US2158948A - Liquid dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939. I H. E. RUBENS 2,158,948

' LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Original Filed March 12, 1934 /1v VENTOR HARRY ERNEST RUBENS A TTORNEY I Patented May 16, 1939 UN T D STATES PATENT OFFICE moon) DISPENSING arranarus Harry Ernest Rubens, New York, N. Y.

Application March 12, 1934. Serial Renewed October 21, 1938 7 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices attachable to bottles, and more particularly to liquid dispensers for measuring a predetermined amount of a liquid for liquids of a high degree of liquidity.

The development of the sale of small amounts of perfume from larger bottles has advanced to a point creating a specific need for dispensers for measuring small amounts of perfume. In order that a proper apparatus shall be devised, it is necessary that all problems be thoroughly understood in order that the apparatus devised shall overcome all special problems associated with the sale of perfume in bulk.

To meetthis problem dispensers have heretofore been devised which are directed to the speciflc problem of dispensing perfume in small units from a specially devised bottle containing the perfume in bulk. The ease with which frauds can be perpetrated on purchasers will result in the demand for the sale of bulk perfume from original and sealed containers with the stamp of the manufacturer thereon. As a consequence, the present invention has for its primary object the dispensgging of perfume in measured quantities from a bottle sealed by the manufacturer and substantially incapable of being refilled by others with the intent to defraud.

Inasmuch as these sales of perfume in bulk are so usually in dram quantities, it is necessary that the dispensing aperture be as small as possible for insertion in the unusually'small aperture of a drain bottle. Apparatus hitherto devised to dispense perfume has, as a consequence, means for enabling the free flow of perfume through a small nozzle by means of a vent in the valve, which frees the vacuum behind the flow and thus all the liquid to run freely. Vents of this character are disclosed in patents issued to Green a #397,854, Haas #508,014 and Yvert #349,234

Valves for dispensing perfume containing vents are not practical in'the dispensing of perfume'in bulk from original bottles unless such bottles are I constantly kept in an inverted position, for a small amount of perfume will run out of the vent when the bottle is restored to its normal position. Proper merchandizing of perfume demands that these bottles be kept in the normal position so that the eye can recognize well known brands.

Thus another object of this invention is the creation of a valve which will permit dispensing perfume in small quantities through an orifice capable of entering the neck of the average dram bottle on themarket without the use of a vent.

Perfume sold in such minute quantities is exceedingly valuable and it is necessary that no drops be wasted or lost through evaporation.

Accordingly, a further object of this invention is to provide mean s for' dispensing perfume in dram sizes without loss of perfume by evaporation.

, Another object of this invention is a new method of merchandizing perfume whereby a number of popular brands of perfume, each with its individual dispenser, are adapted to be inserted into a special stand for holding an individual bottle and dispenser whereby many dollars can a bottle of perfume costing be securely held in position without danger of dropping while its contents can be dispensed and removed without diiiicuity and any other bottle with its desired contents can be reinserted into the stand and its liquid contents dispensed. Thus a plurality of bottles with individual dispensers provided with a single stand whereby any desired perfume can be safely dispensed in dram lots constitutes an important object of this invention.

Other objects of this invention provide for a More specific obje cts and advantages of the invention will appear as the nature of the improvements are better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and correlation of the instrumentalities herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherei 21 similar references characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views and then finally pointed out and claims.

In the drawing,

indicated in the appended Figure l is a side elevation of the bottle and dispenser inserted into the stand, part of the stand and bottle being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a top view of the stand alone; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the spring actuated holder for securing the dispenser tothe stand;

Figure 6 is a simil dispensing position;

ar view with the valves in the Figure '7 is a side view of-the dispenser lock for the bottle;

Figure 8 is a top view of the same;

Figure 9 is a sectional view of the valves being operated by a cam method;

Figure 10 is a front view of the cam;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of the nozzle with non refillable sleeve; and

Figure 12 is a sectional view of a modified form of nozzle.

Figure 13 is a side view of a combined stand and nozzle.

