Adjustable progressive distributor valve

An adjustable progressive distributor valve for the intermittent metered distribution of a flowable medium, for example a lubricant, to a plurality of separate destination points, in accordance with an automatic cycling operation of the valve which is generated by said medium as it enters the valve under pressure, the distributor valve comprising in combination:

• a valve block having arranged therein a plurality of main bores;
• a corresponding number of free valve plungers received in the main bores of the valve block for reciprocating movement therein;
• an intake channel in the valve block with an intake branch line opening into each main bore for the supply of pressurized medium to each valve plunger;
• a pair of metering chambers defined in part by each main bore and in part by the two extremities of the associated valve plunger, whereby an axial movement of said plunger simultaneously diminishes the volume of one chamber and increases that of the other chamber;
• means for abutting each valve plunger axially in both directions, so as to determine two fixed end positions of the stroke over which each valve plunger reciprocates;
• a pair of pressure lines leading from axially spaced openings in the main bore of one valve plunger to the two metering chambers of another valve plunger;
• a pair of discharge branch lines leading from axially spaced openings in the main bore of each valve plunger to the outside of the valve block;
• and
• means for individually adjusting the displacement volume of each valve plunger extremity with respect to the associated metering chamber independently of said fixed plunger stroke;
• and wherein
• each valve plunger has at least two flow grooves in its midportion, and the axial locations of the intake branch line, pressure lines, and discharge branch lines opening into the associated main bore are so coordinated with the flanks of said flow grooves that said valve plunger, arriving in a stroke end position, connects one of the two associated pressure lines with the intake branch line and the other pressure line with a discharge branch line, reversing said connections when arriving in the opposite stroke end position, thereby controlling the admission of the pressurized medium into one of the metering chambers of said other valve plunger via one pressure line, and the discharge of the medium from the opposite metering chamber via the other pressure line, as the entering pressurized medium moves that other valve plunger to its opposite end position, in which that other valve plunger, in turn, establishes the pressure line connections for the movement of the next-following valve plunger, as part of a continuing automatic cycling operation;
• and
• the displacement volume adjusting means includes, for each metering chamber:
• a metering plunger of smaller diameter than the valve plunger;
• a matching guide bore located axially outside and adjoining the metering chamber, so that the metering plunger, when received therein, defines with its axially inwardly oriented extremity a portion of the metering chamber;
• and
• an adjustable drag connection between the valve plunger and the metering plunger, including means for adjusting the length of the drag stroke of the metering plunger over which the latter moves in unison with the valve plunger, thereby acting as a differential piston in cooperation with the latter;
• an increase in the length of said drag stroke thus resulting in a decrease in the effective volume of the metering chamber.