US2661135A - Apparatus for dispensing liquids - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1,}953 J. FRASER 2,661,135

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 11, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l I :Il 4 111 1 HI I ll 5 INVENTOR JOHN TIFA ER ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1953 J. FRASER 2,661,135

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Filed Dec. 11, 1 951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 72 @4 I t x I l I L j 52 37 g; 45 54 I 5 .,J 45 I 3 INVENTOR. J'OHN FRASER A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 1, 1953 John .1 Fraser,, Tolworth, S urbi ton,-.. England; as; Signor. to. Averm-Hardoll. Limited, Tolwontl'r;

Siirbiton, England Application-December 11, 1951;.Serial N6i261";069:

Claims priority; application Great Britain December 14; 1950 This invention relatesto, apparatus for dis pensing. liquids, .the. apparatus beingt intended primarily for the .di'spensingTofflubricatingpil to vehicles .at garagesandilike establishments: It has. been. the usual. practice. of some" manufacturers .of. lubricatingaoilsito supply the. oil. in sealed. containersv of" various sizes, .which'" are opened- .only when the .lub'ricatingjoil is' supplied to. a customerbwa garage, but otherwise 'oil has commonly. been -dispensedjfrom a bulk supply; jug-like measures beingrused inwhich the oilwas carriedirom. thesupply to the vehicle for which it was intended-L. The ,use .offsealed' containers is restricted. by, the. availability of the containers, and. the supply in-measures is bothopent'o abuse by inaccuratefilling. of .the measures, and unsatisfactory from-.the pointofvie'w of clanliness'sin'ce the measures, being always. coated with oil, readilyretain dust andpther. foreign matter? Wet hose dispensingsystemshave been proposed; but are necessarily BXIJEIlSiVG, and in view of the relatively small totall'salesof. lubricating.., oil f by normal garagesand the number. of differentfbrands and grades which.must .be stocked, they. arejnot an economic proposition. except. for veryilar'ge establishments.

An object of .theinvention is to provide a liquid dispensing .unit whichdefeats any attempt by the user to giveshort measure or to mix aliqui'd calledjor withan-infe'rior grade. AnotherxobE- ject isto provide a liquid dispensing; apparatus includingsuch'.a..unit;lthe apparatus as a whole' being .arrangedtosupply the liquid'in aclean and uncontaminated condition.

Aifurther. object is to provide; a dispensing apparatus which .can be used'selectively' for supplying, any one of a number of. oils or other liquids. and lenabls the purchaser to ascertain that the .correct liquid is supplied."

According-to one feature.oftheinventionya liquiddispensing. unit comprisesja" cylinder; a"

piston displaceable in one direction by'li'quid en'- tering the cylinder through an'orifice-andmovable in the other direction to expel the said'liquid through. the same orifice; a valve "in" said"orifi'ce having. manual openingand closing means; and i The means for closure=-preventing *ppsitionhy movement of the piston from either o f 'its eirtreme positions:-

According to another 'featu'r'e' of the-invention, apparatus for dispensing" liquids com-prises, in combination; a dispensingunit according to either" of the' 'preced-ing paragraphs: a simply point, and means' fdr connecting 'said supply-point to" a*' sourceor liquid -urrderpressurey the supply point being-provided?with-a valve" co operatii rg with thevalve=-in"-the dispensing unit; and the dispensing unit and *supp-ly point being 'providd with" interlocking means; the engagement" of which bringsthevalves to a position irrwhich tlfe valvepr the--dispensing unit;; when-opened? inipartsiop'ening.movement to the valve in the supply-point: the*opening?oi thie valves preventing release-of the interlocking mea'nsf Ai-plurality'of supply points-are 'prefrably pro 'vided-" in'*asingle supply uniti" The. invention* is hereinafter described 1? with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-=- Figure l is *asectional elevatiorn of a complete liquid dispensing apparatus according to the invention t for dispensing lubricating oil w: motor vehicles:-

Fi'gure2isan elevationi'partlyin section; of a liquid. dispen'sing unitj' thpistorrhiflg-sliowh in I the. positiowwhi'ch "it occupies *wh'en th'e=-unit ls empty;;

