US2127040A

US2127040A - Dispensing head for collapsible tubes and the like

Info

Publication number: US2127040A
Application number: US163568A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mann Charles Stewart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1937-09-13
Filing date: 1937-09-13
Publication date: 1938-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-16

Description

v- Aug. 16, 1938. c, s, N I 2,127,040

DISPENSING HEAD FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 13, 1937 2&5 24 Ma 7 Q4 .22 Q 2 7 I 5 139 V ZEV/G 43 E 7538 a: 29

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CHHRZ 5 STEWHRTMIINN ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING HEAD FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND THE LIKE Application September 13, 1937, Serial No. 163,568

7 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in dispensing heads for collapsible tubes and the like. The objects of the invention are to provide means whereby tooth paste or shaving cream and the like may be dispensed in suitable quantity from a collapsible tube and the orifice through which the paste is discharged shut oil in response to thumb pressure upon the head; to provide means whereby the opening of the device for dispensing is accomplished by a turn of the head in one direction of 180 degrees or less, so that the tube can be held and the head manipulated by one hand if desired. A further object is to provide a structure which will preclude the entry of bacteria. A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the extrusion of paste is automatically shut oil and the orifice is closed and hermetically sealed in response to thumb pressure.

The invention consists essentially of a sleeve adapted for attachment to the nipple of a collapsible tube, a cap rotatable upon the sleeve and having a discharge orifice and a closure for the orifice which is adapted to be withdrawn from the orifice in response to a partial turn of the cap to permit the flow of paste material therethrough, as will be more fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the invention showing part in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a reduced scale plan view of the spiral slotted sleeve showing its connection to the main sleeve.

Fig. 3 is a reduced scale plan view looking up, of the vertical slot sleeve showing its connection to the cap.

Fig. 4 is a projected elevational View of the slotted sleeve opened out to show the shape of the plunger retracting slots.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the plunger.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral l indicates a collapsible tube of the usual type having conical shoulders 2 and a. nipple 3 provided with the usual thread 4. Secured to the nipple 3 is an adapter 5 consisting of an internally and externally threaded collar 6 provided at intervals of its periphery with apertures 'l which are in alignment with its internal thread. Extending outwardly from the base of the collar is a conical flange 8 which is adapted to cover the shoulders 2 of the tube 1. The adapter 5 is not an essential to the invention, but is a convenience inasmuch as with differe t,

sizes of tubes a dispensing head of one size may be used on tubes of different sizes.

Screwed onto the adapter 5, or alternately onto the nipple 3, is a base or main sleeve 9 which is held against rotation by a grub screw ll) having a point which enters the metal of the nipple 3 after passing through one of the apertures "I in the adapter. The main sleeve is provided with an internal flange II which is drawn down onto a packing washer I2 carried upon the end of the nipple 3 and the adapter 5 to prevent extrusion of the paste. A groove I3 is formed on the outer periphery of the main sleeve and is fitted with a packing 14, an annular groove I5 is formed on the main sleeve, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

Fitted upon the upper extremity of the main sleeve 9 is a non-rotatable sleeve I6 having a plurality of spiral segmental slots l1 equidistantly spaced about its wall. This sleeve will be hereinafter referred to as the spiral slot sleeve. The slots [1 are each provided with an upper and a lower horizontal portion respectively numbered l8 and I9, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Projecting radially from the base of the spiral slot sleeve l6 are radial arms 26, see Figure 2, connecting with a peripheral rim 2| which is recessed into the upper face of the main sleeve 9 and secured in position by pins 2 IA. Rotatably mounted within the spiral slot sleeve 16 is a vertical slot sleeve 22, so called because it is provided with a single vertical slot 23 in its periphery. The slot 23 is of the same length as the vertical length of any of the slots l1 plus their horizontal portions I8 and IS. The sleeve 22 is provided at its upper end with T-headed radial arms 24, the ends of which are embedded in complementary recesses 25 formed in the wall of a cap 26 and are preferably secured therein.

The cap 26 is provided with a central orifice 21 having tapered side walls substantially forming a valve seat 28 and is provided with a projecting band 29 about its periphery which is preferably knurled to afford a grip for turning. The

cap is provided at its base with a skirt 33 which fits over the main sleeve 9 and has at its lower extremity a bevelled tongue 3| which rides in a groove 32 formed in the conical flange 8. The cap is rotatably held in position by one or more grub screws 33 which pass through the skirt 30 and enter the groove I5 of the main sleeve. An opening 34 is formed in the skirt 3!! to admit the grub screw ll] into its position and so that this grub screw and the opening 34 may be easily brought into register. The skirt 3!] and the zontal portions I8 and I9. The diameter of the button 4| is equal to the Widthqof-any of the slots l1 and the slot 23 and is equal also to the vertical height of the portions l8 and i9. The upper end of the plunger 39 forms a closure 42 forthelvalve' seat 28 and when entered therein prevents ex trusion of the paste or intrusion 'of unwantedy matter, at the same time leaving the end of the a cap capable of being cleaned and dried. The spring 38 bears upwardly aginst the plunger to force it upwards when the button 4| is released from the horizontal portion I9 of any of the slots l'l.

