KOMaATSsS wy ——£ “= — Training Aid @ FLOW CONTROL VALVE The check valve serves to prohibit the reversal of flow of fluid and permit one-way flow only. However, the flow control valve serves only to restrict the flow, not prohibiting the reversal of flow. The valve placed in an oil circuit is symbolized as illustrated below. || ‘Then let us consider how and where a flow control valve 1s used. For example on a forlift truck, oil should be fed into a hydraulic cylinder to lift the forks. The more the oil is fed, the more the forks lifting speed is increased. But, the oil cannot be fed into the cylinder beyond the pump capacity, insuring safety of operation at high lifting speeds. ‘The forks lower under the own weight, causing the oil in the cylinder to flow back to the oil tank very rapidly. To prevent the danger of rapidly lowering forks, the oil mast be restricted in flow by letting it go through a smaller port (flow control valve), thereby slowing down the lowering forks. onl] onl For the bucket to lower safely on a dozer shovel, a flow control valve is sometimes provided in the bucket control circuit. >APPLICATIONS OF FLOW CONTROL While there is no oil flow, the flow control valve keeps closing under spring force. When oil is flowing in a direction indicated by a red arrow, the valve opens, allowing the oil to flow through a center port and the surrounding passages. Thus, a large amount of oil flows through the valve without restriction. If the valve does not open due to rust or dust sticking thereto, the oil will flow only through a center port, then, the oil flow will be restricted. When oil is flowing in a direction indicated by a blue arrow, the valve closes, allowing the oil to flow only oad through a center port. In this case, too, the oil flow is restricted. If the valve dows not close, the cil will flow not only through the center port but chrough the surrounding passages, giving no restriction to the oil flow. This is a modified flow control valve which is frequently used on a forklift truck. Ina direction indicated by a red arrow,theoil flows only throughthe center port and its surroundin g passages.In a direction indicated by a blue arrow, the oil flows only through the center port. Printed in J 06184(08)03008,