Fig ure"4is a dtailview, "in "elevatiom of the nozzle end of, the dispensingnnit';

Ei'gure 5 isfa section' throu'gh -oneof-the supply points ofithefdispensing apparatus showing 'the nozzle. IOfThBidiSDl-iflfifi?Uniting ertd- "there'in lou't not interengaged therewith to revent withdrawal; j

Fi'gureZG' is :aview similar-td'Ffgure 5 bi 1ii shbW in'gj. the idispensing'unit intren'gagecl" with the mpplytunitfiandthe waives pem- Figure 'ris' aplamviewofja supply oints-partly in sectionpnithe line1.""1bf Ffgured and Rifrring Iii-Figure l -'ofthehrawings; a supp1y ,unit I 0.? comprises" a* hollow pedestal having'i a base I l inner'and"outertubulan walls l 2 and l3, andf a'*fix'edannulalr -'top=' plate i 4 extnizlinzgmoetweenithewall's wand-' 3? Mduntedzin'fitne plate M1 inij'circumferentiai arrays are: a number fof i of the plate is opened by a trigger to the handle 39 and housed in a recess 58m the 3 spaced except that twice the normal spacing is provided between one pair of adjacent points. Each supply point I5 is connected by a conduit l 6 to a supply of oil under pressure, the conduits l6 being led out through the base of the pedestal. A cover plate I1 is rotatably mounted at I8 on the plate l4, the cover plate |1 having a frusto- The piston 40 is urged towards the nozzle end of the unit by a spring 59. The sleeve 48 is enlarged internally at its ends, as shown at 60 and 6|, chamfered rings 62 and 63 being fitted against the shoulders formed by the changes of bore diameter. The stem 41 is formed with three apertures 64 in a common plane perpendicular conical edge surface |9 which is surrounded by a rim secured to the plate I4, the rim 28 being formed with windows 2|. A single hole 22, on the same pitch circle as the supply points I5 is .provided in the cover plate l1, and legends are printed or otherwise marked on the surface |9 so that when the hole 22 registers with any supply point, a legend is visible in each window indicating the brand and grade of oil available at that supply point.

The space within the upper portion of the inner tubular wall |2 provides a housing for a dispensing unit 23 when the latter is not in use, the unit 23 resting on a rubber ring 24 supported on a flange 25. A cap 26, hinged at 21 on the cover plate l1, covers, when closed, the housing for the dispensing unit 23 and the hole 22, being secured in the closed position by the hooked end of one arm 28 of a latch member pivotally mounted at 29 on the cover plate H. The latch member has a second arm 30 which, when the latch is operative, enters, if the cover plate is in the correct angular position, between two lugs 3| on the plate |4, thus preventing rotation of the cover plate I1. The latch member is urged by a spring 32 to the engaged position, and is retained in that position by a key-operated lock 33.

Referring now to Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, the dispensing unit 23 comprises a transparent cylinder 34 located in an apertured metal casing 35 integral with a frusto-conical end member 36 tapering to a delivery nozzle 31. A

second end member 38 is screwed into the other A end of the casing 35, the end member 38 having attached to it a laterally projecting handle 39. A piston 49 having a short cylindrical portion 4| which fits in the cylinder 34 and carries a liquidtight packing ring 42, has a tapered portion 43 the cone angle of which is very slightly larger than that of the end member 36, terminating in a short cylindrical portion 44. The nozzle end of the member 36 is divergent outwardly, the delivery nozzle 31 being a separate member which is a press fit on an externally cylindrical part of the member 36, the bore of the nozzle being divergent outwardly as shown at 45, and having a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves 46 in its inner wall.

