US2811289A

US2811289A - Aerosol bomb valve and guard

Info

Publication number: US2811289A
Application number: US539745A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Davis; Blanton J Whitmire
Original assignee: Whitmire Res Lab Inc
Current assignee: Whitmire Research Laboratories Inc
Priority date: 1955-10-11
Filing date: 1955-10-11
Publication date: 1957-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 1974-10-29

Description

Oct. 29, 1957 W, E, DAVIS ET AL 2,811,289

AEROSOL BOMB VALVE AND GUARD Filed OCT.. 11, 1955 62 ff Flc; .4.

IlIllllllllllll/ll v M750/70,95 Mum/4 ,6. 170 W5 5MM/mv Mum/5 2,811,289 AEROSOL BOMB VALVE AND GUARD William E. Davis and Blanton J. Whitm'ire, Kirkwood, Mo., assignors to Whitmire Research Laboratories, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application (ictober 11, 1955, Serial No. 539,745

4 Claims. (Cl. Z22- 394) This invention relates to so-called aerosol bombs.

Aerosol bombs from which insecticides andthe like are dispensed are commonly made in small sizes, the most common size being a bomb which holds 1.2 ounces of liquid. These bombs have a total spray life of about five to ten minutes. They have customarily been provided with a valve mounted in a pan-like closure which lits into the vopen top vof the bomb and is sealed therein. The valve, has a hollow brass Vstem of small diameter projecting Vout of the closure and a plastic knob mounted on the stem and equipped with a small nozzle. The contents of Vthe can are released by pushing down on the top of the knob, which depresses the stern and permits the liquid `to be released through the stem, into the interior of the knob and out through the nozzle.

These valves have worked fairly satisfactorily with the small bombs. The brief duration of the spray period has made theproblem of the refrigerating yetfect `of Vtheexpansion of the liquid from the nozzle ofthe valve vof'littlepractical concern. The valve knob has been depressed for only a short length of time, s o that, while it is uncomfortable, holding the valve knob down has not beenV a serious problem. Also the lightness of the bombs 'and their short working life `has minimized the Aproblem fof damage to the valve stem and the internal workings of the valve. i f

' It Yhas been considered unfeasible to uselt'hecomm'on `conimercial light-weight valve with large heavyiwalled tanks, such, for example as a three pound bomb or tank which may have a spray life of thirty toforty-:iive lininutes. YThis View Awas prompted by several considerations.

YThe light-gauge metal closure was :thought `to be incompatible with therelatively-heavy wall ofthe container.

(The V:thin stem projecting from the valve was considered A't'ooelight and easily damaged to withstand Ithe heavier, rougher and longer use to which suchlarge rbombs are States Patent subjected in the course of being exhausted; and the danger Y `of -frostbite to the nger pushing down onl theknobjof vthe light-weight valve, when the spray period 'is prolonged, is serious. In addition, it is vtiringto `hold down the small knob for an extended period of'tirne. Y, Y

-As a result of this thinkingin the trade, heavy, large, expensive, screw-on type valves have been used iwith :large "sizedbomba Accordingly, one of the objectsofjthis invention fis to `provide a device vby means of which fa commonP commer- Yaerosol bomb.

Another object is to fprovide a device which may be used in connection with a common commercial lightweight -valve on any sized aerosol bomb, which vdevice ccimpanying drawing.

In accordance Ywith this invention, generuystateti, a

'ciallig'hweight valve can successfully be -used in fa large` `protects lthe valve'against damage, protectsthe usercfthe opening into a -nozzle 34.

2,811,289 Patented Oct. 279,

2 p d evice is provided with legs which fit slideablybut snugly against the side wall of the cupped closure of a lightweight aerosol valve. The constructionI of the legs is such that the device protects the valve stem from injury and prevents undue side-thrust against the valve stem during use. The device includes a part, supported by the legs, which prevents the finger of the user-from being frostbitten, by keeping the finger out of the stream `of spray immediately as -it leavesthe nozzle, and a partfforrni-ng a broad bearing surface for the linger of th e-user. A clamping part of the device holds the valveknob against inordinate sideways movement or cocking and keeps the spray nozzle properly oriented.

