NZ523500A

NZ523500A - Improved adjustable nozzle assembly

Info

Publication number: NZ523500A
Application number: NZ52350003A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Der Kaay Eric Van
Original assignee: Forlong & Maisey Ltd T A Instr
Priority date: 2003-01-03
Filing date: 2003-01-03
Publication date: 2005-12-23
Also published as: AU2003290467A1; WO2004061398A1

Abstract

An adjustable pouring apparatus for a fluid includes a fluid inlet (7) and a fluid outlet (9). The apparatus includes a valve assembly (8, 12) and a nozzle assembly (3). The inlet is configured to be adjustable in size by rotating the nozzle assembly with respect to the valve assembly to regulate the amount of fluid that flows through the inlet to the outlet before the ball (12) of the valve assembly closes the outlet. The apparatus includes a reservoir (16) which stores a volume of fluid in proximity to the inlet when the apparatus is in a non-pouring position. When the apparatus is moved into the pouring position, fluid flows from the reservoir to the inlet and on through the outlet until the valve closes.

Description

52350 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Fee No. 4: $250.00 James & Wells ret: 121266/25 PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION After Provisional No: 523500 Dated: 3 January 2003 IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE ASSEMBLY We, Forlong & Maisey Limited, t/as Instrument Supplies, a New Zealand company, of 13 Kaimiro Street, Te Rapa, Hamilton, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: Intellectual Property Office of NZ 1 James & Wells Ref: 121266/25 VM 2 h DEC 2003 IMPROVED ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE ASSEMBLY TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to an improved adjustable nozzle assembly.

In particular, the present invention relates to an improved adjustable nozzle 5 assembly for pouring a desired volume of fluid.

Reference throughout the present specification shall now be made to use of the present invention in relation to the application of pour-on medicaments and drenches for animals.

It should be appreciated however that this should not be seen to be a limitation on 10 the present invention in any way as the present invention may be used for the metering of a controlled amount of any fluid.

BACKGROUND ART The need for controlling the dose of a medicament or drench for the application to an animal is paramount as the under-dosing or overdosing of the animal can lead to 15 equally disastrous results.

With a lot of the medicaments and drenches that are available for animals overdosing the animal could have detrimental effects on the health of the animal and in some cases could lead to permanent damage or even death.

Likewise, the under-dosing of an animal can lead to the application being ineffective 20 and could even result in the pathogens that were intended to be eradicated building up a resistance to the chemicals being used which would lead to further problems in the eradication of these pathogens in the future. la Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 12 SEP 2005 RECEIVED The most basic form of measuring the amount of fluid required for the application to an animal is the pouring of the fluid into a measuring jug from the container and then applying the contents of the measuring jug to the animal.

Whilst on the surface this seems a simple and straightforward procedure it is fraught 5 with problems.

One of the major problems associated with this type of measurement is that the dosing is not particularly accurate or consistent between animals and there is a high likelihood of spillage of the chemicals either onto the operator or onto the ground, neither of which is desirable.

Another drawback associated with this system is the time it takes as quite often some of the contents of the measuring jug will need to be poured back into the container or additional material will need to be poured from the container into the jug once the level of the jug has been ascertained.

When the operator of this system has a large number of animals that need to be 15 administered to the time taken per dose is very important as it can have a large accumulative effect.

One distinct improvement over this system was the advent of a measuring assembly that fitted to the fluid container so that the correct volume of fluid could be measured directly at the container and could then be poured directly onto the animal.

There have been numerous modifications and improvements over the first of these types of systems, resulting in the now common "pour-on drench system".

These systems generally are constructed of a fluid reservoir connected to a hand piece which may or may not have a wand attached to the outlet of the hand-piece and the fluid from the fluid container fills a chamber in the hand-piece and when the 2 hand-piece is inverted this amount of fluid is passed from the hand-piece onto the animal.

Whilst these systems are ideal for a number of applications they do however have severe drawbacks.

The most serious of these drawbacks is that different amounts of fluid are required for animals of different sizes and these pour-on dispensers can only provide a preset volume of fluid with each application.

This again leads to the problems of under or overdosing animals and to an inconsistency of dosing to animals of different sizes.

