Synchronizing valves

Claim 2

A synchronizing valve assembly for controlling the flow of fluid to and from two fluid pressure actuated components so as to synchronize their movements comprising: a. a housing having two relatively movable members comprising inner and outer rotatable shaft members mounted co-axially with one inside the other, one member having a cam profile integrally arranged to be operatively connected to one fluid pressure actuated component so that movement of the component causes movement of said one member; b. the other member having a cam follower and similarly arranged to be operatively connected to the other fluid pressure actuated component; c. a flow proportioning valve means positioned within the housing and means connecting said members to said valve so that relative rotation of the two shaft members along with the cam profile and follower which results from non-synchronous movement of the fluid pressure actuated components will cause the valve to adjust the flow of fluid to or from the fluid pressure actuated components to re-establish synchronous movement.

Claim 3

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the cam follower compriseS a roller mounted on a shaft carried by and extending at right angles to the inner rotatable shaft member.

Claim 4

An assembly according to claim 2 wherein the cam profile comprises a slot cut in the outer rotatable shaft member and arranged to receive the roller.

Claim 5

An assembly according to claim 1 wherein the flow proportioning valve means comprises a spool valve member axially slidable within a bore in the housing, relative movement between the two relatively movable members being arranged to axially displace the spool valve within the bore thereby adjusting the flow of fluid to or from the fluid pressure actuated components.

Claim 6

An assembly according to claim 4 wherein the spool valve member is supported at its ends in sealed sliding contact within the bore, the portion of the spool valve member between the sealed ends being of reduced diameter and provided with two axially spaced circumferentially extending flanges which co-operate with the bore to provide three axially spaced passageways between the bore and the reduced diameter portions of the spool valve member, one fluid pressure actuated component being arranged to be in permanent fluid communication with one annular end passageway and the other fluid pressure actuated component being arranged to be in permanent fluid communication with the center annular passageway, the two annular end passages being interconnected by an internal bore extending within the spool valve member, two axially spaced circumferentially extending grooves provided in the wall of the bore, the two grooves communicating with a combined inlet and outlet passage, a non-return valve means disposed between the combined inlet and outlet passage and the circumferentially extending grooves, the non-return valve means being arranged to supply fluid to the fluid pressure actuated components via one groove and to exhaust fluid from the components via the other groove, the flanges provided on the spool valve member being arranged to co-operate with the grooves to allow a substantially equal flow of fluid to or from the fluid pressure actuated components when these components are moving in synchronism, axial displacement of the spool valve member resulting from non-synchronous movement of the fluid pressure actuated components being arranged to allow proportionately more fluid to flow to or from one or the other of the fluid pressure actuated components depending on the direction of displacement of the spool valve member.