US2443421A - Liquid measuring device - Google Patents

Description

June 1948- E. E. HAGELINE 2,443,421

LIQUID mmsunme DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl 6. l

INVENTOR.

Emu. E.Haazuu; BY W M 4 June 15, 1948. E. E. HAGELINE 2,443,421

LIQUID MEASURING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1943 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTCR. EMIL E. Hnezu rue Patented June 15, v 1948 LIQUID MEASURING DEVICE Emil E. Hageline, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Lathrop-Paulson Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 'Application February 8, 1943, Serial No. 475,101

2 Claims.

This invention relates to can washing appa ratus, and more particularly to equipment for dispensing fluids adapted for use in apparatus for the Washing of cans and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide 213-. paratus for delivering a measured quantity of a treating fluid to a can and for carrying out such deliveries substantially instantaneously at predetermined time intervals or when a can reaches a predetermined position within the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for thoroughly mixing a treating fluid and a vehicle, such as steam, for introduction into the can. Still another object is to provide for the thorough distribution of the treating fluid and the steam vehicle throughout and over the entire inner surface of the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for accurately controlling the delivery of the small quantities of a treating fluid to the can which is to be washed. Yet another object is to provide mechanism for accurately measuring and regulating the quantity of treating fluid which is delivered in each operation. A further object is to provide means for visible control of the apparatus by the operator whereby the operator can readily and easily determine, regulate, and control the use of the treating solution.

In theuse of a treating fluid, such, for example, as an acid cleaner in the washing of cans, only a small quantity of the treating fluid is introduced into each can. It is sometimes diiflcult in such an operation to thoroughly mix the treating fluid with a vehicle, such as steam, and to obtain a thorough distribution of the mixture over the surface of the can which is to be washed. The accurate control and regulation of the quantity of the treating fluid which is introduced into each can also presents many problems and difficulties. The present invention is designed to eliminate and obviate these difficulties and problems.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same apparatus; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the mechanism for actuating the valves; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view taken from the inside and showing the valve-actuating mechanism.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, a nozzle III is disposed within the frame of the can washing machine and located in a position between the rails of the machine on which the can is supported in inverted position. The

apparatus for supporting and conveying the cans may be of any suitable or conventional construction. For example, the apparatus described and set forth in Otto B. Rufus application Serial No. 361,117, filed October 14, 1940, now Patent No. 2,437,757, March 16, 1948, for Can treating device, may be used for this purpose.

In can washing machines of the type illus trated in the Rufus application, the can is supported in inverted position upon a pair of spaced rails and is advanced along the rails by a. suitable conveying mechanism. The can which is equipped with a central aperture is advanced to a position above the nozzle In so that steam or other gas and the fluid ejected from the nozzle I0 pass into the can to wash the inner surfaces thereof. This general type of equipment is well known and will not be described further in detail herein.

The nozzle III is connected to a conduit II for delivering the treating fluid, such as the acid cleaner, to the nozzle. A conduit I2 which communicates with the lower portion of the nozzle through a fitting I3 serves tointroduce steam under pressure to the nozzle. Instead of steam, any other suitable vehicle may be used to distribute the treating fluid throughout the inner surface of the can. However, steam is preferred for this purpose since the steam effects a sterilizing and cleaning action in itself and at the same time serves as a suitable vehicle for distributing the treating fluid.

The nozzle I0 is preferably so constructed that the steam introduced under pressure through the fitting I3 creates a vacuum within the nozzle adjacent the opening to the conduit II and, by reason of this vacuum, draws the treating fluid from the conduit I I into the nozzle III. The treating fluid from the conduit II and the steam from the fitting I3 mix in the nozzle and the mixture is ejected into the interior of the can.

The apparatus includes mechanism A for controlling the flow of steam into the nozzle III, and mechanism B for regulating and controlling the flow 0f the treating fluid through the conduit I I into the nozzle III. The mechanisms A and B are synchronized so that the treating fluid may pass through the conduit II to the nozzle I I] when the steam passes through the conduit I2 to the nozzle Ill.

