Control valve

A control valve for a pressure medium system, particularly a high pressure hydraulic system, with a housing through which a slide hole passes and a piston slide which can be moved from a neutral position into a first, and if desired, a second control position, and which is pressure-balanced in all positions, with a pump connection opening to the slide hole and at least a consumer device connection opening staggered in the longitudinal direction of the hole relative to the pump connection opening, with a return flow connection opening associated with the consumer device connection opening, with a pocket for guiding the flow at the piston slide extending in the longitudinal direction in the area of the pump connection opening, which, in the first control position connects the consumer connection opening with the pump connection opening, while the control slide in the second control position connects the consumer device control opening with the return flow connection opening, and with a pressure-released circulation in the neutral position of the piston slide which flows via an adduction channel branched off from the pump connection, a radial hole in the piston slide in alignment with this, and a return flow channel in alignment with the adduction channel, characterised in that two first recesses (19a) are provided, open towards the slide hole (3), which--relative to the slide hole (3)--are situated diametrically opposite the opening of the adduction channel (13), though staggered symmetrically laterally relative to it and are permanently connected with the adduction channel (13) via connection channels (18a-d) which by-pass the slide hole (3) in the housing, in that opposite each first recess (19a) there lies a second recess (19b), also open towards the slide hole, and connected in the neutral position of the piston slide via a radial hole (24) in the piston slide with the first recess (19a), and in that the cross-sectional area (22;

• 23) of each recess (19a, b) corresponds to half the cross-sectional area (21) of the opening of the adduction channel.