US3239101A

US3239101A - Gas charging apparatus with check valve

Info

Publication number: US3239101A
Application number: US344151A
Authority: US
Inventors: John B Wilson
Original assignee: Reynolds Metals Co
Current assignee: Reynolds Metals Co
Priority date: 1964-02-11
Filing date: 1964-02-11
Publication date: 1966-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-08

Description

March 8, 1966 J. B. WILSON GAS CHARGING APPARATUS WITH CHECK VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1964 INVENTOR.

JOHN B. WILSQN BY W HIS ATTORNEYS March 8, 1966 J. B. WILSON 3,239,101

GAS CHARGING APPARATUS WITH CHECK VALVE Filed Feb. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOHN B. WlLSQN United States Patent 3,239,101 GAS CHARGING APPARATUS WITH CHECK VALVE John B. Wilson, Richmond, Va., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware.

Filed Feb. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 344,151 13 Claims. (Cl. 22252) This invention relates to a gas charging apparatus, with check valve, and ring spreader.

One of the features of this invention concerns an improved check valve construction having a rubber-like tube with slit means in its side wall and with a relatively solid cylindraceous member in said tube adjacent said slit means to prevent inward collapse of the tube.

Another object of this invention includes a gas charging container to be placed in a charged liquid container with support means for the gas container attachable to a liquid container, with gas pressure reducing means carried by the support means which discharges reduced pressure gas through a cylindraceous extension of the support, and with a flexible rubber-like cylindraceous tube having a side wall, a closed end and an open end over such cylindraceous extension, and with slit means in the side wall of the tube, and with a relatively solid cylindraceous member in such tube adjacent the slit means to prevent inward collapse of the tube.

Another feature of this invention includes a gas charging container to be placed in a charged liquid container with the gas charging container having an outward flange to be secured to the liquid container by an inwardly biased split ring which is held in a groove and which extends over the flange to hold the gas container in the liquid container.

Anotherfeature of this invention includes a split ring spreading means for the inwardly biased split ring, which spreading means has a first string structure with radially movable spreader teeth engaging the split ring and having a second ring structure which is relatively rotatable with respect to the first ring structure and having means to spread teeth outwardly to spread the split ring when it is desired to remove a gas receptacle or the like from a liquid receptacle, or the like.

Other features are apparent from this description, the appended claimed subject matter, and/ or the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partly in cross section, and partly in elevation, showing the charging gas container placed in the charged liquid container.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section of a portion of the liquid container and of the gas container.

FIGURE 3 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross section along the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of pertinent portions shown in FIGURE 6, in reduced scale.

FIGURE 6 is a cross section along line 6-6 of FIG- URE 5 in enlarged scale.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, but showing certain parts in different positions.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged cross section along line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 9 is a reduced scale end view of the lower 3,239,101 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 ring structure shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 with radial slots for receiving the spreader teeth.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged view along line 10-10 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 11 is a reduced scale view of the inwardly biased split ring.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged View of a portion of FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 13 is a cross section along the line 13-13 of FIGURE 6.

According to this invention, a charging or propelling gas container 20 may be placed in and removed from a charged or propelled liquid container 22. Support means 24 for the gas container is attachable to the liquid container 22.

Gas pressure reducing means is carried by the support means 24 and may have an inlet 26 that receives high pressure gas from the gas container 20. The pressure reducing means discharges reduced pressure gas through a reduced pressure outlet 27 and through

passageways

28 and 30. The passageway 30 passes through a cylindraceous discharge extension 32 which extension may be part of the support means 24.

If desired, the passageway 30 may have a reduced portion or orifice 34, through which the reduced pressure gas discharges into the surrounding space 36 within the liquid container 22, through a check valve.

The check valve may include a flexible, rubber-like tube 38, which may be cylindraceous. The tube 30 may have a side wall 40, a closed end 42 and an open end 44 which is placed over the discharge extension 32. The side wall 40 of the tube 38 may be provided with slit means, which may be in the form of one or more parallel longitudinal siits 44. For example, there may be two diametrically opposed longitudinal slits 44, if desired.

