Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ his invention relates to fluid control valves and
in particular to a two pOSitiOII valve.
There is a need for slmple economical two position
slide type valves. Present valves, even for low pressure
operation, incorporate a multiplicity of parts ma~.ing them
~omplex, expensive to manufacture and maintain.
It is an object of the invention to provide a simple
-two position valve incorporating a minimum number of parts.
Another object of the invention is to provide a two
position valve in which the valve is maintained in selected
one of its -two possible position.s.
Yet anothex object of -the invention is to provide
a two position valve in which porting between selected ones
of inlet and control ports is achieved by a simple, commonly
available sealing elemen-tO
The objects of the invention are accomplished by
the provision of a two position valve having a body with a
~ pl~a~
A ~ control surface to which a supply or inlet port as
well as control ports communicate. A slide member is sup-
- p /~n aY
ported by the body member for movement relative to the ~
surface between a selected one of two positions. The slide
member incorpora-tes a seal element mounted on the slide
member for movement therewith and slidingly engaging the
control surface to form a control chamber whenever the valve
is in one of its two selected posi-tions. The slide member
is movable by a handle manually operated to position the
slide member in one of its two selected positions. In one
of the positions, the supply port is in communication with
one control port and in a second position of the slide -the
supply port: ls in communication with another control port.
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The handle and slide are so arranged that a spring continues
to bias the slide member into sealing and sl.iding contact
with the control surface when the slide mernber is in one of
its two selected positions. The spring acts also to provide
an over-center action which rnaintains the valve i.n one of
its two selected positions. To insure that the valve can-
not be accidentally moved from its selected position, the
handle is provided with a detent arrangement releasably
holding the handle in one of its two control positions.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is
illustrated in the drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the two
position valve embodying the invention;
~; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the valve
seen in Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line
3-3 in Figure l;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to
Figure 3 showing another condition of operations; and
Fiyure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line
5-5 in Figure 3.
The two position valve embodyiny the invention
is designa-ted at 10 and is particularly adapted for con-
trolling fluid flow from a source 12 through an inlet port
13 to a se:Lected one of control ports 14 and 16 which in
the present: instance are illustrated as connected by fluid
lines to opposi-te ends of the two way linear actuator 18.
The valve 10 includes a body member 20 supporting
a slide member 22 movable from one positi.on to another
through means o:E a manually operated handle 24. The body
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member 20 incorporates an open recess 26 which recelves
and guides the slide member 22 during its rnovement. The
recess 26 has a generally rectangular bo-ttom wall w~ich forms
p/~n a r
~ a ~ con-trol surface 28. The delivery port 13 and the
control ports 14 and 16 open to the planer control surEace
28.
Referring to Figure 1, the slide member 22 is
generally cup-shaped and has a bottom surface 30 which
is provided with a rectangular shaped porting ring 32
fcrmed integrally at the underside of the slide member 22.
The porting ring 32 acts as a support for the inner perimeter
of a seal 34. The seal 34 is in the form of a circular
O-ring and is stretched over the outside perimeter of the
rec-tangular porting ring 32. In the position shown in
Figure 1, the seal 34 is in engagement with the control
surface 28 and defines a movable control chamber 36 which
is formed between the bottom of the slide member ~2 and the
P/~n~
p~a~ control surface 28. In the position illustrated
in Figure 3, the control charnber 36 is located so that the
delivery port 13 and control por-t 14 communicate with each
other through the control chamber 36~ In Figure 4, the
control chamber 36 cornmunicates the other of the control
por-ts 16 with the delivery port 13.
The slide member 22 is provided with a socket 40
Eorm~d inte~rally with the slide membex- 22 to receive a
projection 42 on the end of the handle 25. The handle 24
is supported for pivotal movement about a pin 44, the opposite
ends of which are supported by an ear 46 and opposed wall
48 formed i.n the body mer~er 20. The pin 44 also supports
a pair of collars 50 at opposite sides of the handle 24 to
maintain it midway between the ear 46 and wall 48. The
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handle 24 is provided with opposed surfaces 52 forminy a seat
for one end of a compression spring 54, the opposite end of
which is seated in the generally cup-shaped slide rnember 22
around the socket 40. The spring 54 acts between the seat
52 and the slide member 22 to urge the latter and the seal
34 against the control surface 28.
~ he body member 20 and the slide member 22 are
provided with complementary cam means in the form of cam
portions 56 on the body member 20 and cam portions 58 on the
slide member 22. The cam portions 56 project above the con-
-trol surf~ce 28 at the opposed longitudinally e~tending walls
60 of the recess 26 as seen in Figures 3 and 4. The cam
portions 48 are formed on the bottom of the slide member
22 at opposed sides in proximi-ty to the wall 60 of the bod~
member 20.
In the initlal position of the v~lve 10, as seen
in Figures 1 an~ 3, the slide member 22 is in a first
position to the left with the cam portions 56 and 58 in
proximity to each o-ther. Upon movement of the handle 24
counterclockwise about the pivot pin 44 as seen in
Figure 1, the slide member 22 moves toward the right and the
~; cam portions 56 and 58 engage to cause the slide member 22
-to move upwardly against the biasing action of the spring 54
until the cam portion 58 passes f:rom the left side to the
right side of the cam portion 56 so that the slide member 22
assumes a second position illustrated in Figure 4. In
the first position, seen in Figure 3, the delivery port 13
and control port 14 are in communication with each other.
During movement of the slide member 22 between its first and
second positions, as ill.ustrated in Figures 3 and 4, re-
-4-
s~
spec-tively the slicle member 22 moves upwardly due to -the
action of -the complementary cam portions 56 and 58 and
remains parallel to the control surface 28 until the slide
member reaches its second posi.tlon.
sOth the body member 20 and the slide member 22
can be made of a plastic material reinforced with glass
fibers, for exarnple, two-thixds nylon and one-third glass
fiber by volume. The body member 20 can be provided with
flanges 62 having bolt receiving openings 64 to receive
mounting bolts fasterling the body member 20 in position
for use.
To explain operation of the valve 10 it can be
assumed that it is installed in a motor vehicle and that
the source of fluid pressure 12 is in the for~ of vacuum
obtained at the intake manifold of an internal combustion
engine powering the vehicle. Assuming also that the valve
10 is initially positioned as illustrated in Figure 1,
vacuum pressure will be continuously available to the linear
actuator 18~ The path of such fluid pressure is from the
source 12, through the delivery port 13 to the~control
chamber 36 and to the first control port 14 which may be
connected by a line 66 in the form of a tube or the like to
the right end of the linear ac-tuator 18. The left end of
the linear actuator 18 will be in communication with -the
atmosphere through another line 68 connected between the
linear actuator 18 and the second control port 16 which is
open to the recess 26 and to the atmosphere. Consequently,
the differential in pressure actiny on the piston 70 will
be atmospheric pressure ac-ting at the left and vacuum
Al 80 pressure acting at the ri~ht causing the piston 70
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to assume a position at the right end of the linear actua-tor
18. When it is desired to retract the rod 72 of -the linear
actuator 18 by moving the piston 70 to the left end of -the
cylinder, the handle 24 is moved in a counterclockwise
direction as viewed in Figure 1 so that the slide member
22 moves upwardly due to the action oi. the complementary
cam portions 56 and 58 so that the slide member passes
to the other end of the recess 26 to reengage the seal 34
with -the control surface 28. This brings the delivery
port 13 and second control port 16 into comrnunication with
each other as illustrated in Figure 4. Consequently, the
source of vacuum pressure communica-tes -through the delivery
port 13, the co~trol chamber 36 and the con-trol port 16 and
line 68 with the right end of the linear actua-tor 18. At
the same time, the control port 14 will be in communication
with the atmosphere so that the differential in pressure
created within the l.inear actuator 1~ causes the piston 70
; to move to the left to extend the pi.s-ton rod 72. Upon re-
turn of the handle 24 in the opposite direction, the pis-ton
70 moves in the opposite direction or to the right.
The operation of the valve is such that the
spring 54 continues to urge the slide member 22 downwardly
as a result of which the valve 10 has an over-center
characteristic, that is, the valve is always located in
one or the other of its two possible positions and remains
in that position until .it is selectively and manually
moved to the other of its two positi.ons.
Ii. desired, and to insure that the valve 10
remains in the selected one of i-ts two positions, a pin
74 is mounted to extend transversely to the handle 24.
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The pin 74 interfers with a slidiny lock pin 75. The lock
pin 75 has a lower portion 76 supported for sliding movement
vertically relative to the body member as illustrated in
Figure l. The lock pin 75 also has an off set portion 77
and a handle portion 78. The handle portion 78 interferes
with the pin 74 to prevent movemerlt of the handle 24 when
the valve 10 is in one of its two selected positions.
When it is desired to move the handle 24 to the other of
its selected positions, the lock pin 75 is pulled upwardly so
that the handle 24 can be pivoted with the pin 74 passing
under the off set portion 77. After the valve lO is placed
in its newly selected position of operation the lock pin 75
can be released so that the handle portion 78 again
interferes with the pin 74 to prevent swinging of the handle
24.
A two position control valve has been provided
in which a body member and a slide member coact to form a
control chamber capable of placing selected ones of a
plurality of ports in communication with each other. The
control chamber is formed in part by an O-ring which is
stretched over a supporting portion on the slide member.
The slide member is movable from one selected position to
another selected position ayainst -the biasing action of
the spring which serves to maintain the valve in its
selected condition.
