Control valve and system

Claim 2

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position effecting the application through said housing of fluid pressure supplied thereto and isolating the applied fluid pressure from the atmosphere and another position isolating the supplied and applied fluid pressure and venting the applied fluid pressure to the atmosphere, other means movable in said housing between operative and inoperative positions and concertedly with and relative to said application means including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions defining with said housing an expansible control fluid pressure chamber, and a bore in said other means between said opposed end portions in which said application means is reciprocally received, and abutment means on said application means for engagement with said one opposed end portion, said abutment means and one opposed end portion being engaged to effect automatic concerted movement of said application and other means toward their other and operative positions and to effect selective concerted movement of said application and other means in response to an operator applied force on said application means toward their one and inoperative positions, respectively, when the control fluid pressure in said chamber acting on said one opposed end portion is less than a predetermined value, and said application means also being selectively movable between its one and other positions in response to the operator applied force thereon relative to said other means in its inoperative position when the control fluid pressure in said chamber acting on said one opposed end portion exceeds the predetermined value.

Claim 3

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing between two positions, and other means movable in said housing including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to control fluid pressure, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions in which said application means is reciprocally received, and means on said one opposed end portion defining an abutment for driving engagement with said application means, said other means being movable in response to control fluid pressure less than a predetermined value acting on said one opposed end portion to effect the driving engagement between said abutment and application means and automatically urge said application means toward only one of its two positions.

Claim 4

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing between two positions, and other means movable in said housing including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to control fluid pressure, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions in which said application means is reciprocally received, and means on said one opposed end portion defining an abutment for driving engagement with said application means, said other means being movable in response to control fluid pressure less than a predetermined value acting on said one opposed end portion to effect the driving engagement between said abutment and application means and automatically urge said application means toward only one of its two positions.

Claim 5

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position effecting the application through said housing of fluid pressure supplied thereto and another position isolating the supplied and applied fluid pressures and Venting the applied fluid pressure, and other means movable in said housing including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said end portions being subjected to a control fluid pressure, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions through which said application means extends, and means on said one opposed end portion defining abutment means for engagement with said application means, said abutment means and application means being engaged to drive said other means with said application means upon the selective movement thereof to its one position and also to drive said application means to its other position with said other means upon automatic movement thereof when the control fluid pressure acting on said one of said opposed end portions is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 6

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position effecting the application through said housing of fluid pressure supplied thereto and another position isolating the supplied and applied fluid pressures and Venting the applied fluid pressure, and other means movable in said housing including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said end portions being subjected to a control fluid pressure, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions through which said application means extends, and means on said one opposed end portion defining abutment means for engagement with said application means, said abutment means and application means being engaged to drive said other means with said application means upon the selective movement thereof to its one position and also to drive said application means to its other position with said other means upon automatic movement thereof when the control fluid pressure acting on said one of said opposed end portions is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 7

A control valve according to claim 3, wherein said other means includes resiliently urged means, said resiliently urged means being movable in response to its own force to drivingly engage said abutment means and application means when the control fluid pressure acting on said one opposed end portion is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 8

A control valve according to claim 4, comprising an effective area on said one opposed end portion of said resiliently urged means subjected to the control fluid pressure, said resiliently urged means being movable against its own force toward an inoperative position in said housing in response to the control fluid pressure in excess of the predetermined value acting on said area, and said resiliently urged means being movable in response to its own force toward an operative position in said housing engaging said abutment means and application means and driving said application means therewith to its other position when the control fluid pressure acting on said area is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 9

A control valve according to claim 5, comprising other abutment means on said housing for engagement with the other of said opposed end portions of said resiliently urged means and defining the inoperative position thereof.

Claim 10

A control valve according to claim 5, comprising other abutment means on said application means for engagement with said first named abutment means, said first named and other abutment means being drivingly engaged to drive said application means to its other position upon the movement of said resiliently urged means to its operative position and to drive said resiliently urged means against its own force toward its inoperative position in response to the selective applied force movement of said application means from its other position to its one position when the control fluid pressure acting on said area is less than the predetermined value, and said first named abutment means being disengaged from said other abutment means upon the movement of said resiliently urged means to its inoperative position in response to the control fluid pressure in excess of the predetermined value acting on said area and relative to said application means in its other position.

