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Method and apparatus for isolating hydraulic devices in a stacked hydraulic circuit of modular design employing an isolator valve module which enables partial and/or complete isolation of components in a hydraulic system to be isolated for inspection, testing, maintenance or replacement, by selectiv

Method and apparatus for isolating hydraulic devices in a stacked hydraulic circuit of modular design employing an isolator valve module which enables partial and/or complete isolation of components in a hydraulic system to be isolated for inspection, testing, maintenance or replacement, by selective operation of the isolator valves in the isolator valve module. The isolator valve module may be a sub-plate module supporting other modules or a plurality of stacks of modules or may be a “sandwich” type module sandwiched between a sub-plate and another module or between two sandwich-type modules.

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1. An isolator assembly for hydraulic systems, comprising:a housing having at least a first port and a second port; a passageway in said housing for coupling said first and second ports; a valve movably mounted in said passageway; said valve having a passageway; said valve being movable to a first p

1. An isolator assembly for hydraulic systems, comprising:a housing having at least a first port and a second port; a passageway in said housing for coupling said first and second ports; a valve movably mounted in said passageway; said valve having a passageway; said valve being movable to a first position to align the valve passageway with the housing passageway to permit flow through the valve and housing passageways and said valve passageway being displaced from said housing passageway when the valve is moved to a second position to block flow through the housing passageway; said first and second ports being on different surfaces of said housing; and the surface having one of said ports having mounting means for mounting a hydraulic device to directly couple the said one of said ports to a port of a hydraulic device when the hydraulic device is mounted on said housing. 2. The isolator assembly of claim 1 wherein the surfaces having the first and second ports are transverse to one another to enable a drive stem for rotating said valve to freely operate without interference from a hydraulic device mounted upon the housing.3. The isolator assembly of claim 1 wherein said outlet port is arranged along a top surface and said inlet port is arranged along a side surface, enabling stacking of at least one hydraulic device on said top surface.4. The isolator assembly of claim 3 wherein the hydraulic device is a directional valve.5. The isolator assembly of claim 1 wherein said outlet port and said inlet port are arranged along opposite parallel surfaces of said housing to enable said housing to be sandwiched between upper and lower components of a hydraulic system for selectively coupling hydraulic fluid to said upper and lower components through the isolator assembly.6. The isolator valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve is a rotatably mounted ball valve.7. The isolator valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve is a rotatably mounted conical-shaped valve.8. The isolator valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve is a rotatably mounted cylindrical-shaped valve.9. The isolator valve assembly of claim 1 wherein the valve is a linearly slidable valve member.10. The isolator assembly of claim 1 further comprising:a drive stem coupled to said valve; said drive stem having a key projection extending into a key slot in said valve; and said key slot having a shaped conforming to a shape of the key projection whereby rotation of the drive stem is directly imparted to the valve. 11. In combination, a hydraulic system and an isolator assembly for selectively isolating a hydraulic device in said hydraulic system, comprising;said isolator assembly comprising a housing having a first set of two ports and a second set of two ports and passageways each coupling each one of the ports of the first set to an associated port of said second set; two valve assemblies each being mounted in one of said passageways and each movable between a first position blocking flow in its associated passageway and a second position permitting flow therethrough between the ports coupled to its associated passageway; each valve assembly being movable under control of a drive stem having an operating end extending outwardly from said housing to facilitate operation thereof, said first set of ports being arranged along one surface of said housing and being aligned with associated ports along a surface of said hydraulic device to couple the ports of said isolator assembly housing with ports of the hydraulic device when said isolator assembly housing and said hydraulic device are joined together; and said valve assemblies being selectively movable to isolate the hydraulic device. 