The slit means, such as the longitudinal slits 44,-opens when the pressure in the tube 38 is greater than the pressure outside of the tube, and closes when the pressure outside of the tube 38 is greater than the gas pressure inside of the tube 38.

A relatively solid member 46, which may by cylindraceous, may be placed in the tube 38 adjacent to the slit means 44 to prevent inward collapse of the tube when the pressure outside the tube becomes relatively greater than the pressure inside the tube. As shown, the member 46 is also placed adjacent the closed end 42, and the member 46 is maintained adjacent the closed end 42 because the extension 32 extends sufficiently close and adjacent to the member 46 to prevent the member 46 from moving far from the slit means 44 and from the end 42.

The cylindraceous member 46 may be made or" aluminum alloy 606 l-T6, for example.

In the embodiment shown, the tube 38 may be 1 and )5 inches long, 7 inch outside diameter, 5 inch wall thickness with the slits 44 being inch long. The tube may be made of any suitable rubber or rubber-like compound. The cylindrical member 46 may be inch long and inch in diameter. The restricting passageway or orifice 34 may be .024 inch in diameter and inch in length. The extension 32 may be /2 inch long. The passageway 30 may be from .092 to .095 inch in diameter. The extension 32 may be .250 inch in external diameter. The tube 38, before it is applied to the extension 32, may have an inside length of opening of 1 inch, with an internal diameter of V inch. The slits 44 may have their upper ends, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 a distance of ;562 to .593 inch 'from the upper end of the tube.

In the embodiment shown, the liquid container 22 may be capable of storing a substantial amount of beverage, such as in the order of 500 cu. inches of beer and the like, together with a charging or propelling gas container within the beverage container, such as a sealed tube container or bottle 48, within the beverage container, capable of holding a suflicient quantity of charging or propelling gas, such as CO in liquid form, to maintain the beverage or other liquid in proper charged or propelling condition as the liquid is gradually dispensed from the liquid container 22 for drinking purposes, and the like.

The support means 24 for the gas container 48 is attachable to the liquid container 22 by a flanged construction such as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 6, 7 and 10.

The support 24 may have an outward circular flange 50, and the liquid container 22 has a circular recess 52 which receives the flange 50. The liquid container 22 also has an outward groove 54 which receives an inwardly biased split ring 56. The ring 56 may be split at 57. The split ring 56 may contract when released, and may extend over and hold the outward circular flange of support 24 sealed in the circular recess 52 of liquid container 22.

A circular, resilient O-ring 58, which may be made of rubber-like material, is first placed in the recess 52, and then the support 24, with its outward flange 50 is placed in the recess 52 against the O-ring 58 and is pressed down, while the split ring 56 is held outwardly, as in FIGURE 7, by the split ring spreading means 60. The support 24 is pushed downwardly, by any suitable means, sufliciently to be. substantially in the position shown in FIGURE 7, and then the split ring 56 is released to contract inwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 6, with the ring flange 62 extending over the outward flange 50 of the support 24 to hold the support 24 securely in place in sealed condition. If desired, the support 24 may have a plastic cover placed or snapped over it.

The split ring 56 may be spread outwardly, and may be allowed to contract inwardly by the spreading means which is elsewhere more fully described.

The support means'24 may contain an automatic pressure reducing valve construction 64 with a valve construction inlet 26 receiving charging gas from the gas container 48. The valve construction 64 may have a valve construction outlet 27 to discharge reduced pressure gas into the

passageways

28, 30 and 32, past the check valve 38 and into the surrounding space 36 within the liquid container 22.

The pressure reducing construction 64 may include a tube 68 having a restricting orifice 70 through which the high pressure gas enters and passes through the tube 68 and into the space 72. From there it enters a tire inflation type of valve 74 with a stem 76 which allows the gas to pass through the valve 74 whenever the stem 76 is pushed down and closes when the stem 76 is released. A button 78 of a diaphragm assembly 80 pushes down on the stem 76 whenever the pressure in the space 82 falls slightly below the desired pressure, and releases the stem 76 when the pressure in the space 82 rises slightly above the desired pressure. Any type of diaphragm assembly may be used which produces the desired expanded gas pressure in the

passageways

28 and 30 as the gas passes from the space 82 through the outlet 27 into

such passageways

28 and 30.

