Diverter valve

1. A diverter valve for controlling input of two different extruded materials to a mold for molding one of said materials covering the other of said materials, comprising:

a valve body having an axially extending opening therethrough;

a valve piston selectively axially movable in said body opening between a first position and a second position;

wherein:

said valve body defines

a first inlet in one side adapted to received a first extruded material, and a second inlet in said one side adapted to receive a second extruded material,

a first outlet in the side opposite of said one side, and a second outlet in the opposite side,

a first flushing channel communicating with said first inlet and including end ports open to said axial opening,

a second flushing channel communicating with said second inlet and including end ports opening to said axial opening, and

a third flushing channel communicating with said second outlet and including a plurality of ports opening to said axial opening,

said piston defines

first and second through channels extending between said one side and said opposite side,

a first cross-over channel having an inlet side port and an outlet side port, and

a second cross-over channel having an inlet side port and an outlet side port;

whereby

in said first position,

said first through channel connects said first inlet with said first outlet and said second through channel connects said second inlet with said second outlet,

said valve piston blocks said end ports of said first flushing channel, and

said first and second cross-over channels connect said second and third flushing channels to allow flow of material therein from the second inlet, and

in said second position,

said first cross-over channel connects said first inlet with said second outlet and said second cross-over channel connects said second inlet with said first outlet,

said valve piston blocks said end ports of said second flushing channel, and

said first and second through channels connect said first and third flushing channels to allow flow of material therein from the first inlet.

2. The diverter valve of claim 1 , wherein flow of material from the flushing channels to the first outlet is blocked in both said first and second positions of said valve piston.

3. The diverter valve of claim 1 , wherein said first and second inlets are axially spaced a distance X, and said first and second outlets are axially spaced the distance X, said first and second through channels are axially spaced the distance X, said inlet side port of said first cross-over channel and said inlet side port of said second cross-over channel are axially spaced the distance X, and said outlet side port of said first cross-over channel and said outlet side port of said second cross-over channel are axially spaced the distance X.

4. The diverter valve of claim 3 , where said second cross-over channel inlet side port is axially aligned with said first cross-over channel outlet side port and said second cross-over channel outlet side port is axially aligned with said first cross-over channel inlet side port.

5. The diverter valve of claim 1 , wherein

said first and second through channels have an axially extending width W;

said first and second cross-over channel ports have an axially extending width W; and

the axially adjacent ports are spaced at their nearest points a distance S;

wherein S<W.

6. The diverter valve of claim 5 , wherein said first and second through channels are substantially cylindrical with a diameter W.

7. The diverter valve of claim 1 , wherein said first outlet provides material to a die for covering material provided by the second outlet.

8. A diverter valve for controlling input of two different extruded materials to a mold for molding one of said materials covering the other of said materials, comprising:

a valve body having an axially extending opening therethrough;

a valve piston selectively axially movable in said body opening between a first position and a second position;

wherein:

said valve body defines

a first inlet in one side adapted to received a first extruded material, and a second inlet in said one side adapted to receive a second extruded material, said first and second inlets being axially spaced a distance X,

a first outlet in the side opposite of said one side, and a second outlet in the opposite side, said first and second outlets being axially spaced the distance X, and axially aligned with said first and second inlets, respectively,

a first flushing channel communicating with said first inlet and including a first pair of ports at opposite ends open to said axial opening,

a second flushing channel communicating with said second inlet and including a second pair of ports at opposite ends opening to said axial opening, and

a third flushing channel communicating with said second outlet and including

a third pair of ports at opposite ends opening to said axial opening, and

first and second intermediate ports opening to said axial opening,

wherein said third pair of ports and first and second intermediate ports are axially aligned with said first and second outlets; and

said piston defines

first and second through channels extending between said one side and said opposite side, said through channels being spaced apart axially by the distance X,

a first cross-over channel having an inlet side port and an outlet side port, said inlet side port being axially spaced from the outlet side port by the distance X, and

a second cross-over channel having an inlet side port and an outlet side port, said second cross-over channel inlet side port being axially aligned with said first cross-over channel outlet side port and said second cross-over channel outlet side port being axially aligned with said first cross-over channel inlet side port;

whereby

in said first position,

said first through channel connects said first inlet with said first outlet and said second through channel connects said second inlet with said second outlet,

said first cross-over channel connects one of said second pair of ports with one of said third pair of ports, and said second cross-over channel connects the other of said second pair of ports with said first intermediate port, and

said first pair of ports, the other of said third pair of ports, and the second intermediate port are blocked by said piston,

in said second position,

said first through channel connects one of said first pair of ports with one of said third pair of ports, and said second through channel connects the other of said first pair of ports with the second intermediate port,

said first cross-over channel connects said first inlet with said second outlet, and said second cross-over channel connects said second inlet with said first outlet,

said other of the third pair of ports and the first intermediate port are blocked by said piston, and

said second pair of ports, said one of said third pair of ports, and the first intermediate port are blocked by said piston.

9. The diverter valve of claim 8 , wherein

said first and second through channels have an axially extending width W;

said first and second cross-over channel ports have an axially extending width W; and

the axially adjacent ports are spaced at their nearest points a distance S;

wherein S<W.

10. The diverter valve of claim 9 , wherein said first and second through channels are substantially cylindrical with a diameter W.

11. The diverter valve of claim 8 , wherein said first inlet is between said first pair of ports, said second inlet is between said second pair of ports, one port of said first pair of ports is between said second inlet and one port of said second pair of ports, and said one port of said second pair of ports is between said first inlet and said one port of said first pair of ports, wherein said inlets and said first and second pair of ports are oriented in an axially extending row and spaced from adjacent ports and inlets by a distance of X/3.

12. The diverter valve of claim 8 , wherein said third flushing channel intermediate ports are between the first and second outlet, which are between the third pair of ports, said outlets and said third flushing channel ports being oriented in an axially extending row and spaced from adjacent ports and outlets by a distance of X/3.

13. The diverter valve of claim 12 , wherein said first inlet is between said first pair of ports, said second inlet is between said second pair of ports, one port of said first pair of ports is between said second inlet and one port of said second pair of ports, and said one port of said second pair of ports is between said first inlet and said one port of said first pair of ports, wherein said inlets and said first and second pair of ports are oriented in an axially extending row and spaced from adjacent ports and inlets by a distance of X/3.