In order to overcome these problems the operator will need to carry a number of pour-on applicators of different volumes in order to be able to apply the correct controlled doses to each animal.

This is not only costly as these devices can be quite expensive to purchase, but it also means that the operator is less able to be manoeuvrable as he will need a great 15 deal more equipment in order to undertake the task.

Previously the only option open to the operator would to be to purchase an expensive drench gun system such as that disclosed in NZ Patent No. 222692 which has the ability to adjust the dosage applied to the animal.

The main drawback of this type of drench gun is its cost as this puts it outside the 20 range of the small to medium sized operator as they generally would not be able to afford this type of apparatus as the number of animals that they wish to dose does not warrant the extra expenditure.

New Zealand Patent Application No. 515179 overcame the problems associated with the previous alternatives. 3 It discloses an adjustable nozzle assembly that utilises an adjustable valve that can be set to the required volume to be poured and then the apparatus is tilted into its pouring position to administer the correct dose to an animal.

This was a superb solution to the problems associated with previously available 5 system and provides the operator with an economical and easy to use system.

There is however one significant drawback with this system in that due to the mechanical construction of the valve assembly it is possible to administer a dose of less than the selected dose when the fluid reservoir is low on fluid.

This is due to the time taken for the fluid to reach an end to the valve when the 10 whole assembly is placed into its pouring position. In some circumstances where the reservoir is fairly low in fluid it is possible for the valve to start to close before it is completely filled with fluid.

Obviously this situation is less than desirable and in order to ensure it cannot happen the operator would have to monitor the reservoir level and keep it "topped 15 up" to ensure that there is not a significant delay in fluid flooding the valve assembly once it has been placed into the pouring position.

This therefore is not an ideal situation as it not only places an extra responsibility onto the operator but could potentially cause the under dosing of an animal - which is one problem the system was designed to eradicate.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior 25 art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an 4 admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country.

It is acknowledged that the term 'comprise' may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this 5 specification, and unless otherwise noted, the term 'comprise' shall have an inclusive meaning - i.e. that it will be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components or elements. This rationale will also be used when the term 'comprised' or comprising' is used in relation to one or more steps in a method or process.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description, which is given by way of example only.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an adjustable nozzle assembly capable of dispensing a user-variable volume of a fluid, said apparatus including • a fluid flow-control orifice, • a fluid chamber,a fluid receptacle, and • a first valve assembly operable between an open and closed position by respective placement of said nozzle assembly in an upright position and a pouring position, said open position allowing fluid flow through the nozzle assembly and said closed position sealing the nozzle assembly from fluid emission, wherein said first valve is constrained to delay complete sealing of the nozzle assembly for a predetermined period after the nozzle assembly is placed in said pouring position, and wherein the fluid flow-control orifice size is user-variable to vary the total volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzle assembly in said predetermined period characterised in that the fluid receptacle is configured to store a volume of fluid in proximity to the fluid flow-control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in the upright 5 position and to allow fluid to flow from the receptacle into the fluid flow-control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in the pouring position.

It should be appreciated that throughout the present specification the term "fluid inlet" should be understood to mean the aperture through which fluid from the reservoir to which the apparatus is connected flows in order to be able to enter the 10 nozzle assembly.

It should also be appreciated that throughout the present specification the term "fluid outlet" should be understood to mean the point at which the fluid leaves the nozzle assembly.

A "fluid-flow control orifice" includes any configuration for regulating, throttling, 15 varying or otherwise controlling fluid flow. Thus, in the present invention, the fluid-flow control orifice may form any convenient portion of the nozzle assembly through which all the dispensed fluid passes such as the fluid inlet, fluid outlet or the like.

Throughout the present specification the term "first valve assembly" should be understood to mean an automatically closing valve that operates a predetermined 20 period of time after the nozzle has been placed into its pouring position - the time taken is dependent on the viscosity of the fluid being dispensed - and that will automatically return to its fully open position once the nozzle has been returned to a 6 generally upright position.

The "nozzle assembly" described within the present specification should be understood to contain a connector for joining the nozzle assembly to a source of fluid so that the fluid can be dispensed through the nozzle assembly.

