Patent ID: 7909064

Claim:
A hydraulic manifold for use in hydraulically connecting a hydraulic component having a plurality of component fluid ports therein to a hydraulic control manifold having a plurality of hydraulic fluid channels to be connected to the plurality of component fluid ports, the hydraulic manifold comprising: a first manifold member; a second manifold member mountable onto the first manifold member; and a first connection structure operable to removably mount the first manifold member onto the second manifold member in a number of different mounting positions, including a fully mounted position and one or more partially mounted positions; wherein the first manifold member includes; a second connection stricture to rigidly mount the hydraulic component onto the first manifold member; a plurality of fluid ports, wherein each of the plurality of fluid ports aligns with a corresponding one of the of component fluid ports on the hydraulic component when the hydraulic component is mounted onto the first manifold member using the second connection structure; a plurality of first fluid channels disposed through the first manifold member, wherein each of the plurality of first fluid channels terminates in a corresponding one of the plurality of fluid ports; and an actuator associated with at least one of the first fluid channels; and wherein the second manifold member includes; third connection structure to rigidly mount the second manifold member to the hydraulic control manifold; a plurality of second fluid channels disposed through the second manifold member, wherein each of the plurality of second fluid channels mates with a corresponding one of the plurality of first fluid channels when the first and second manifold members are mounted together using the first connection structure; and a check valve disposed in one of the second fluid channels, wherein the check valve operates to prevent the flow of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic control manifold to the first manifold member when the second manifold member is mounted onto the hydraulic control manifold and the first manifold member is removed from the second manifold member, and wherein the check valve is actuated by the actuator when the first manifold member is mounted onto the second manifold member in the fully mounted position to allow hydraulic fluid to flow from the hydraulic control manifold to the first manifold member when the first manifold member is mounted onto the second manifold member in the fully mounted position.