A tubular stem 41 projects into the cylinder 34 from the end member 38, and slides within a sleeve 48 fixed to the piston 40. A valve rod 49 extends through the stem 41 and sleeve 48, passing through a bore 50, ing ring 5|, in the piston 40. The valve rod 49 carries, at one end, a valve member 52 having two frusto-conical portions with different angles of conicity, fitting respectively. in the divergent end of the member 36 and in the nozzle 31, the

latter portion being slotted diametrically to receive a plate 53, secured by rivets 54, the ends 53 constituting radial. wings 55. cooperating with the grooves 46 in the nozzle to prevent rotation of the valve member. The valve member 52 is urged towards its closed position by a spring 56 suprrounding the valve rod 49, and lever 51 pivotally attached said handle.

in which is fitted a packto its axis, to locate three balls 65, the spacing of the rings 62 and 63 being such that when the piston is at the nozzle end of the unit, as shown in Figure 2, the balls can move out into the enlargement 60, whilst when the piston is at the other end'of its stroke, the balls can move out into the recess 6|, movement of the piston away from either of these positions causing the balls to be forced radially inwardly into the stem 41. A chamfered disc 66 is mounted on the valve rod 49,:and the balls 65, when in their inward position, act between the edges of the holes 64 and the surface of the disc 66 to hold the valve member 52 in the open position, the chamfer on the rings 62 and 63 being so arranged that movement of the piston forces the balls inwardly and thus ensures that such movement is accompanied by opening of the valve member to a substantial extent. A light coil spring 61 is mounted inside the'stem 41, and, when the balls 65 are in their inward positions, this spring acts on them at points radially outwardly of their centres, thus tending to hold them in the position in which they hold the valve member open. A plunger 68, having a conical nose 69, is mounted on the valve rod 49, having a limited lost motion thereon and being urged towards the valve member 52 by a spring 10, the nose 69, when the valve rod 49 is moved to open the valve fully, engaging the balls to displace them outwardly against the resistance of the spring 61.

The nozzle 31 is provided with a pair of wings 1| which engage, as hereinafter described, with a groove in the supply unit to hold the dispensing unit in position therein, these wings being chamfered as shown at 12 in Figure 4, to provide easy engagement with the said groove.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 8, each supply .point l5 includes atubular bodyv 13 located in an opening in the plate M, to which the body is secured by bolts, one of which is shown at 14, passing upwardly through a flange 15 on the body 13 into tapped holes in the plate 14. The upper end of the body 13 is shaped internally at 16 to .receive the nozzle 31 of the dispensing unit, and

is formed with an internal groove 11, the upper wall of which is cut away at 18, to receive the ,wings 1| on the nozzle, a stop 19 (Figure 7) being provided in the groove which co-operates 'with one of the wings 1| to limit angular move- .in an enlarged cylindrical part of the body 13 below the part 16, the valve seat member having depending legs 9| one of which is slotted longi- -tudinally at 62 to receive a set screw 83 which .prevents the seat member from rotating whilst allowing it to move axially. A packing ring 84 prevents leakage of oil between the seat member The seat member 80 is urged upwardly by a spring 85 against a shoulder 86 in the body, the spring 85 taking its abutment on a disc 81 supported by legs 88 from a plug 89 screwed into the lower end of the body at 96. The seat member has an upwardly convergent frusto-conical bore into which a valve member 9| having a frusto-conical land 92 is urged by a spring 93, the valve member having a zoomed flange;v 914' which lies. between. the-1egs- 8 and serves to, gu de the valve member; the flange 94 also seating on a 1ip flilwonthe seatmembertt toclOSe. thepassage through the seatmember; Atjhe, upper. end; of the, frusto-conical bore in the seahmemher. soithere is,formed'an'-inward1y projecting rib 535' (Figure 87, which'isgroovedat two, diametrically oppositepoints, at'ilfi; These grooves are so. positioned that" they are aligned with; the Win s, 55; on the. valve member 52." of theddispensing, unit when the. Wings 1! of the said, unit; have been entered into; the; groove 71 and, the. iSDCIlSil'lg; unit turned to bring one of the; said. wingsfl'bup. against-the stop 19;.