The term "a pouring position" used within the present specification should be understood to mean that the fluid outlet is orientated below the fluid inlet so that fluid flow will occur from the present invention and that at least one valve assembly will move to its fully closed position.

It should be further appreciated that throughout the present specification the term 10 "fluid receptacle" should be understood to mean any assembly that can contain a volume of fluid and which can pass this fluid into the proximity of the fluid flow-control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in its pouring position.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the fluid receptacle is capable of holding sufficient fluid to administer the maximum selectable dose.

This should not however be seen to be a limitation on the present invention in any way, as in other embodiments, the fluid receptacle can be configured to hold only sufficient fluid to ensure the valve will not start to close before it has filled with fluid from the fluid receptacle and from the fluid supply.

Also in preferred embodiments of the present invention the fluid receptacle is refilled 20 by fluid from the fluid supply whilst the nozzle is in its pouring position.

It is envisaged that within the majority of applications required of the present invention the required dose will be in the range of 1 millilitre to 200 millilitres.

This should not however be taken to be a limitation on the present invention in any 7 way as in other embodiments the required dose can be outside of this range.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention there is provided an adjustable nozzle assembly capable of dispensing a user-variable volume of a fluid, said apparatus including, • a fluid flow-control orifice, • a variable-volume fluid chamber, • a fluid receptacle, and • a first valve assembly operable between an open and closed position by respective placement of said nozzle assembly in an upright position and a pouring position, said open position allowing fluid flow through the nozzle assembly via said fluid chamber and said closed position sealing the nozzle assembly from fluid emission, wherein said first valve is constrained to delay complete sealing of the nozzle assembly for a predetermined period after the nozzle assembly is placed in said pouring position, and wherein said predetermined period is user-variable by varying the volume of the fluid chamber characterised in that the fluid receptacle is configured to store a volume of fluid in proximity to the fluid flow-control orificewhen the nozzle assembly is in the upright position and to allow fluid to flow from the receptacle into the fluid flow-control orifice 5 when the nozzle assembly is in the pouring position. In preferred embodiments of this aspect of the present invention the valve assembly is constructed in a manner that allows the volume of the fluid chamber to be adjusted so as to alter the time taken for the valve to move from the open position to the closed position. 8 In preferred embodiments of the present invention the valve assembly includes a ball capable of movement along a constrained path within said fluid chamber for a predetermined distance resulting from movement of the nozzle assembly between said upright position and said pouring position, wherein said ball blocks the fluid flow 5 from the nozzle assembly in the pouring position at the end of said predetermined period to close said first valve.

It should be appreciated that in preferred embodiments of the present invention the time taken to close the valve, once the nozzle assembly is in its pouring position, is governed by the viscosity of the fluid being dispensed.

The fluid chamber contains a balance hole with the ball positioned between the balance hole and the outlet hole, this configuration controls the speed at which the ball moves to the valve's closed position as fluid entering the balance hole allows the ball to move forward along the fluid chamber.

The balance hole also controls the rate at which the first valve returns to its fully 15 open position by allowing the fluid that has collected behind the ball to exit from the fluid chamber back into the fluid receptacle or into the fluid supply container.

In some preferred embodiments of the present invention a second ball valve is fitted in fluid connection to the balance hole and is configured in such a manner that the second ball valve is closed during the pouring cycle and is open during the reset 20 cycle in order to allow for a faster reset time than would otherwise be achievable.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the main fluid chamber is constructed with a "shoulder" in order to delay the movement of the first valve ball when the nozzle assembly is placed into the pouring position, so that the second ball valve has adequate time to close the second balance hole before the first ball 25 commences moving towards the fluid outlet. 9 In preferred embodiments of the present invention the amount of fluid flowing through the nozzle assembly is regulated by rotating the outer casing of the nozzle assembly with respect to the first valve assembly.

This rotary action will adjust the size of the fluid flow-control orifice and thereby 5 control the fluid flowrate into, out of, or through the fluid chamber of the first valve assembly.

