Four-way hydraulic valve

Claim 1

A valve comprising: a body member with: a longitudinal, bore therethrough, a set of three, transverse delivery ports extending from spaced locations at the outside surface of the body member into communication with said longitudinal bore, and a set of two, transverse exhaust ports, extending from spaced locations at the outside surface of the body member into communication with said longitudinal bore on a common side of the plane defined by the intersections of the delivery ports with the longitudinal bore; a stem member rotatably mounted within said longitudinal bore with: first transverse fluid-passing means arranged to openly connect two while blocking the third of said three delivery ports when the stem is in a first position and to openly connect the third said port with one while blocking the other of the remaining two of the three said delivery ports when the stem is in a second position, a longitudinal discharge bore from one end of said stem terminating out of communication with said first transverse fluid-passing means, second transverse fluid-passing means arranged to openly connect the first said exhaust port to said discharge bore while blocking the second said exhaust port when the stem in said first position and to connect the second said exhaust port to the discharge bore while blocking the first said exhaust port when the stem is in said second position, and means at the end of the stem opposite said discharge bore for rotating the stem within the longitudinal cylindrical bore in said body member; and means for sealing the annular space between the stem and body at regions embracing said delivery and exhaust ports.