US1720145A - Liquid-dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 9, 1929. T. A. PATTERSON 1.720.145

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1928 .2.3 ,La ve n oi.

Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES i 1,720,145 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. PATTERSON, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 WILBERT E. MILLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 9,

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensing bleaching and other chemical solutions, such as are commonly used in public laundries, the invention including means for measuring and delivering a predetermined quantity of concentrat ed solution to a mixing container and also means for admitting water under pressure to said container in such manner as to produce a circulating and mixing action.

One of the objects of the invention is the facilitation of the handling of liquid chemicals, such as bleaching solution, for instance sodium hypo-chlorite, in public laundries where considerable quantities of this strong chemical are utilized after proper dilution.

Another object is the provision of means which will make it unnecessary for the laundry employees to handle the concentrated chemical either as a solution in carboys or in its crystalline or powdered form. By the use of the apparatus herein disclosed the vendor of the bleaching chemical delivers it to the laundry in a liquid form and places it in that part of the apparatus which is intended for the storage of the concentrated solution. The laundry employee having charge ot the dilution of the bleaching solution merely draws of predetermined quantities of the concentrated liquid by the simple manipulation of a hand valve. The spilling of the concentrated chemical during its handling in the laundry and the possible damage which may result therefrom are thus reduced to a minimum.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectional view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, certain ot the parts being broken away, to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating a means which I may employ for regulating closely the quantity of liquid delivered in one draw-off operation.

The apparatus disclosed in the accompanying drawing is built in two main parts,

1928. Serial N0. 268,625.

namely, a lower container and an upper container 11. The upper container is divided into several compartments, as will later appear.

The lower container 10 is a one-piece concrete vessel open at the top. A water pipe 12 with a shut-olf valve 13 may be employed for the introduction of water to the container, the l'ower end of the pipe being arranged horizontally and extending through one wall of the-container below the normal liquid level therein at a point such that when the valve 13 is opened water will be discharged from the pipe along one inner wall of the container, and thus produce a rapid flow or circulation of liquid around the container.

The upper container 11 also comprises a one-piece concrete casting with a false floor 14 and a partition wall 15, by means ot' which the upper portion ot' the container is divided into two compartments that are designed to be employed as separate storage tanks for undiluted solution. Extending transversely of the upper container at the rear end thereof and below the floor 14 is a compartment 16, which is normally in communication with one or the other ot' the two storage tanks through one of the openings 17. The other of these openings is normally closed by a suitable plug, not shown.

Extending through the bottom of the coutainer there is a. hand hole 18 which communicates with the compartment 16. This hole is closed by a plate 19 which is secured to the bottom of the container by means of bolts 20, a rubber or other packing Q1 being interposed between the container and the plate 19 to insure a tight joint.

Embedded Within the concrete in front ot the compartment 16 and at the middle of the container 11 there is a stoneware vessel QQ, which has the capacity to hold approximately thc quantity of undiluted solution that it is desired to deliver to the container 1() for one mixing. This vessel 22 is in open communication with the compartment 16 through a tubular connection 23 of small bore.

In order to provide an atmospheric-connection with the vessel 22, I provide a glass tube 24, the lower end of which is sealed into a hole in the top of the vessel 22. The tube Q4 extends upwardly through the partition and hence protected. against breakage.

Preferably, I mount within the tube 2 an inner tube Near its upper end the tube 25 protrudes through a rubber stopper G that is fitted into the upper' flared end of the tube 2li. By this means the outer tube 2l is sealed against the admission of air, and the inner tube is made adjushible` as to height. By this adjustment the quantity of liquid which is permitted to enter the vesse 22 may be regulated within close limits, 'that is to say the height of the lower cnd of the tube 25 determines the amount of air that is trapped within the vessel 22 when it is filled, and in this way regulates the quantity of liquid which is permitted to enter the vessel.

From the forward end of the vessel 22 there extends a siphon tube 26, the outer end of which is provided with a` shut-off valve 27, this valve and the exposed end of the siphon tube being located in a cut-back portion of the container 11, as illustrated in Fig. l. Y

The forward end of the container 11 is supported, as shown, upon the container 10, and the rear end thereof may be carried upon a support or supports of any suitable or available kind. By means of this relative arrangement ofthe containers 10 and 11 a sufficient portion of the container 10 is left exposed to enable the laundry employees to dip out diluted solution with a pail or the like.

