Hydraulic Shuttle valve is a very simple but useful device that is found in many hydraulic applications. It is often used to isolate the normal system from an alternate or emergency system.
Usually, it has a fixed opening on one side and an open opening in the middle. The spool (the shuttle) moves horizontally within the valve body and raises or lowers the raised areas, which are called lands, to block off or open the ports as needed for a particular valve operation.
Non-biased shuttles have two inlet ports and a single outlet port that allows flow from the port that has higher pressure, and blocks flow to the other port. In a biased shuttle, a spring forces fluid from one inlet port to block flow from the other.
Load Sensing circuits and Brake circuits: In these applications, LS Series shuttle valves accept the higher input pressure from two ports and direct it to a single outlet port for application to the load sensor or the brake cylinder. They are typically used on bidirectional motors and in hydraulic brake applications.
Dual-Input Pilot Control: Lee shuttle valves are ideal for dual-input pilot control as they shift between the emergency and normal inlet ports. In addition, they are available with detented and spring-biased designs that use polymeric valve seats to eliminate leakage on the emergency port.
These valves are also known as three-way “OR” valves and are ideal for a variety of applications including power, pressure, and standby systems. They can be configured to suit your specific needs and are offered in a range of sizes, configurations, and materials.
