Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
340 words
A fluid pressure equalizing valve adapted for use in hydraulic systems comprising: a valve body having a fluid inlet port, a fluid discharge working port and at least one fluid discharge vent port therein; a valve plug comprising a plug body having a peripheral wall, said plug disposed in said valve body and having a working flow passageway and at least one vent flow passageway formed therein and communicating with said peripheral wall, said plug being movable with respect to said valve body between a first fluid working position wherein said working flow passageway is aligned with said fluid inlet and said fluid discharge working ports to provide fluid flow communication therebetween for passing inlet fluid to the working port and a second fluid vent position wherein said vent flow passageway is aligned with at least one inlet and fluid discharge working ports and said fluid discharge vent port to provide fluid flow communication therebetween for passing inlet fluid to a vent port; said valve plug including a plurality of orifice passageways formed therein communicating said peripheral wall with said vent flow passageway, the diameter of each said orifice passageway being substantially smaller than the diameter of said working flow passageway, means preventing fluid flow through said orifice passageways when said valve plug is in its first and second positions, at least one of said orifice passageways communicating at least one of said inlet and discharge working ports and said vent port via said vent flow passageway as said valve plug moves between its first and second positions, said orifice passageways being arranged such that said valve plug is movable from its first position to its second position, and vice versa, to selectively subtract or add, respectively, the number of orifice passageways communicating said inlet and working ports with said vent port via said vent flow passageway; plug means for selectively closing any of said orifice passageways, said plug means being removably insertable in said orifice passageways; and means for moving said valve plug between is first and second positions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
340 words
A fluid pressure equalizing valve adapted for use in hydraulic systems comprising: a valve body having a fluid inlet port, a fluid discharge working port and at least one fluid discharge vent port therein; a valve plug comprising a plug body having a peripheral wall, said plug disposed in said valve body and having a working flow passageway and at least one vent flow passageway formed therein and communicating with said peripheral wall, said plug being movable with respect to said valve body between a first fluid working position wherein said working flow passageway is aligned with said fluid inlet and said fluid discharge working ports to provide fluid flow communication therebetween for passing inlet fluid to the working port and a second fluid vent position wherein said vent flow passageway is aligned with at least one inlet and fluid discharge working ports and said fluid discharge vent port to provide fluid flow communication therebetween for passing inlet fluid to a vent port; said valve plug including a plurality of orifice passageways formed therein communicating said peripheral wall with said vent flow passageway, the diameter of each said orifice passageway being substantially smaller than the diameter of said working flow passageway, means preventing fluid flow through said orifice passageways when said valve plug is in its first and second positions, at least one of said orifice passageways communicating at least one of said inlet and discharge working ports and said vent port via said vent flow passageway as said valve plug moves between its first and second positions, said orifice passageways being arranged such that said valve plug is movable from its first position to its second position, and vice versa, to selectively subtract or add, respectively, the number of orifice passageways communicating said inlet and working ports with said vent port via said vent flow passageway; plug means for selectively closing any of said orifice passageways, said plug means being removably insertable in said orifice passageways; and means for moving said valve plug between is first and second positions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flow areas of at least some of said orifice passageways differ from the flow areas of others of said orifice passageways.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A valve, as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein said means for moving said valve plug comprises hydraulic means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hydraulic means includes vane means on said valve plug, an elongated vane receiving chamber associated with said valve body, said vane means projecting into and slidable within said chamber, and spaced apart hydraulic fluid ports communicating with said chamber adjacent its ends for providing hydraulic fluid flow into and out of said chamber, whereby said vane slides in said chamber between the ends thereof in response to the force exerted thereon by the hydraulic fluid for moving the valve plug between its first and second positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said valve body is annular and includes a generally cylindrical peripheral wall surface defining a generally cylindrical opening therewithin, said valve plug is generally cylindrical and rotatable within said valve body about a central axis coaxial with the axis of said valve body between its first and second positions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said working passageway extends diametrically through said plug for alignment with diametrically opposed fluid inlet and working ports when said plug is in its first position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said vent flow passageway comprises first and second arcuate shaped cavities formed in and circumferentially spaced apart along the peripheral wall of said valve plug.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 7, wherein said plurality of orifice passageways comprise a first plurality of orifice passageways communicating said first arcuate shaped cavity with the peripheral wall of said plug and a second plurality of orifice passageways communicating said second arcuate shaped cavity with the peripheral wall of said plug.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said fluid inlet port and a fluid discharge vent port are circumferentially spaced along said annular valve body and sufficiently close that a single arcuate shaped cavity comprising one vent passageway provides fluid flow communication therebetween when said valve plug is in its second position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said fluid discharge working port and a fluid discharge vent port are circumferentially spaced apart along said annular valve body and sufficiently close that a single arcuate shaped cavity comprising one vent passageway provides fluid flow communication therebetween when said valve plug is in its second position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said valve body includes a pair of cover plates fluid tightly engaging the forwardly and rearwardly facing annular surfaces of said annular valve body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 11, including axially aligned shaft stubs projecting forwardly and rearwardly from the opposite faces of said generally cylindrical valve plug along the central axis thereof, said stubs being supported in said cover plates for rotation of said valve plug thereabout.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
138 words
A valve, as claimed in claim 11, including an elongated arc-shaped vane receiving recess formed in one of said cover plates, spaced apart hydraulic fluid inlet and outlet ports formed in said one cover plate communicating with said recess adjacent its ends for providing a hydraulic fluid flow path to and from said recess, a vane projecting from one face of said generally cylindrical valve plug toward said recess-containing cover plate and received within said recess with said one face of said valve plug in fluid tight abutting relation with the portion of said cover plate surrounding said recess to define with said recess a fluid-tight hydraulic chamber for arcuate sliding movement of said vane within said chamber in response to hydraulic fluid force exerted thereon whereby said valve plug rotatably moves between its first and second positions.