Claim 11

A control valve according to claim 4, wherein said resiliently urged means includes a piston means movable in said housing, spring means engaged with said piston means and urging said abutment means toward engagement with said application means, and said one opposed end portion defining an effective area on said piston means subjected to the control fluid pressure, said piston means being movable against said spring means toward an inoperative position in said housing in response to the control fluid pressure in excess of the predetermined value acting on said area and relative to said application means in its other position, and said piston means being movable toward an operative position in said housing in response to the force of said spring means to effect the driving engagement of said abutment means with said application means in its one position and move said application means to its other position when the control fluid pressure aCting on said area is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 12

A control valve according to claim 4, wherein said one opposed end portion defines with said housing an expansible control chamber subjected to the control fluid pressure.

Claim 13

A control valve according to claim 3, wherein said application means includes a pair of valve means for controlling pressure fluid communication between the supplied and applied fluid pressures and between the applied fluid pressure and the atmosphere, said valve means being concertedly movable with said application means from its other position interrupting pressure fluid communication between the supplied and applied fluid pressures and establishing pressure fluid communication between the applied fluid pressure and the atmosphere toward the one position of said application means to establish pressure fluid communication between the supplied and applied fluid pressures and interrupt pressure fluid communication between the supplied fluid pressure and the atmosphere, respectively.

Claim 14

A control valve according to claim 10, comprising a pair of valve seats on said housing for engagement with said valve means, respectively, one of said valve means being engaged with one of said valve seats and the other of said valve means being disengaged from the other of said valve seats when said application means is in one and the other of its one and other positions, respectively.

Claim 15

A control valve according to claim 3, comprising a pair of opposed holding areas on said application means subjected to the applied and supplied fluid pressures when said application means is in its one and other positions, respectively, the supplied fluid pressure acting on one of said areas to establish a holding force urging said application means in a direction toward its other position when said application means is in its other position and the applied fluid pressure acting on the other of said areas to establish another holding force opposed to said first named holding force urging said application means in a direction toward its one position when said application means is in its one position.

Claim 16

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports and another position interrupting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, other means movable in said housing between opposed operative and inoperative positions and concertedly with and relative to said first named means and including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to the fluid pressure at said control port, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions and through which said first named means extends, and means on said one opposed end portion defining an abutment for driving engagement with said first named means, said other means and first named means being automatically and selectively movable to drivingly engage said abutment and first named means wherein said other means and first named means are thereafter concertedly movable toward their operative and other positions and toward their inoperative and one positions, respectively, when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said other means is less than a predetermined value, and said first named means being selectively movable in response to the operator applied force between its one and other positions relative to said other means in its inoperative position upon the movement of said other means thereto relative to said first named means in its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said other meaNs is in excess of the predetermined value.

Claim 17

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports and another position interrupting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, other means movable in said housing between opposed operative and inoperative positions and concertedly with and relative to said first named means and including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to the fluid pressure at said control port, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions and through which said first named means extends, and means on said one opposed end portion defining an abutment for driving engagement with said first named means, said other means and first named means being automatically and selectively movable to drivingly engage said abutment and first named means wherein said other means and first named means are thereafter concertedly movable toward their operative and other positions and toward their inoperative and one positions, respectively, when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said other means is less than a predetermined value, and said first named means being selectively movable in response to the operator applied force between its one and other positions relative to said other means in its inoperative position upon the movement of said other means thereto relative to said first named means in its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said other meaNs is in excess of the predetermined value.

Claim 18

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, and other means movable in said housing between operative and inoperative positions including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to the fluid pressure at said control port, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions and through which said first named means extends, and abutment means on said one opposed end portion for driving engagement with said first named means, said other means being movable toward its operative position in response to fluid pressure at said control port less than a predetermined value to effect the driving engagment of said abutment means with said first named means and drive said first named means toward a position interrupting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, and said abutment means and first named means being drivingly engaged to effect the concerted movement of said other means toward its inoperative position with said first named means upon the selective movement thereof from its last named position toward another position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports when the fluid pressure at said control port is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 19

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, and other means movable in said housing between operative and inoperative positions including a pair of opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions being subjected to the fluid pressure at said control port, a bore in said other means intersecting with said opposed end portions and through which said first named means extends, and abutment means on said one opposed end portion for driving engagement with said first named means, said other means being movable toward its operative position in response to fluid pressure at said control port less than a predetermined value to effect the driving engagment of said abutment means with said first named means and drive said first named means toward a position interrupting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, and said abutment means and first named means being drivingly engaged to effect the concerted movement of said other means toward its inoperative position with said first named means upon the selective movement thereof from its last named position toward another position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports when the fluid pressure at said control port is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 20