T1111 plug; 8,9"h1as, a through. bore 9:? which is reduced in diameter at its upper end" to: receive a I r sfi'gnotched "atBQi'and having a flange 109 at its upper end; which rests normally on the top ofthe plug-89e The plflnger-Q-Shttsa small passage till-passing through it'. Any su-bstantial fiowof oil from tl re co-ndu-it it through the supply-unit i5'1ifts-theplunger-98; and; in doing'so; rocks'alevel-l as to the-position shown in Figure--63 the lever beingeonneeted to --an external indicator (not shown) which thus indicates'when-oilis-flowing;

When thedispensing -unit 23 is empty, the-piston- 49 is-at the nozzle end'of the unit 2 aseshown in-F'igureQ'; and "there is=substantially no-iesidue of 'o-illeft thereine To fill the dispensing'unit, the-nozzle 37 1s inserted into a supply unit "I 5; the wings I! i being passed through the notches l8, and-' the dispensing unit: turned 1 through 90 to engage the-xwings-Ti the groove- -73? and :bring one wing H upagainst the stop 7'9. The+wings 55 on the valvemember- 52--are-' then in alignment E with the grooves: 96 in the valve seat member, andthe-rim orth e nozzle fil makesa fluid tight joint with -th'e--seat member- 8B,- forcing the latter --slightly-= away from theshoul-der' 86 a ga-inst th e spring fihi Operation ofthe triggerlever- 'lwillthen-open both the valvemember- 52 mthe dispensing unit and the valve memlo'ei 9 I in the supply unit, such aetionheing impossib1e-in-- any other relative-angular position of the twounits; as the wings 55 are-obstructed by-the=valve seat m'emmen 80 and-the valve member--52 cannot displace the valve member-9l relative to'its-sea-t; As'soon dispensing unit; the-balls s are pushedinwardly-bythe sleeve-M to is position irrwhich they act on 'the dise t 6 to prevent 'upward 'movement Of the valve rod, and v the val-ves are -theref0re prevented-horn closing until the dispensing-unit is -full; the: piston lfl having -reaoh'ed the positionshown in Figure-3", in which the balls can mover outwardly-"into the recess 6i} and allow theevalvescto:close: It will be noted that whilst thezvalves-zare open,: the dispensing unit cannot besremoved. from: thessupply-unit since the wings 55';.being;;inengagement '2 with both the grooves lli'einithe .nozzle: s1; andthe grooves 96 in: the "seat members: Bil; -.prevent relative; turning; of the 2 two units; Thedispensingmnit thereforecannotrhe removed-from the supply unit'until'it is:full,; thus ensuringthat it is completely filledig.

The .filled; dispensing unit is: then removed from the supplymnit, and itsnozzlerinserted:into, for--example,-- the oil filling. orifice-of a;.vehicle engine; the -valve member '31 being ;kept inthe olosedposition meanwhile:- The, valve member 31 .is then .opened by. operating-thei-trigger;lever 51 ;-.,and ..oil.. .commenees ;to show ,from the dispensing unit, being forced out by the spring 59. The

6 initiahmovementof the'piston causesthe chain-- fered: ring to act on the balls 65*- and" urge them inwardly; andtheyare retained'in" their inward positionby the sleeve il' until the dis-'- pensingunit is empty. Thuycommencement' of I delivery ofthe-oil is-necessarily accompanied by movement of the "balls tothe position in which they hold the. valveopen, andit is--impossible to stop the; delivery, before the whole contents of the dispensing unit" has"been delivered; although the valve member52gmay bet-moved' withinlirnits toivary the rate ofdeli'very. When the'dispens mg unit. is completely empty, the" balls are opposite to the recess 58 "in'the sleeve #8; hutthe spring 672 prevents them from moving outwardly, and ;manipulation of the trigger lever 57 to-b'rin the frusto-conical'nose 69of the plungerBWbetween the balls is necessary to displace them outwardly, Such manipulation of." the" trigger lever opens the valve to its widestextenti giving free escape for thelast drops. of. oil. in the dis pensing unit.