It is envisaged that in some other preferred embodiments of the present invention the fluid flow-control orifice size will be adjusted to one of a set of predetermined flowrates by rotating the outer casing until it locks into one of a set of stepped 10 increments wherein each increment is commensurate with a different flowrate.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention the outer casing is secured to the main body of the nozzle assembly by the use of one or more O-rings in order to form a fluid-tight seal between the outer casing and the main body of the nozzle assembly.

However, this should not be seen to be a limitation on the present invention in any way as in other embodiments other leak-proof designs such as ridges or other embossments onto the surface of either the outer casing or the first valve apparatus may be used.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of 20 operating an adjustable nozzle assembly as described above characterised by the steps of a) adjusting the size of the fluid flow-control orifice to vary the volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzle assembly in said predetermined period, b) placing the nozzle assembly in the pouring position, allowing fluid to enter the fluid inlet from the fluid receptacle, and c) maintaining the nozzle assembly in the pouring position until the fluid ceases to flow out of the nozzle assembly and the fluid receptacle has refilled, and d) resetting the first valve into its open position by placing the nozzle assembly in 5 the upright position.

According to a further aspect of the present invention the method further includes the step of adjusting the size of the fluid flow-control orifice by rotating an outer casing of the nozzle assembly to vary the volume of fluid dispensed by the nozzle assembly and 10 aligning the outer casing with one of a set of indicia denoting the fluid volumes dispensed until the desired volume to be dispensed is shown on the indicia.

It is envisaged that the nozzle assembly will have at least one set of numerals or indicia located in a position such that the amount of fluid able to be dispensed at that point is clearly shown.

It is envisaged that in some embodiments of the present invention the connector assembly between the present invention and the fluid supply container will be a threaded section of the present invention that will be located securely in a leak-proof connection with the fluid container.

It is also envisaged that in some embodiments of the present invention the 20 connector assembly will contain at least one flexible exterior rib in order that a section of the present invention can be pushed into the neck of the fluid supply container in order to make a leak-proof connection.

However, it should also be understood that in other embodiments of the present 11 invention the connector assembly can be connected to the fluid supply container using any leak-proof assembly or method, including a "bayonet-style" connection.

It is clear from the foregoing description that the present invention has significant advantages over the current "pour-on" systems.

The most significant advantage is that the operator will be able to repetitively administer the correct dose, as long as there is fluid in the fluid supply container.

Yet another advantage is that the nozzle assembly is easy to operate correctly and is very cost effective as there are no complicated or delicate parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1a is a diagrammatical representation of the main body of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 1b is a cross sectional diagram of the outer casing of one preferred embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 1c is a combination of figures 1a and 1b showing their interrelationship; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatical representation of a plan view of the main assembly of one preferred embodiment of the present invention with the valve ball omitted for clarity; and Figure 3a is a cross sectional representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention with the valve in the open position; and 12 Figure 3b is a cross sectional representation of one preferred embodiment of the present invention with the valve in the closed position.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION With reference to the Figures there is illustrated an adjustable nozzle assembly (1).

The adjustable nozzle assembly (1) consists of a main assembly (2) that fits in a fluid-tight connection inside an outer casing (3).

The main assembly (2) is fitted with a number of o-ring seals (4) in order to provide a fluid-tight seal against the outer casing (3).

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the main assembly (2) of the present invention and 10 clearly shows a number of voids (5) that allow fluid from the fluid receptacle (16) and from the fluid supply container to which the nozzle assembly (1) is attached, to flow into the space between the main assembly (2) and the outer casing (3).

When the outer casing (3) is rotated with respect to the main assembly (2) it will eventually reach a point where a part of the fluid inlet (7) will be exposed to the area 15 between the outer casing (3) and the main assembly (2) so that fluid from this area can flow through the fluid inlet (7) into the fluid chamber (8) and then out of the nozzle assembly (1) through the fluid outlet (9).

The outer casing (3) contains a central section (10) that contains a contoured face (11) in order that when the outer casing (3) is rotated with respect to the main 20 assembly (2) the contoured section (11) will alter the amount of the fluid inlet (7) that is exposed to the space between the main assembly (2) and the outer casing (3). The interaction between the curved section (11) and the fluid inlet (7) creates a user adjustable fluid flow-control orifice. Although shown in the preferred embodiment as the part of the fluid inlet (7) to the fluid chamber (8), it will be apparent to one skilled 13 in the art that a fluid flow-control orifice may be located at any convenient position on the fluid flow path between the voids (5) and the fluid outlet (9).

