US3002237A - Portable fogging device for insecticides and the like - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3, 1961 c. L. SPEXARTH PORTABLE FOGGING DEVICE FOR INSECTICIDES AND THE LIKE Filed May 20, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I CHIP/5 7/0 4 JPEXHATN BY W m r Mu A rroeA/s v5 C. L. SPEXARTH I Oct. 3, 1961 PORTABLE FOGGING DEVICE FOR INSECTICIDES AND THE LIKE Filed May 20, 1957 2 .w t me a T9 9 NX h E S P W 5 L a M 2 m A rrok/vsvf United States Patent" 9 E h nk-INSECTICIDES PORTABLEFOGGIN pnv AND HE Christian L. S ra'rth, Miiwaukee wis asstg'n to doqekecreation, inn, Milwaukee, Wis acorporation of Wisconsin Filed May 20, 1957,5121. No.-660,-234

16 Claims. (Clou -109) are adapted to providethd valve-seatwhiehis opened;

controlled and regulated by a needlevalv'e3whieh forrris' a permanent par-t of the deviceyand whiclris used, to e'fiect' the perforation: of the? can.

Another major feature ofithe devico is the arranges meat; whereby drops of the liquid tobe ai'ew delivered by gravity or'ito an electric/i heating?v eieinent inthe same housing with a fan and desirablydisposed in -a well in which it is protected from the direct blast of-ethe fan which diffuses the vapor: As vapOr "-is for-med, it rises from the channel into the air blast set in -ifiotion by the fan; I

The fan and the motorwhichdrives it aiidtheiehannel with its contained heating element are arranged i'nseries in a tubularhousi'ngi which-has a 'handleand- 'niay also have a mountingv stake" tdbedriVGn -intotho' ground. The 'I 'hehousing has a large; open nozzla zaiflit sdisehdrgei end andalouvered: inlet adjacent the'fani V The handle is desirably mounted: oii the of a can clamp; whereof the' loweripartf *fixed te the housing. From the lower part; the' tube leads intothe channel in which the" heating' 'el'ernc'nt" is disposed.- The two parts of the clamp are inrdetaehable connection" and they are providedwith elasticallyideform'able liniiagfnieans' which contacts the can.

The top part of the clamp is provided with -afiserew threaded fitting counterbored to provide" a seat foh paeli ing: Extendingithrough this fitting is a needle valve having. a long tapered pointat' its'lovVer end and a shortlength of screw threads at its upper'end thddowel being grooved or: otherwiseflattened throug'li the'thrtaded per: tion" to provide for an air vent which zitFb se'a i ed when the head at -the' upper end ofithe'vflveicoiitaets the O ring' packing in the counterborel It is important that the -length of steinbelbw" the threads be such that the perforation' i-ir the t'op 'ofthe eanca'nbe made by using" the valvenas a' punch for axial movement through the fitting without regard to rotation on its' threads. At the sametime, the l'ehgth ofi thevalve is such that the valve must be -rotated omits-threadsto perforate the bottom of thecan'; The slowste'adya xia-l pressure developed in the=threaded-rotati6n'ofitlievalve through the fittin prodiices a smooth valve seat n t'l ie bottom of the laterall'y'dispos'ed can {6 and {rem-which the valve may lie-moved for r'e'giiltienof newer total interruptionjthereof. y V g i In referring to the'hoi'isii'fghfstubular; itchy-iced notintended" to restrict-- tneinvention' t'o it liaising: er circular cross section.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view'iri perspective ofn 1 ing. the invention. I

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the devicepartially in axialsection and. partially in side/elevation, and illustrating the optionally. available moimting peg.

Patented Oct. 3, 1961 2. FIG: 3 is a further-enlarged detail view taken inv (ii-05s section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2,. FIG. 4 is'a viewsimilar to FIG; 3 showing arts; in the; course of manipulation to achieve can perforation.