Similarv full opening of'the valve member 52 must be efiected: to produce displacementofi'the balls 65 when the dispensing unit has been filled. Thus the valve member. 52"must always be'open'ed fully atlth'evendof'a filling or emptyingoperation, giving the freest possible now of oil'intoor'outof thedispensingunit, andfieven if the chamfered rings 62 and 53 are so. positionedthatth'efballs 65 cease to he retainedlinrtheir,inward'position by the sleeve lil slightly heforethe pistonreaches the end of its. stroke, the. valve must'heso far open to allow their outward'movement tha-t"the piston stroke willlb'e completediheiiore' theiva-lve closes.

Any one of'the supply points I5"'may 'be made accessible to the. dispensingunit 23 by rotating the cover plate l'lto a'suitable positiomgandthe appropriate legends on theied'ge l9fof thepl'ate l'i'are visible through the windows}! 'wh'enthe plate is rotated'to the desired position: Access to. the dispensing;unitj.-23fjin its housing is' obltained bylifting ,the .cap, v2b,,whir'zh opens against a.-resilient stop 1031(Figure1). Thehol 22"11'1 the .cover platell'l.idarrangedlto register with the gap between supply poihtsJFwhen -the;said plate is locked Lagainst; rotation, so. that;alL the supply points. are 7. covered and... protected; from dust and otherrforeign matter.

Dispensing units. ofidifierent sizes may, helprovided for supplying difierent .quantitiesof loiLgin order. to .avoidifilling- .atsmalliunit several; times when a-largequantityis required.

Whilst the. aboveparticular. description relates to. dispensing apparatus 4f or oil, and the; dispensing. of .oil is believed. .to. be. the. primary; fieldeof usefulness of :the invention, it isitotbe. understood that apparatus according tosthei invention :may also be used vin.-the dispensing of otherxliquidst I claim:

1.. A" liquid: dispensingsunit comprising; 5 a; cylinder, a piston mountedin saidtcylinder iand movablev between two-5' terminal. positions: therein, means sacting OIl'iihGDiSfiOll'iDO: urgezit towards one terminal positiom atlrionesendaoi the cylinderga valve to 'closecan orifieetin the-said lend-rot the cylinder; resilient means; aetinggonz said :valveito close'it, manual openingmeanst-connected: to said valve, means to .hold said ,valve: in 'theaopen position and means carried byrthe'piston -tO'hO1d :the valve holding; means .insits. operative. position. at all: positions {of theepistonintermediatexits1terminalpositionse 2. A liquid dispensing 'unit comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable between two terminal positions therein, means acting on the piston to urge it towards one terminal position at one end of the cylinder, a valve to close an orifice in the said end of the cylinder, resilient means acting on the said valve to close it, a stem fixed to said valve, means to move said stem axially to open the valve, a collar on said stem, a tube fixed in said cylinder and surrounding said stem and collar, a radial aperture in said tube, a detent member located in said aperture and movable into the path of said collar when the valve is open to prevent closing of the said valve, and a sleeve carried by the piston and surrounding said tube, the sleeve having formed on it a cam surface to displace the detent member into the path of the collar as the piston moves from either of its terminal positions and retain the detent member in the path of the said collar until the piston reaches its other terminal position.

3. A liquid dispensing unit comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable between two terminal positions therein, resilient means acting on the piston to urge it towards one terminal position at one end of the cylinder, a valve to close an orifice in the said end of the cylinder, a tube fixed to said cylinder and extending inwardly from the other end thereof, a stem fixed to said valve and passing through said tube, manual means to move said stem axially to open said valve, a collar on said stem, a detent member located in a radial aperture in said tube, cam means mounted on said piston and having a cam surface to displace the detent member into the path of the collar as the piston moves from either of its terminal positions and retain the said detent member in the path of the said collar until the piston reaches its other terminal position, resilient holding means to hold said detent member in the path of said collar independently of the cam means, and a release member carried by the stem to move the detent member out of the path of the collar against the resistance of said resilient holding means.