A dispenser which will dispense perfume properly and which is leakproof should have cone valves. These valves are known in the prior art, as indicated by the patents issued to Harvey, No. 1,402,604 of Jan. 3, 1922; Park No. 852,343 of Apr, 30, 1907; and Marshall 695,691 of Mar. 18, 1902. Here is disclosed a measuring chamber with an opening and dispensing cone valves with their corresponding valve seats. These valves, however, are not practical for dispensing perfume as they fail to combine the essential characteristics necessary for perfume dispensing, as will be indicated hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing, in Figure 4 there is shown a dispensing apparatus with a body chamber Ill and cone valves II and I2, with their corresponding valve seats I3 and I4, valve II in a vertical position for allowing the liquid to enter by gravity and valve I2 in a vertical position for allowing the liquid to be dispensed by gravity. A single spring I6 normally forces the two valves into their respective valve seats, guided by a valve stem I6 so that when the apparatus is not in use, the chamber I6 is closed, preventing perfume on the walls from being lost by evaporation. Valve seat I3 is located in the body chamber I0 and valve seat I4 is similarly located in the chamber cover II, which is externally threaded at I8 for screw engagement with its corresponding internal threads I9 located at the lower portion of the chamber I0.

The valve stem I6 has a head 26 and is slidably inserted in the cone valve I2, through a centrally located aperture 2|, and is threaded at its opposite end 22 for screw engagement with a centrally threaded aperture 23 located in the cone valve I I. An apertured leather washer 24, through which the valve stem I6 operates, is positioned between the lower extremity of the spring I5 and the cone valve I2. This washer, which is of leather or of some such suitable material, prevents any possible leakage through the central aperture 2| for the brief moment the liquid is in the chamber I6 but before it is dispensed.

The chamber cover IT, has a central aperture 25, leading to the valve seat I4. Slidably mounted within the aperture 25 is a nozzle 26, the upper portion of which is located between the valve I2 and the head 20 of the valve stem I6 which slides through an aperture 21 of the nozzle 26.

The nozzle 26 is hollow and of cylindrical construction and is slotted at 26 to allow the liquid to enter the nozzle when it is desired to dispense it. The outside and inside diameters of the nozzle are important, as will be described and. explained hereinafter.

An annular ring 29 encircles the nozzel 26 at a pointjust above its dispensing aperture 36 which engages the contained 3I and carries the nozzle upward under pressure from the container. The annular ring 29 is slotted at various points designated 32 to permit the air from the container 3| to escape into the atmosphere and permit the entrance of the liquid without hindrance.

Longitudinally extending from the body chamber and centrally located thereon is a threaded stem 33. It is of hollow construction and is slightly cambered to enable its engagement with a bottle stop such as the cork 34 shown in Figure 1, which has a longitudinally apertured orifice 35 slightly less in diameter than the threaded stem 33, so that a tight fit will occur when the stem is threaded into the cork.

The channel 36 extending through the stem 33 carries the liquid to the chamber I0 when the cone valve II is opened.

Encircling the body chamber I0 is an annular groove 31 adapted to engage a supporting shoulder 38 located on the stand. The shoulder 38, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is a fiat sheet of metal or some such suitable material slotted at 39 to permit entrance of the dispenser and hemispherical in construction so that it will permit the complete entrance of the dispenser and engage the groove 31 for its support. A pair of flat springs 4I riveted to the sides of the shoulder are depressed while the dispenser is inserted, but are released to engage the sides of the groove 31 when the dispenser is completely inserted. The springs M are of approximately the same width as the groove so that they will engage the dispenser as shown in Figure 3. The dispenser can be manually withdrawn by applying lateral pressure to the springs which are cammed into their flexed position permitting the dispenser to be completely withdrawn. Three sides of the flat plate comprising the supporting shoulder 38 are downwardly bent as at 42, shown in Figure l, where the three supporting plates 43 comprising the front and two side plates engage the shoulder 38 at 42 and are riveted together as at 44. The three supporting plates 43 have their remaining ends riveted to the stand base 45.

The dispenser is assembled in the following manner: The valve stem I6 is first inserted through the aperture 21 in the nozzle 26, then inserted through the aperture 25 in the chamber cover II, through the cone valve I2, washer 24, spring I5, then securely screwed through the upper cone valve II. This constitutes an extraordinarily easy assembly and the dispenser is complete when the chamber cover with the valve assembly is screwed into the body chamber, as shown in Figure 4. Thereafter the stem 33 is screwed into the cork 34 of any bottle, such as that shown in Figure 1, designated 41, and the bottle and dispenser are ready for insertion into the stand, as previously described. For many purposes the invention as described so far is complete. However, many other features are desirable such as the non-refillable feature, and these will be described in detail after the complete explanation of the operation of the dispenser is outlined as follows hereinafter.

In Figure 4 the dispenser is shown with both valves closed, which is its normal position. When it is desired to fill the dispenser with a measured amount of the liquid, the nozzle 26 is grasped with the fingers and by a downward pull the head of the valve stem I6 is engaged, opening the cone valve II, permitting the fluid to enter. A pin 46 may be driven into the valve stem I6 which limits the movement of the valves.

