US2641476A - Apparatus for dispensing small articles over a restricted area - Google Patents

Description

J. .1. KELEHER 2,641,476 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SMALL ARTICLES OVER A RESTRICTED AREA June 9, 1953 Filed Jan. 14, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 AiP/ E? 5 INVENTOR. JfiMffJ FEM-W55 June 9, 1953 J J. KELEHER APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING'SMALL ARTICLES OVER A RESTRICTED AREA Filed Jan. 14, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .Jfl/WES J 515 /56 June 9, 1953 J. J. KELEHER APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SMALL ARTICLES OVER A RESTRICTED AREA 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1948 INVENTOR. JflMfj .J 4 51 6W5? Patented June 9, 1953 APPARATUS FQRDISPENSING SMALL ARTI- CLESQ OVER-ABESTRIOTED AREA Jame-5.33. Keleher; Sacramento, Califz, assignor to: BrismmPrmincts;1110., Dayton, Ohio, 8360,1110

rationflof New-York ALppliicaticnLJannary 14, 1948, Serial No. 2;338

machine and thespheredispenser-is mounted on" orconnected with the striping machine-in 1 the =rearof the binderapplying nozzle, so that itisf located directly abovethe applied stripe of binder.- Heretofore such dispensers; for, the most part at-l'east, have included a'rotata-ble element for discharging anddistributing? the. glass spheres, andthe quantitygof spheres distributed over a given length of stripe was controlledby the'speed'at whichthat element rotated-L The operation and'control' of' such adispenser' re;-

quireda mechanism for driving the rotatable element, clutch means for starting and stopping the rotation thereof and a change in gear ratio when the quantity of spheres distributed over a given length of' stripe was to be changed.

Consequently the cost of producing and main-,- :1;

taining'such' adispenseris high.

@ne object of the invention is to; provide a dispenserwhich discharges and distributes the glass spheres without'the use of a movabl'eel'ement;

A further object of the invention is to; provide such adispenser-in which the discharge; and distribution: of; the spheres is eiiected wholly: by gravity:

' A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser inwhich the-di'scharge'of spheres is controlled by the opening and closing off a relatively small outlet;

A further objectof the invention is toprovide a dispenser which distributes the; spheres uni formlyover the stripe of binder and confines the distribution thereof to the width of, the stripe; so that there isno Wastingyofi the spheres.

further'object ofthe invention is to' provide a dispenser'having adjustable means for limit-'- ing'the extent to which theoutl'et may be opened, thereby enabling the quantity of beads distributed over agiven length of" stripe to be quickly and easily changed.

mfunthen object ofthe invention isto provide 2% adispenser which can bemanufactured: at: a relatively low cost-and which can-bemaintained at little or no expense.

Otherobjects of the invention may: appear as the apparatus is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is: arear elevation, partly in section, of a dispenser embodying my invention; Fig: 2 is a side elevation of such a dispenser, partly in section; Fig; 3 is a top plan view'of the dispenser; 4- isa side elevation of a dispenser, including a portion of the. supporting structure therefor; and Fig; 5 is a, rear elevation of aportion of the supporting structure and of two dispensers.

In these drawings, I have illustrated one embodiment of my, inventionand have shown the same as designed for. attachment to, a striping machine. of. a known construction, but it is to be understood that the dispenser as a whole, as-well astheseyeral parts, thereof, may" take various forms and that the, dispenser; may be propelledin various ways, withoutdepartingfrom the, spirit. of. the. invention. It is. to be further understood that. the dispenser is not limited to the. dispensing, of 7 glass. spheres, commonly called beads, but may be used, with or with,- out modification,- for dispensing small. articles of various kindseither for road Strip i for other purposes, and. the. term, beads. as here.- inafter, used, is intended to, include; any. articles capable of. being, dispensed by the. claimed. apiparatus.

