A valve device is provided for use in a pressurized hydraulic fluid path, for example the hydraulic path of a hydraulic leg of a mine roof support which is required to yield under two different sets of conditions. The valve device has a port 15 for connection to the pressurized hydraulic fluid path, a bleed valve 25 being arranged to permit hydraulic fluid to bleed from the path at a first rate when the pressure in the path exceeds the first limit, for example to permit the hydraulic leg to collapse at a very slow rate, for example as a mine roof converges. There is also a dump valve 20 arranged to permit hydraulic fluid to flow from the path at a second greater rate, for example if a rock burst occurs. Although the dump valve 20 reacts to high pressure surges of fluid, it does not react to low pressure surges because a non-return valve device 30 traps on one side of the dump valve hydraulic fluid which is at a pressure in the region of the first limit. Thus the dump valve only operates if the pressure on the other side of the dump valve exceeds the first limit.
A pressure-relief valve device employs a connector welded to the base of mining equipment equipment such as an hydraulic prop, so as to communicate with the pressure fluid in a working chamber thereof. A housing is screwed into the connector and the connector has an outflow passage leading to the surroundings. A valve composed of a fixed valve seating and a movable closure member opens and closes communication between the working chamber and the outflow passage. A spring holds the valve closure member on the seating. The valve closure member is slidably guided on part of a tappet subjected to spring force. The tappet has a piston exposed to the pressure fluid which opposes the spring force. If excess pressure occurs the tappet moves against the spring force and lifts the closure member off the seating. Once the pressure drops the tappet moves back under the action of the spring but the closure member can move more slowly to gently re-establish the valve action.
A pressure compensation valve is constructed with a valve establishing and blocking a communication between an inlet port and an outlet port, a pressure receiving chamber, a piston driven by a load pressure within the pressure receiving chamber and shifting the valve in blocking direction, an intermediate pressure receiving chamber communicated with the inlet port via a first conduit and pushing the valve in blocking direction by the pressure therein, and a pressure variable relief valve for relieving a pressurized fluid in the intermediate pressure chamber to the outlet port via a second conduit.