When the dispenser fills, and this will be apparent when the bubbles stop flowing through the liquid in the bottle 41, the bottle which it is desired to fill with the measured amount of liquid,

such as ll, is brought into proper position as indicated in Figure 6, and by forcing the bottle upwardly engaging the annular ring 28, forcing the nozzle 26 up against the lower cone valve l2, lifting it upwardly and automatically allowing the contents to escape through the slots 28 and funnel 26 in the nozzle. In the dispensing position the valve stem, being attached to the upper valve II, is stationary and the nozzle moves upwardly with respect to it, against the action of the spring l5.

The positions of the valves with respect to each other in both of these operations are shown in Figures and 6, with the position of the valves shown in Figure 4 occurring when the pressure is released after filling, but before dispensing.

In applying the non-refillable feature, it is necessary to consider two problems. First, the dispenser must be attached to a bottle so that it cannot be taken apart; and secondly, the dispenser must be designed so that it cannot be refilled through its nozzle. While locking and nonreflllable combinations are old in the prior art, the devices disclosed in the present application are simple in construction, easy to manufacture and apply, and are especially adapted to a dispenser which-releases a predetermined quantity of liquid.

In Figure 4 is shown such a locking device which comprises two metal plates 50 and SI mounted on a. pin 53 passing through the walls of a sleeve 56 screwablyattachable to the end of the stem 33. A straight wire spring 52 is inserted in each plate 50 and 5| at its outermost extremity, and the spring encirclesthe pin 53, as is shown in Figure 4, when the spring is flexed as the plates are forced under each other about the pin.

A pair of washers 54 and 55, springy in construction, force the two plates together. As the two plates are inserted into the neck of the bottle in the position shown in Figure 4, they pass the neck of the bottle and open up inside the body of .the bottlev fanwise, as shown in Figure 1, under the action of the spring which forces them into the horizontal position. As they reach the horizontal position, the plate 5| passes over an overhanging projection 51 on the plate 50 and, under the action of the springy washers, is caught under the shoulder 66 and cannot move back again. A top and side view of the locking device is shown in Figures '7 and 8 respectively.

The non-refillable feature is located in the nozzle of the dispenser. An inner sleeve 60, Figure 5, is caught by a shoulder 6| whenthe dispenser is in position to release its contents. It is gravityoperated and its position is just below the slot 28, which permits the liquid to escape from the chamber into the nozzle.

If it is desired to fill the dispenser through the nozzle, the position of the dispenser is reversed, and the sleeve falling by gravity, blocks the slots 26, thus preventing the entrance of theliquid from the chamber through the nozzle. In this position a new pair of slots 62 may be incorporated into the nozzle which will be opened by the action of the sleeve which will allow the liquid to escape from the nozzle, but not into the dispenser. This position is illustrated in Figure 11.

Togprevent unscrewing the chamber. cover II, a spring 65 and pin 66 of common construction are compressed into an aperture 61 into the cover, as shown in Figure 4, which will cause the pin to be forced into a similar aperture 66 in the proper position when the body chamber is in screw en- 1 l 3 gagement with the cover. This will prevent the cover from being unscrewed from the body. The manufacturer, knowing the position of the pin, can without great damage drill a hole opposite the pin and release it later, filling up the hole.

As previously explained, the nozzle 26 has the minimum diameter which will enable a liquid such as perfume to flow from the chamber without the use of a vent. The outside diameter of the nozzle 26 is, of course, determined by the inside diameter of the standard size dram bottle 3| in which it is to be inserted, as shown in Figure 4.

I have discovered that in the case of certain alcoholic liquids such as perfume, the viscosity is such that a free flow of liquid can be obtained through the nozzle without the use of a vent when the inside diameter of the nozzle is in the order of one quarter of an inch.

Inasmuch as the usual inside diameter of the dram bottles is also of the order of one quarter of an inch, best results are obtained when the walls of the nozzles are made as thin as is commercially practical in the manufacturing operations to bring the inside diameter of the nozzle also in the order of one quarter of an inch. This is important as the elimination of a vent further decreases possible losses of perfume by evaporation and leakage through such a vent.