4. A liquid dispensing unit comprising a cylinder, a frusto-conical extension at one end of the said cylinder, a handle at the other end of said cylinder, a piston in said cylinder movable between two terminal positions therein, a frustoconical extension on said piston which enters and substantially fills the frusto-conical extension of the cylinder at one terminal position of the piston, a nozzle at the apical end of said cylinder extension formed with an outwardly divergent orifice, a frusto-conical valve member to close said orifice, a rod fixed to said valve member and extending through said piston to the other end of the cylinder, a trigger lever pivotally mounted on said handle and engaging said rod to apply a thrust thereto to open the valve, a tube in said cylinder fixed to the handle end thereof and surrounding the rod, a sleeve fixed to the piston and surrounding the tube, a coiled compression spring surrounding the sleeve, abutments for said spring on said cylinder and piston whereby the said spring acts to urge the piston towards the nozzle end of the cylinder, spring means acting on said rod to close said valve member, a detent member located in a radial hole in said tube, a collar on said rod, the interior of said sleeve having a central portion of uniform diameter and end portions of larger diameter, each of the said larger diameter portions co-operating with the detent member when the piston is in one of its terminal positions to allow the detent member to a sume an outward position, and the central portion of said sleeve co-operating with the detent member at all times when the piston is between its terminal positions to displace the detent member inwardly, the detent member in its inward position engaging the collar to prevent closing of the valve member.

5. In liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a liquid dispensing unit nd a supply unit for filling the said dispensing unit, said dispensing unit and supply unit having mutually engaging interlocking means, the liquid dispensing unit comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable between two terminal positions therein, means acting on the piston to urge it towards one terminal position at one end of the cylinder, a valve to close an orifice in the said end of the cylinder, resilient means acting on said valve to close it, manual valve opening means, means to hold said valve in the open position, and means carried by the piston to hold the valve holding means in its operative position at all positions of the piston intermediate its terminal positions, and the said supply unit comprising a source of liquid under pressure, a socket, conduit means connecting said socket to said source, and valve means in said socket, adapted for opening by movement of the valve in the dispensing unit to the open position and interengaging elements on the valve in the dispensing unit and in said socket, said interengaging elements co-operating when the dispensing unit is interlocked with the supply unit to prevent disengagement of the interlocking means.

6. In liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a liquid dispensing unit and a supply unit for filling the said dispensing unit, the liquid dispensing unit comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable between two terminal positions therein, means acting on the piston to urge it towards one terminal position at one end of the cylinder, a valve to close an orifice in the said end of the cylinder and movable outwardly in said orifiec to its open position, radial wings on said valve engaging grooves in the wall of said orifice, resilient means acting on said valve to close it, manual valve opening means, means to hold said valve in the open position, and means carried by the piston to hold the valve holding means in its operative position at all positions of the piston intermediate its terminal positions, and said supply unit comprising a source of liquid under pressure, a socket, conduit means connecting said socket to said source, valve means in said socket engaged by the valve in the dispensing unit for opening thereby, and means co-operating with the wings on the valve in the dispensing unit to permit opening of the valves in only one relative angular position of the dispensing unit and socket, mutually engaging interlocking means being provided on said dispensing unit and in said socket and said wings and co-operating means" being positioned to allow opening of the valves when said interlocking means are engaged.

7. In liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a liquid dispensing unit and a supply unit for filling the said dispensing unit, the liquid dispensing unit comprising a cylinder, a piston mounted in said cylinder and movable between two terminal positions therein, means acting on the piston to urge it towards one terminal position at one end of thecylinder, a nozzle at that end of the cylinder, a valve to close an orifice in the said nozzle and manual valve opening means, and the supply unit comprising a plurality of sources of liquid under pressure, a. plurality of sockets each connected to one of said sources and each adapted to receive said nozzle, means to retain said nozzle in each of said sockets, valve means in each of said sockets adapted for opening by movement of the valve in said nozzle to the open position, a shield having a single opening therein and movable to align said opening with any one of the sockets, and indicating means associated with the shield to provide an indication changing with the position of the shield. JOHN FRASER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Wallace Nov. 27, 1927 Tunnell Dec. 26, 1922 Holdridge May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Netherlands Nov. 15, 1948 Great Britain Nov. 4, 1937

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