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said ports, said means being movable in response to an operator applied force thereon toward one position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports and also toward another position to interrupt pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, and resiliently urged means subjected to fluid pressure at said control port and movable in said housing for driving and driven engagement with said first named means, a bore in said resiliently urged means through which said first named means extends, said resiliently urged means being driven against its own force by said first named means upon the selective movement thereof toward its one position and said resiliently urged means also being movable in response to its own force to drive said first named means toward its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said resiliently urged means is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 21

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and exhaust ports therein, means selectively movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said ports, said means being movable in response to an operator applied force thereon toward one position establishing pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupting pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports and also toward another position to interrupt pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, a control port in said housing, and resiliently urged means subjected to fluid pressure at said control port and movable in said housing for driving and driven engagement with said first named means, a bore in said resiliently urged means through which said first named means extends, said resiliently urged means being driven against its own force by said first named means upon the selective movement thereof toward its one position and said resiliently urged means also being movable in response to its own force to drive said first named means toward its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said resiliently urged means is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 22

A control valve according to claim 15, comprising means on said application means and resiliently urged means defining opposed abutment means for the driving and driven engagement thereof.

Claim 23

A control valve according to claim 15, comprising abutment means on said housing for engagement with said resiliently urged means, said first named means being selectively movable in response to the operator applied force thereon between its one and other positions relative to said resiliently urged means upon the movement of said resiliently urged means relative to said first named means in its other position into engagement with said abutment means when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said resiliently urged means exceeds the predetermined value.

Claim 24

A control valve according to claim 15, comprising an abutment on said housing for engagement with said resiliently urged means and defining the inoperative position thereof, said resilienTly urged means being movable in response to the fluid pressure at said control port in excess of the predetermined value toward engagement with said abutment.

Claim 25

A control valve according to claim 15, comprising an effective area on said resiliently urged means subjected to the fluid pressure at said control port, said resiliently urged means being movable against its own force and relative to said first named means in its other position toward an inoperative position on said housing in response to fluid pressure at said control port in excess of the predetermined value acting on said area, and said resiliently urged means being movable in response to its own force toward an operative position in said housing driving said first named means therewith from its one position to is other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said area is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 26

A control valve according to claim 19, wherein said resiliently urged means includes piston means movable in said housing, said bore being in said piston means, abutment means on said piston means for the driving and driven engagement with said first named means, spring means engaged with said piston means urging said abutments toward engagement with said first named means,and said area being defined on said piston means, said piston means being movable against the force of said spring means toward its inoperative position and disengaging said abutment means from said first named means in its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said area is in excess of the predetermined value, and said piston means being movable toward its operative position in response to the force of said spring means to effect the driving engagement of said abutment means with said first named means in its one position and the concerted driving thereof to its other position when the fluid pressure at said control port acting on said area is less than the predetermined value.

Claim 27

A control valve according to claim 20, comprising opposed end portions on said piston means, said bore intersecting with said opposed end portions, one of said opposed end portions including said abutment means and said area and defining with said housing an expansible control chamber connected in pressure fluid communication with said control port, and other abutment means on said housing for engagement with said piston means and defining the inoperative position thereof.

Claim 28

A control valve according to claim 21, comprising another bore and a counterbore in said housing connected with said inlet port and said outlet and exhaust ports, respectively, a first valve seat defined in said bore between said inlet and outlet ports, a second valve seat defined in said counterbore between said outlet and exhaust ports, said first named means including a rod member having opposed end portions, said rod member being slidable in said piston and other bores and extending coaxially through said control chamber, one of said end portions extending exteriorly of said housing for receiving the operator applied force and the other of said end portions including spaced first and second valve means for engagement with said first and second valve seats respectively, said first and second valve means being engaged with and disengaged from said first and second valve seats to interrupt the pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establish the pressure fluid communication between said outlet and exhaust ports, respectively, when said first named means is in its one position, and said first and second valve means being disengaged from and engaged with said first and second valve seat to establish the pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and interrupt the pressure fluid communication between the outlet and exhaust ports, respectively, when said first named means is in its other position.