In theparticular:construction here illustrated the dispenser comprises a bead. receptacle H) which is: preferably of relatively smallcapacity andis adapted to be conncctedvwith, a hopper, or other-bead container of larger capacity.. As here shown thereceptacle-is cylindrical, in form andis provided: with means, suchas 'apertured ears. H, by which itmaybe secured to. a suitable base, in the present;instance an upright. plate, i2. adapted to, be mountedon or connected with a supporting structure andhaving at its upper, end .a rearwardly extending part or flange i3. The receptacle is provided in the, cylindrical wall thereof with an opening through which beads may be supplied thereto and with inlet chute Hi leading tothe opening and adapted to be connected as by. a suitable conduit it, with a source of'suppl'yof beads, such as the hopper iii shown in Figs. 4 audit. The receptacle is provided at its lower end'with. an outlet through which the beads! may: be dis;- charged therefrom. Preferably the bottom: Wall ii of the receptacle is concave inform and-has atitscenter a; ci'rcular outlet-opening I la. through which the beads may move by gravity. This outlet is normally closed by a movable member, the opening and closing of which is under the control of an operator at a station more or less remote from the dispenser. The movable member is shown at l8 as located below the outlet and of such a character that it functions both as a valve member to control the flow of beads through the outlet and as a spreader to spread the beads which are discharged through the outlet. It is preferably frusto-conical in form and the upper -end portion thereof is adapted to enter the outlet and to engage a valve seat surrounding the outlet. This valve seat may be the edge of' the'bottom wall but preferably the edge ofthebottom-wall about the outlet is provided with a sealing member IQ, of rubber or other yieldablevmaterial;

which will firmly engage the inclined surface of the valve member so as to prevent the passage of beads when the valve member is in its closed position, it being remembered that the beadssusedfor 'road striping-are oft'en 'as small as .004 of' an inch in diameter. The valve member is supported and :actuated by a rodl2ll securedtotheupper end thereof and extending upwardly through'the out,-

'let and through a bearing-2| in thetop wallof the bead receptacle, the rod being actuatedin a manner which. will be hereinafter described. V The distribution of beads discharged through the outlet is'confined to arestrictedarea, inthe present instance to a width closely approximating the width of the stripe of binder to which the beads-are applied. gFor this purpose askirt. 22. preferably circular inform, is supported about .the valve memberwith-itsupper edge slightly abovetheoutlet 11c andwithitslower edge extending downwardly belowthe lower edge of the .valve member. .;The skirt is preferably carried by the, receptacle I I), which. extends slightly .below the base plate [2; and hasat its. top an inwardly,

extending portion 23 provided with an annular fiangelll which extendsupwardly about the low- .er p'ortion of the receptacle. In the particular construction illustrated the bottom wall I1 is separatefrom the body of the receptacle and is provided with a flange 25 which isrigidly supported inthe lower portion ,of, the flange24 of the skirt in abutting contact with the lower edge of the ing the valve member or spreader will fall upon the bafiies and will be carried, inwardly toward'the center of the stripe and the beads as a whole will be uniformly distributed over the stripe The opening and closing movements ofthe valve member may be controlled in any suitable manner. Preferably the valve member is normally yieldably retained in its closed position and power means are provided for moving the same to its open position. In the present construction the rod 20 extends upwardly above the receptacle into a fluid cylinder 21, mounted on the .upper portion of the base plate [2, and is connected with a piston 28 within the cylinder. finedbetween the lower 'end of the cylinder and A spring 29 conthe piston urges the latter upwardly and thus yieldably maintains the valve member on its seat. A fluid conduit 30 is connected with the cylinder above the piston and is adapted to be connected, as by a fitting 3|, with a valve controlled conduit, not shown, which extends to a source of supply of fluid, preferably air, underpressure. Thus upon the admission of air to the cylinder'the valve is moved to outlet opening position and is retained in that position as long as the air pressure on the piston ismaintained. When the air pressure is cut ofi thespring returns the valve member to outlet closing position.

