GB2164727A - A manifold assembly incorporating a valve arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

Each nozzle 12 of a manifold assembly 10 for supplying a substance, such as cake batter or molten chocolate, to a plurality of containers is provided with a flow regulator valve 18 and a shut-off valve 28. The valves 18 are independently adjustable for equal rate of flow, and the shut-off valves 28 are opened and closed simultaneously, for example by being formed as ball valves 25 connected by shafts 27 so as to be rotated in unison. Each valve 18 preferably comprises a fixed part with a passageway 19 therethrough and a rotatable disc 20 with an inclined passageway 21 therethrough, the extent to which adjacent ends of these passageways 19, 21 are in register being adjustable by rotation of the disc, eg by means of worm 22 and a knob 30.

Description

SPECIFICATION A manifold assembly incorporating a valve arrangement This invention relates to a valve arrangement for a manifold assembly.

Manifold assemblies having a plurality of downwardly directed supply nozzles are well known for filling a plurality of trays or moulds at the same time with a substance such as cake batter, molten chocolate, molten plastics etc. Each nozzle is provided with a shut-off valve. Nozzles at differing positions on the manifold assembly are supplied with the substance to be dispensed at slightly differing rates or pressures, so it is not possible simply to open and close the shut-off values of all the nozzles at the same time. To do so would lead to widely varying amounts of substance being dispensed from the respective nozzles which would lead to a non-uniform product.

Accordingly, the shut-off valves of the nozzles are usually independently actuated by respective pneumatic mechanisms. This is not particularly satisfactory since adjustment of the mechanisms so as to synchronise opening of the nozzles and supply an equal amount of substance at substantially the same time from each nozzle is difficult.

It is an object of the invention to provide a valve arrangement for a manifold assembly of the above-mentioned type whereby the nozzle valves can be adjusted in a more simple and reliable manner than hitherto and whereby the opening of the nozzle valves can be synchronized in a particularly straightforward manner so that each nozzle dispenses an equal amount of substance.

With these objects in view, the present invention provides a manifold assembly having a plurality of nozzles wherein each nozzle has an independently adjustable flow regulator valve and a shut-off valve adjacent thereto, the shut-off valves of each of the nozzles being connected to each other for simultaneous operation.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the flow regulator valve of each nozzle is formed by a fixed part having a passageway therethrough, and a rotatable disc having a passageway therethrough which is inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle, the respective passageways having adjacent ends and the extent to which these ends are in register with each other being adjustable by rotation of the disc.

Preferably the passageway through the fixed part is also inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle. This allows greater variation in the extent to which the adjacent ends of the respective passageways are in register, bearing in mind the small size of the nozzle and the relatively large diameters of the passageways therethrough to minimise the risk of clogging.

Advantageously, the disc is formed as a wormwheel with teeth around its circumference and is rotatable by engagement of these teeth with corresponding teeth of a worm or screw.

With the aforesaid valve arrangement fitted into each of the nozzles of the manifold assembly, the rate of flow of a substance through each nozzle can be individually adjusted by rotation of the disc in the respective flow regulator valves so that this rate is equal for all the nozzles. The respective shut-off valves can then be opened for equal time periods and equal amounts of substance will be accurately dispensed from each nozzle.

The shut-off valves are conveniently rotary ball valves which are physically connected to each other by respective rods or shafts so as to be simultaneously rotatable.

The invention will now be described in greater detail and by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a manifold assembly in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, to a greatly enlarged scale, and partially in cross-section, of one of the nozzles of the assembly shown in Fig. 1, and; Figure 3 is a view, in the direction of the arrow Ill in Fig. 2.

A preferred embodiment of the manifold assembly 10 of the invention as shown is Fig.

1, comprises an elongate distribution pipe 11 having nine downwardly directed equally spaced cylindrical nozzles 12 and a branching network of supply pipes 13 of relatively narrower cross-section than the pipe 11. As illustrated, the network of supply pipes 13 is arranged above the distribution pipe 11. The network 13 comprises a first straight, generally horizontal, pipe 14 which is connected to the centre of a second inverted U-shaped pipe 1 5 which thus provides two branches down which a substance can flow. The second pipe 15 is in turn connected symmetrically to a larger inverted U-shaped pipe 16 having an additionally centrally positioned leg 1 7 so that there are now three branches down which a substance can flow.The pipe 16 and its additional leg 1 7 lead into the top of the distribution pipe 11, which is also arranged generally horizontally, but approximately perpendicular to the first pipe 14. The inlets from the pipe 16 and the leg 17 lie approximately above the second, fifth and eigth nozzle 12 respectively, so each inlet can be envisaged as feeding material primarily to a group of three adjacent nozzles 12.

It will be appreciated that the purpose of the branching network 13 is to distribute the substance to be dispensed along the pipe 11 so that there is not too great a difference in the pressure of the substance along the length of the pipe 11 (as there would be if the substance was supplied from one end of the pipe 11). In other words, the substance to be dispensed is effectively spread along the pipe 11 and the pressure above each nozzle 12 is fairly similar (but unlikely to be identical).

The nozzles 12 are all substantially identical in construction and each nozzle 12 is provided with a flow-regulator valve 18 and a shut-off valve 28. One of the nozzles 12 is illustrated in greater detail in Figs. 2 and 3, to which reference will now be made.

