Resilient fluid control valve

Claim 2

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a unitary valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one exhaust port and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, the cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on the valve spool as to permit the valve spool to move to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein said valve body is constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but being relatively incompressible under normal valve operating fluid pressures.

Claim 3

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a unitary valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit the valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve spool is a unitary spool and constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but relatively incompressible under normal operating pressures.

Claim 4

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a unitary valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit the valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve spool is a unitary spool and constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but relatively incompressible under normal operating pressures.

Claim 5

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, the valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position, wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and where said valve body and said valve spool are continuously constructed of the same resilient, rubber-like material and are connected continuously by the remaining two collars.

Claim 6

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, the valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position, wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and where said valve body and said valve spool are continuously constructed of the same resilient, rubber-like material and are connected continuously by the remaining two collars.

Claim 7

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a unitary valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, the cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position, wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein said collars are so formed in relationship to said walls during contact that the force of fluid pressure exerted on the collars of the spool in one longitudinal direction is balanced by the force of fluid pressure exerted on the collars of the spool in the opposite longitudinal direction.

Claim 8

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a unitary valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, the cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position, wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein said collars are so formed in relationship to said walls during contact that the force of fluid pressure exerted on the collars of the spool in one longitudinal direction is balanced by the force of fluid pressure exerted on the collars of the spool in the opposite longitudinal direction.

Claim 9

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, the valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moVed to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid selectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein when said valve seats and said collars coact the net longitudinal collar area exposed to pressure in one longitudinal direction is equal to the net longitudinal collar area exposed to fluid pressure in the opposite direction.

Claim 10

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, the valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, the collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moVed to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid selectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein when said valve seats and said collars coact the net longitudinal collar area exposed to pressure in one longitudinal direction is equal to the net longitudinal collar area exposed to fluid pressure in the opposite direction.

Claim 11

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on the valve spool as to permit the valve spool to move to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein said valve body and said valve spool are continuously constructed of the same resilient, rubber-like material and are continuously connected by a diaphragm of the same material.

Claim 12

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having one longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portion including two valve seats thereon and two more valve seats located at opposite ends of said cavity, said valve spool having a pair of collars, each of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on the valve spool as to permit the valve spool to move to a longitudinal position wherein two of said closure surfaces simultaneously coact with two of said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavity, and wherein said valve body and said valve spool are continuously constructed of the same resilient, rubber-like material and are continuously connected by a diaphragm of the same material.

Claim 13

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, said valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position wherein two of said collars simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve body is constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but being relatively incompressible under normal valve operating fluid pressure.

Claim 14

A valve for controlling flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, and two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined, elongated cavity, and a valve spool held captive in said cavity longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, said valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to be moved to a longitudinal position wherein two of said collars simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve body is constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but being relatively incompressible under normal valve operating fluid pressure.

Claim 15

A valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined elongated cavity and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, said valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to move to a longitudinal position wherein two of said collars simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve spool is a unitary spool and constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but relatively incompressible under normal valve operating fluid pressures.

Claim 16

A valve for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid comprising a valve body having one fluid entrance port, at least one fluid exhaust port, two fluid emission ports opening into a common, confined elongated cavity and a valve spool held captive in said cavity and longitudinally movable therein, said cavity having two longitudinally spaced, inwardly projecting wall portions including two valve seats on each wall thereof, said valve spool having three collars, one of said collars having two valve closure surfaces suitable for coaction with two of said valve seats, said collars being so positioned on said valve spool as to permit said valve spool to move to a longitudinal position wherein two of said collars simultaneously coact with said valve seats to control the flow of fluid collectively through said ports and cavities, and wherein said valve spool is a unitary spool and constructed of a resilient, rubber-like material capable of being deformed under high pressure and possessing inherent recovery properties but relatively incompressible under normal valve operating fluid pressures.