GB1416775A - Fluid logic valve assembly for use in a fluid logic system - Google Patents

Abstract

1416775 Valves KONAN ELECTRIC CO Ltd 13 Aug 1973 38281/73 Heading F2V A valve assembly for use in a fluid logic programmer for controlling slave machines, having inlet ports IN1, IN2, Fig. 1, connectible to a fluid source, an output port OUT connectible to a slave machine and an exhaust port EX connectible to a reservoir or atmosphere, comprises a manually-actuatable plunger 15 and a fluidactuatable plunger 35. Intermediate the plungers 15, 35 there is a further plunger 16 of hollow construction. In the shown position of the plungers all ports are isolated from one another. However, leftward movement of plunger 35 away from seating 52 caused by fluid delivered through IN2, communicates the output port with the exhaust port whereby, in use, fluid is exhausted from the slave machine line. If the manual plunger is also moved leftwards, whereby it abuts and seals the adjacent end of hollow plunger 16 and thereafter moves the plunger 16 to a position in which valve head 24 thereon moves clear of its seating 28, then the output port is instead communicated with inlet port IN1 so that fluid is supplied to the slave machine. The actuating rod of the manual plunger 15 has a key slot 26a in its end and has a pair of lateral projections 26b thereon which co-operate with channels in end cover 17 in the position shown, but are brought into engagement with the inner surface of cover 17 to lock the plunger 15 in its alternative position, by rotating the plunger 15 after its leftward movement, Fig. 2 (not shown). A coupling 50 which interconnects valve casing sections 11, 31 may be omitted, in which case the plunger 35 seats against head 24. The cover 17 and the connected casing sections 11, 31 are retained in position within outer casing 1 by the engagement of spring-biased balls 2 with recesses 5. The exterior of the casing 1 is of square cross-section, thereby enabling a number of valve assemblies to be stacked together with their inlet ports in communication, Fig. 11 (not shown), to form a row of such assemblies for use in a programmer. A programmer for controlling the operation of four slave machines (SM1- SM4), Fig. 9 (not shown), comprises four rows each containing four valve assemblies. Each row is connected to a fluid source via a respective main valve (MS1-MS4), and each assembly in each row is connected to a respective one of the slave machines and is pre-set to connect its machine to the exhaust or supply. Thus by opening one of the main valves the particular row is chosen which gives the required operation of the machines. By operating the main valves in a timed sequence, a programme of the type represented in Fig. 10 (not shown) can be achieved. A respective fluid-actuated valve (CV), Fig. 12 (not shown), may be located downstream of each main valve and have its actuating ports connected to the fluid source via adjacent valves (CV) and further valves (MS5, MS6), whereby the supply of fluid to any row is automatically interrupted when the main valve of the succeeding row is opened. The main valves may be actuated manually, electrically or by fluid pressure.