It is envisaged that a set of indicia markings will be apparent on the outer surface of the adjustable nozzle assembly (1) in order that the operator can see how much 5 fluid will be allowed to flow through the fluid inlet (7) before the valve (12) reaches its closed position.

When the adjustable nozzle assembly (1) is desired to be used, the outer casing (3) is rotated with respect to the main assembly (2) until the desired flowrate is shown on the indicia (not shown).

The adjustable nozzle assembly (1) is then placed into its pouring position in order that fluid from the fluid receptacle (16) and from the fluid supply container can enter the assembly (1) via the voids (5) and flow through the fluid inlet (7) into the fluid chamber (8) and then out of the assembly (1) for the predetermined period through the fluid outlet (9).

Fluid from the fluid supply container flows into the fluid receptacle (16) through a fluid entry vent (17) in the side wall of the fluid receptacle (16).

The main assembly (2) has a shoulder (13) fitted to the fluid chamber (8) in order to momentarily stall the valve (12) to give the reset valve (14) time to reach its closed position. This action will ensure the correct timing of the valve.

Once the adjustable nozzle assembly (1) is placed in its pouring position the primary balance hole (15) equalises the pressure behind the valve (12) with that in the fluid chamber (8) so that the valve (12) is then able to descend through the fluid chamber (8) for a predetermined period until it reaches its closed position.

Once the required dose of fluid from the adjustable nozzle assembly (1) has been 14 dispensed and no more fluid exits from the fluid outlet (9) the adjustable nozzle assembly (1) can be replaced into its non-pouring position i.e. fluid outlet (9) is vertically higher than the fluid inlet (7).

Once the assembly (1) is placed into its non-pouring position, the reset valve (14) 5 will move away from the second balance hole (6) so that fluid contained within the fluid chamber (8) behind the valve (12) will be able to exit the fluid chamber (8) and flow back to the fluid receptacle (16) or the fluid supply container through the second balance hole (6) as well as through the primary balance hole (15), in order to accelerate the resetting of the valve (12) into its open position.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the volume of fluid dispensed by the nozzle assembly (1) may be varied by varying the distance travelled by the valve ball (12). Increasing the longitudinal length (and thus the volume) of the fluid chamber (8) increases the distance travelled by the ball (12), thereby increasing the predetermined period before the nozzle assembly (1) is sealed and vice versa. The 15 longitudinal length of the fluid chamber (8) may be varied by any conventional method known in the art such as a thread configuration between the inner surface of the central section (10) and the outer surface of the fluid chamber (8).

During the pouring operation the fluid receptacle (16) is automatically refilled by fluid from the fluid supply container, however if the pouring operation ceases and the 20 assembly is placed into its non-pouring position before the fluid receptacle is sufficiently filled then fluid flowing back out of the nozzle assembly will "top-up" the fluid receptacle (16), with the excess fluid flowing back into the fluid supply container through the fluid entry vent (17).

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it 25 should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An adjustable nozzle assembly capable of dispensing a user-variable volume of a fluid, said apparatus including

• a fluid flow-control orifice,

• a fluid chamber,

• a fluid receptacle, and

• a first valve assembly operable between an open and closed position by respective placement of said nozzle assembly in an upright position and a pouring position, said open position allowing fluid flow through the nozzle assembly and said closed position sealing the nozzle assembly from fluid emission,

wherein said first valve is constrained to delay complete sealing of the nozzle assembly for a predetermined period after the nozzle assembly is placed in said pouring position,

and wherein the fluid flow-control orifice size is user-variable to vary the total volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzle assembly in said predetermined period,

characterised in that the fluid receptacle is configured to store a volume of fluid in proximity to the fluid-flow control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in the non-pouring position and to allow fluid to flow from the fluid receptacle into the fluid-flow control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in the pouring position.

