US2220227A - Sprayer - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNI SPRAYER Frank 3. Giord, Dedham, Mass., assigner to Garden Hose Spray Co., Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application Marea 27, 1939, semi No. 264,292

1 Claim.

This invention relates to sprayers and more particularly to sprayers of the type including a chamber for holding soluble chemical cartridges adapted to produce a resultant spray suitable for the purpose intended.

More particularly my invention relates to a sprayer for use in connection with the washing of automobiles orother road vehicles, which, in the course of operation, invariably collect an oily or iu greasy film which is dilcult to remove.

It is customary in washing automobiles to use a hose or spray in conjunction with soap or other detergent, which, under the inuence of rubbing with a sponge or chamois, results in the removal l5 of the oil film. This procedure is quite satisfactory in commercial establishments, but in general has not been looked upon with favor by the automobile owner who wished to wash his car at home, for the reason that the procedure was awkward and the result uncertain.

In addition to the above difficulties, the or-l dinary garden hose which would ordinarily be used by an individual in washing his own car has attached to its end a metal connection or a metal nozzle which often, on hitting the finished surface of the car, would scrape or dent it. For this reason, individuals washing cars were forced to be exceptionally careful lest they damage the finish, and this further minimized the desire of the average owner to dohis own washing.

To avoid these undesirable features, I have provided -the invention shown herein which enables one to wash an automobile quickly and conveniently without damage to the finish and without havingto provide any special equipment or to guard particularly against the wetting of the clothing of the operator.

One object of my invention is to provide a spraying and washing nozzle which may be attached to an ordinary garden hose and which contains a suiiicient quantity of detergent material to permit the washing of several cars before the necessity of refilling.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sprayer of the above characteristics which is practically non-breakable under the use to which it is normally subjected and at the same time of material soft enough to eliminate damage to the car nish should the sprayer and car be in accidental engagement.

.These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the aid ofthe accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view cf my sprayer including therein a cartridge of soluble detergent material.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the swirl disk. .o In Fig. 1 is shown the preferred form of my externally threaded, as at I0. 5

The internal diameter of barrel 2 is such that -it may conveniently receive a cartridge of soluble detergent material sufciently large to provide for the washing of several cars. Such a cartridge is shown at I2. l0

The end portion 4 in relation to barrel 2 is of particular construction. It will be noted that the barrel, which is preferably cylindrical, has at its closed or exit end a shoulder I4 formed by the end portion against which is seated a swirl disk l5 I5, which will hereafter be described in more detail.

From the inner circumference of the shoulder I4 the end portion assumes a conical form, as at I8, terminating in an end closure 2li. The inner 20 diameter of end closure 20 is less thanthe effective distance between the diametrically disposed openings through the swirl disk I6, described hereinafter. The provision of the conical portion improves the character of the spray that is 25 emitted through the spray opening 6, because the angular rotation of the water Ais accelerated as it approaches the opening. The higher the rotative velocity, the more nely will be divided the resultant spray. 30

The swirl disk I6, -for the purpose of providing the desired angular velocity to the water and shown inplan in Fig. 3, is a relatively thin disk of non-corroding material having small oppositely disposed openings therethrough close to 35v shoulder I4 and formed by depressing small areas of the material to form raised areas 22 and 24.

It will be noted that these areas are facing in opposite directions so that fluids passing there` 40 through will come out on the opposite side travelling in opposite directions and thus will set up a rotary movement in the space 26 between the swirl disk and the end closure 20.

In order that my device may be cheaply made 45 and still be foolproof in the hands of the average user, the swirl disk is maintained in position by a force fit within barrel 2. The internal diameter of barrel 2 is tapered very slightly, being somewhat larger at the-open end than at the closed 50 end. By making the swirl disk of proper diameter, ..1 that is, smaller than the diameter of the open end of the barrel but larger than the diameter Lof the closed end, the disk first engages the interior of the barrel when being set in place atsome 55 intermediate point, as, for example, point 28. If if? the barrel is made of suitable material and a suitable tool is used for forcing the swirl disk to its final resting place against shoulder I4, I have found that the disk, when so positioned, will maintain its positicn indefinitely without the use of other securing means. In this manner a cheap` construction is provided, and the possibility of the unit getting out of order through dislodgment oi the swirl disk is eliminated. Inpressing the disk to position against shoulder I4, it is preferable that it be maintained transversely of the barrel.