Mounted in the cap 26 is a push button generally indicated by the numeral 43 which consists of a stem 44 having adjacent its inner end a conical stop 45 which prevents the outward movement of the stem beyond a predetermined point and spreads the paste in which it is operating to ensure the return of the stem to its predetermined normal position and prevents the stem from pumping. A packing gland 48 surrounds the stem to prevent paste leakage therearound and is housed in a threaded bushing 41 to facilitate removal of the push button assembly. The button 4| when the head is closed would be at the top of the vertical slot 23 and in the upper horizontal portion I8 of one of the slots H. Toopen the head to dispense paste from the tube. the cap 26 is turned to the left one third of a turn. As the cap with its connected vertical slot sleeve 22 is turned, the button 4| will be drawn along the spiral slot ll of the non-rotatable sleeve l6 down to the lower horizontal portion l9, thus withdrawing the plunger and its valve closure 42 from the orifice Z'l. When the cap is turned-t its limit the button 4| will be in the lower horizontal portion 9 of its slot I! and will be directly opposite the push button stem 44. When the button 4| is in a horizontal-portion l9 the plunger 39 is retracted to the position shown in Figure 1 and the orifice 2? is open to permit paste to be dispensed. The plunger is incapable of movement in either direction when in full open or closed position, because the'button 4| is then looked in one of the horizontal portions |8 or l9 of one of the slots |'I. When sufiicient paste has been squeezed out of the tube I through the orifice 21, thumb pressure upon the button 43 will thrust the button 4| out of its horizontal slot portion l9 so that the plunger 39 will be thrust upwardly by the spring 38 and close the orifice 21. On reaching the closed position thebutton 4| will register withand enter the horizontal portion l8 of the next adjacent slot l'l, thus looking the head securely and leaving the cap in position to be again turned to retract the plunger. Obviously each third turn of the cap will retract the plunger and when the plunger has been returnedto closed position a very slight rotational movement of the cap is required to again start the plunger downward.

It will be obvious that any number of spiral slots I! may be provided in the slotted sleeve and "plunger and permit it to return to closed position.

. 2. A dispensing head for collapsible tubes comprising a main sleeve, a cap rotatable thereon, a

vertical slot sleeve inside the cap and rotatable therewith, a stationary spiral slot sleeve surrounding the vertical slot sleeve, said slot sleeves beingof smaller diameter than the main sleeve tod'efinea'p-aste passage therearound, the vertical slot sleeve having a vertical slot in its periphery, said spiral slot sleeve having a plurality-of spiral slots in its periphery, said cap having a discharge orifice, a plunger slidable within the vertical slot sleeve and having a retractile button normally projecting through the vertical slot and into one of the spiral slots of the spiral slot sleeve, means for urging the plunger upwardly to close the discharge orifice and means carried by the cap for releasing the button from its spiral slot and means for urging the button into the next successive spiral slot.

3. In a dispensing head for collapsible tubes, a main sleeve, a cap rotatable about the sleeve, said cap having a discharge orifice and a spring pressed button, a plunger normally urged to -close the discharge orifice, aspiral slot sleeve and a vertical slot sleeve rotatable within the last men- 'tioned sleeve, a plunger endwise movable within 'slot and one with a plurality of progressively arranged spiral slots, each of said spiral slots having an upper and a lower horizontal portion, the upper portion of one slot and the lower portion of the next progressive slot being one above the other, a plunger slidable concentrically within the sleeves adapted to normally close the orifice in the cap, spring means for moving the plunger to close'th'e orifice, a member projecting transversely from the plunger adapted to slide within the vertical slot and progressively in the spiral slots, said member being adapted to project into a horizontal upper portion of a spiral slot when the plunger is in orifice closing position and to move into a horizontal lower portion when the plunger is fully withdrawn, and means rotatable with the cap for displacing the member from its spiral slot.

5. Adispensing head for collapsible tubes comprising a sleeve and a cap rotatable upon the sleeve, said cap having a discharge opening, a plunger movable endwise of the sleeve and the cap adapted to be retracted inwardly from the orifice in response to turning the cap about the sleeve, a spring pressed button for releasing the having a main sleeve, a cap rotatable upon the sleeve provided with a discharge orifice, a plunger endwise movable within the cap to close the orifice, a projecting member upon the plunger and a pair of slotted sleeves cooperating with the projecting member as the cap is rotated to withdraw the plunger inwardly from the orifice, one of said slotted sleeves being connected with the cap to rotate therewith and the second of said slotted sleeves being held against rotation and a 10 spring for urging the plunger to close the orifice.

CHARLES STEWART MANN.