.Means are provided for positively limiting the opening movement of the valve member so that the outlet will have a fixed capacity so long as the air pressureon the piston is maintained. To enable the capacity of the outlet to be varied and-to thereby increase or decrease the quantity of beads distributed over a given area, the means o im i -rt en ne mo e ent of, .the;va1v -member=. s:,.made ;;adiu tab e-@;:I t ienn e ment here shown--a vertically movable adjusting rod 3g is mounted in a bearing 33 secured to the y ateqan e tend -up ardly thr eh the rearwardly extending part I3 of the base plate. S u d; mt a1 wer P t n-.Q t is diu ti e r s;- st p .34; vi p n e ,5 h ou h which the rod -2 ll; extends,-an;d the rod 2D -;has apart arranged abovethe stop 34,- and ofgreater dthv he he-. eninaea a oal t the w war m vem n 11 r with r ion to. e s In t e res nt i anc ,te a ita e a sembl e-.r@d: rm d- :i r wo pa s 7 whi areconnected-one to the other bya coupling de-, vice 36; andthis coupling device is; utilized as the p t 1-0 7: tqno rthe-rod .0; whi h cop with th 114 =,Qnrl h ca iv t i t ha P@ i radiu t e-irq -whichr ds above the part1 3' of the ba e plate is-proyided with h e w il and a. nu B mo n d. orig-this threaded portion of the rod and contacts with the upper surfaee of the part [3 of the base plate. -A- spring 39' confined between the--stop 34 and the bearing 33 urges, the" adjusting rod downwardly. The rotation .of ,the nut ,33 in one direction; will move the stop 34 upwardly and the rotation; of, the'nut in thecther direction will permit the adjusting rod-to be moved down; wardly-by thespring 39, thus enabling the stop to be moved t and retained rin an exactly-ad-v justed, position; 513 facilitate the adjustment. or the stopthemut 38 has onqits; top surface a sr es: 9?; era u ii ns- 0, w th. wh c oo e a fixed pointer 4|. The graduations are prefer ably calibrated in. miles :per hour; so that the li b fi9n p the bead an be- -r --a e fiie z i r he n ed atw ch .ihe smpmeiit chine, or other movable support for thes disse ses mqr sfllio av d ihepossbnity'bf t'fi adjustinglnutfi beinginadvertently-rotated,,by the, vibration vpf tl' e striping machine or other* wise, there is provided a positivelock-forth nut In -the arrangement shownflthe threaded end porti on .of the adjusting rod 32 isproyided wither axial bore 42 andQa-pin 43. extends loosely through one conyolution, 0f] the thread?! into thebore 52;. .A; screw M, "having, a knurled head ta threaded into. the bore: 42. nd is mean at its-lowenend with ataperedyportiondt adapted to engage the I pin- 43 and move. the same .:-0ut-' wardlyto cause :the-outer'aend 'of the pin-Ito firmly .engage the-nut 3'8 and lock, the latter against movement. After- -thestop 34-hasbeen adjusted 'the screw *44 moved-downwardly= to steamers locli the nutz- Preferably the ta'pered end of tlie screw 474'- is provided with an: enlargement or. flange t which -will engagethe -pin= 43 andjprevent the screw from being' moved outwardly far enough to release the'pin 'and permit it to es cape from the opening! in whichiti'i's supported Thea'base-plate I2 is; provided with forwardly extending lugs 48 -1537 which: it may be-connected; by aisupporting member on draft-"bar W, with a partof" the striping" machine or other vehicle to which thedispenser is attachedz- In Figs; 4" and 5' -I have shown cne'means' for-supporting the dispenser and attaching-= thesame to'-- the propelling vehicle; As there showrr two dis-- pensers are connected side by side 1 to' s-imultaneously apply the beads toparallel stripes of binderon=:the highway; Thetwo" dispensingunits are ri'g-idly connected one with the other'bya cross bar Strand are-both connected with a singlehop per l 6 Supported'f'rom the cross" bar Eil' i'saz wheel-*5 which supports the-hopperand thus provides a rear" support for the dispensers; the fcrward portionsof' which are connected with and supported by the draft -bar'or hitchby 'which they: are connected with the-propellingvehiclea- While I haveshown anddescribed one= embodiment ofmy'invention I wish it tube underst'ood" tha-t I do not desire-tube limited tothe details thereof, asvarious modifications may-0c cur to a person skilleddn the art.

