Multiple-station fluid control circuit

Claim 2

A multiple-station fluid control circuit comprising a pressurized fluid source, a plurality of operator control stations, a fluid controlled device, a system of fluid control valves and ducting interconnecting said plurality of operator control stations and said fluid controlled device and said pressurized fluid source, a pressure-proportional linear actuator means duct connected to said system of fluid control valves and ducting, an oscillating cam shaft operatively mounted with respect to and operatively connected to said pressureproportional linear actuator means, a time-delay cam assembly operatively mounted on said oscillating cam shaft, volumetric accumulator means duct connected to said system of fluid control valves and ducting, said time-delay cam assembly maintainiNg an accumulator control valve in an accumulator-charge position as said pressure-proportional linear actuator means actuates said oscillating cam shaft through a predetermined pivotal time-delay angle, said time-delay cam assembly ultimately actuating said accumulator control valve into an accumulator-exhaust position at a predetermined pivotal position of said oscillating cam shaft.

Claim 3

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said time-delay cam assembly comprises a cam means pivotally mounted on said cam shaft, cam actuator means secured to said cam shaft in operative spaced relation to said cam means, cam follower means operatively mounted on said accumulator control valve, detent means operatively mounted with respect to said cam means, whereby said detent means maintains said cam means in a fixed position correlative to said accumulator-charge position of said accumulator control valve.

Claim 4

A multiple station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said time-delay cam assembly comprises a cam means pivotally mounted on said cam shaft, cam actuator means secured to said cam shaft in operative spaced relation to said cam means, cam follower means operatively mounted on said accumulator control valve, said cam means having a detent indentation of contour substantially matching that of said cam follower means, whereby said cam follower means maintains said cam means in a fixed position correlative to said accumulator-charge position of said accumulator control valve.

Claim 5

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said time-delay cam assembly comprises a cam means pivotally mounted on said cam shaft, cam actuator means secured to said cam shaft in operative spaced relation to said cam means, adjustment means provided on said cam actuator means whereby to permit angular timing adjustment of said cam actuator means with respect to said cam shaft.

Claim 6

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said time-delay cam asembly comprises a cam means pivotally mounted on said cam shaft, cam actuator means secured to said cam shaft in operative spaced relation to said cam means, adjustment means provided on said cam means whereby to permit angular timing adjustment of said cam means with respect to said cam actuator means.

Claim 7

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said time-delay cam assembly comprises a cam means pivotally mounted on said cam shaft, cam actuator means secured to said cam shaft in operative spaced relation to said cam means, adjustment means provided on said cam actuator means whereby to permit angular timing adjustment of said cam means with respect to said cam actuator means.

Claim 8

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said system of fluid control valves and ducting includes at each of said operator control stations a primary control valve, a shuttle valve system permitting flow to and from only one of said primary control valves at any one time, said shuttle valve system duct connected to a pilot portion of a two-position two-way pilot-operated control valve and to a flow-control valve, said flow-control valve restricting flow from and permitting free-flow to said shuttle valve system, a one-way check valve and said two-position two-way pilot operated control valve duct connected in series whereby to permit unidirectional flow from said volumetric accumulator means to said fluid controlled device and said pressure-proportional linear actuator means, said fluid controlled device duct connected for reversible flow to said flow-control valve.

Claim 9

A multiple-station fluid control circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said fluid controlled device has a plurality of operating modes, said system of fluid control valves and ducting including at each of said plurality of operator control stations one primary control valve for each of said pluralty of operating modes, a first shuttle valve system for eAch of said plurality of operating modes permitting flow to and from only one of said primary control valves at any time, each of said first shuttle valve systems duct connected to a pilot portion of a two-position two-way pilot-operated control valve and to a flow-control valve, said flow-control valve restricting flow from and permitting free-flow to its interconnected first shuttle valve system, a one-way check valve and said two-position two-way pilot-operated control valve duct connected in series whereby to permit unidirectional flow from said volumetric accumulator means to said fluid controlled device and to a second shuttle valve system, said pressure-proportional linear actuator means duct connected to said second shuttle valve system whereby to permit reversible flow between one of said flow-control valves and said pressure-proportional linear actuator.

Claim 10

A multiple-station fluid control circuit comprising a pressurized fluid source, a plurality of operator control stations, a fluid controlled device, a primary pneumatic control valve at each of said operator control stations duct connected to said pressurized fluid source, output from each of said primary fluid control valves duct connected to a shuttle valve system whereby flow to and from only one of said primary control valves is permitted at any time, a pressure-proportional linear actuator means operatively connected to an oscillating cam shaft, a time-delay cam assembly operatively mounted on said oscillating cam shaft, volumetric accumulator means duct connected to an accumulator control valve, said acumulator control valve duct connected to said pressurized fluid source, said time-delay cam assembly maintaining said accumulator control valve in an accumulator-charge position as said pressure-proportional linear actuator means actuates said oscillating cam shaft through a predetermined pivotal time-delay angle, said time-delay cam assembly ultimately actuating said accumulator control valve into an accumulator-exhaust position at a predetermined pivotal position of said oscillating cam shaft, said shuttle valve system duct connected to a flow-control valve and to the pilot portion of a two-position two-way pilot-operated control valve, said volumetric accumulator means duct connected in series to said pilot-operated control valve and to a one-way check valve for uni-directional flow therefrom to said pressure-proportional linear actuator means and to said fluid controlled device, said flow-control valve duct connected for reversible flow to said fluid controlled device and to said pressure-proportional linear actuator means.

Claim 11

A multiple-station fluid control circuit comprising a pressurized fluid source, a plurality of operator control stations, a fluid controlled device, a primary pneumatic control valve at each of said operator control stations duct connected to said pressurized fluid source, output from each of said primary fluid control valves duct connected to a shuttle valve system whereby flow to and from only one of said primary control valves is permitted at any time, a pressure-proportional linear actuator means operatively connected to an oscillating cam shaft, a time-delay cam assembly operatively mounted on said oscillating cam shaft, volumetric accumulator means duct connected to an accumulator control valve, said acumulator control valve duct connected to said pressurized fluid source, said time-delay cam assembly maintaining said accumulator control valve in an accumulator-charge position as said pressure-proportional linear actuator means actuates said oscillating cam shaft through a predetermined pivotal time-delay angle, said time-delay cam assembly ultimately actuating said accumulator control valve into an accumulator-exhaust position at a predetermined pivotal position of said oscillating cam shaft, said shuttle valve system duct connected to a flow-control valve and to the pilot portion of a two-position two-way pilot-operated control valve, said volumetric accumulator means duct connected in series to said pilot-operated control valve and to a one-way check valve for uni-directional flow therefrom to said pressure-proportional linear actuator means and to said fluid controlled device, said flow-control valve duct connected for reversible flow to said fluid controlled device and to said pressure-proportional linear actuator means.