Manifold valve assembly

Claim 1

A manifold valve assembly for selectively interconnecting a group of lines to control the flow of fluid therethrough, said assembly comprising: A a valve block having a row of cylinders formed therein which communicate at their lower ends with a like row of ports coupled to the respective lines in the group, the upper ends of the cylinders being interconnected whereby fluid admitted into any cylinder in the row thereof flows into the other cylinders; B a corresponding row of axially-expandable tubular nipples of elastomeric material coaxially supported within the respective cylinders to define fluid chambers therein, the ends of said nipples in their substantially unexpanded state reaching a first point; C a row of push-buttom actuated rods supported in an actuator block joined to said valve block, said rods projecting into said nipples; the push-buttons associated with the rods being disposed above said actuator block, the push-buttons in the row being axially depressible from a raised position to a depressed position to push in the associated rod, the button position being indicative of the status of the related valve; each rod, when pushed in by its associated button, acting to axially expand the related nipple to cause it to reach a second point; and D a valve seat in each cylinder cooperating with the end of the nipple therein to cut off fluid flow in the cylinder only when the nipple end reaches one of the points, the flow resuming when the nipple end is shifted to the other point.