Valve construction and control system utilizing the same

Claim 2

A valve construction comprising a housing means having a pair of chambers therein, said housing means having first and second valve seats leading to one of said chambers, said housing having an inlet means leading to one of said valve seats and having an outlet means leading from said one chamber intermediate said valve seats, a valve member movably carried by said housing means and having a pair of valve means for respectively cooperating with said first and second valve seats in an alternate manner, said valve member having a piston part thereof slidably disposed in the other of said chambers and cooperating therewith as a piston in a cylinder whereby fluid pressure in said other chamber is adapted to act on one side of said piston part and tend to move said valve member from a position thereof closing one of said valve seats to a position thereof closing the other of said valve seats, said piston part comprising an annular member telescoped onto said valve member and being slidable thereon, said valve member carrying a stop means that limits sliding movement of said annular member on said valve member in one direction, and a spring means being carried by said housing means and acting on said annular member in a direction to tend to hold said annular member against said stop means so that said piston part and said valve member tend to move in unison, said spring means also tending to move said valve member in said one direction that would be in opposition to said fluid pressure in said one chamber.

Claim 3

A valve construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein passage defining means interconnects said other chamber to said one chamber.

Claim 4

A valve construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein a restriction means is disposed in said passage defining means.

Claim 5

A valve construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said passage defining means is provided in said housing means.

Claim 6

A valve construction as set forth in claim 3 wherein said passage defining means is provided in said valve member.

Claim 7

A valve construction as set forTh in claim 1 wherein said annular member has an annular groove in its outer periphery, and an annular sealing member disposed in said groove.

Claim 8

In a control system having a fluid source, a fluid operated controlled device, and a fluid operated sensing device, the improvement comprising a valve construction having a housing means provided with a pair of chambers therein, said housing means having first and second valve seats leading to one of said chambers, means interconnecting said source to one of said valve seats, means interconnecting said controlled device to said one chamber, intermediate said valve seats, a valve member movably carried by said housing means and having a pair of valve means for respectively cooperating with said first and second valve seats in an alternate manner, said valve member having a piston part thereof slidably disposed in the other of said chambers and cooperating therewith as a piston in a cylinder whereby fluid pressure in said other chamber is adapted to act on one side of said piston part and tend to move said valve member from a position thereof closing one of said valve seats to a position thereof closing the other of said valve seats, and means interconnecting said sensing device to said other chamber on said one side of said piston part, said piston part comprising an annular member telescoped onto said valve member and being slidable thereon, said valve member carrying a stop means that limits sliding movement of said annular member on said valve member in one direction, and a spring means being carried by said housing means and acting on said annular member in a direction to tend to hold said annular member against said stop means so that said piston part and said valve member tend to move in unison, said spring means also tending to move said valve member in said one direction that would be in opposition to said fluid pressure in said one chamber.

Claim 9

In a control system having a fluid source, a fluid operated controlled device, and a fluid operated sensing device, the improvement comprising a valve construction having a housing means provided with a pair of chambers therein, said housing means having first and second valve seats leading to one of said chambers, means interconnecting said source to one of said valve seats, means interconnecting said controlled device to said one chamber, intermediate said valve seats, a valve member movably carried by said housing means and having a pair of valve means for respectively cooperating with said first and second valve seats in an alternate manner, said valve member having a piston part thereof slidably disposed in the other of said chambers and cooperating therewith as a piston in a cylinder whereby fluid pressure in said other chamber is adapted to act on one side of said piston part and tend to move said valve member from a position thereof closing one of said valve seats to a position thereof closing the other of said valve seats, and means interconnecting said sensing device to said other chamber on said one side of said piston part, said piston part comprising an annular member telescoped onto said valve member and being slidable thereon, said valve member carrying a stop means that limits sliding movement of said annular member on said valve member in one direction, and a spring means being carried by said housing means and acting on said annular member in a direction to tend to hold said annular member against said stop means so that said piston part and said valve member tend to move in unison, said spring means also tending to move said valve member in said one direction that would be in opposition to said fluid pressure in said one chamber.

Claim 10

In a control system as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein passage defining means interconnects said other chamber to said one chamber.

Claim 11

In a control system as set forth in claim 8, the further improvement wherein a restriction means is disposed in said passage defining means.

Claim 12

In a control system as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said passage defining means is provided in said housing means.

Claim 13

In a control system as set forth in claim 9, the further improvement wherein said passage defining means is provided in said valve member.

Claim 14

In a control system as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said annular member has an annular groove in its outer periphery, and an annular sealing member disposed in said groove.