The vendor of the bleaching solution puts a plug in one of the holes 17 and then empties a quantity of bleaching solution into each of the storage tanks of the upper container. The bleaching solution flows through that one of the holes 17 which has not been plugged, and fills the compartment 16. rllhe vessel 22 is thereupon filled gradually through the small bore connection I prefer to make the bore of the lat-ter connection small enough so that .fifteen or twenty minutes will be required for the lill- ,ing of the vessel 22 when the latter is of a three-gallon size. During the filling operation the air in the vessel 22 escapes through the tube 25 until the lower end of the latter is covered by the liquid, and the height of liquid in the tube is equalized with that in the main storage tank when the filling operation ceases.

Now when the operator desires to mix a batch of dilute bleaching solution, hc opens the valves 27 and 13. Concentrated solution flows downwardly into the container 10 and water flows thereinto in a horizontal path within the inner periphery of the container. Mixture ofthe water and bleaching liquid therefore takes place constantly while the container' 10 is being filled. The flow of liquid from vessel 22 occurs rapidly, as the si phon tube 26 is of relatively large bore. A small quantity of liquid enters the vessel 22 through the tube 28 while the vesscl is emptying, but this quantity may be taken into consideration in determining the size of the vessel 22. As soon as t-he sipbon is broken tl e flow stops. The operator 'then shuts off the valve 27 and the refilling of the vessel 22 proceeds.

The flow of water through pipe 12 is permitted to continue until the lerel of solution inthe container 10 reaches the height, previously determined upon as a measure of the quantity of solution correspont ing with th desired dilution of the three gallon or other measured quantity of concentrate( solution. Long before this quantity of dilute solution is Vused up the vessel 22 has been again filled and is ready to deliver` liquid for the next mixing operation.

At long intervals the plate 19 may be removed and any sediment which has collected in compartment 16 may be withdrawn. At the same Vtime the operator may reach into compartment 16 through the hand hole 18 and clean out the small tube 23 with a wire or the like. Then the liquid in one of the storage tanks of container 11 is used up, the plug may be replaced in hole 17 of that tank, and the plug in the hole 17 of the other tank'may be removed and the liquid in that tank then becomes available. Hence there is practically always a reserve supply. Furthermore, each fresh quantity may be kept by itself instead of being mixed with a supply containing mixtures of many vprevious fillings. Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for dispensing a chemical solution, a lower container adapted to receive water and concentrated-liquid for mixing and dispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquid positioned above said first named container, said upper container comprising al measuring chamber, means for filling said chamber and means for emptying the contents of said chamber into said first named container.

2. In an apparatus for dispensing achemical solution, a lower container adapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing and dispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquid positioned above said first named container, said upper container comprising a measuring chamber, means for emptying the contents of said chamber' into said lower container, and means for automatically filling said chamber whenever its contents are withdrawn.

3. In an apparatus for dispensing achemical solution, a lower container adapted to receive water and the concentrated liquid for mixing and dispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquid positioned above said first named container, said upper containerl comprising a measuring Chamber, a pipe for connecting said chamber with atmosphere, said pipe being adjustable to different heights within the Chamber, means l'or filling said chamber, and means for delivering the contents thereof to said lower Container.

l. In an apparatus for dispensing a chemical solution, a lower Container adapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing and dispensing7 an upper container' for storing concentrated liquid positioned above said first named container, said upper container comprising a measuring Chamber, a relatively large siphon connection for delivering the Contents of said chamber to said lower container, a eut-olf valve in said oonneetion, and an open, small size inlet Connection for said chamber.

5. In an apparatus for dispensing a ehemical solution, a lower container adapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing and dispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquid supported upon said lower 'container and extending partially thereover but lea-ving a portion of the lower container unobstructed, and means in said upper container for isolating a predetermined quantity of concentrated liquid and delivering the same to said lower eontrainer.

G. In an apparatus for dispensing a ehemieal solution, a container for mixing said solution with water, means for delivering a stream oi said solution downwardly into` the container, and a pipe for delivering water under pressure into said container in a horizontal stream along one wall of the container, whereby a circulation of water is set up for mixing purposes.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS A. PATTERSON.

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