GB1286843A - Torque-responsive fluid valves - Google Patents

Abstract

1286843 Power steering CAM GEARS Ltd 14 Aug 1970 [21 Aug 1969] 41683/69 Heading B7H In a torque responsive fluid valve device an element 4 is displaced axially in accordance with resiliently resisted applied torque to the input shaft 1, such displacement being transmitted by a mechanical connection 8 to a spool valve 10. The two shafts 1, 2 are connected by a torsion bar 3 which allows relative rotational movement. The element 4 is in the form of a sleeve connected to the shaft 1 by a pin and slot 5 allowing relative axial movement and to the shaft 2 by a helical connection 6 allowing relative rotational movement. The sleeve 4 has an annular groove 7 which engages the mechanical connection 8 in the form of a rocker arm. Thus axial movement of the sleeve 4 is transmitted to the rocker 8 whilst rotation of the sleeve has no influence. The spool valve 10 has an eccentrically bored threaded sleeve 11 receiving an end of the rocker 8 and provides axial adjustment of the spool 10. The spool valve controls pressure-fluid supplied by a constantly running pump and reservoir circuit to the two sides of a double acting servomotor which is preferably assembled directly on the rack bar. In a modification the rocker 8 has its fulcrum in the closure cap 17 and in a further embodiment the rocker 8 is replaced by a bail element which is integral or rigid with the valve spool 10. The spherical bearing at 9 may be adjustable by a thread on the rocker arm.