FIG. 5 is a: view similar to FIG, 4 showing another stepin the process of can perforation. I

FIG.- 6 is a fragmentary detail view partiallyiin' enijl" elevation and partially in the same section as FIG. showing the air vent sealedv and also showing a modified embodiment ofv the invention;

The device comprises an elongated tubular 10 having a somewhat restricted discharge nozzlewhiohvnever theless provides an opening of substantial size throughwhich the vaporized material and blast oi entraining; airare delivered. At the end opposite the.

nozzle 11,; thehousing; is provided with a closu re 12; inlet-being provided by louvres 13in order to protect users'f-rom possible-r contact with the fan 15 which: mounted directly on the armature shaft of motor 16 to constitute means for; creating the air blast.- 'Ifhe motor is mountedon--legs 17 screwed. to the bottom of housing-10: Similarly mounted omthe bottom of housing 10 tween-. the motor and. thenozzle 11 is a vaporizing means comprising; an elongated shallow trough 19 into which heating". element 20 extends through one end Switches 9' and 90,; whichare eiiter-na-lly. exposed as showfi in FIG. 1, are provided with operative connections fi oj shown) to the fan motor and the heating element The wallsoiithe-trough 19' rise substantiallyabove the heating-elementto receive and confine the insectie-ideog otheeliquid to be vaporized as delivered into theitroufl throughthetube 22; I W

On-togiof-the tubulanhousing 10 is means for detach? ably clamping to the-housing a can or container QI- liquid to be vaporized. The clamping. means inchides. abottorn clamp;23 of semi-circulancross section o. which the. tube-'22 is-connected by solder or otherwise. The tube; 22 serves as a means for guidingliquid fromthe externalcontaineg (such--asean-40) into the wellprovided bytrough 19.- The tube is" of suflicient, diameter so plenty pf clearance is providedfor the needlevalve, and i-t iis of.- sutfieient-length to extend well below the top og the'trough 19 in which the heating element 20*is dispos edt The-clamp. member 23 can be connected with the housing by sheet metalsorews 24 or otherwise (FIG. 2,). It'is provided with' laterallyprojecting-flanges at 25 in which the-clamping screws-26 are threaded'as shown in FIG A -liningg 27 of natural orsynthetic rubber is desirablyprov-idedwithin the clamping member 23. This'lini-ng desirably has alarge opening; at; 28'- registeringwith the tube 22.

Cooperating with the clamping; member 23 is--a-,;re-

movable cl-ampi gsmemberfitl having outwardly projecting flanges at 31 overlying the flanges 25 and-desirably downwardly turned-at 32 to conceaL-thegapbetweerutheae clampingsflanges. The-clamp: screws 26 have head tions33 seating on flanges 3 1- to exert-clampingpressurg in a; downward direction; thereby constituting meansi for drawing'cclamp members -30 and-23 together for cloth?- ing the can to the -housing Like the clampingmember 23'!- the removable clamp30' is desirably provided witirya 1ining '34 having an apert'ure below thescrew-thre'atkd fitting -35'.- Thie fittingmay bemounted by means of clamp nut 36 upon an upwardly channeled-portiomM of the uppenclamp member 30*;as shown in-FIG;- 3. Alternatiyely; the-clarnp member- 300 shown in FIG.- 6. may mountthe -fitting-SS on its sen i cylindrical upper; face provided thccan engagedwithin the clamp members FIG. 7 "a hag' mentarydetail view taken on t'l ie 23 and 30 has a recess in it as shown in FIG. 6. In the FIG. 3 construction, the channel 37 carries the fitting 35 at such an elevation that an ordinary cylindrical can 40 can be clamped between the members 23 and 30 and embraced by the lining segments 27 and '34.

A needle valve 45 is provided which comprises a long tapered point at 46, an elongated valve stem 47, and a threaded shank portion 48 which is slightly larger than the stem and is flattened or otherwise relieved at -49 past its enlarged threaded shank portion to provide clearance through which air can reach the can 40 when the device is in use. At the upper end of fitting 35 there is a counterbore 5B in which an O-ring packing 51 is provided to project slightly above the fitting for engagement with the knurled head,53 at the upper end of the shank 48. FIG. 6 shows the headseated on the packing 51 to plose the air vent and make the device leakproof when the needle valve isclosed in the manner hereinafter described. v v

. As a means of supplying to the vaporizer drops or other appropriate quantities of liquid to be vaporized, the operator removes the upper section 39 of the clamp and places an ordinary can 40 containing vaporizable liquid such as insecticide 54 upon. the liner 27 of the lower clamp element 23. With the needle valve wholly or largely retracted, the upper clamp member 30 is then placed upon the horizontally arranged can as shown in FIG. 4 and the upper clamp member 30' is tightened on the can by means of the screws 26.

j The needle valve is then pushed manually through the threads of the fitting 35 to cause the needle point 46 to penetrate the top of the can. The reduced diameter of the valve stem and valve permit the valve to be manipudated axially through the fitting without injury to the threads of the fitting.

