Progressive-starting unit for pneumatic systems

1. A progressive-starting unit for pneumatic circuits, comprising a line inlet and a line outlet interconnected with each other by a regulating valve that is piloted by a pneumatic piloting inlet, the piloting inlet being controlled by the outlet of a progressive-starting device having an inlet connected upstream of said regulating valve, wherein the inlet duct of the progressive-starting device is divided into a main branch connected with the outlet through a closure member pushed to the closed position by a spring, and a secondary branch reaching the outlet through a throttled passage, the progressive-starting device comprising a control element which acts on the closure member in the opening direction of the closure member against the action of the spring, due to the pressure, to which it is submitted, that is created in the outlet duct, so that opening of the closure member is caused when a pre-established pressure is reached in the outlet duct.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the throttled passage is embodied by a pin axially movable by means of an adjusting hand grip.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the inlet of the progressive starting device is connected upstream of the regulating valve through a pilot pressure regulator.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the inlet of the progressive starting device is connected upstream of the regulating valve through a manually controlled on-off valve.

5. A unit as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that the inlet of the progressive starting device is connected upstream of the regulating valve through an electrically controlled on-off valve.

6. A unit as claimed in claim 1 , characterized in that a filtering and condensate discharge device is placed between the line inlet and outlet.