2. An adjustable nozzle assembly capable of dispensing a user-variable volume of a fluid, said apparatus including,

16

a fluid flow-control orifice,

• a variable-volume fluid chamber,

• a fluid receptacle, and

• a first valve assembly operable between an open and closed position by respective placement of said nozzle assembly in an upright position and a pouring position, said open position allowing fluid flow through the nozzle assembly via said fluid chamber and said closed position sealing the nozzle assembly from fluid emission,

wherein said first valve is constrained to delay complete sealing of the nozzle assembly for a predetermined period after the nozzle assembly is placed in said pouring position, and wherein said predetermined period is user-variable by varying the volume of the fluid chamber characterised in that the fluid receptacle is configured to store a volume of fluid in proximity to the fluid flow-control orificewhen the nozzle assembly is in the upright position and to allow fluid to flow from the receptacle into the fluid flow-control orifice when the nozzle assembly is in the pouring position

3. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the valve assembly is an automatically closing valve that operates over a period of time after the nozzle assembly has been placed into its pouring position, and will automatically return to its fully open position once the nozzle assembly has been returned to a generally upright position.

4. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claims 1-3, wherein the nozzle

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assembly contains a connector for joining the nozzle assembly to a source of fluid.

5. An adjustable pouring apparatus for a fluid as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the required dose will be in the range of 1 millilitre to 200 millilitres.

6. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the valve assembly incorporates a ball capable of movement along a constrained path within said fluid chamber for a predetermined distance resulting from movement of the nozzle assembly between said upright position and said pouring position, wherein said ball blocks the fluid flow from the nozzle assembly in the pouring position at the end of said predetermined period to close said first valve.

7. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the duration of said predetermined period is governed by the viscosity of the fluid being dispensed.

8. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the fluid chamber contains a second valve including a balance hole.

9. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the size of the balance hole is configured to control the rate at which the second valve returns to its fully open position, when the valve assembly is returned to a non-pouring position.

10. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein said second valve closes in the pouring position and opens in the upright position.

11. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any one of claims 9-11, wherein the fluid chamber is constructed with a shoulder that is configured to delay the movement of the ball within the fluid chamber, once the nozzle assembly has been

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placed into a pouring position, until the second valve has been closed by its ball blocking the balance hole.

12. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the size of the fluid flow-control orifice, and hence the amount of fluid flowing through the nozzle assembly, is regulated by rotating the nozzle assembly outer casing with respect to the first valve assembly.

13. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein the size of the fluid flow-control orifice is user-variable by rotating the outer casing in defined increments wherein each increment is commensurate with different defined flow rates.

14. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in claim 13 or 14, wherein the outer casing is secured to the nozzle assembly by one or more O-rings that form a fluid-tight seal between the outer casing and the main body of the apparatus.

15. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any claim of claims 4-15 wherein the connector assembly between the nozzle assembly and the fluid supply container is a threaded section of the adjustable pouring apparatus, that forms a leak-proof connection with the fluid container.

16. An adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim further including at least one flexible exterior rib configured to facilitate the securing of at least part of the nozzle assembly into a neck of a fluid container in a leak-proof connection.

17. A method of operating an adjustable nozzle assembly as claimed in any previous claim, capable of dispensing a user-variable volume of a fluid, said method characterised by the steps of;

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a) adjusting the size of the fluid flow-control orifice to vary the volume of fluid dispensed through the nozzle assembly in said predetermined period b) placing the nozzle assembly in the pouring position, allowing fluid to enter the fluid-flow control orifice from the fluid receptacle and to exit the nozzle assembly c) keeping the nozzle assembly in the pouring position until the fluid ceases to flow out of the nozzle assembly and the fluid receptacle has refilled, and d) resetting the first valve into its open position by placing the nozzle assembly in the upright position.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18 of operating an adjustable nozzle assembly, step a) further including;

adjusting the size of the fluid flow-control orifice by rotating an outer casing of the nozzle assembly to vary the volume of fluid dispensed by the nozzle assembly and aligning the outer casing with one of a set of indicia denoting the fluid volumes dispensed until the desired fluid volume is shown on the indicia.

20. An adjustable nozzle assembly substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of operating an adjustable nozzle assembly, substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

END OF CLAIMS

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