12. The combination of claim 11 wherein the hydraulic system may remain in operation even when the hydraulic device is isolated by operation of said valve assemblies.13. The combination of claim 11 wherein said hydraulic device is a directional valve.14. The combination of claim 11 wherein said second set of ports are respectively coupled to a pump and a recovery tank.15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said isolator assembly is provided with a third and fourth set of ports and a second set of passageways each coupling one of the ports of said third set to an associated port of said fourth set, said third set of ports being coupled to additional associated ports along the surface of said directional valve and said fourth set of ports being coupled to a second hydraulic device controlled by said directional valve.16. The combination of claim 15 wherein said second hydraulic device is one of an actuator, and a motor.17. The combination of claim 14 wherein the valve assemblies in the passageways of the isolator assembly couple the pump and tank to a directional valve and are movable to a position to couple the pump directly to the tank through a bypass passageway in said isolator assembly and to decouple the directional valve from said pump and tank.18. The combination of claim 14 wherein valve assemblies in passageways of the isolator assembly coupling a directional valve to a second hydraulic device are movable to a position isolating the directional valve from the second hydraulic device and directly coupling the ports of the second hydraulic device.19. The combination of claim 14 wherein valve assemblies in passageways of the isolator assembly coupling a directional valve to a second hydraulic device are movable to a position isolating the directional valve.20. The combination of claim 11 wherein components of said hydraulic system are stackable one upon the other, said isolator assembly being at a bottom of a stack of said components.21. The combination of claim 20 wherein said second set of ports are respectively coupled to a pump and a recovery tank.22. The combination of claim 21 wherein the isolator assembly is provided with a third set of two ports coupled to a second set of two ports on said hydraulic device, a fourth set of two ports for coupling with a load device and a second set of passageways for communicating the second set of ports of said hydraulic device with said load device; andball valve assemblies being arranged in said second set of passageways in said isolator assembly for selectively opening and closing the associated passageways. 23. The combination of claim 11 wherein components of said hydraulic system are stackable one upon the other, said isolator assembly being at a position intermediate a top and bottom component of said stack.24. The combination of claim 11 wherein said valve assemblies are ball valves driven by a single drive stem, said single drive stem driving one of said ball valves and a rotatably mounted coupling member arranged in said housing for coupling drive from the ball valve driven by the single drive stem to the remaining one of the ball valves being driven by the single drive stem.25. The combination of claim 11 wherein said valve assemblies comprise ball valves driven by a single drive stem, said single stem driving one of said ball valves and coupling members each having one end coupled to their associated ball valves and opposite ends thereof being provided with bevel gears meshing with one another to impart drive from the ball valve driven by the single drive stem to the ball valve driven by the meshing bevel gears.26. The combination of claim 11 wherein there are at least three valve assemblies each comprising a ball valve, said at least three ball valves being driven by a single common drive stem, said single drive stem driving one of said ball valves and coupling members each having one end coupled to rotate with rotation of their associated ball valves and opposite ends thereof being provided with bevel gears each meshing with at least one of the other bevel gears to impart drive from the ball valve driven by the single drive stem to the remaining ball valves.27. The combination of claim 11 wherein there are at least three valve assemblies each comprising a ball valve, two of the ball valves being driven by a single drive stem, said single drive stem driving one of said at least two ball valves and coupling members each having one end coupled to their associated ball valves and opposite ends thereof being provided with bevel gears meshing with one another to impart drive from the ball valve driven by the single drive stem to the ball valve driven by the meshing bevel gears, the remaining ball valve being rotated by a second drive stem independently of said common drive stem.28. A hydraulic circuit comprised of a plurality of modules, including a sub-plate and at least one hydraulic device;said sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices, a second pair of ports for coupling with a load device, and third and fourth pairs of ports along a common surface of the module for coupling to associated pairs of ports along a common surface of a hydraulic device module mounted thereon and which provides a given function; a first pair of passageways in said sub-plate module for communicating said first pair of ports with said third pair of ports; and a second pair of passageways in said sub-plate module for communicating said second pair of ports of said sub-plate module with said fourth pair of ports of said sub-plate module, thereby enabling communication of said first pair of ports with said second pair of ports to enable hydraulic fluid to flow between said first and said second pair of ports and through said hydraulic device; and a pair of rotatably mounted valves being arranged in said first pair of passageways for selectively closing said passageways when said valves are in a first position and for opening said first pair of passageways when rotated to a second position. 