Other valves may be carried by the support 24. For example, a pop-off valve 84 may open whenever the pressure in the space 36 becomes too great. It will discharge such over pressure gas through the passageway 86 and will rupture the plastic cover 90 which may be placed over the end of the support 24 and around the flange 50. Another pop-01f valve 88 may open when the pressure in the

passageways

28 and 30 become too great and likewise any over pressure gas may be released through the passageway 92 and will rupture the coverv 90.

Other passageways and

valve structures

94 and 96, FIGURES 6 and 7, may be provided in the support 24, which are not specifically germane to this invention, and hence are not further described.

The slit ring spreading means 60 may have a lower ring structure 98 and an upper ring structure 100. These

ring structures

98 and 100 are relatively rotatable with respect to each other, and when so rotated, inwardly and outwardly move the radially movable spreader teeth 102 to and from the positions shown respectively in FIG- URES 6 and 7. The inwardly biased split ring 56 has an inward flange 62 which produces a finger receiving groove 104, FIGURE 10, into which the lower ends of the teeth 102 extend and where these teeth produce their spreading or contracting action on the split ring 56.

As is apparent, many words are used in this application which indicate relative position, relative direction, etc. These words are used for the sake of clearness and brevity in description. However, it is to be understood that such words are used in connection with the specific positions shown in the drawings, and that the members described in connection with these words may have entirely diflerent positions in the actual device during use, transportation, etc. Examples of these words are upper, lower, upward, downward, etc.

Any mechanical construction may be used which will cause the teeth 102 to move radially in and out in response to the relative rotation of the

ring structures

98 and 100. By way of example, the

ring structures

98 and 100 may be relatively rotated by a screw 106 which engages the teeth 108 of the upper ring 100 to cause this relative rotation between the

ring structures

98 and 100. The screw 106 may be rotated by a shaft 110, which may be turned by a crank or wheel, not shown, or the like. The shaft 110 may be carried by the vertical flanges 112 which are carried by the platform or extension 114 of the lower ring structure 98. If desired, a rack vgear may be used instead of the screw 106 to turn ring 100.

The lower ring structure 98 may be made, if desired, in the form of two rings 1 1-6 and 118 which may be secured together bry welding, bolting, etc. The ring 118 may be of continuous annular shape, whereas the ring 116 may have a plurality of notches which receive the upper horizontal portions 122 of the spreader teeth 102. The ring 118 supports the horizontal portions 122 within the notches 120, and allows the teeth 102 to slide back and forth within the notches 120.

The ring 118 may have a downward flange construction 119 which can fit over the neck 121 of the liquid container 121 to hold the split ring spreader on the neck 121 while the gas receptacle support 24 is being inserted in or removed from the liquid container 22. The ring spreader 60 is placed temporarily on neck 121 when receptacle 20 is to be inserted in or removed from receptacle 22.

The

ring structures

98 and 100 may be held together in a relatively slidable relationship as is evident from FIGURES 5 and 8. The ring 100 has a plurality of arc-shaped slots 124 which receive the screw bolts 126. The screw bolts 126 may have heads 128 which are sufficiently wide to hold the ring structure 100 from axial movement. The screws 126 may engage the threaded openings 130 in the

rings

116 and 118. The unthreaded portion of the screw bolt 126 may have a shoulder 132 which engages the top of ring 116. In this manner, the

ring structures

98 and 100 may be held from axial displacement with respect to each other, but may be permitted to rotate relatively to each other for the distance of the arc-shaped slots 124. The teeth 102 may be radially reciprocated by the relative rotation of the

rings

98 and 100 by means of pins 134 which are rigidly secured to the horizontal portion 122 5. of the teeth 102, and which slidably engage the slanting and eccentric slots 136 in the ring 100.