After the valvepoint 46 has been forced through the can 40, its downward'motion is continueduntil the threads of its shank 48 mesh with thethreads of fitting 35. Desirably this should occur before the needle point :46 reaches a lower side of the can wall. It will be observed in FIG. 5 that the penetration of the lower side of the can by point 46 has been achieved following a substantial threaded movement of shank 48 through fitting 35. However, atthe time the penetration of the can wall is commenced, the head 53 is still well above the O-ring seal. The dimensions of the parts are such that the head should reach the O-ring seal well before .the conically tapered needle point 46 has passed through the lower wall portion of can 40, the correct proportions v being well illustrated in FIG. 3.

'It will be found that where the needle valve is simply used as a punch and driven through the can to make the opening in the upper wall portion thereof, the metal of the can will be curved inwardly in the manner shown at 55, and in somewhat jagged fashion, there being no very tight fit between the needle valve and the can at this point. However, when the needle point penetrates the lower wall portion of the horizontal can under/the "relatively smooth and axially guided thrust which is developed by the rotation of the threaded shank of the valve in the threaded fitting 35, a rather smooth conical seat will be formed in the can as shown at 56 in FIG. 3, and this seat will be sufliciently tight when engaged by the needle point 46 to hold the contents of the can securely against dripping. Thus, when the valve is screwed clown tightly to engage its head 53 with the packing 51, thereby closing the air vent 49, the tapered point 46 will also engage to seal the seat 56 which it has formed in the can. 7 With the valve backed ofi slightly as shown in FIG. 3. the can will be vented to receive atmospheric pressure, and the point 46 will clear the seat 56 suificiently so that drops 57 will fall at intervals from the can to'pass through the shielding tube 22 which protects them from the blast of fan and causes them to be delivered into contact with the sheath 5% of the heating element in trough 19. As the liquid is vaporized, the vapor expands out of trough 19 and is picked up in the slip stream. of fan 15, and the pneumatic current in which the vapor is entrained is discharged from the nozzle 11. In normal. use for the intended insecticidal purpose, the vapor condenses following discharge to form a fog. The condensed droplets comprising the fog adhere to any surface contactedand will ordinarily wet and spread upon such a surface to provide efiective insecticidal control.

The upwardly formed channel 37 of the clamping device is used only in the event that special cans 400 are not available. In the preferred practice of the invention, clearance for the fitting 35 is provided by forming a special channel 370 in the can itself as shown in FIG. 6, the opening 55 being forced into the can by penetration of the bottom wall 59 of the channel 370. Otherwise the FIG. 6 construction may be identical with that already described.

- For convenience of manipulation, a carrying handle 60 is desirably mounted on the upper clamping element 30 and extends rearwardly therefrom to overhang the center of gravity of the device. In addition, I may replace one of the screws 61 which anchors the vaporizing trough 19 by a screw 62 projecting from the upper end of'a sharpened peg 63 adapted to bedriven into the earth to provide fixed support for the device during its operation in a given area. Optionally the spring detent 64 is used to engage the knurl'ed handle 53 of the valve to fix it in'any position to which it may be adjusted.

Iclaim:

1. A fogging device comprising the combination with an elongatedhousing'internally provided with a motor drivenfan andhaving an air inlet and a vapor discharge port, of vaporizing means in the housing between the inlet and discharge port in the path of air set in motion by the fan, and discharged through said port, means including a supply reservoir having a discharge opening communicating with said vaporizing means for supplying to the vaporizing means a liquid to be vaporized.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the liquid supplying means includes a replaceable can mounted externally on the housing, clamping means for connecting the can to the housing, a valve fitting mounted on the clamping means and a valve in threaded connection with the fitting and extending through the can, the can providing a seat for said valve in registry with'said tube.

3. In a fogging device, the combination with a can clamp, of a screw-threaded valve fitting mounted thereon at one's'ide of the position of a can engaged in the clamp, and a valve of sufiicient length to span the can and comprising a needle point at its end, a stem extending from thepoint for nearly the diameter of the can, a threaded shank in screw-threaded connection with the fitting and a handle connected with the shank externally of the fitting, the threaded shank exceeding the stem in diameter, whereby the stem may be passed freely through the fitting to enable the valve to be used as a punch for the perforation of the can at the side contiguous to the fitting, the valve beingof such length that its pointed end will penetrate the opposite side of the can as the shank is screwed into the fitting, whereby to form the opposite side of the can as a seat to and from which the valve is movable in the rotation of its shank in said fitting.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the fitting is provided with a counterbore having annular packing, the valve handle comprising a pressure head engageable with the packing to provide a seal in the position of the valve in which the valve is engaged with said seat, the shank of the valve being relieved where it passes the fitting to provide an air vent sealed by engagement of said head with said packing.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the packing comprises an O-ring. v

6. The device of claim 4 in which the can clamping means has a deformable lining engaging the can about the seat and provided with an opening with which the seat communicates.

7. The device of claim 6 in further combination with a guide tube extending away from the can from said opening and adapted to protect drops of liquid issuing from said can subject to the control of said valve.

8. The device of claim 7 in further combination with a tubular housing upon which the can clamping means is mounted and across which said tubular guide means at least partially extends, the said housing being provided with a heating element constituting means for vaporizing drops of liquid delivered by said guide means, fan means for creating an air blast throughsaid housing and across said vaporizing means for entraining the vaporized liquid, and bafile means about said vaporizing means and into which the tubular guide means extends, the guide means and baffie'means protecting drops of said liquid from the air blast until vaporized.

9. The combination with a can clamp comprising a pair of members adapted to engage opposing sides of a can, means for drawing said members together into can engagement, one of said members being provided with a screw-threaded fitting for a valve, a valve comprising a tapered pointand stem freely receivable through said fitting, said valve having a threaded shank portion of larger diameter than the stem and adapted for threaded engagement with the fitting, the valve point being adapted to pass freely through the fitting and to be punched through a can embraced by the clamping means, and the length of said stern beingsuch that the point of the valve will not reach across the can to the opposite side of the can before the threaded shank reaches threaded engagement with said fitting, said point being adapted to penetrate the far side of the can as the shank is screwed into the fitting, whereby to produce an opening in the can conically tapered and with smooth walls as the point of the valve penetrates the can, said walls constituting a seat to and from which the valve is movable in the rotation of the threaded shank in the fitting.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the clamping means has deformable lining means engaging the can about the valve shank and seat.

11. The device of claim 9 in which the clamping means has an olfset portion in which the fitting is mounted.

12. The device of claim 9 in which the fitting extends inwardly from the clamping means, the can being channeled to receive the fitting and having a wall portion at the bottom of the channel through which the point of the valve is driven.

13. The combination with a can having an inwardly indented wall, of a can clamp including opposing clamp members, one of which spans the indention in the wall, a screw-threaded fitting mounted on the last mentioned clamping means and extending into the indention of the can and a valve havig a screw-threaded shank portion in i threaded connection with the fitting, said valve further having a stem extending through the indented wall of the can and across the interior of the can and terminating in a sharp needle valve projecitng beyond the wall of the can remote from the fitting, said needle valve being so disposed as to have been forced through said remote wall in the course of threaded movement of the shank through the fitting, the said remote can wall being outwardly deformed by the needle valve in the course of such movement to provide a seat to and from which the needle valve is movable in the threaded adjustment of the shank respecting the fitting.

14. The combination with an elongated housing internally provided with a fan and a vaporizing well having a heating element therein and having. a liquid-retaining bottom, the housing having an air inlet and an air outlet between which the well and fan are located in series, and means including a supply reservoir and a valve-controlled conduit leading therefrom toward said well for delivering a vaporizable liquid into the well to be vaporized by the heating element, the vapor of the vaporized liquid being exposed to a current of air through the housing set in motion by the fan, to be entrained in said current and projected from said outlet.

15. The combination with an elongated housing internally provided with a fan and a vaporizing well having a heating element therein and having a liquid-retaining bottom, the housing having an air inlet and an air, outlet between which the well and fan are located in series, and means including "a supply reservoir and a valve-controlled conduit leading therefrom toward said well for delivering a vaporizable liquid into the well to be vaporized by the heating element, the vapor of the vaporized liquid \being exposed to a current of air through the housing set in motion by the fan, to be entrained in said current and projected from said outlet, the said reservoir comprising a liquid container disposed externally of the housing, and said conduit comprising a tube having a discharge end extending into the Well for guiding liquid from said external container to said well and for protecting said liquid from exposure to said air current prior to its vaporization by heat from said heating element.

16. The device of claim 15 in which the external container comprises a replaceable can in detachable clamped connection with the housing, the guiding means including a tube extending downwardly from the can into said well.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,664 Wander June 29, 1920 2,047,973 Lawton July 21, 1936

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