29. The hydraulic circuit of claim 28 wherein said sub-plate module is provided with a second pair of rotatably mounted valves being arranged in said second pair of passageways for selectively closing said passageways when said valves are in a first position and for opening said first pair of passageways when rotated to a second position.30. The hydraulic circuit of claim 28 wherein hydraulic device is a directional valve.31. The hydraulic circuit of claim 28 wherein the first and second pairs of ports are located on a surface of said sub-plate module which is not said common surface of said sub-plate module.32. The hydraulic circuit of claim 28 wherein said valves each comprise:a ball valve rotatably mounted in each of said passageways in said sub-plate and being rotatable about a first axis; said ball valve having a passageway whose longitudinal axis is perpendicular to said first axis; said ball valve passageway being rotatable to a first position to permit flow through the passageway in said housing and being displaced from said passageway in said housing when the ball valve is rotated to a second position to block flow through the passageway; a drive stem rotatably mounted in said housing and having a first end extending outwardly from a first surface of said housing for rotating said drive stem; said drive stem having a key projection extending into a key slot in said ball valve; said key slot having a shape conforming to a shape of said key projection whereby rotation of said drive stem is directly imparted to the ball vale to move the ball valve between said first and second positions. 33. A hydraulic circuit comprised of a plurality of modules, including a sub-plate, an isolator assembly and at least one hydraulic device;said sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices, a second pair of ports for coupling with a load device, and third and fourth pairs of ports along a common surface of the module for coupling to associated pairs of ports along a common surface of said isolator assembly module mounted thereon and which provides a given function; a first pair of passageways in said sub-plate module for communicating said first pair of ports with said third pair of ports; and a second pair of passageways in said sub-plate module for communicating said second pair of ports of said sub-plate module with said fourth pair of ports of said sub-plate module thereby enabling communication between said first and second pair of ports in said isolator module to enable hydraulic fluid to flow through said hydraulic device; and said isolator valve module positioned between said sub-plate and said hydraulic device module and having first and second pairs of isolator valve ports arranged on a first common surface of the isolator valve module and respectively coupled to said third and fourth pairs of ports of said sub-plate module when mounted upon said sub-plate module, and third and fourth pairs of isolator valve ports coupled to associated first and second pairs of ports on said hydraulic device module when the hydraulic device module is mounted upon said isolator valve module; said isolator valve module having a first pair of isolator valve passageways for communicating said third pair of ports of said sub-plate module with one of said first and second pairs of ports on said hydraulic device module and a second pair of passageways for communicating a fourth pair of ports of said sub-plate module with a remaining one of said first and second pairs of ports on the hydraulic device module whereby hydraulic fluid is communicated from said input/output devices to said load devices through said sub-plate, isolator valve and hydraulic device modules; and at least one of said pairs of isolator valve passageways each being provided with a rotatable valve assembly to block its associated isolator valve passageway when in a first position and to unblock its associated passageway when rotated to a second position. 34. The hydraulic circuit of claim 33 wherein said isolator valve module is provided with a second pair of rotatably mounted valves being arranged in one of said first pair of passageways for selectively closing said passageways when said valves are in a first position and for opening said first pair of passageways when rotated to a second position.35. The hydraulic circuit of claim 33 wherein hydraulic device is a directional valve.36. The hydraulic circuit of claim 33 wherein the first and second pairs of ports are located on a surface of said sub-plate module which is not said common surface of said sub-plate module.37. The hydraulic circuit of claim 33 wherein said valves each comprise:a ball valve rotatably mounted in each of said passageways in said isolator module and being rotatable about a first axis; said ball valve having a passageway whose longitudinal axis is perpendicular to said first axis; said ball valve passageway being rotatable to a first position to permit flow through the passageway in said housing and being displaced from said passageway in said housing when the ball valve is rotated to a second position to block flow through the passageway; a drive stem rotatably mounted in said housing and having a first end extending outwardly from a first surface of said housing for rotating said drive stem; said drive stem having a key projection extending into a key slot in said ball valve; said key slot having a shape conforming to a shape of said key projection whereby rotation of said drive stem is directly imparted to the ball vale to move the ball valve between said first and second positions. 38. In combination, the plurality of hydraulic circuits, each circuit comprised of a plurality of modules and a sub-plate; andsaid sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices and a plurality of second pairs of ports arranged along a common surface of the sub-plate for coupling to associated pairs of ports of a module of each stack of hydraulic circuits mounted upon the sub-plate common surface and aligned with one of said second pair of ports associated therewith, said sub-plate being provided with passageways for communicating said first pair of ports with all of said second pairs of ports; and at least one ball valve assembly being arranged in one of said passageways and being rotatable between a first position enabling communication between that port of said first pair of ports and to a second position isolating the one of said first pair of ports from all of the hydraulic circuits stacked on said sub-plate. 