Therefore, rotation of the screw 106 rotates the ring 100 with respect to the ring structure 98. This causes the screws 126 to move back and forth in the arc-shaped slots 124 as the

ring structures

98 and 100 rotate relatively to each other. At the same time, the pins 134 move longitudinally of the slots 136. These slots 136 are eccentn'cally slanted with respect to the center 138, which is the center of the

ring structures

98 and 100.

The charged liquid or beverage in container 22 may be discharged through a faucet 138 under the control of a valve 140 which may be opened and closed by a handle 142. The liquid may enter the discharge tube 144 at its inlet 146 near the bottom of the container 22 and may be fed under charging or propellant gas pressure into the valve 140 for discharge through the faucet 138.

It is thus to be seen that a new, unobvious and useful construction has been provided.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by statute, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claimed subject matter which follows.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination comprising: a charging gas container to be placed in a charged liquid container; support means for said gas container attachable to said liquid container; an automatic pressure reducing valve in said support means with a valve inlet receiving charging gas from said gas container and having a valve outlet to discharge reduced pressure gas into the surrounding space within said liquid container which is outside said gas container; a charging gas restrictor means restricting the flow of charging gas to said valve inlet; a reduced pressure gas passageway in said support extending from said valve outlet and having a cylindraceous extension into said surrounding space; and a check valve in the form of a flexible, rubber-like cylindraceous tube having a cylindraceous side wall, a closed end and an open end over said extension, an upper portion of said side wall surrounding said extension and a lower portion of said side wall extending below said extension, said lower portion of said side wall having slit means below said cylindraceous extension which opens when pressure in said tube is greater than the pressure outside said tube, and closes when the pressure outside said tube is greater than the pressure inside said tube.

2. A combination according to claim 1 having a relatively solid cylindraceous member loosely held in said cylindraceous tube adjacent said slit means below said cylindraceous extension to prevent inward collapse of said tube.

3. A combination according to claim 1 in which said slit means includes a longitudinal slit in said side wall below said cylindraceous extension.

4. A combination according to claim 1 in which said slit means includes two diametrically opposed parallel longitudinal slits in said side wall below said cylindraceous extension.

5. A combination according to claim 4 having a relatively solid cylindraceous member loosely held in said tube adjacent said slits and below said cylindraceous extension to prevent inward collapse of said tube.

6. A combination according to claim 1 in which said support means has an outward circular flange and said liquid container has a circular recess receiving said flange and a circular outward groove adjacent said recess; and an inwardly biased split ring in said outward groove extending over and holding said outward circular flange seated in said circular recess.

7. A combination comprising: a charging gas con tainer to be placed in a charged liquid container; support means for said gas container attachable to said liquid container; an automatic pressure reducing valve in said support means with a valve inlet receiving charging gas from said gas container and having a valve outlet to discharge reduced pressure gas into the surrounding space within said liquid container which is outside said gas container; a charging gas restrictor means restricting the flow of charging gas to said valve inlet; a reduced pressure. gas passageway in said support extending from said valve outlet and having a cylindraceous extension into said surrounding space; and a check valve in the form of a flexible, rubber-like cylindraceous tube having a cylindraceous side wall, a closed end and an open end over said extension, said side wall having split means which opens when pressure in said tube is greater than the pressure outside said tube, and closes when the pressure outside said tube is greater that the pressure inside said tube, in which said support means has an outward circular flange and said liquid container has a circular recess receiving said flange and a circular outward groove adjacent said recess; and an inwardly biased split ring in said outward groove extending out and holding said outward circular flange seated in said circular recess, and including split ring spreading means having a lower ring structure with radially movable spreader teeth engaging said split ring and having upward pins, an upper ring structure having eccentric grooves receiving said pins, and means relatively to rotate said rings to spread said teeth radially outward to spread said split ring.

8. A combination comprising: a charging gas container to be placed in a charged liquid container; support means for said gas container attachable to said liquid container; gas pressure reducing means carried by said support means with an inlet receiving high pressure gas from said gas container and discharging reduced pressure gas through a reduced pressure gas passageway in said support and through a cylindraceous discharge extension of said support into the surrounding space within the liquid container; and a flexible, rubber-like cylindraceous tube having a side wall, a closed end and an open end over said cylindraceous discharge extension said tube having an upper porton of said side wall surrounding said extension and a lower portion of said side wall extending below said extension, said lower portion having slit means in said side wall of said tube below said extension.

