Quick-acting valve assembly

A valve comprising:

• a valve body having a first central bore, said bore having an axial opening for admitting fluid under pressure and first and second radial openings for exhausting fluid under pressure, spaced axially from said axial opening and from each other;
• a first annular valve seat located in said first central bore between said axial opening and said first radial opening;
• a second annular valve seat located in said first central bore between said first radial opening and said second radial opening;
• a valve carrier piston slidably received in said first central bore;
• a valve washer assembly mounted on one end of said carrier piston for selective seating on said first or said second annular valve seat;
• a second central bore extending axially through said valve carrier piston and valve washer assembly;
• an adjustment nut threaded within said first central bore below said first annular valve seat and a spring captured between said adjustment nut and said valve washer assembly for biasing said valve washer assembly into contact with said second annular valve seat;
• means cooperating with said valve carrier piston for moving said valve washer assembly out of contact with said second annular valve seat and into contact with said first annular valve seat;
• and
• means for essentially eliminating the dynamic component of the fluid pressure in said second central bore, whereby static pressure alone is experienced at the other end of said carrier piston.