I-I'aving now fully describedmy inventionwha-t I'- claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is? An apparatus for dispensing-"beads'overjan elongate narrow" area of" a'roadsurface, comprising a bead receptacle. adapted to be connect'ed with a vehicleformovement therewith and having in the bottom thereof an' outlet" throughrwhi'ch beadstmay how by gravity, a movable valve member to open and close said outlet, saith-valve members-having a; part ext'endingabout and laterally beyond: said outlet into: the path of the beads discharged through said outlet to. deflect" and spread said beads; a skirt connected with said receptacle; extendingdownwardly; beyond the' same irr laterally spaced relation; to saidoutlet and terminating adjacent to, but spaced from said read surfaceto limit the spread of said beads to arr area" defined:,by said' skirt, baflies-carried by andextendi'ng inwardly from said skirt'belowsaidwalve member to distribute said beadssubstantiallyuniformlyover saidiarea, anactuating device connected with saifclivalve and'ibiased'in valve ciosingdirectibn, andiapower operated device acting through said actuating member to move said valve member to outlet opening position.

2. An apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area of a road surface, comprising a bead receptacle adapted to be supported on a vehicle for movement therewith and having in the bottom thereof an outlet for beads, a frusto-conical valve member to open and close said outlet, the lower portion of which is of a diameter materially greater than the diameter of said outlet to laterally deflect and spread beads discharged from said outlet, a skirt connected with said receptacle about said outlet, extending downwardly therefrom to a position adjacent to but spaced from said road surface and of a diameter greater than the maximum diameter of said valve member to limit the spread of said beads, a baflie supported in said skirt beneath said valve member to spread said beads uniformly over an area defined by said baffle, an

actuatinwmemben-connected with: said valve andi biased outlet closing: direction-,1 and: as power:-

elongatenarrow area of a road surface, come prising a bead: receptacle adapted to be supzported on a vehicle for movement: therewith: and having in the bottom thereof anuoutletrfon heads, a frusto-conical' valve..memberto open and close said? outlet, the lower por-tion'v of 'whiclr is of a diameter: materially greater than the diameter ofsaith-outletto laterally deflect and spread the beads di'schargedfrom said outlet; a skirt connected withrsaid receptacle about said outer, extending downwardl y therefrom to-a position adjacent: to but spaced from: said road surface and; of" a diameter greaterthan the maximum: diameter of said valve membertolimit the spread of said beads, relatively narrow; inwardly taperedand downwardly' inclinedbaffies supported on said skirt to distribute said bead"'s-.,.over' the area defined" by said: slfi'rti an actuating-member connected with said valve 'and biased in outlet closing direction, and a power operated? device acting; through saidactuating member to=-move said valvermember in out-let opening: direction.

4:. In an apparatus-for dispensing:- beadsover an elongate narrow areaofa road surface;- a supporting structure: adapted to be connected with a vehicl'e for: movement therewith ahead receptacle supported said: structure and having a bottom-wall provided with -an outlet;v an actuating rod" extending: through said re:- ceptacle, va lve. -member connected with said rodl'b'el'ow said outlet for movement thereby to' ward-and from said outlet to cont-rol the: flow of"beads throughsaid outlet'; a"resil'ient device supported by said; structure and acting on said rod ab'ovesaid receptacle to constantly urge? said valve: toward said outlet; a power opera-ted device mounted on said supporting" structure above said 'receptacleand actingon said rod to move said 'valve toward 'its open-position; a skirt con nected! with Receptacle radially spaced relation to: said 011171617, extending== downwardly beyond said valve member and" terminating I in narrowly spacedrelation to said road surface, said valvemember having a circumferentialpart ext-ending outwardly beyond said outlet inthe path of beadsdischargedfrom said outlet t'o deflect said beads toward saidskirt; and baiiies?supported in said-shirt to distribute mid beads substantially uniformly over the area de fined by said skirt.

5. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area of a road surface, a supporting structure adapted to be connected with a vehicle for mcvement therewith, a bead receptacle supported by said structure and having a bottom wall provided with an outlet, an actuating rod extending through said receptacle, a valve member connected with said rod below said outlet for movement thereby toward and from said outlet to control the flow of beads through said outlet, a resilient device supported by said structure and acting on said rod above said receptacle to constantly urge said valve toward said outlet, a power operated device mounted on said supporting structure above said receptacle and acting on said rod to move said valve toward its open position, a skirt connected with said receptacle in laterally spaced ,irelationiito said outlet" and *qextending. downwardly cbeyond "saidaxvalvej member to a position adjacent gtoybu't spaced from said road surface, said.valve;.niemb erv;having a circumferential part extending outwardly beyond said outlet in the pathgof beads discharged from saidtoutlet to deflect said beads toward said skirt, bafiles arranged in-said skirtto d-istribute said beads; substantially uniformly over ,the area defined :by said skirt, anda conduit to connect said receptacle witha source of beads and to deliver :beads to said receptacle while said valve member -is,in,its open-position.

'6. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area of a road surface, a supporting structure adapted to beuconnected With- ,8. vehicle for movement-therewith, a bead receptacle supported by said structure andhaving abottom. wall provided with an outlet, an actuating rod extending through said receptacle, a valve member connected'with said rod below said outlet for movementthereby toward and from "said outlet to control the flow of beads through said outlet, aresilient device supported by said structure and acting on said rod above said receptacle to constantlyurge said valve toward, said outlet, a power operated device mounted on said supporting structure above said receptacle and acting on said rod to move said valve toward its open position, a skirt connected with said receptacle inlaterally spaced rela: tion tosaid outlet and extending downwardly beyond said valve member to a position adjacent to but spaced from said road surface, said valve member' having a circumferential part extending outwardlybeyond said outlet in the path of beads discharged from saidoutlet to deflect said beads toward said skirt, baffles arranged in said skirt to distribute said beads substantially uniformlyover the area defined by said skirt, and parts connectedrespectively with said rod and with said structure and co-operating to limit the movement of ,said actuating rod by said power operated device.

7. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over a narrowarea of a surface to which beads are to be applied, a bead receptacle having an outletin the bottom thereof, means for supporting said receptacle for movement over the surface to which beads are to be applied, a valve membersupported below said receptacle for movement toward and from said outlet and having'a part extending laterally beyond all sides of said outlet into the path of the beads discharged through, said outlet to deflect said beads,v laterally) ;withirelati0n 1301 said outlj i ra rod .connected with; said valve-member and-ex: tendingthrough said-outlet ,to -a position above said receptaclameans connected -.with said rod above said receptacle,,for biasing said rod in outlet closing direction," means connected: with saidrod above said-receptacle for. moving said valvemember inoutlet; opening direction, -a skirt connected with; said;r eceptacle-.and,--ex-' tending ;do wnw ardly aboutyand beyond; said valvemember, in laterally spaced relation thereto 'to limit the spread of the beads by said valve member, and narrow baffles extending inwardly and downwardly fromsaid skirt ;to points beneath said valve member, eachbaflie having inwardly converging lateral edges.

-8. In an apparatus for dispensing wbeads over a-narrow area'of'a surface to which'beads are to be'applied, a bead receptacle having an outlet in the bottom; thereof, means for sup.- portingsaid receptacle formovement over the surfaceto which beads are, to be applied, a rod movablymounted upon said supporting means and extending through said receptacle and said outlet; a frusto-conical valve member connected at its smaller end with said rod for movement thereby into and out of outlet closing position, spring means continuously urging said rod in outlet closing direction, power operated means on said supporting means for movingsaid rod in outlet opening direction, a circular skirt connected with said receptacle and extending downwardly beyond said valve member in :radially spaced-relation thereto, and bead distributing bafiies supported on and extendingv inwardly from the circular wall of said skirt into the paths of the beads discharged over said valve member. I

JAMES J. KELEHER; zReferences Cited inure file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 539,812 Hill May 28, 1895 883,564 Parrish Mar. 31, 1908 I 933,699 De Laurence "Sept. 7, 1909 1,323,663 1 Weber Dec. 2, 1919 1,796,032 Kestel Mar. 10, 1931 1,825,066 Irwin Sept. 29,1931- 2,293,26 9 Rufus Aug. 18, 1942 2,319,865 James J May 25,1943 2,369,983 Rodli. et, a1. Feb. 20, 1945. 2,407,628 Clark Sept, 17, 1946 2,508,195

Seaman et a1; May 16, 1950

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