movable comparator means and a pair of opposed proportioning means in said housing and defining therewith a pair of opposed sets of inlet and outlet chambers, said comparator means and proportioning means being concertedly movable between a normally centered position and opposed translated positions in said housing upon preselected conditions and at least one of said proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in each of said positions for performing proportioning operations on the fluid pressures between the inlet and outlet chambers of at least one of said chamber sets, said one proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in the centered position and one of the translated positions in response to fluid pressure in excess of first and second predetermined values in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set to establish a proportionally reduced fluid pressure in the outlet chamber of said one chamber set in first and second predetermined ratios with the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set in excess of the first and second predetermined values, respectively, an area on said one proportioning means for isolation from and subjection to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set when said comparator and proportioning means are in the centered and one translated positions, respectively, and a sealing member normally engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means to isolate said area from the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set when said comparator means and one proportioning means are in the centered position, said sealing member being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said proportioning means to subject said area to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set upon the concerted movement of said one proportioning means with said comparator means to the one translated position, the magnitude of the second predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area is subjected to the fluid pressure in the inlet chamber of said one chamber set being predeterminately greater than that of the first predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is isolated from fluid pressure.

Claim 15

A contRol valve comprising a housing, concertedly and relatively movable comparator means and a pair of proportioning means in said housing and defining with said housing a pair of pressure fluid flow passages therethrough for separate supplied fluid pressures, said comparator and proportioning means being concertedly movable in said housing between a normally centered position and opposed translated positions and at least one of said proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in each of said positions to perform proportioning operations on the supplied fluid pressure in at least one of said flow passages, respectively, said one proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in response to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage in excess of a predetermined value acting thereon to effect a proportionally reduced application thereof through said one flow passage, a pair of opposed areas on said comparator means respectively subjected to the supplied fluid pressures in said flow passages, said comparator means and proportioning means being concertedly movable toward one of the opposed translated position in response to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage acting on one of said opposed areas upon the failure of the supplied fluid pressure in the other of said flow passages acting on the other of said areas, a seal engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means defining therewith a chamber for selective isolation from and subjection to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage, said seal being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said one proportioning means to subject said chamber to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage upon the concerted movement of said comparator means and proportioning means to the one translated position, a third area in said chamber on said one proportioning means isolated from the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage when said seal is engaged with said one of said housing and portion of said one proportioning means and subjected to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage upon the disengagement of said seal from said one of said housing and portion of said one proportioning means, respectively, the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area and chamber are subjected to the supplied fluid pressure in said one passage being greater than the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area and chamber are isolated.

Claim 16

A contRol valve comprising a housing, concertedly and relatively movable comparator means and a pair of proportioning means in said housing and defining with said housing a pair of pressure fluid flow passages therethrough for separate supplied fluid pressures, said comparator and proportioning means being concertedly movable in said housing between a normally centered position and opposed translated positions and at least one of said proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in each of said positions to perform proportioning operations on the supplied fluid pressure in at least one of said flow passages, respectively, said one proportioning means being movable relative to said comparator means in response to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage in excess of a predetermined value acting thereon to effect a proportionally reduced application thereof through said one flow passage, a pair of opposed areas on said comparator means respectively subjected to the supplied fluid pressures in said flow passages, said comparator means and proportioning means being concertedly movable toward one of the opposed translated position in response to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage acting on one of said opposed areas upon the failure of the supplied fluid pressure in the other of said flow passages acting on the other of said areas, a seal engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means defining therewith a chamber for selective isolation from and subjection to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage, said seal being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said one proportioning means to subject said chamber to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage upon the concerted movement of said comparator means and proportioning means to the one translated position, a third area in said chamber on said one proportioning means isolated from the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage when said seal is engaged with said one of said housing and portion of said one proportioning means and subjected to the supplied fluid pressure in said one flow passage upon the disengagement of said seal from said one of said housing and portion of said one proportioning means, respectively, the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area and chamber are subjected to the supplied fluid pressure in said one passage being greater than the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said third area and chamber are isolated.

Claim 17

A control valve comprising a housing having a pair of sets of inlet and outlet ports therein, means for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at the inlet ports of said port sets and movable in said housing between said port sets 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 at the inlet ports of said port sets acting thereon, a pair of proportioning means engaged for concerted movement with said comparing means between the centered and translated positions and movable relative to said comparing means in the centered position and the translated positions for performing proportioning operations on the fluid pressures between the inlet and outlet ports of said port sets, at least one of said proportioning means being operable generally in response to the fluid pressures at the inlet port of one of said port sets in excess of a predetermined value to establish a proportionally reduced fluid pressure at the outlet port of said one port set in the centered and one of the translated positions, respectively, an area on said one proportioning means isolated from and subjected to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set when said comparing means and proportioning means are in the centered position and the one translated position, respectively, a seal engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means to isolate said area from the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set when said comparator means and proportioning means are in the centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said one proportioning means to subject said area to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set upon the concerted movement of said comparator means and proportioning means to the one translated position, and the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is subjected to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set being predeterminately in excess of that at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is isolated from the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set.

Claim 18

A control valve comprising a housing having a pair of sets of inlet and outlet ports therein, means for comparing the magnitudes of the fluid pressures at the inlet ports of said port sets and movable in said housing between said port sets 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 at the inlet ports of said port sets acting thereon, a pair of proportioning means engaged for concerted movement with said comparing means between the centered and translated positions and movable relative to said comparing means in the centered position and the translated positions for performing proportioning operations on the fluid pressures between the inlet and outlet ports of said port sets, at least one of said proportioning means being operable generally in response to the fluid pressures at the inlet port of one of said port sets in excess of a predetermined value to establish a proportionally reduced fluid pressure at the outlet port of said one port set in the centered and one of the translated positions, respectively, an area on said one proportioning means isolated from and subjected to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set when said comparing means and proportioning means are in the centered position and the one translated position, respectively, a seal engaged between said housing and a portion of said one proportioning means to isolate said area from the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set when said comparator means and proportioning means are in the centered position, said seal means being disengaged from one of said housing and said portion of said one proportioning means to subject said area to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set upon the concerted movement of said comparator means and proportioning means to the one translated position, and the predetermined value at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is subjected to the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set being predeterminately in excess of that at which the proportioning operation of said one proportioning means occurs when said area is isolated from the fluid pressure at the inlet port of said one port set.