Proportional pilot-operated flow control valve

A proportional, pilot-operated flow control valve comprising:

• a cage;
• a hollow compensating spool slidably disposed within the cage;
• a hollow metering guide member slidably disposed within the compensating spool;
• a regulating spool slidably disposed within the guide member;
• a dampening guide slidably disposed within the compensating spool and defining a dampening chamber therein;
• a compensating spring disposed within the dampening chamber and configured to urge the dampening guide into engagement with the metering guide and to urge the compensating spool into engagement with the cage;
• a regulating spring disposed within the regulating spool and configured to urge the regulating spool into engagement with the dampening guide;
• and
• a cartridge, the cartridge having a pilot valve and an adaptor, the adaptor mounted to the cage, the pilot valve mounted to the adaptor and the pilot valve including an actuator.

A proportional, pilot-operated flow control valve comprising:

• a regulating spool which is selectively movable over a range of travel between a closed position wherein flow passage through the regulating spool is substantially prevented and an open position wherein full passage is substantially completely allowed, with flow passage being substantially proportionally variable in relation to the position of the spool over the range of travel;
• a pilot valve operably arranged with the regulating spool to selectively control the position of the regulating spool;
• a compensation assembly for maintaining a substantially constant pressure drop across the regulating spool;
• and
• a dampening guide, the dampening guide cooperating with the compensation assembly to define a dampening chamber.