Control valve

Claim 2

A control valve comprising a housing, application means movable in said housing for controlling the application therethrough of supplied fluid pressure including a pair of additive areas for respective subjection to control fluid pressure, said application means being initially movable in response to control fluid pressure less than a predetermined value acting on one of said areas toward a position in said housing effecting the application therethrough of the supplied fluid pressure to establish an applied fluid pressure in a predetermined ratio with the control fluid pressure, and modulating means movable in said application means between said areas for performing modulating operations on the control fluid pressure under preselected conditions, said modulating means being operable generally in response to control fluid pressure in excess of the predetermined value but less than another predeterminately greater predetermined value to effect a modulated reduced application thereof to the other of said areas and thereby fUrther actuate said application means to increase the applied fluid pressure in another predetermined ratio with the control fluid pressure, and said modulating means also being further operable in response to control fluid pressure in excess of the other predetermined value to blend the control fluid pressure and the modulated reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and other areas and further actuate said application means to substantially equate the applied and control fluid pressures.

Claim 3

A control valve comprising a housing, application means movable in said housing for controlling the application therethrough of supplied fluid pressure including a pair of additive areas for respective subjection to control fluid pressure, and passage means in said application means communicating said areas, said application means being initially movable in response to control fluid pressure less than a predetermined value acting on one of said areas toward a position in said housing effecting the application therethrough of the supplied fluid pressure to establish an applied fluid pressure in a predetermined ratio with the control fluid pressure acting on said one area, proportioning valve means movable in said passage means for performing proportioning operations on the control fluid pressure under preselected conditions, said proportioning valve means being operable generally in response to control fluid pressure acting thereon in excess of the first named predetermined value but less than another predeterminately greater predetermined value to effect a proportionally reduced application of the control fluid pressure through said passage means to act on the other of said areas and thereby effect further actuation of said application means to increase the applied fluid pressure in another predtermined ratio with the control fluid pressure, and said proportioning valve means also being further movable in response to control fluid pressure acting thereon in excess of the other predetermined value toward a passage means opening position to blend the control fluid pressure and the proportionally reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and other chambers and thereby effect further actuation of said application means to substantially equate the control and applied fluid pressures.

Claim 4

A control valve comprising a housing, application means movable in said housing for controlling the application therethrough of supplied fluid pressure including a pair of additive areas for respective subjection to control fluid pressure, and passage means in said application means communicating said areas, said application means being initially movable in response to control fluid pressure less than a predetermined value acting on one of said areas toward a position in said housing effecting the application therethrough of the supplied fluid pressure to establish an applied fluid pressure in a predetermined ratio with the control fluid pressure acting on said one area, proportioning valve means movable in said passage means for performing proportioning operations on the control fluid pressure under preselected conditions, said proportioning valve means being operable generally in response to control fluid pressure acting thereon in excess of the first named predetermined value but less than another predeterminately greater predetermined value to effect a proportionally reduced application of the control fluid pressure through said passage means to act on the other of said areas and thereby effect further actuation of said application means to increase the applied fluid pressure in another predtermined ratio with the control fluid pressure, and said proportioning valve means also being further movable in response to control fluid pressure acting thereon in excess of the other predetermined value toward a passage means opening position to blend the control fluid pressure and the proportionally reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and other chambers and thereby effect further actuation of said application means to substantially equate the control and applied fluid pressures.

Claim 5

A control valve according to claim 2, wherein said application means defines with said housing a pair of control chambers for respective subjection to the control fluid pressure, said areas being respectively within said control chambers, and said passage means being connected between said control chambers, said proportioning valve means being actuated in response to the control fluid pressure in one of said control chambers acting on said one area to effect the proportionally reduced application of the control fluid pressure through said passage means to the other of said control chambers and acting on the other of said areas.

Claim 6

A control valve according to claim 2, wherein said application means defines with said housing a third chamber subjected to the applied fluid pressure and opposed to said control chambers, and a third area on said application means within said third chamber and opposed to said one and other areas.

Claim 7

A control valve comprising a housing, a differential piston movable in said housing and defining therewith a pair of control chambers and an opposed outlet chamber, including a pair of additive smaller surfaces in said control chambers and an opposing larger surface in said outlet chamber, an inlet chamber in said housing connected with said outlet chamber, valve means movable in said housing for actuating engagement with said differential piston and controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers, said differential piston being movable in response to fluid pressure less than a predetermined value delivered to one of said control chambers to engage and actuate said valve means toward a position in said housIng effecting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers and establishing fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in a predetermined ratio with that in said one control chamber, metering means movable in said differential piston means for controlling pressure fluid communication between said control chambers, said metering means being movable in response to fluid pressure between the first named predetermined value and another predeterminately greater predetermined value delivered to said one control chamber toward a position in said differential piston effecting metered pressure fluid communication between said control chambers and establishing a reduced metered fluid pressure in the other of said control chambers to further actuate said differential piston and valve means and increase the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in another predetermined ratio with that delivered to said one control chamber, and said metering means also being movable in response to fluid pressure in excess of the other predetermined value delivered to said one control chamber toward an open position in said differential piston blending the fluid pressures in said one and other control chambers to further actuate said differential piston and valve means and increase the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber to a value substantially equal to the blended fluid pressures in said one and other control chambers.