The device is referred to hereafter as a guard.V It is to be understood, however, that the term guardv as used in describing the device is not used in the limited sense 'that the term might imply. The device of this invention serves not only to guard the stem against injury and vthe linger of the user against frostbite, but as a guide forthe knob, a platform for the linger and therefore, -in a sense, 'as a control device, as an ornament, and as a means vfo quickly indicating the orientation of the nozzle. In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a heavy-walled aerosol bomb provided with a light-weight laerosol valve equipped with a guard constructed in accordanceV with one `en ibodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary View in -front elevation of the container showing the valve equipped with the guard shown in Figure 1;v n

Figure 3 'is a'fragmentary view in side `elevation ofthe container, valve and guardshown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of the guardg`shown inl Figures l through 4; and

Figure -6 is a view in perspective of the guard shown *in `Figure 5 in inverted position. I

AReferring'now to the drawing for anillustrative etnbodimentof this invention, reference numeral "1 indicates an aerosol bomb which, in the embodiment shown, Iisof a large (e. g., three pound) size, as indicated by theY thickness lof its wall 2v as shown in Figure 4. The 'bomb 1 has an opening 3 in its upper end, defined byg-a llip A light-weight valve 10 is seated in the opening 3. The valve 10 has a skirt 11 forming a pan-shaped closure v'for the bomb, with a rim 12 crimped over the lip 4 4ofthe container 2 and an outwardly Haring annular bulge 14 around the inside and immediately below thelip 4 -so vas to seal the closure 11 in the opening 3. The bottom Y'of the closure 11 is drawn upwardly to form an inverted'cup 16 integral with the bottom. The cup 16 has a hole in its inverted bottom through which a stem 20 extends. The

stem 20 is hollow and is usually made of brass. The c up 16 has an annular knurl 18 which serves to secure a valve housing 21 within the cup. A gasket 22 held againstthe inverted bottom of the cup by the housing 21 vis Iadafed to seal an orifice in the wall of the stem 20 when ,the stem lis in its uppermost position, and to 'be bent downwardly by a sloping shoulder 23 on 'the stem 20when the 'valve stem'is depressed. The stem is biased ltoward 'anupward position by a spring 24.

A'knob or button 30 is 'mounted onthe upper 'end of the stem 20. The knob 30 has a verticalpassagefconnecting with the interior o f the hollow stem 20, and 'a horizontal passage connecting with the vertical passage, and

The valve which has been described is a common commercial light-weight aerosol valve and 'itrsrgconstructiom .pers e, d oesjnot forma part of this invention.

`It`canbe seenthat the stem 20, which'in practice lhas an'outside diameterofonly aboutone-eig'hth 'of an inh pointing, and to inhibit the tendency to drape the operators finger over the nozzle, the top surface of the knob Vhas been cut at anangle sloping downwardly away from the nozzle. This has made the knob more diflicult to push down and has tended to push the valve stem forward. In the illustrative embodiment of this invention shown in the drawing, a guard S0 is provided. The guard 50,

in this embodiment, is made of a single blank of metal. The guard 50 has three legs, a back leg 52 and two front legs 53. The

legs

52 and 53 carry a platform 55. The platform 55 is made up of a rear section 56, a center section 57 and a front section 5S, A pair of clamps 60 depend from the center section 57. A beak 62 projects from the forward edge of the front section 58.

The front legs 53 are integral with and connected to opposite sides of the front section S8 so as to leave a clear space between them over which the beak 62 projects. The back leg S2 is integral with and connected to the center of the rearward edge of the back -section 56. The

legs

52 and 53 are curved transversely on a radius substantially the same as the radius of the inside surface of the side Walls of the closure 11.

, The legs are so spaced with respect to oneanother ,that they slideably but snugly engage the inside surface of the side wallof the closure 11. The legs are of substantially the same length as the distance from the upper side of the bottom of the closure 11 to the top-most point of the knob 30 when the knob is in its fully depressed position.

