A pilot-operated direction control valve includes first and second valve stems respectively axially shiftably mounted in identical first and second sleeve-lined bores having respective opposite closed and open ends with the open ends being in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir. Each valve bore includes first annular recesses adapted for connection to a source of fluid pressure, and the first and second bores respectively have second annular recesses respectively adapted for connection to first and second work ports of a hydraulic motor. Mounted on each of the valve stems are first and second valve elements respectively of the poppet and spool type, the first valve element acting to control the flow of fluid between the first and second recesses of a respective bore and the second valve element acting to control the flow of fluid between the second recess and the open end of the bore. The first valve elements are respectively slidable in the pair of bores adjacent the closed ends thereof and have metering orifices therein which place the first recesses in fluid communication with the closed ends of the bores. A pair of fluid passages respectively extend substantially axially through the pair of valve stems and connect the closed ends of the bores to the reservoir. A pair of closure members are respectively associated with the pair of fluid passages of the pair of valve stems and normally block the fluid passages to maintain a balanced pressure condition across the first valve elements, the pair of closure members being selectively shiftable to respectively permit flow through the pair of passages to establish pressure drops across the associated first valve elements. This causes a respective first valve element, its associated valve stem and the associated second valve element to be shifted downwardly resulting in the unseating of the first valve element and the movement of the second valve element to a blocking position wherein it prevents flow between the second recess and open end of the associated bore.

A manifold comprising a supply port, an exhaust port and an output port in which two on-off valves or more different in the number of the output ports or output types are mounted on a manifold base, wherein the two on-off valves or more are mounted on the manifold base in the same direction, and the distance from the manifold base to the outside of the two on-off valves or more is constant.

An improvement to reduce the size of a directional control valve by providing a plurality of pilot spool valves in a single valve casing. A plurality of valve mechanisms are juxtaposed in a monolithic valve casing by individually inserting valve members in a plurality of parallel valve bores provided in the valve casing. A plurality of cylinders corresponding to the valve bores are pierced in an intermediate plate mounted on the valve casing from that face which comes in contact with the valve casing. The cylinders communicate with each other by means of grooves cut in the aforementioned contacting face and open into the atmosphere through a relief port. The adjoining cylinders are thus brought closer, and the valve bodies are driven by pilot fluid pressure that act on the pistons fitted in the individual cylinders.

A three-port, two-position electrohydraulic valve has an elongated valve member reciprocatably guided in a bore of the valve housing only by two sealing rings of small friction and including only two further sealing rings cooperating with sealing edges respectively provided on the valve member and the housing for controlling fluid flow between the three ports. The valve member is reciprocated between two end positions against the force of a return spring by an electromagnet. Such a valve requires only small forces for reciprocation of its elongated valve member, so that a small electromagnet is sufficient. The valve of the present invention favorably differs from known electrohydraulic three-port, two-position valves which are constructed as seat valves and operated in opening direction by an electromagnet of long stroke and which require also considerable forces during operation, due to large friction forces inherent with seat valves.