Crossport and singling manifold for a series progressive divider valve

A series progressive divider valve assembly comprising:

• an input block unit having a lubricant input;
• an end block unit;
• a plurality of valve units disposed between said input block unit and said end block unit;
• each of said valve units comprising a base part and an associated feeder part, each base part having a lubricant inlet port in communication with said lubricant input and at least one lubricant outlet port and each feeder part having a hydraulically actuatable element therein for causing lubricant to be delivered to an outlet port of its associated base part, each feeder part and associated base part having respective faying surfaces abutting one another, each of said faying surfaces having a set of openings of non-communicating passages therein, with the openings in said base part and the associated feeder part being in registry, at least some of said passages establishing a first, complete fluid flow path between said lubricant inlet port and a lubricant outlet port;
• means, including said passages, forming hydraulic circuitry in said input block unit, said end block unit and said valve units for interconnecting said lubricant input, said hydraulically actuatable elements and said outer ports for cyclic operation of said valve units, said hydraulic circuitry interconnecting each feeder part with its associated base part only through said faying surfaces;
• a manifold disposed in at least one of said valve units between the respective faying surfaces of the base part and the feeder part thereof, said manifold having a plurality of bores therein respectively disposed in registry with said openings, and having at least one further bore therein extending between at least two of said bores and placing said at least two bores and the passages respectively in registry therewith in fluid communication and establishing a second, complete fluid flow path between said lubricant inlet port and a different outlet port;
• first fastening means for fastening said input block unit, said end block and said base parts in a fixed assembly;
• and
• second fastening means for fastening each feeder part in fixed assembly only to its associated base part and, in said at least one valve unit, for fastening said feeder part and its associated base part in fixed assembly with said manifold therebetween.

A method for producing a selected flow pattern in a series progressive divider valve assembly comprising the steps of:

• assembling a plurality of valve units in succession adjacent each other, each valve unit having a fluid inlet port and at least one fluid outlet port and a plurality of non-communicating passages therein extending between a lower region of the valve unit and an upper region of the valve unit establishing a first, complete fluid flow path between said inlet port and an outlet port;
• providing a manifold having a plurality of bores therein;
• disposing said manifold between said lower region and said upper region of at least one valve unit so that said bores in said manifold are respectively disposed in registry with said passages in said at least one valve unit;
• and
• providing at least one further bore in said manifold extending between at least two of said bores in said manifold for placing said at least two bores and the passages in said at least one valve unit respectively in registry therewith in fluid communication and establishing a second complete fluid flow path between said inlet port and a different outlet port.

A method for manufacturing a series progressive divider valve assembly comprising the steps of:

• providing an input block unit with a lubricant input;
• forming a plurality of valve units by combining a base part and an associated feeder part, each base part having a lubricant inlet port in communication with said lubricant input and at least one lubricant outlet port and each feeder part having a hydraulically actuatable element therein for causing lubricant to be delivered to an outlet port of its associated base part, each feeder part and associated base part having respective faying surfaces with each faying surface having a set of openings of non-communicating passages therein, at least come of said passages establishing a first, complete fluid flow path between said inlet port and an outlet port;
• forming each valve unit by abutting the faying surfaces of said base part and an associated feeder part with the openings in said base part and the associated feeder part in registry;
• arranging a plurality of valve units between said inlet unit and said end block unit;
• providing a manifold with a plurality of bores therein;
• disposing said manifold in at least one of said valve units between the respective faying surfaces of the base part and the feeder part thereof with the bores of said manifold disposed in registry with said openings in said faying surfaces and establishing a second, complete fluid flow path between said inlet port and a different outlet port;
• providing at least one further bore in said manifold extending between at least two of said bores and placing said at least two bores and the passages respectively in registry therewith in said at least one valve unit in fluid communication;
• fastening said inlet block unit, said end block and said base parts in a fixed assembly;
• and
• fastening each feeder part in fixed assembly only to its associated base part and in said at least one valve unit fastening said feeder part and its associated base part in fixed assembly with said manifold therebetween.