39. In combination, the plurality of hydraulic circuits, each circuit comprised of a plurality of modules and a sub-plate;said sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices and a plurality of second pairs of ports arranged along a common surface of the sub-plate for coupling to associated pairs of ports of a module of each stack of hydraulic circuits mounted upon the sub-plate common surface and aligned with one of said second pair of ports associated therewith, said sub-plate being provided with passageways for communicating said first pair of ports with all of said second pairs of ports; and ball valve assemblies each being arranged in one of said passageways and being rotatable between a first position enabling communication between that port of said first pair of ports and to a second position isolating said first pair of ports from all of the hydraulic circuits stacked on said sub-plate. 40. In combination, the plurality of hydraulic circuits, each circuit comprised of a plurality of modules and a sub-plate;said sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices and a plurality of second pairs of ports arranged along a common surface of the sub-plate for coupling to associated pairs of ports of a module of each stack of hydraulic circuits mounted upon the sub-plate common surface and aligned with one of said second pair of ports associated therewith, said sub-plate being provided with passageways for communicating said first pair of ports with all of said second pairs of ports; and ball valve assemblies each being arranged in one of said passageways coupled to the pairs of ports of each hydraulic circuit each being selectively rotatable between a first position enabling communication between said first pair of ports and said second pairs of ports and to a second position isolating the said first pair of ports from the hydraulic circuits stacked on said sub-plate whose ball valve assemblies are closed. 41. In combination, the plurality of hydraulic circuits, each circuit comprised of a plurality of modules and a sub-plate;said sub-plate having a first pair of ports for coupling with input/output devices and a plurality of second pairs of ports arranged along a common surface of the sub-plate for coupling to associated pairs of ports of a module of each stack of hydraulic circuits mounted upon the sub-plate common surface and aligned with one of said second pair of ports associated therewith, said sub-plate having passageways for communicating said first pair of ports with all of said second pairs of ports; and at least one valve means being arranged in one of said passageways and being rotatable between a first position enabling communication between that port of said first pair of ports and to a second position isolating the one of said first pair of ports from all of the hydraulic circuits stacked on said sub-plate. 42. A method for operating a hydraulic circuit comprised of a sub-plate and modules stacked upon the sub-plate, said hydraulic circuit having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, one of said modules being an isolator valve assembly mounted between the sub-plate and another module and having rotatably mounted isolator valves in the passageways of said isolator module, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway in the isolator module and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving selected ones of the isolator valves to the first position to isolate a module mounted on the isolator valve assembly module from said pump and tank. 43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:moving remaining isolator valves to the first position to isolate the module mounted on the isolator valve assembly module from the load device. 44. A method for operating a hydraulic circuit comprised of a sub-plate and modules stacked upon the sub-plate, said hydraulic circuit having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, one of said modules being an isolator valve assembly mounted between the sub-plate and another module and having rotatably mounted isolator valves in the passageways of said isolator module, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway in the isolator module and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving selected ones of the isolator valves to the first position to isolate a module mounted on the isolator valve assembly from said load device. 45. The method of claim 44, further comprising:moving remaining isolator valves to the first position to isolate the module mounted on the isolator valve assembly module from the pump and tank. 46. A method for operating a hydraulic circuit comprised of a sub-plate and modules stacked upon the sub-plate, said hydraulic circuit having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, said sub-plate incorporating an isolator valve assembly having rotatably mounted isolator valves in the passageways of said sub-plate module, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway in the sub-plate module and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving selected ones of the isolator valves to a first position to isolate a module mounted on the sub-plate from said pump and tank. 47. The method of claim 46, further comprising:moving remaining isolator valves to the first position to isolate the module mounted on the isolator valve assembly module from the load device. 48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:moving remaining isolator valves to the first position to isolate the module mounted on the isolator valve assembly module from the pump and tank. 49. A method for operating a hydraulic circuit comprised of a sub-plate and modules stacked upon the sub-plate, said hydraulic circuit having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, said sub-plate incorporating an isolator valve assembly having rotatably mounted isolator valves in the passageways of said sub-plate module, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway in the sub-plate module and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving selected ones of the isolator valves to a first position to isolate a module mounted on the sub-plate from said load device. 