A valve system for use with a cylinder having an extensible rod, includes first and second valve assemblies, each including an inlet/outlet port configured to selectively be coupled with a source of pressurized gas, a check valve biased toward a closed state and having a check valve body at least partially receivable within a first port of the cylinder, a flow control valve positioned in series between the inlet/outlet port and the check valve, and an inlet pilot port connected with the check valve for opening the check valve when supplied with pressurized gas. First and second pilot lines extend to the respective inlet pilot ports from respective outlet pilot ports of the opposite ones of the first and second valve assemblies. When pressurized gas is supplied to the inlet/outlet port of a valve assembly, pressurized gas is also supplied to the opposite inlet pilot port.

A pneumatic trip valve that may include a valve structure, a switch plate air path and an internal check valve. In various aspects, the pneumatic trip valve may be connected to a valve positioner, an actuator, or a combination thereof to control the operation of a fluid process control valve. In operation, the Pneumatic trip valve acts to put the actuator in a preset fail-safe position when the actuator loses sufficient pressure or communication from a main air supply, stored pressurized air from an actuator air reservoir, and/or an external air reservoir.

The invention provides a hydraulic circuit for feeding an actuator (1) comprising first and second chambers (5, 6), the circuit comprising a slide valve (10) with a slide (16) that is movable between first and second extreme positions (18, 19) on either side of a stable central position (17) so that: in the central position, it connects the chambers (5, 6) of the actuator to a return port; in the first extreme position (18), it connects the first chamber (5) to a feed port and the second chamber to the return port; and in the second extreme position (19), it connects at least the second chamber (6) to the feed port. According to the invention, the hydraulic circuit includes pressure-maintaining means (20) for maintaining pressure in the first chamber of the actuator while the slide is passing through the central position on being moved from the first extreme position to the second extreme position.

The invention provides a hydraulic circuit for feeding an actuator (1) comprising first and second chambers (5, 6), the circuit comprising a slide valve (10) with a slide (16) that is movable between first and second extreme positions (18, 19) on either side of a stable central position (17) so that: in the central position, it connects the chambers (5, 6) of the actuator to a return port; in the first extreme position (18), it connects the first chamber (5) to a feed port and the second chamber to the return port; and in the second extreme position (19), it connects at least the second chamber (6) to the feed port. According to the invention, the hydraulic circuit includes pressure-maintaining means (20) for maintaining pressure in the first chamber of the actuator while the slide is passing through the central position on being moved from the first extreme position to the second extreme position.

A valve system for use with a cylinder having an extensible rod, includes first and second valve assemblies, each including an inlet/outlet port configured to selectively be coupled with a source of pressurized gas, a check valve biased toward a closed state and having a check valve body at least partially receivable within a first port of the cylinder, a flow control valve positioned in series between the inlet/outlet port and the check valve, and an inlet pilot port connected with the check valve for opening the check valve when supplied with pressurized gas. First and second pilot lines extend to the respective inlet pilot ports from respective outlet pilot ports of the opposite ones of the first and second valve assemblies. When pressurized gas is supplied to the inlet/outlet port of a valve assembly, pressurized gas is also supplied to the opposite inlet pilot port.

A proportional control fluid actuator that is used as a positioning device in applications such as a hydraulic directional control valve. The activating device has a cylinder body attachable to a valve body and has a bore carrying a piston that is coaxially secured to an end of a valve spool. The device is provided with spaced openings in the cylinder body that communicate with the bore therein to introduce fluid to act on opposite sides of the piston. Factory pre-compressed spring means are provided for normally urging the piston and spool to a center position. Since the areas of the fluid pressure applied on both sides of the piston are different (due to a spool on one side of the piston), two pre-compressed springs are used to compensate the area difference to achieve a proportional movement of the spool.

A control valve assembly for indirect pneumatic control and method for controlling a working fluid pressure, which enable precise, sensitive and speed-variable controlling. The assembly includes two valve units, a working fluid inlet, and a control fluid inlet. A working fluid channel connects the working fluid inlet through the two valve units to an outlet. A valve piston arranged within a valve cylinder of the valve units is movable between open and closed positions. A spring element biases the valve piston toward the closed position, and a control pressure chamber applies a control pressure counteracting the spring element's bias. When a control pressure is applied in the first chamber, the first valve piston is moved to the open position. Two opposite valve surfaces form a valve opening opened at varying widths when the valve piston is moved in the valve cylinder because of a changing control pressure, and the working pressure can be finely adjusted corresponding to the valve opening width depending on the control pressure.

A control valve assembly for indirect pneumatic control and method for controlling a working fluid pressure, which enable precise, sensitive and speed-variable controlling. The assembly includes two valve units, a working fluid inlet, and a control fluid inlet. A working fluid channel connects the working fluid inlet through the two valve units to an outlet. A valve piston arranged within a valve cylinder of the valve units is movable between open and closed positions. A spring element biases the valve piston toward the closed position, and a control pressure chamber applies a control pressure counteracting the spring element's bias. When a control pressure is applied in the first chamber, the first valve piston is moved to the open position. Two opposite valve surfaces form a valve opening opened at varying widths when the valve piston is moved in the valve cylinder because of a changing control pressure, and the working pressure can be finely adjusted corresponding to the valve opening width depending on the control pressure.

A hydraulic actuator includes a switching part that is provided with an oil passage for sending pressurized oil generated by a hydraulic pump to a tool and returning return oil from the tool to the hydraulic pump. The switching part switches a route of at least one of the pressurized oil and the return oil. The switching part includes an operating portion (for example, an operation knob) and an axis portion (for example, a spool) that advances or retreats when the operating portion is turned. When the operating portion is turned, the axis portion advances or retreats in a direction orthogonal to a direction of turning the operating portion, whereby the route of the oil passage is switched.

An example valve assembly is configured: generate a valve load-sense pressure signal indicative of a pressure level at a workport of an actuator; generate a pilot fluid signal to be communicated to a worksection of a valve assembly to enable shifting a spool in the worksection; compare a first pressure level of the valve load-sense pressure signal to a second pressure level of the pilot fluid signal; and communicate the pilot fluid signal to a load-sense port fluidly coupled to a load-sensing source of pressurized fluid when the second pressure level of the pilot fluid signal exceeds the first pressure level of the valve load-sense pressure signal.