The mechanism B for controlling and regulating the fl ow of treating fluid through the conduit I I is mounted on a panel I4, which in turn may be supported onthe frame member I5. A shaft I6, supported in any suitable manner, is mounted for longitudinal reciprocating movement and is connected to suitable means (not shown) for actuating the shaft I6 at periodic intervals. The actuating means for the shaft 16 may be so arranged as to cause the shaft to move rearwardly toward the mechanism A and to remain in rearward position for a short interval of time. The shaft is then moved forwardly toward the mechanism Band is quickly returned to rearward position. A collar ll, carried by the shaft I6, is pivotally connected at l8 to the link 59, which in turn is pivotally mounted at 20 on the frame l5. The rod 2|, connected to the pivot 18, extends forwardly through the panel I4 and is equipped at its end with an enlarged head 22.

The rod 2! may be threaded at the end portion 49 thereof, and a nut 55 secured to the end portion 49 of the rod may be fixedly attached to the pivot 18 by welding or other suitable means. Thus, when the pivot shifts forwardly or rearwardly, the rod is reciprocated.

A valve 52-3., provided with :a plunger 24, is dis posed adjacent the head 22 on the rod 21. The valve 23 is or a conventional type wherein the movement of the plunger 34 controls the flow of fluidthrough the valve. When theplunger .24 is pressed inwardly toward the valve, the valve is opened and fluid flows therethrough, while when the.-,plunger 24 moves outwardly-to the position shown in Fig. 2, the valve is closed. The head 22 of the rod -2| is adapted tobebrought into engagement with the plunger 34 of the valve 2.3 to open thevalve and permit fluid to flow 'thereth-rough into thefitting 2 and thence to the conduit ii.

Mounted above the valve 2-3 is a graduated tubular container 26 of a transparent material, such as a transparent plastic or glass. As an example of the transparent plastic which may be used for this purpose, the material known as Lucite, manufactured by E. I. duPont de Nemours Company, may be used.

The treating fluid .flows into the container 25 from a valve 2'! of the same type as valve iii-and having -a plunger 28 adapted to be actuated by the head 29 of the rod-3|]. The rod 34 is secured by the pivot 3| to the lever 32 which is pivotally mounted at 33 on the frame 15. The lower end of the lever 32 extends downwardly in closelyadjacent relation to the shaft 1-6 and maybe actuated by suitable means-carried by the shaft i6. Thee-hart It, as illustrated, may be equipped with collars 5| and 52 which are rotatably mounted on the shaft 15 and carry a member 53 extending downwardly therefrom. A-n'arm-M extends lateral-ly from the upper portion of the member 53 and is swingable upwardly and downwardly when the collars 5| and 52 rotate about the shaft 16, as .seen particularly in .Fig. 3. A member 54 is movable upwardly anddownwardly, and the end pin-55 of the member-54 is adapted to engage the arm34 to move the same upwardly whena can is passed beyond a predetermined position on the rails of the mechanism. Any :suitable means for actuating the pin 54 may be provided.

When the arm 34 is in upper position, as indicated in solid lines in Fig. 3, rearward movement of the shaft 46 causes the .arm 34 to engage the iowerend of the lever '32 and urge therod 30 and the head thereof forwardly into engagement with the plunger 28 to open the valve2'l. When the valve 2'! is :opened, the treating fluid flows therethrough into the graduated container 26.

The treating fluid may be placed in a container 35 communicating at its lower end with an outlet conduit 36 which communicates with the valve 31. The valve 31 is manually operable by means of the handle 38. A fitting 39 connects the valve 31 with the valve 21.

The rods 21 and 30 and the mechanism for actuating these rods are so arranged that the rod 30 is advanced and the valve 2? opened while the rod 21 is withdrawn and the valve -23 closed. Similarly, when the rod 2! is advanced and the valve 23 opened, the rod 35 is withdrawn and the valve 21 is closed.

The mechanism A for controlling the flow of steam into the conduit l2 includes a pair of ring members or collars 44 and 4| which are pivotally mounted on the shaft l5 and support a member 42 'therebelow. The member 42 carries a head 43 which is adapted to engage the plunger 44 of the valve 45 to open and close the valve 45.

The member 42 is adapted to be swung into alignment with the plunger 44 of the valve 45 when acan isin position above the nozzle 10 and suitable mechanism may be provided for swinging the member 42 to this position of alignment. When the can .is in position above the nozzle f0 and the member 42 1s .in alignment with the plunger 44 of the valve 45, the-forward movement of theshaft J16 brings the head '43 on the member 42 into engagement with the plunger 44 and opens the valve '45. Steam, which is introduced through the conduit '45, flows through the valve 45 through the conduit 41 to the conduit I Z-and thence .into the nozzle It. At the same time, the .forward movement of the shaft "i=6 moves the rod -2! forwardly and brings the lh'ea'd 22 into engagement with the plunger 24 of the valve 23, thus opening the valve '23.

