Manifold and valve system

Manifold means adapted to have a plurality of valve assemblies mounted thereon for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from a source to a plurality of external load devices, said manifold means comprising:

• a one-piece manifold member having first and second elongated passages formed therein, said first and second passages terminating in a pair of ports, one of said ports being adapted for connection to a fluid pressure source and the other port functioning as an exhaust port for the pressure fluid;
• said manifold member having a plurality of identical porting systems formed therein, each porting system being adapted for connection to a load device and to a separate valve assembly, each said porting system also being in fluid communication with said first and second passages;
• said porting system comprising first and second flow passageways formed in said manifold member and respectively communicating at one end thereof with said first and second passages, said first and second passageways respectively terminating at the other end thereof in first and second openings formed in one of the faces of said manifold member;
• said manifold member having third and fourth passageways formed therein and respectively terminating at one end thereof in third and fourth openings formed in said one face of said manifold member, the other end of said third and fourth passageways respectively terminating at first and second load ports which are adapted for connection to an external load device;
• and
• said third and fourth openings as formed in said one face being disposed on opposite sides of and equally spaced from the midpoint of a straight line joining said first and second openings.

A fluid control apparatus for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from a source to a plurality of external load devices, comprising in combination:

• a one-piece manifold member having first and second elongated passages formed therein, said first and second passages terminating in a pair of ports, one of said ports being adapted for connection to a fluid source and the other port functioning as an exhaust port for the pressure fluid;
• said manifold member having a plurality of identical porting systems formed therein and each being adapted for connection to a load device and to a separate valve assembly, each said porting system also being in fluid communication with said first and second passages;
• each said porting system comprising first, second, third and fourth flow passageways formed in said manifold member and respectively terminating at one end thereof in first, second, third and fourth openings formed in one of the faces of said manifold member;
• said first and second flow passageways as associated with each said porting system respectively communicating at the other end thereof with said first and second passages, and said third and fourth passageways at the other end thereof respectively terminating at first and second load ports which are adapted for connection to an external load device;
• said first, second, third and fourth openings as associated with each said porting system and as formed in said one face being disposed so that the third and fourth openings are positioned on opposite sides of and equally spaced from the midpoint of a straight line joining said first and second openings, said third and fourth openings being joined by a second straight line which passes through said midpoint;
• first and second valve assemblies mounted on said manifold member and repectively disposed for cooperation with first and second ones of said porting systems, each of said valve assemblies being of a unitary construction so as to be independently and interchangeably mounted on and removable from the manifold member;
• each said valve assembly having movable valve means disposed therein and first, second and third passageways associated with said valve means whereby said valve means controls flow between said passageways;
• said first, second and third passageways as associated with each valve assembly terminating respectively in first, second and third holes formed in one of the surfaces of said valve assembly, said surface being disposed opposite the face of the manifold when the valve assembly is mounted thereon;
• the first and second holes as formed in said surface being spaced apart by a distance equal to the spacing between said first and second openings, and said third hole being spaced from and positioned relative to said first and second holes in a manner identical to the distance and positional relationship of said third opening relative to said first and second openings;
• and
• connecting means coacting between each said valve assembly and said manifold member for selectively fixedly connecting each said valve assembly to said manifold member in either (1) a first position wherein said first, second and third openings are respectively aligned with said first, second and third holes, or (2) a second position wherein said first, second and fourth openings are respectively aligned with second, first and third holes.