Control valve with power accumulating, snap action, spool drive

Claim 1

A control valve mechanism comprising: a body; a valve member mounted in the body for movement to first and second positions, respectively; a power accumulator which, by the application of extraneous power, is settable in condition for firing and is operative, while being so set, to accumulate biasing power for application to the valve member and sufficient in amount, when the accumulator is in firing condition, to drive the valve member with a snap action from its first position to its second position, upon subsequent firing; force applying means operable for transmitting extraneous power to the accumulator; latch means normally constraining the accumulator from firing; latch release means operated for release by the accumulator upon the accumulator being set in firing condition, whereby the accumulator fires and drives the valve member from the first position to the second position with said snap action; restoring means to restore the accumulator to its unset condition when the extraneous power is released; valve return means operable to return the valve member to said first position; said valve member being characterized in that: the accumulator includes an elment movable by said extraneous poweR in a power accumulating direction from a starting position to a firing position; a return spring for returning the element in a return direction to said starting position when the extraneous power is released; a plunger movable in said directions, respectively, and having an external latch shoulder; a power accumulating compression spring interposed between the element and plunger; said latch means includes a first sleeve in fixed position in the body and surrounding the plunger and having a radially extending passage therein; a second sleeve mounted in the body in surrounding relation to, and for movement relative to, the first sleeve, and movable by the element when the element is moved in its accumulating direction, relative to the plunger and first sleeve, to a release position; said second sleeve having an internal latching shoulder, a retaining portion, and a release portion; a detent movable along said passage inwardly into latching relation to said plunger shoulder and so moved by movement of said second sleeve out of release position into retaining position; said detent being held in said latching relation by the retaining portion of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is moved into retaining position; said detent being movable by the latching shoulder of the plunger out of latching relation to the plunger and into latching relation relative to the shoulder of the second sleeve when the second sleeve is moved into release position and the plunger is moved by the accumulated power relative to the second sleeve; said plunger having a retaining portion movable into retaining position relative to the detent when the plunger is moved a predetermined distance by the accumulated power, for retaining the detent in latching relation to the second sleeve; means to drive the second sleeve by said element from retaining position to release position; and return means for returning the second sleeve from release position to retaining position upon return of the element to starting position.