US2530092A

US2530092A - Fluid container with valve controlled opening

Info

Publication number: US2530092A
Authority: US
Inventors: Smye Arthur
Original assignee: Pyrene Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Pyrene Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1948-07-29
Filing date: 1949-10-05
Publication date: 1950-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1967-11-14

Description

Nov. 14, 1950 A. SMYE FLUID CONTAINER WITH VALVE CONTROLLED OPENING Filed Oct. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR SMYE ATTORNE Nov. 14, 1950 A. SMYE FLUID CONTAINER WITH VALVE CONTROLLED OPENING Filed Oct. 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

FIG. 2

I I4 m 4 IN VEN TOR.

ARTHUR SMYE ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,530,092 FLUID CONTAINER WITH VALVE 1 9 CONTROLLED OPENING 1 Arthur Smye, London, England, assignor to Pyrene Manufacturing Company, Newark, N. J a corporation of Delaware 4 Claims. 1

A primary object of the invention has been to i provide an arrangement in which, when the valve is operated to cause discharge of the contents of the container, it will remain open until the operating means is again positively actuated to close the valve.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention the valve is moved into the open position by a handle pivoted to the container and connected to the valve member by a pivoted v link. The handle and link in the opening movemerit pass through a dead-centre position, whereafter the handle becomes urged by the spring against a stop and positive operation of the handle is necessary to return the valve member to the closed position.

The invention may be applied to a container for a single fluid whose contents is to be discharged under pressure during a substantial period of time or to an apparatus in which two fluids, such as reacting liquids, are normally retained in separate chambers and are adapted to be brought together for reaction when the apparatus is to be put into use.

A further object of the invention has been to provide an arrangement in which a double valve means for controlling both the intermixture of the reacting fluids and the discharge of the fluid resulting therefrom requires positive operation for opening the same and further positive operation for closing the same.

When the invention is embodied in a fire extinugisher containing two liquid foam-generating reagents it may be contained in a cap detachable from the rest of the container. The valve member then includes a stem slidable through the wall of the cap and serving both to close the discharge opening and to prevent mingling of the reagents.

An illustrative form of the invention will be described, by way of example, as applied to an extinguisher of the character last indicated, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the valve member in the closed position; and

2 Figure 2 is a similar view showing the valve member in the open position.

The extinguisher has an outer container 2 which holds an alkaline solution and an inner container 4 which holds acid solution mixed with a foam-stabilizing compound. The inner con-.

tainer hangs within the neck of the outer container from a short tubular part 6 to which it is rigidly attached. The part 6 has a number of openings 8, an in-turned lip It] at its bottom and an out-turned lip l2 at its top. The lip l2 rests on the thickened neck of the outer container and is held in position by a, cap M which screws firmly onto this neck. A rubber gasket i6 and a thin resilient plate It are gripped between the lip l2 and the cap.

The valve member slides vertically through the cap and consists of a rod '20 carrying a hard rubber disc 22 gripped between washers 23 at its lower end and a hard rubber grommet 24 engaging a groove 26 about its middle. The lower part of the rod 20 is surrounded by a coil spring 28 which bears on the plate l8 and one of the washers 23 and urges the disc 22 to seat on the lip It]. In this position, as shown in Figure 1, the lower chamfered surface of the grommet 25 seats on a corresponding part 30 of the plate I8. Since the only opening in the plate I8 is a clearance opening 3| around the rod 20, the alkaline solution cannot escape nor can the two solutions meet because of the closure of the inner container by the disc 22.

On th outside of the cap 14 is a handle 32 pivoted on a pin 34 carried by the cap. This handle is linked to the rod 29 and in fact there are two identical links 31, one on each side of the rod, in order to make the construction strong. Each link extends from a pivot 36 on the handle to'a pivot pin 38 on the upper end of the rod. The handle normally rests relatively close to the cap, room being left for fingers to grip it at 49. When the handle is lifted, the rod 20 is raised, and the handle 32 and links 3? reach th position shown in Figure 2. It will be seen that the handle and links have passed a dead centre and the action of the spring 28 is to urge the rod 20 downwards again and so move the'handle' further. However such movement is limited by engagement'of the part 42 of the handle with the cap. Theposition of the handle, links and'valve member shownin Figure 2 is such that positive operation of the 'handle in the opposite direction is necessary to return the valve member to the closed position shown in Figure 1.