The clamps 60 are integral with and connected to opposite sides of the center section 57. They are curved on Va radius substantially the same as the radius of the outside surface of the knob 30, and are so spaced as snugly to engage the knob 30. They are so aligned that the space between them is centered with respect to the space between the front legs 53. The guard St) can be installed either by positioning it directly over a valve upon which the knob has already been mounted and pushing the guard down so that the clamps 60 embrace the sides of the knob with the nozzle 34 pointing through the space between the clamps 60 toward the opening between the legs 53, i. e., in the direction indicated by the beak 62; or the knob can be demounted from the stern 20, pushed into position between the clamps 60, with its nozzle pointing in the direction of the beak 62, and the guard and knob pushed down over the stem. ln either event, the legs S2 and S3 slideably engage the side wall of the closure 11.

In use, it is only necessary to push down on the relatively broad area of the platform 55 to depress the knob and stem. The front section 58 and the beak 62 positively and invariably prevent the finger of the user from getting into the stream of spray immediately as it issues from the nozzle, and therefore effectively prevent frostbite. The broad surface of the platform 55 provides a comfortable and effective bearing surface for the linger.

The

legs

52 and 53 are close enough to'the bottom of the closure 11 so that the stem 20 cannot be bent to the point at which damage can be done to it or to the internal workings of the valve. There is a certain amount of play allowed the stem by virtue of the spring and flexible gasket within the valve housing so that the

legs

52 and 53 are entirely effective. It `can be seen also that as the valve stem is depressed, the legs approach the bottom of the closure so that if, in use, there is a tendency to exert aside thrust on the valve stem, that tendency is completely overcome as the legs reach the bottom, A

straight side thrust, as from a blow in handling, will be taken by the legs.

The beak 62 performs three functions. It extend-s the front section of the platform, it serves to remind the user, because of its sharp point, to keep his finger back, and it indicates the direction in which the spray will issue.

The clamps 60 not only serve to keep the knob 30 centered and prevent sideways displacement of theknob, but ensure that the downward force exerted by the finger does not, as the beveled top of the knob tends to, cock the knob and valve stem forward. The clamps 60 also ensure that the nozzle is properly oriented and maintained in its proper orientation with respect to the front legs 53.

It has been found in practice that when the guard of this invention is used, heavy-walled three pound bombs can be equipped with ordinary light-weight valves, and the entire contents discharged under the same conditions of rough handling and use as the elaborate and heavy valves heretofore-commonly employed, with no diiiiculty whatsoever. f

Numerous variations in the details of construction of the guard of this invention, within the scope of the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A valve guard on a pressure type containery having a valve with a skirt providing a pan-shaped closure for the container, said closure having a bottom and a side Wall with an exposed inner surface above said bottom, said valve having a vertically depressible hollow stem projecting above said bottom and a knob mounted on the upper end of said stem and carrying a nozzle, said guard comprising legs slideably engaging the inner surface of the side wall ofthe closure for axial movement with respect to the container, said legs being substantially as long as the distance from the top of said knob to the bottom of said yclosure when the stem is fully depressed and said legs being spaced apart todene an open space between them; a platform carried by said legs, said platform having a central section, and a clamp depending from said central section and embracing said knob, said clamp having an opening into which the nozzle of the knob extends, said clamp opening being aligned with the space between the legs, said platform extending above and beyond said knob and said nozzle.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the platform of the guard is provided with a pointed beak extending above the space between the legs and in a direction away from the nozzle of the knob. Y

3. The combination of claim l wherein the platform has a front section to opposite sides of which two front legs are integrally connected, a center section, to opposite sides of which a pair of clamping members forming the clamp are integrally connected, and a back section to which a back leg is integrally connected, said two front legs being spaced to define the opening with which the clamps opening is aligned.

4. A heavy-walled cylindrical aerosol bomb having a valve with` a skirt providingva pan-shaped closure for an opening in the upper end of said bomb, said closure being constructed of light gauge metal as compared with the wall of the bomb, said closure having a bottom and asidey wall having an exposed insidej surface above said bottom, said valve having a vertically depressible hollow stem and a knob mounted on said'stem and carrying a nozzle, and a guard for said valve, said guard comprising legs slideably engaging the inner surface of the'side wall of the closure for axial movement with respect to the bomb, said legs being substantially as long as the distance from the top of said knob to the bottom of said closure when the stem is ully depressed and spaced apart to define an open space between them; a

platform carried by said legs, and a clamp depending from a central seotion of said platform and embracing said knob, said clamp having an opening into which the nozzle of the knob extends, said opening being aligned with the space between the legs, said platform extending above and beyond said knob and said nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS