Fluid distributor

Claim 1

A fluid distributor having at least one collecting chamber through which one or more feed pipes to said distributor may be selectively connected to one or more discharge pipes from said distributor to establish in succession different distribution circuits for the discharge of one or more fluids, said distributor comprising at least one middle block defining a central well and a plurality of cylindrical holes or cylinders with lateral openings for the connection of said pipes, each pipe communicating with at least one of the said cylinders; a driving shaft within said well, a sealed cover and sealed base, said cover being on the upper part of said block and defining a first chamber above said block, said base being on the lower part of said block and defining a second chamber below said block; upper and lower cam plates having complementary profiles concentric with the axis of said well and connected together by said driving shaft, the upper cam plate located in said first chamber, the lower cam plate located in said second chamber; a plurality of gate valves each mounted to slide in a cylinder and each defining an inner cavity, the ends of said valves resting against said upper and lower cam plates respectively; all of said cylinders having their axes equidistant from an axis of said central well and disposed around said well, each cylinder communicating laterally at one of its ends with one of said two chambers; the whole being so arranged that rotation of Said cam plates causes each of said gate valves to slide in its respective cylinder as determined by said cam plates, either to shut off said cylinder or to provide a connection between one of said chambers with a pipe terminating in said cylinder.