9. A combination according to claim 8 having a relatively solid cylindraceous member loosely held in said tube below said extension adjacent said slit means to prevent inward collapse of said tube.

10. A combination according to claim 8 in which said slit means includes two parallel longitudinal slits in said side wall below said extension.

11. A combination according to claim 10 having a relatively solid cylindraceous member loosely held in said tube below said extension and adjacent said slits to prevent inward collapse of said tube.

12. A combination comprising: a flexible rubber-like tube having a side wall, a closed end and an open end with an upper portion of said side wall to fit over a discharge extension and with a lower portion of said side wall extending below said extension, with said lower portion having slit means in said side wall, said combination having a relatively solid member in said tube loosely held in said lower portion adjacent said slit means to prevent inward collapse of said tube.

13. A combination comprising: a flexible rubber-like tube having a side wall, a closed end and an open end with an upper portion of said tube wall to fit over a dis- .charge extension and with a lower portion of said side wall extending below said extension, with said lower portion having slit means in said side wall, said combination having a relatively solid member in said tube loosely held in said lower portion adjacent said slit means to prevent inward collapse of said tube, and in which said slit means includes two parallel longitudinal slits in said side wall below said extension, and having a relatively solid cylindraceous member loosely held in said tube below said extension adjacent said slits to prevent inward collapse 2,601,547 6/1952 Minock 222229 X of said tube. 2,774,083 12/1956 Stern 10-122 3,024,800 3/1962 Lewis 222399 X Refeences cted byfle Examm 3,039,661 6/1962 Wentz et a1. 22-464 X UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,127,059 3/1964 Lawrence et al 222-52 x 480,400 9/1892 D W 1f 137-525 1,50 4 9 1924 ir u M 10 122 LOUIS EM Q m W Examiner- 2,021,731 11/ 193 Leings 2 24 X HADD S. LANE, Examiner.

Claims

1. A COMBINATION COMPRISING: A CHARGING GAS CONTAINER TO BE PLACED IN A CHARGED LIQUID CONTAINER; SUPPORT MEANS FOR GAS CONTAINER ATTACHABLE TO SAID LIQUID CONTAINER; AN AUTOMATIC PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE IN SAID SUPPORT MEANS WITH A VALVE INLET RECEIVING CHARGING GAS FROM SAID GAS CONTAINER AND HAVING A VALVE OUTLET TO DISCHARGE REDUCED PRESSURE GAS INTO THE SURROUNDING SPACE WITHIN SAID LIQUID CONTAINER WHICH IS OUTSIDE SAID GAS CONTAINER; A CHARGING GAS RESTRICTOR MEANS RESTRICTING THE FLOW OF CHARGING GAS TO SAID VALVE INLET; A REDUCED PRESSURE GAS PASSAGEWAY IN SAID SUPPORT EXTENDING FROM SAID VALVE OUTLET AND HAVING A CYLINDRACEOUS EXTENSION INTO SAID SURROUNDING SPACE; AND A CHECK VALVE IN THE FORM OF A FLEXIBLE, RUBBER-LIKE CYLINDRACEOUS TUBE HAVING A CYLINDRACEOUS SIDE WALL, A CLOSED END AND AN OPEN END OVER SAID EXTENSION, AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID SIDE WALL SURROUNDING SAID EXTENSION AND A LOWER PORTION OF SAID SIDE WALL EXTENDING BELOW SAID EXTENSION, SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID SIDE WALL HAVING SLIT MEANS BELOW SAID CYLINDRACEOUS EXTENSION WHICH OPENS WHEN PRESSURE IN SAID TUBE IS GREATER THAN THE PRESSURE OUTSIDE SAID TUBE, AND CLOSES WHEN THE PRESSURE OUTSIDE SAID TUBE IS GREATER THAN THE PRESSURE INSIDE SAID TUBE.