50. A method for operating a plurality of hydraulic circuits each comprised of a plurality of stacked modules arranged upon a common sub-plate, said sub-plate and said hydraulic circuit modules having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, said sub-plate having a rotatably mounted isolator valve in one passageway of said sub-plate, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving the isolator valve to the first position to isolate the stacked hydraulic circuits mounted on the sub-plate from one of said pump and tank. 51. A method for operating a plurality of hydraulic circuits each comprised of a plurality of stacked modules arranged upon a common sub-plate, said sub-plate and said hydraulic circuit modules having passageways communicating a pump and tank to a load device, said sub-plate having a rotatably mounted isolator valves in each passageway of said sub-plate, movable between a first position opening its associated passageway and a second position closing its associated passageway, the method comprising:moving the isolator valves to the first position to isolate the stacked hydraulic circuits mounted on the sub-plate from said pump and tank. 52. A method for assembling a hydraulic circuit formed of at least one sandwich-type module and including a sub-plate and at least one valve assembly module, and a directional valve, the valve assembly module having a housing and a cover lid, comprising:a) placing the valve assembly module housing upon the sub-plate; b) aligning bolt hole openings in said housing with associated tapped bolt hole openings in the sub-plate; c) inserting a first set of threaded mounting bolts into the aligned openings in said valve assembly module housing sub-plate and tightening the first set of mounting bolts in the tapped openings in the sub-plate to secure the valve assembly module housing thereto; d) providing tapped openings in an upper end of said housing; e) providing a similar set of through openings in said cover lid; f) placing the lid upon the housing so that the second set of openings in said lid are aligned with the tapped openings in the upper end of said valve assembly module housing; g) inserting a second set of threaded bolts through the aligned openings and tightening the bolts to secure the cover lid to the housing; h) providing a set of tapped openings in said cover lid; i) aligning openings provided in said directional valve assembly module with said set of tapped openings in said cover lid; and j) inserting a third set of threaded bolts through the aforesaid aligned openings in the directional valve assembly module and said cover lid and tightening the bolts to secure the directional valve to said lid. 53. The method of claim 52 further comprising placing an additional sandwich valve module between said directional valve and said valve assembly module including providing openings in said additional sandwich-type module for receiving the second set of bolts passing through said directional valve and threadedly engaging said lid to secure said additional module between said directional valve and said valve assembly.54. The method of claim 52 further comprising placing an additional sandwich valve module between said sub-plate and said valve assembly module including providing openings in said additional sandwich-type module for receiving the first set of bolts passing through said valve assembly and threadedly engaging said sub-plate to secure said additional module between said directional valve and said valve assembly.55. A method for assembling a hydraulic circuit including a sub-plate, at least one sandwich type module, an isolation valve assembly module and a device controlled by the hydraulic circuit, comprising:a) providing tapped holes in said sub-plate; b) providing through-holes in a housing of said valve assembly module, each through-hole having a lower counter bore at an upper end of each through-hole the lower counter bore having a diameter greater than its associated through-hole defining a shoulder between each lower counter bore and its associated through-hole and having an upper tapped counter bore above each lower counter bore having a diameter greater than the diameter of the lower counter bore to define a second shoulder; c) placing the valve assembly upon the sub-plate so that through-holes in said housing are aligned with the tapped openings in said subplate; d) inserting a first set of threaded fasteners into said upper and lower counter bores and through-holes and tightening said threaded fasteners in said sub-plate tapped openings so that heads of said threaded fasteners engage an associated one of said first shoulders and secure the housing to the sub-plate; e) providing a plurality of hollow cylindrical inserts threaded on their interior and exterior surfaces; f) tightening each insert in one of the tapped upper counter bores so that lower ends of the inserts engage an associated one of said second shoulders and secure the inserts in said housing; g) placing the device on said housing so that openings in said device are aligned with threaded openings in said inserts; and h) inserting a second set of threaded fasteners into the openings in said device and tightening each of the second set of threaded fasteners in an associated one of said inserts so that said second set of threaded fasteners each threadedly engage a tapped interior of an associated insert and secure the device to said housing.