It will be understood that the grommet 24 is sufliciently compressible to permit the handle to be moved across the dead center position in either direction.

In the position shown in Figure 2 there is a clear passage past the lip l and disc 22 and through the openings 8 for the two solutions to meet. Moreover there is a clear passage from within the part 6 through the opening 3!, and; thence through slots 44 and a passage 46 to an outlet nozzle 48. Thus when the handle 32 has been lifted inversion of the extinguisher will bring about reaction of the solutions and the discharge of foam. The upper chamfered surface of the grommet 2 1 seats on a part 50 of the cap [4 and so prevents leakage of foam past the rod 20. The nozzle 48 is covered by a rubber cap 52 to exclude dirt. This is blown off as soon as foam begins to form.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a fire extinguisher comprising a container for fluid, said container having a part in fixed relation thereto and having a passage for the discharge of fluid therefrom, the combination of a valve member shiftable in an opening extending through a wall of said container for controlling the discharge of fluid through said passage, a spring engaged at one end with said part and at its other end with said valve member normally urging said valve member into closed position, and means for operating said valve member comprising a hand operated lever pivotally mounted on said container, a link pivotally connected with said valve member and lever, the pivot for said lever being constantly disposed at the same side of the pivots of said link, said several pivots being so arranged that said link will be carried through a dead center position upon the valv opening movement of said lever, said spring serving thereafter to urge said lever further in the valve opening direction, and means for arresting such further movement of the lever after said dead center position of the link has been passed, said valve member comprising a readily compressible sealing element adapted to seal said opening through the wall of said container when said valve is held in its opened position.

2. In a fire extinguisher comprising an outer container and an inner container adapted to retain two separate fluids capable of reacting to discharge a fire extinguishing fluid, said outer container having a passage for the discharge of said fire extinguishing fluid therefrom, and means providing a passage communicating with the interior of both of said containers, the combination of valve means including a common member for closing both of said passages, one of said containers having a part in fixed relation thereto, spring means engaged at one end with said part and at its other end with said valve means for urging the latter into closed position, and means. for operating said valve means to open said passages comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said outer container, a link connecting said lever with said member, said link being arranged to pass through a dead center position in the operation of said valve means to open said passages and thereafter acting under the influence of said spring means to urge said lever further in the valve opening direction, and means for arresting further movement of the parts after said deadcenter position of the link has been passed, I

3. In a fire extinguisher comprising an outer 4 container for fluid having an opening through the wall thereof, a cap secured to said container over said opening to substantially close the same, said cap having a passage for the discharge of fluid therefrom, an inner container within said outer container, means providing a passage communicating with the interiors of both containers, one of said containers having a part in fixed relation thereto, the combination of valve means for closing both of said passages, spring means reacting against said part of one of said containers and said valve means for normally urging said valve means into closed position, a member carried by said cap and connected with said valve means for controlling the same, and means for operating said member to open said valve means comprising a lever pivotally mounted on said cap, a link pivotally connected at spaced points to said lever and member, respectively, a horizontal plane passing through the point of connection of said link with said member being disposed always at the same side of a horizontal plane through the pivot of said lever, said link being arranged to pass through a dead center position upon movement of said lever in a valve opening direction and serving to urge said lever further in the'same direction under the influence of said spring means as the dead center position is passed, and means for limiting the extent of such further movement of the lever.

4. In a fire extinguisher comprising a container for fluid, said container-having a passage for the discharge of fluid therefrom, the combination of a valve member disposed partly within said container and having a portion extending through an opening to the exterior thereof, said valve member having an element arranged to close said passage when said member is in one position and to seal said opening when said member is in another position, said element being compressible, said container having a part in fixed relation thereto, a spring engaged at one end with said part and at its other end with said valve member normally urging said valve member into the position for closing said passage, means for operating said valve member comprising a hand operated lever pivotally mounted on said container, a link pivotally connected with said valve member and lever, the pivots for said link being at all times above the pivot for said lever and said several pivots being so arranged that said link will be carried through a dead center position upon movement of said lever to carry said element from its passage closing position to its sealing position, said element being compressed upon movement of said link through its dead center position, said spring serving thereafter to urge said lever further in the same direction, and means for arresting such further movement of the lever after said dead center position of the link has been passed.

ARTHUR SMYE.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS