Abex Corporation

Mead Fluid Dynamics, Inc.

Dek Printing Machines, Ltd.

Hagglunds Denison Corporation

Richard Wigmore

Robert Smilges

Richard Anthony Pepper

John Charles Wayman

Michael S Abraham

A manifold mounting system for electrically operated pneumatic control valves includes a push-on snap lock latching arrangement that is responsive to simple straight line connecting movement of the valve to the manifold. The system completely eliminates the need for end plates, screws, O-rings, gaskets and the like, and the simultaneous accommodation of a plug-in electrical connection also eliminates wiring connections. Manual push button release provides equally simple disconnection of the valve from the manifold.

Pneumatic valve and manifold mounting system

A workpiece support device comprises an array of rods in columns and rows with free ends of the rods forming, a support surface, in which support surface recesses can be created by selectively retracting individual ones of the rods. Each rod is coupled to a respective piston within a respective cylinder and each cylinder has an upper connection for medium pressure, a lower connection for high pressure and a middle connection for low pressure. A trigger piston is provided in a cylinder below the piston. The rod can be caused to extend from the cylinder by applying low pressure to the connection to press the trigger piston downwardly to close the high pressure connection. Such low pressure passes around the lip of a lip seal on the trigger piston and through a connection pressurises the underside of the piston to raise the piston and release it from pressing the trigger piston downwardly. Subsequently pressurising the connections and causes the differential pressure to force the piston upwardly. However by sequencing the application of pressure to the connections the rod can be locked in the retracted position. Medium pressure applied to the upper connection which presses the piston downwardly to abut the trigger piston and hold it in a depressed condition in which it will remain even after pressure is restored to the high pressure connection.

Workpiece support device

An improved valve construction having increased flow/pressure characteristics. The valve comprises a molded valve body including a plurality of body sections each having a generally flat inner surface, and the inner surfaces are disposed in contiguous relation along an interface. Each inner surface is formed with a plurality of recesses that mate with and complement recesses in the inner surface of the other body section to form a valve chamber and a connecting piston chamber. A spool valve is mounted for sliding movement in the valve chamber, while a piston having a generally oval cross-section is connected to the spool and is mounted for movement in the oval-shaped piston chamber. The inner surfaces of the body sections are also formed with a plurality of channel portions which mate and complement channel portions in the other body section to form flow channels that communicate with the valve chamber and the piston chamber. By supplying fluid to the piston chamber, the piston will be moved to actuate the valve to control the flow of fluid to an external operating member, such as a fluid cylinder. The valve member, piston and other moving components are sealed to the respective chambers by annular seal assemblies that consist of a rigid back-up ring and a resilient ring that is mechanically locked and bonded to the back-up ring.

Valve construction

A cartridge valve having a valve housing adapted to receive a valve cartridge containing a spool and intake and exhaust passages.

Cartridge valve

A counterbalance valve for controlling the flow of fluid from a hydraulic motor when a load is lowered has a pilot operated valve which modulates the flow of pressure fluid to and from a control port connected to main valve poppet to thereby set the opening of the poppet.

Dual pilot counterbalance valve

This invention relates to an electrically controlled flow control valve in which it is possible for the pilot fluid pressure which controls the main metering spool to build to full inlet pressure if necessary to initiate movement of the spool. An electrically operated solenoid operates a control poppet which regulates the pressure of the pilot fluid to position the metering spool.

Growing community of inventors

Brighton, United Kingdom

Richard Wigmore