In operation, the treating fluid is placed in the storage tank orcontainer3'5and-steam under pressure is introduced into the conduit 46. The mechanism for actuating the shaft I5 is then set in operation and the shaft 16 moves rearwardly to closethe valve '23 and open the valve 2'l, the valve 45 also being closed. The treatin fluid then flows from the container '35 through the conduit 35, valve 37., fitting 39, and valve 21' to the transparent graduated container "26. As the fluid flows fin-to the graduated container 26, the quantity of fluid received therein is visible to the operator ofthemachine. Since the valve 523 is closed, the fluid accumulates in the graduated container 2E. The valve '2"! remains open for a predetermined interval of time and adjustment of the valve '3'! by the handle 38 allows regulation of the quantity of fluid'deliveredto the container 25. After a predetermined interval of time, theshaft T5 moves Lforwardly and the valve 21 is closed and the valve 713 is opened. Atthe sametime, the forward movement vof the shaft it causes the head 43 of -the .member 42 to be brought into engagement with the plunger "44 of the valve 45 and the valve 45 .is opened to permit the flow of steam under pressure through the conduit l2. .The steam passing through the conduit 12 and into the nozzle I'D draws the treating fluid from the container 25 through the open valve 25 and conduit "I i into the nozzle 1'0.

The flow of treating fluid from the container 25 through [the conduit H into the nozzle III is substantially instantaneous .so that when the valves '23 and 45 are opened, the steam is "immediately ejectedf-rom the .nozzle f0 and carries with it the treating fluid from the container "26. The treating fluid is 'thoroughlyJniixed'wi'th the steam and the s'team mixture'is distribute over theent'ireinner-surface of the can.

By adjusting the flow of treating fluid through the valve 31, it is possible to control the quantity of treating fluid which is delivered to the container 26 in each time interval. As the treating fluid in the container 35 is gradually exhausted, the head of pressure upon the fluid becomes less and the flow of fluid through the valve 31 is decreased. Accordingly, the valve 31 may be adjusted to compensate for this change in flow so as to maintain constant the quantity of treating fluid which is delivered to the container 26. The visibility of the container 26 also permits the operator to determine roughly the concentration of the treating solution when the solution is colored and to determine by the rate of flow through the valve 3! the approximate quantity of solution remaining in the storage tank 35.

The speed. with which the treating fluid is drawn through the fitting 25 and conduit it tends to prevent any clogging of the conduits.

Although the invention has been described in connection with can washing machines and with reference to a specific illustration, it will be apparent that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In can treating apparatus, a container for receiving treating fluid, means for introducing said fluid into said container at a predetermined rate, valve means for changing the rate at which said fluid is introduced by said means, means for automatically operating said introducing means during periodic intervals of substantially equal lengths whereby a measured quantity of said liquid is introduced into said container during each of said intervals, an outlet conduit extending downwardly from the lower portion of said container for the withdrawal of fluid therefrom, valve means in said conduit controlling the withdrawal of liquid through said outlet conduit, and means for automatically closing said lastmentioned valve means when liquid is being introduced into said container and for opening said last-mentioned valve means When said measured quantity of liquid has been introduced into the container.

2. In can washing apparatus, a substantially transparent container for receiving treating fluid, said container being equipped with spaced graduations thereon, means for introducing fluid into said container at a predetermined rate, valve,

means for controlling the rate at which fluid is introduced by said means, means for automatically operating said introducing means during periodic intervals of substantially equal lengths whereby a measured quantity of liquid is introduced into said container through each of said intervals, an outlet conduit for withdrawing fluid from said container, valve means in said outlet conduit for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, and means for automaticall operating the outlet valve means to close the same when liquid is being introduced into the container and to open the same When said measured quantity of liquid has been introduced into the container.

EMIL E. HAGELINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 21,814 Bussell et a1. Oct. 19, 1858 865,203 Mustonen Sept. 3, 1907 1,145,221 Bobriner July 6, 1915 1,302,276 Ballard. s Apr. 29, 1919 1,462,970 Lathrop July 24, 1923 1,678,780 Ladd et al July 31, 1928 1,678,781 Ladd et al July 31, 1928 1,803,627 Lathrop May 5, 1931 2,239,278 Thomas Apr, 22, 1941 2,340,832 Damme et a1 Feb. 1, 1944

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