The flow regulator valve 18 is formed by a fixed part, integral with the nozzle 12, having a passageway 19 therethrough which is inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle 12, and a rotatable disc 20 also having a passageway 21 therethrough which is inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle 12. In this particular example, the disc 20 lies above the fixed part and the adjacent ends of the passageways 19, 21 are completely in register when the passageway 21 of the disc 20 is inclined in the opposite direction to the fixed passageway 19. Rotation of the disc 20 in either direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 2 reduces the common area of the adjacent ends of the passageways 19, 21.In the respective angies of inclination of the passageways 19, 21 are such as to produce 50% reduction in the common area when the disc 20 is rotated 180, any desired reduction up to 50% can be achieved by rotation of the disc 20 xo varying extent. If required, the angles of inclination and the cross-sections of the respective passageways 19, 21 can be chosen so that up to 100% reduction in the common area is possible by rotation of the disc 20 through 1800.

The disc 20 is formed as a wormwheel with teeth 29 around its circumference and it is rotatable by engagement of these teeth 29 with corresponding teeth of a worm or screw 22. A knob 30 is provided at the end of the worm or screw 22 so that it can be easily turned by an operator to adjust the position of the disc 20 and thus the degree of closure of the regulator valve 18. A scale is provided on an element 3ladjacent the nozzle 12 and a pointer 32 on the knob 30 indicates the setting of the screw 22 relative to the scale and thus the degree of closure of the regulator valve 18.

The disc 20 of the regulator valve 18 is sealed in position by O-rings 23. The passageway 21 through the disc 20 connects upwardly with a wider passageway 24 formed in the nozzle 12 in its region immediately adjacent the distribution pipe 11.

The passageway 19 of the fixed part of the regulator valve 18 connects to the shut-off valve 28 which is in the form of a rotary ball valve. This consists of a ball 25 having a passageway 26 therethrough. In one position of the ball 25 this passageway 26 connects the passageway 19 to the end of the nozzle 12, whilst in other positions of the ball 25 passage of any substance to the end of nozzle 12 is prevented. The ball valve is sealed in position by further O-rings 23, as illustrated.

The ball valves 25 of all the nozzles 12 are physically connected to each other by intervening rods or shafts 27, as shown in Fig. 1.

Operation of the above-described manifold assembly will readily be understood. Firstly, the pipe 14 is connected to a supply of a substance to be dispensed, eg cake batter.

This is allowed to flow through pipes 15, 16, 17 and 11 and out of the nozzles 12 until air gaps are removed. The flow regulator valve of each nozzle 12 is then individually adjusted by an operator by means of the respective knobs 30 with reference to the visual scales adjacent thereto until an equal rate of flow of the substance is obtained from all the nozzles 12.

The ball valves 25, by way of the connecting shafts 27, are connected to a timing device and a shaft rotating mechanism whereby they are turned either continuously or at appropriate intervals so as to open all the nozzles 12 for a pre-determined time period so that an equal pre-determined quantity of substance is dispensed from each nozzle 12.

The ball valves 25 may either be turned in one direction or back and forth through 90" or thereabouts, whichever is found to minimise wear on the valves.

It must be understood that the foregoing is merely illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention and numerous variations are possible, particularly as regards the number and arrangement of the nozzles and the network of supply pipes. Also various refinements are possible. For example, the nozzles 12 are preferably formed of PTFE to minimise adhesion by the substance being dispensed. However, other materials are also suitable. Moreover, in each nozzle, the passageway leading to the ball valve is advantageously tapered towards the ball valve to maximise the sealing surface between the ball and the surrounding body of the nozzle. Furthermore, in the flow regulator valve, the passagway through the fixed part need not necessarily be inclined as in the illustrated embodiment.

In an alternative embodiment to that described in detail, the material to be dispensed may be supplied laterally from one side of the shut-off valve rather than from above, in which case the passageway through the ball of the shut-off valve will be angled or Lshaped for downward dispensing of the material. In such a case, when the ball valve is turned to prevent passage of material therethrough, the original input end of the passageway may move into the original position of the output end, whilst the output end connects with a suction pipe so that any material remaining in the passageway is sucked back and recycled rather than dripping out of the nozzle.

In yet another embodiment, similar to that described in detail above, the fixed part of the flow regulator valve may have two inclined passageways therethrough, which are so arranged that rotation of the disc will bring the end of the inclined passageway in the disc into register with either of these two fixed passageways to greater or less extent. In this way, the valve can operate as a flow diverter as well as a flow regulator.

In further embodiments within the scope of the invention, the manifold assembly may be provided with alternative types of flow regulator valve and/or shut-off valve in each nozzle, provided, of course, that the shut-off valves are connected for simultaneous operation.

Claims (6)

1. A manifold assembly having a plurality of nozzles wherein each nozzle has an independently adjustable flow regulator valve and a shut-off valve adjustment thereto, the shutoff valves of each of the nozzles being connected to each other for simultaneous operation.

2. A manifold assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flow regulator valve of each nozzle is formed by a fixed part having a passageway therethrough, and a rotatable disc having a passageway therethrough which is inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle, the respective passageways having adjacent ends and the extent to which these ends are in register with each other being adjustable by rotation of the disc.

3. A manifold assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the passageway through the fixed part is also inclined relative to the axis of the nozzle.

4. A manifold assembly as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the disc is formed as a wormwheel with teeth around its circumference and is rotatable by engagement of these teeth with corresponding teeth of a worm or screw.

5. A manifold assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the shut-off valves are rotary ball valves which are physically connected to each other by respective rods or shafts so as to be simultaneously rotatable.

6. A manifold assembly substantially as hereintofore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.