An implement having separate pumps to supply pressure fluid to the inlet ports of a pair of hydraulic control valves, one of which governs the operation of steering control mechanism. A pair of pressure compensating valves, responsive to the pressure differential between the inlet and motor ports of the steering control valve, cooperate to maintain flow of pressure fluid to a selected motor port of the latter at a substantially constant rate. One of said compensating valves is operable to communicate the inlet port of the steering control valve with the fluid supply duct for the other control valve.
A vehicle hydraulic system is disclosed of the type including a steering control valve (29), a brake system (31), and an auxiliary load circuit (65). Fluid flow to these load circuits is controlled by a flow control valve assembly (11) including a priority spool valve (85) which controls the flow of fluid from the inlet port (13) to the priority fluid chamber (75). Fluid flows from the priority fluid chamber to the steering control valve and the brake load system, in parallel, and at equal levels of priority. A shuttle valve assembly (83) receives a steering load signal by means of a load signal line (44) and a brake load signal from the load signal chamber (111), and transmits the higher of the two load signals into the load signal chamber (93) which biases the priority spool valve toward a position to permit a greater flow of fluid into the priority fluid chamber. Therefore, the control valve assembly disclosed herein requires only a single pump to provide sufficient fluid to satisfy the simultaneous demand for fluid by both the steering system and brake system.
A prioritizing method and arrangement for a hydraulic system including two independent hydraulic fluid supply units (4, 5) adapted to jointly and severally supply hydraulic fluid to at least two hydraulic components (2, 3). A cross-communication between the at lest two hydraulic components (2, 3) is controlled, with a flow of hydraulic fluid from one of the two hydraulic fluid supply units (5) being diverted to one of the at least two hydraulic components (3) to a substantial exclusion of the other of the at least two hydraulic components (2) in dependence upon an operating condition of the other of the two hydraulic fluid supplying units (5). A biasing force (F) acts upon the prioritizing arrangement so as to define an operating stage at which the respective hydraulic fluid supplying units (4, 5) exclusively supply hydraulic fluid to the respective ones of the at least two hydraulic units (2, 3).
In a hydraulic system that has first and second pumps, a pressure compensation circuit is provided to unload the output of the second pump when its operation is not required. The unloading reduces the power demanded of the engine that drives the pumps thus conserving energy. The first pump is directly connected to a supply line and a back flow check valve couples the second pump to the supply line. When pressure in the supply line is significantly greater than the load pressure of the actuators powered by the hydraulic fluid a bypass compensator valve opens to provide a path between the outlet of the second pump and the tank line. This action unloads the second pump and reduces its demand for engine power.
