Valve having right-angle proportional and directional pilot actuators

A hydraulic circuit, comprising:

• an actuator;
• a primary pump;
• a pilot pump;
• a sump;
• and
• a valve disposed between the actuator, the primary pump, and the sump, the valve including:
• a valve block;
• a central bore formed in the valve block;
• a tool actuator passage formed in the valve block and extending between the central bore and the actuator;
• at least one of a supply passage and a drain passage formed in the valve block, the supply passage extending between the central bore and the primary pump and the drain passage extending between the central bore and the sump;
• a control spool slidingly disposed in the central bore and movable to selectively connect the tool actuator passage and the at least one of the supply passage and the drain passage, the control spool having a base end, and a tip end with a tapered outer surface;
• a spring located at the base end of the control spool and configured to bias the control spool to a neutral position;
• a proportional pilot actuator located at the tip end of the control spool and an on/off pilot actuator located at the tip end of the control spool;
• the proportional pilot actuator having a feedback follower configured to ride along the tapered outer surface of the control spool, and wherein the proportional pilot actuator is configured to selectively meter a flow of pilot fluid from the pilot pump to the on/off pilot actuator;
• the on/off pilot actuator configured to selectively connect one of the pilot fluid from the proportional pilot actuator and a low-pressure passage fluidly connected to the sump to a first pressure chamber at the base end of the control spool and a second pressure chamber at the tip end of the control spool;
• and
• wherein the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber are located at opposing ends of the control spool.

A valve, comprising:

• a valve block;
• a central bore formed in the valve block;
• a tool actuator passage formed in the valve block and intersecting with the central bore;
• at least one of a supply passage and a drain passage formed in the valve block and intersecting with the central bore;
• a control spool slidingly disposed in the central bore and movable to selectively connect the tool actuator passage and the at least one of the supply passage and the drain passage, the control spool having a base end, and a tip end with a tapered outer surface;
• a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator and second actuator located at the tip end of the control spool;
• the first actuator having a feedback follower configured to ride along the tapered outer surface of the control spool and wherein the first actuator is configured to selectively meter a flow of pilot fluid to the second actuator;
• the second actuator configured to direct the pilot fluid from the first actuator to one of a first pressure chamber at the base end of the control spool and a second pressure chamber at the tip end of the control spool, and wherein the second actuator is further configured to fluidly connect a low-pressure passage fluidly connected to the sump and at tank pressure to the other of the first pressure chamber at the base end of the control spool and the second pressure chamber at the tip end of the control spool;
• wherein the base end of the control spool includes a spring located therein, the spring configured to bias the control spool to a neutral position;
• and
• wherein the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber are located at opposing ends of the control spool.