Hydraulic sectional control valve with multiple relief slots

1. A working valve section for a sectional fluid control valve comprising:

a valve section housing having a substantially planar surface for being attached to an adjacent valve section housing;

a main control spool bore extending into the housing substantially parallel to the planar surface;

a compensator spool bore extending into the housing substantially parallel to the planar surface, the compensator spool bore being spaced from the main control spool bore;

a first relief slot extending across the planar surface substantially coextensive with the main control spool bore; and

a second relief slot extending across the planar surface substantially coextensive with the compensator spool bore.

2. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first and second relief slots are each elongated and are each substantially perpendicular to the other.

3. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first and second relief slots are spaced from one another.

4. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , including a second valve section, the second valve section includes a second housing having a second substantially planar surface, and the second substantially planar surface is attached to the first mentioned substantially planar surface.

5. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the main control spool bore is substantially perpendicular to the compensator spool bore.

6. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the relief slots are approximately 0.0005-0.002 inches deep.

7. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first relief slot is 10-50% wider than the spool bore.

8. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first relief slot is 10-25% wider than the spool bore.

9. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first relief slot is 20-50% wider than the spool bore.

10. A working valve section as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second relief slot includes rounded corners.

11. A working valve section for a sectional fluid control valve comprising:

a valve section housing having a substantially planar surface for being attached to an adjacent valve section housing;

a main control spool bore extending into the housing substantially parallel to the planar surface;

a compensator spool bore extending into the housing substantially parallel to the planar surface, the compensator spool bore being spaced from the main control spool bore; and

a relief area extending across the planar surface substantially coextensive with the main control spool bore and the compensator spool bore;

wherein the substantially planar surface includes an area positioned between the main control spool bore and the compensator spool bore that protrudes above the relief area.

12. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes first and second relief slots that are each elongated and are each substantially perpendicular to the other.

13. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes first and second relief slots, wherein the first and second relief slots are spaced from one another.

14. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , including a second valve section, the second valve section includes a second housing having a second substantially planar surface, and the second substantially planar surface is attached to the first mentioned substantially planar surface.

15. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the main control spool bore is substantially perpendicular to the compensator spool bore.

16. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes first and second relief slots, wherein the relief slots are approximately 0.0005-0.002 inches deep.

17. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes a relief slot, wherein the relief slot is 10-50% wider than the spool bore.

18. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes a relief slot, wherein the relief slot is 10-25% wider than the spool bore.

19. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes a relief slot, wherein the relief slot is 20-50% wider than the spool bore.

20. A working valve section as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the relief area includes a relief slot, wherein the relief slot includes rounded corners.