Abstract:
A tracking valve which can be mounted on a tool-supporting carriage in a machine tool and whose main valve member is a spool which is movable axially in a valve body to thereby start a hydraulic motor for the carriage so that the motor can move the carriage relative to a template while simultaneously moving one or more tools relative to a workpiece. The spool has a relatively large surface at one end, a relatively small surface at the other end, and an axial bore for a pilot valve member which is mechanically connected with a follower for the template and is movable by the follower to thereby regulate the pressure of a fluid acting against the larger surface of the spool. The smaller surface of the spool is subjected to a constant fluid pressure and such constant pressure can be assisted by the bias of a spring. The spool has lands which control the flow of fluid to and from the motor by way of ports machined into the housing of the tracking valve and the pilot valve member has two fluid flow regulating surfaces which flank an annular control chamber communicating with a compartment provided in the housing adjacent to the larger surface of the spool. When the pilot valve member is moved axially, either by the follower or by a resetting linkage which can be moved by an indexible cam drum, the fluid flow regulating surfaces change the pressure of fluid in the compartment and thus effect an axial movement of the spool relative to the housing.