From the foregoing description it will be seen, however, that the material of which barrel 2 is made is of importance. If the barrel were of metal or glass or other equally hard substance, it would have a damaging effect when in contact with the finish of the car, and secondly, it would be difficult to drive the swirl disk home without" transparent and of a low degree of hardness.

These characteristics are desirable, for with the barrel transparent the operator may know when the detergent cartridge has been consumed, and

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because of the softness of the cellulose acetate, the user may have no fear of the result should the sprayer come in contact with the car finish. Furthermore, cellulose acetate is strong and elastic, and the barrel will not break if the4 sprayer is dropped.

Because of the softness of the material, it is necessary to provide a metal adapter at the openv end so that repeated connections with the hose may be made without damage to the sprayer. 'I'his ladapter is shown at 30 and is connected to the hose connection 32 with a washer 34 therebetween to prevent leakage. The hose is indicated at I36.

It will be observed that in Fig. 1 the sprayer has been formed as a single integral Aunit with the swirl disk I6 frictionally held in place at the closed end. Obviously this prohibits tampering with the swirl disk, and since the detergent cartridge I2 that is used in connection therewith is soluble, I have found that there is no trouble whatsoever in clogging of the ports 22 and 24 of the swirl disk or the spray opening 6. Because of this absence of 'clogging it is entirely unnecessary that means be providedfor inspection or cleaning of the swirl disk.

However, in certain cases which prevail under some manufacturing` conditions it will be found more desirable to make the b. rrel 2 in the form of a tube open at both ends, as shown in Fig. 2'. In such cases the end may be closed by the addition of a cap 38 which may be affixed by screw threads or otherwise. When the end has' been closed in this manner, as by a cap, it is contemplated that it will remain permanently in this condition, as there will be no necessity for removing the cap thereafter, otherwise the construction of Fig. 2 is the same as Fig. 1. 'I'he cap and the inner end formation of the barrel provide the conical formation 40 which is similar to I3 of Fig. 1, and the centrally located spray opening 42 is the same as the spray opening 6.

Likewise in the construction of Fig. 2 swirl disk I 6 is put into position by introduction through the open end 8 and driven home vto a force fit against shoulder I4 by suitable tools.

'I'he cap 38 is made of the same material as sprayer to the hose by means of the adapter, and

turn on the water. With the sprayer in one hand to direct the spray at the car and with a sponge or chamois in the other, the greasy film will be quickly removed. No other equipment is necessary, and because the spray opening 6 isl small, thereby permitting only a fine spray to pass through, there is little likelihood of the operator getting wet.

By usinga detergent of non-soapy characteristics it is entirely unnecessary to dry the car following rinsing, as it will dry by normal evaporation without streaking, leaving the automobile ready for a final polish if desired.

In order to distribute the detergent solution over as wide an area as possible and still not use any more water than is necessary, the raised areas 22 and 24 of swirl disk I6 must be arranged to provide passage for the water therethrough in such manner that rotation ofthe water at a suitabievelocity in space 26 will take place. By having the outer walls of space 26 in conical form, as at I8, the rotating liquid is accelerated as it approaches the spray opening 6, with the result that the spray emitted therefrom spreads into a wide cone composed of fine particles. This arrangement provides for an adequate attack on the greasy lm without unnecemary wastage of solution.

While I, have shown and described preferred forms of my invention, I do not intend to be limited thereby, but' only by the appended claim.

I claim:

A sprayer utilizing a soluble cartridge for use in washing automobiles and the like, comprising a tubular barrel 'formed of transparent moldable material softer than lthe tlnish of an automobile, said barrel having its internal bore entirely unobstructed and slightly tapered toward the exit end, said exit endf being substantially closed by an end portion, said end portion comprising a narrow internal circumferentially extending shoulder and including a conical formation extending from'said shoulder toward the end, said conical formation terminating in a blunt flat end closure having a small opening therethrough, said blunt dat end closure adapted to distribute the shock upon engagement with the finished surface of an automobile, a swirl disk of non-corroding material and greater in diameter than the original internal diameter of the smaller end of said barrel and smaller in diameter than the internal diameter. of the other end of said barrel,

said swirl disk irictionally and irremovably maintained transversely in said barrel against said shoulder to form a truncated cone-shaped space between said swirl disk and said end closure, said swirl disk having a plurality of openings therethrough adjacent the shoulder and formed. so as to direct liquid passing through said openings against said conical wall whereby said liquid will be caused torotate, said swirl disk also providing means for forming a liquid cushion between it and the end of a cartridge that may be used therewith whereby said openings will not become blocked by said cartridge when in use. f

FRANK J. GIFFORD.

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