Where it is necessary to reduce the orifice to a still smaller diameter for insertion into special bottles, the nozzle illustrated at Figure 12 can be used. This consists in supplying a small funnel Hi to the nozzle 'H of the dispenser. In theory the perfume is allowed to flow into the funnel where it may be dispensed by a nozzle of any desired smaller construction, such as 12 which may be integral with or secured to the outside of nozzle H in any well known manner. I have found that if two air holes, such as 13, are inserted as indicated in Figure 12, that the perfume will flow freely without filling the funnel itself These air holes 13 are produced just at the point where the diameter changes. The nozzle 1i extends from the liquid dispenser and .is attached to the vdve stem l6 in exactly the same fashion as the nozzle 26 extends from the valve stem l6, as shown in Figure 4. The change is only in the lower part of the nozzle where the diameter is reduced to provide for its entrance into a bottle of small diameter. As has been explained, the air vents 13 provide for the release of the pressure behind the liquid to enable the free flow of the liquid through the reduced nozzle 12. The funnel I0 is a skirt integral with the nozzle H to support any overflow through the air vents 13.

In Figure 9, a construction is shown which necessitates piercing the wall of the body chamber at an additional point. While this construction has many disadvantages, namely that it requires two hands to empty the dispenser, one turning and one holding the container to the nozzle, in addition to encumbering the surface of the dispenser with handles, adding materially to the cost by additional pieces, it 'possesses an interesting cam movement which enables the valves to open alternately. Thus the valves I4 and 16, with their corresponding valve stems l6 and TI, and valve springs 16 and 19 are operated alternately by the cam 80, integral with the handle 8|, and held in place by the nut 62 and washer 83. A nut 84 screws into the wall 86 of the dispenser and tightens the compound 86 against the handle 8| to prevent leakage. A side view of the cam is shown in Figure 10.

The annular ring 29 may be replaced by a channel shaped section 90 on which the container 3| may be placed, pressing downward to fill the dispenser and pressing upward to empty the contents, as shown in Figure 13.

Completing the apparatus is the container 3| which, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 6, possesses a double wall and is made of glass which will enable the inner portion 92 to be sllvered, giving a mirrored effect to the container. Different colored glass will produce difierent effects, producing an unusual appearance to the container.

An important contribution to the design of dispensers is the feature of producing an operation of the double valves through the nozzle itself without any additional apparatus. This reduces the cost considerably and minimizes the possibilities of leakage. It will be apparent that normally both valves are closed, thus preventing evaporation, and that double valves will substantially eliminate the possibilities of leakage. If the top valve should leak, the liquid will be caught in the chamber and form part of the measured quantity when the contents are dispensed.

In Figure 5 the cover I! is threaded to the chamber body so that any variation may be made in capacity with facility.

Where it is desired to change the quantity of the liquid, a cylindrical object such as SI-may be inserted in the body, reducing the capacity as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4.

The above description has been given to illustrate the invention and I do not wish to be limited except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a liquid dispenser; a measuring chamber; an inlet valve and an outlet valve in said chamber; a nozzle member adjacent to said outlet valve; and means in said nozzle member for independently opening each of said valves.

2. In a liquid dispenser; a measuring chamber; an inlet valve and an outlet valve in said chamber; a nozzle in operative relation with said outlet valve forconducting fluid therefrom and for independently operating each of said valves.

3. In a liquid dispenser; a measuring chamber; an inlet valve and an outlet valve connected to said chamber; a nozzle in operative relation, with said outlet valve for conducting fluid there-' from and for operating one of said valves independently of the other; and means whereby when one of said valves is operated to its open position, the other of said valves is held in a positive manner against its seat.

4. In a liquid dispenser having an inlet valve and an outlet valve; a nozzle having an enlarged receiving opening and a reduced passage for conducting fiuid from said outlet valve permitting the free flow of liquid therethrough; and a funnel integral with said nozzle having a vent associated with said nozzle where the efiective internal diameter of the fluid passage is reduced.

5. In combination a container of liquid; 9. liquid dispenser connected thereto for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid from said container; and spring actuated means attached to said dispenser for insertion into said container; means for preventing said dispenser from being removed from said container without destroying the container; and. means for preventing the admission of liquid directly into said container through its outlet valve.

6. In combination, a liquid dispenser and a support for maintaining said liquid dispensers in normal and-inverted positions; pressure-controlled, spring actuated means attached to said support for releasably holding said dispenser by the application of pressure; cooperating means on said dispenser for engagement with said pressure-controlled, spring actuated means, wherew by said dispenser may be attached and removed from said support by the application of pressure.

7. A liquid dispenser for measuring a predetermined quantity of liquid having a measuring chamber, an inlet valve and an outlet valve; means for operating independently either of said valves, having an external receptacle receiving structure, for positive engagement with a receptacle used for operating said valves.

HARRY ERNEST RUBENS.

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