Claim 29

A control valve comprising a housing, inlet, outlet and exhAust chambers in said housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon for controlling communication between said chambers, said application means being selectively movable between one position isolating said inlet and outlet chambers and communicating said outlet and exhaust chambers and another position communicating said inlet and outlet chambers and isolating said outlet and exhaust chambers, piston means movable in said housing and defining therewith an expansible fluid pressure control chamber, a bore in said piston means, said application means extending coaxially through said bore and said control chamber, abutment means on said piston means for driving and driven engagement with said application means, and spring means contained between said piston means and said housing urging said piston means in one direction to engage said abutment means with said application means and oppose fluid pressure expansion of said control chamber, said spring means urging said piston means in the one direction to effect the driving engagement between said abutment means and application means and drive said application means from its one to its other position and said application means being selectively movable from its other position toward its one position in response to the operator applied force thereon to also effect the driving engagement thereof with said abutment means and drive said piston means in another direction opposite the one direction against said spring means when the fluid pressure in said control chamber acting on said piston means is less than a predetermined value, and said application means being selectively movable in response to the operator applied force between its one and other positions relative to said piston means upon the movement of said piston means against said spring means and relative to said application means toward a position in said housing disengaging said abutment means from said application means when the fluid pressure in said control chamber acting on said piston means is in excess of the predetermined value.

Claim 30

A control valve comprising a housing, inlet, outlet and exhAust chambers in said housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon for controlling communication between said chambers, said application means being selectively movable between one position isolating said inlet and outlet chambers and communicating said outlet and exhaust chambers and another position communicating said inlet and outlet chambers and isolating said outlet and exhaust chambers, piston means movable in said housing and defining therewith an expansible fluid pressure control chamber, a bore in said piston means, said application means extending coaxially through said bore and said control chamber, abutment means on said piston means for driving and driven engagement with said application means, and spring means contained between said piston means and said housing urging said piston means in one direction to engage said abutment means with said application means and oppose fluid pressure expansion of said control chamber, said spring means urging said piston means in the one direction to effect the driving engagement between said abutment means and application means and drive said application means from its one to its other position and said application means being selectively movable from its other position toward its one position in response to the operator applied force thereon to also effect the driving engagement thereof with said abutment means and drive said piston means in another direction opposite the one direction against said spring means when the fluid pressure in said control chamber acting on said piston means is less than a predetermined value, and said application means being selectively movable in response to the operator applied force between its one and other positions relative to said piston means upon the movement of said piston means against said spring means and relative to said application means toward a position in said housing disengaging said abutment means from said application means when the fluid pressure in said control chamber acting on said piston means is in excess of the predetermined value.

Claim 31

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position effecting the application through said housing of fluid pressure supplied thereto and another position isolating the supplied and applied fluid pressures and venting the applied fluid pressure, other means subjected to a control fluid pressure and movable in said housing for driving and driven engagement with said application means in its one and other positions, respectively, said other means being driven by said application means upon the selective movement thereof to its one position and said other means also being movable to automatically drive said application means to its other position when the control fluid pressure acting on said other means is in excess of and less than a predetermined value, respectively, and a pair of opposed holding areas on said application means respectively subjected to the applied and supplied fluid pressures when said application means is in its one and other positions, the supplied and applied fluid pressures acting on one of said areas and the other of said areas to establish one and other holding forces urging said application means towards its one and other positions when said application means is in its one and other position, respectively, and one of said one and other holding forces being eliminated subsequent to the establishment of the other thereof.

Claim 32

A control valve comprising a housing, application means selectively movable in said housing in response to an operator applied force thereon between one position effecting the application through said housing of fluid pressure supplied thereto and another position isolating the supplied and applied fluid pressures and venting the applied fluid pressure, other means subjected to a control fluid pressure and movable in said housing for driving and driven engagement with said application means in its one and other positions, respectively, said other means being driven by said application means upon the selective movement thereof to its one position and said other means also being movable to automatically drive said application means to its other position when the control fluid pressure acting on said other means is in excess of and less than a predetermined value, respectively, and a pair of opposed holding areas on said application means respectively subjected to the applied and supplied fluid pressures when said application means is in its one and other positions, the supplied and applied fluid pressures acting on one of said areas and the other of said areas to establish one and other holding forces urging said application means towards its one and other positions when said application means is in its one and other position, respectively, and one of said one and other holding forces being eliminated subsequent to the establishment of the other thereof.