Claim 8

A control valve comprising a housing, a differential piston movable in said housing and defining therewith a pair of control chambers and an opposed outlet chamber, including a pair of additive smaller surfaces in said control chambers and an opposing larger surface in said outlet chamber, an inlet chamber in said housing connected with said outlet chamber, valve means movable in said housing for actuating engagement with said differential piston and controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers, said differential piston being movable in response to fluid pressure less than a predetermined value delivered to one of said control chambers to engage and actuate said valve means toward a position in said housIng effecting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet chambers and establishing fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in a predetermined ratio with that in said one control chamber, metering means movable in said differential piston means for controlling pressure fluid communication between said control chambers, said metering means being movable in response to fluid pressure between the first named predetermined value and another predeterminately greater predetermined value delivered to said one control chamber toward a position in said differential piston effecting metered pressure fluid communication between said control chambers and establishing a reduced metered fluid pressure in the other of said control chambers to further actuate said differential piston and valve means and increase the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber in another predetermined ratio with that delivered to said one control chamber, and said metering means also being movable in response to fluid pressure in excess of the other predetermined value delivered to said one control chamber toward an open position in said differential piston blending the fluid pressures in said one and other control chambers to further actuate said differential piston and valve means and increase the fluid pressure in said outlet chamber to a value substantially equal to the blended fluid pressures in said one and other control chambers.

Claim 9

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and control ports therein, valve means movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports, valve control means movable in said housing between said outlet and control ports for engagement with said valve means, a pair of opposed areas on said valve control means for respective subjection to fluid pressure at said control and outlet ports, said valve control means being movable in response to fluid pressure less than a predetermined value at said control port acting on one of said areas to engage and actuate said valve means toward a position effecting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on the other of said areas in a predetermined ratio with that at said control port, a third area on said valve control means additive to said one area and opposed to said other area, passage means in said valve control means communicating said one and third areas, and proportioning valve means movable in said valve control means for controlling said passage means, said proportioning valve means being movable in response to fluid pressure at said control port between the first named predetermined value and another predeterminately greater predetermined value toward a position in said passage means effecting the application therethrough of a proportionally reduced fluid pressure to said third area further actuating valve control means and valve means to increase the fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on said other area in another predetermined ratio with the fluid pressure at said control port and the proportionally reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and third areas, and said proportioning valve means also being movable in response to fluid pressure in excess of the other predetermined value at said control port toward an open position in said passage means to blend the fluid pressure at said control port and the reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and third areas and further actuate said valve control means and valve means to thereafter substantially equate the fluid pressure at said outlet port with that at said control port.

Claim 10

A control valve comprising a housing having inlet, outlet and control ports therein, valve means movable in said housing for controlling pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports, valve control means movable in said housing between said outlet and control ports for engagement with said valve means, a pair of opposed areas on said valve control means for respective subjection to fluid pressure at said control and outlet ports, said valve control means being movable in response to fluid pressure less than a predetermined value at said control port acting on one of said areas to engage and actuate said valve means toward a position effecting pressure fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports and establishing fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on the other of said areas in a predetermined ratio with that at said control port, a third area on said valve control means additive to said one area and opposed to said other area, passage means in said valve control means communicating said one and third areas, and proportioning valve means movable in said valve control means for controlling said passage means, said proportioning valve means being movable in response to fluid pressure at said control port between the first named predetermined value and another predeterminately greater predetermined value toward a position in said passage means effecting the application therethrough of a proportionally reduced fluid pressure to said third area further actuating valve control means and valve means to increase the fluid pressure at said outlet port acting on said other area in another predetermined ratio with the fluid pressure at said control port and the proportionally reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and third areas, and said proportioning valve means also being movable in response to fluid pressure in excess of the other predetermined value at said control port toward an open position in said passage means to blend the fluid pressure at said control port and the reduced application thereof respectively acting on said one and third areas and further actuate said valve control means and valve means to thereafter substantially equate the fluid pressure at said outlet port with that at said control port.