US3285478A - Fluid drawing siphon for bottles - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 15, 1966 R O 3,285,478

FLUID DRAWING SIPHON FOR BOTTLES Filed Feb. 7. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. ALEXANDER M. GORDON Nov. 15, 1966 A. M. GORDON 3,285,478

FLUID DRAWING SIPHON FOR BOTTLES Filed Feb. '7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT ALEXANDER M. GOR

United States Patent 3,285,478 FLUID DRAWING SIPHON FOR BOTTLES Alexander M. Gordon, Broward County, Fla., assignor to Sun Industries, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 7, H64, Ser. No. 343,382 14 Claims. (Cl. 222-416) My invention relates to a new and novel means of removing liquid from containers such as jugs, bottles, cans, drums, tanks, etc., also from open sumps, pools and other bodies of liquids, by methods of pumping and siphoning and also removing liquids from closed containers by methods of forcing compressed air in one aperture with the liquid being forced out through a secondary aperture at a suitable location.

While the foregoing methods of removing liquids are not new or novel being known to the arts and used for many years, the part of my invention that is new and novel is the low residue intake foot used in combination which previously aforementioned methods of removing liquids and its new applications thereto.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a means of removing almost every vestige of liquid from a container, sump or pool of liquid in combination with the aforementioned conventional methods of pumping, siphoning, forcing, etc.

Another object of my invention is to provide a means of attaching two or more suction inlets or hoses to one main section inlet or hose by methods of a suitable conventional manifold not shown in drawings with aforesaid multiple suction inlets located at different location and different liquid levels if so desired.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a means of removing almost every vestige of liquid from a jug, bottle, can, drum, tank, sump, pool or body of liquid Where the bottom of jug, bottle, can, etc. has an irregular surface, a curved surface or a surface with an inclined plane instead of horizontal.

My invention of the low residual intake foot has no relation to the conventional foot valve or check valve that is well known to the arts, neither does it replace nor supplement said foot valve or check valve. My invention can be used either with or without said foot valve or check valve as desired.

To illustrate my point that a conventional foot valve or check valve has no relation to my invention, I take the liberty of defining the function and purpose of the conventional foot valve or check valve versus the function and purpose of my invention the low residual intake foot.

One purpose of the conventional foot valve or suc tion valve when used in combination with a non-positive displacement pump such as a centrifugal pump is to aid in maintaining a predetermined liquid level at the intake point when said pump is shut down, the check valve or foot valve closing automatically from the weight of the liquid in the suction hose.

Another function of the conventional foot valve or I check valve is to prevent loss of prime when said centrifugal pump is shut down at any liquid level while the suction opening is still submerged in the liquid, or to prevent loss of prime when the liquid level reaches below the top of suction opening and permitting air to enter the suction hose.

In case of a positive displacement type of pump such asa piston type pump the function or purpose of the conventional foot valve or check valve is not so important 'in preventing loss of prime or suction due to air entering the suction tube when liquid level reaches a point below the top of the suction inlet as when liquid level rises high enough again to entirely submerge the suctionopening, a

. 3,285,478 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 ice suction or prime will again be automatically restored due to the very nature and inherent characteristics of a posi tive displacement'pump such as a piston type pump. A conventional foot valve or check valve, however, has an important function in connection with a positive displacement pump such as a piston type pump where it is desired to maintain a certain critical liquid level when pump is shut down automatically or otherwise. Without a conventional foot valve or check valve when the liquid level reached a certain critical point and the pump was shut down, the critical liquid level would be changed and rise higher because of the reverse or outward flow of liquid in the suction line, thus starting the cycle over again.

From the foregoing it will be readily observed that regardless of the type of pump, or siphon used and re gardless of Whether a conventional foot valve or check valve is used in combination or not, it is not possible to remove any more liquid after the liquid level has lowered to a point where it is below the top of the suction inlet or aperture, because air will then enter the suction line and stop all pumping action until the liquid level has raised above the top part of the suction inlet or aperture or high enough to prevent air entering the suction inlet or aperture, when pumping action will again resume. The foregoing action results in a relatively considerable amount of liquid to remain on the bottom of the sump, tank, container, etc. regardless of the fact of whether the bottom is flat, curved, irregular or inclined from the horizontal plane.

With the use of my invention which will be fully explained in detail hereinafter: almost every vestige of liquid will be removed because of a protective floating membrane entirely surrounding the intake foot, said floating membrane automatically sealing off any possibility of air entering the suction line by that portion of the membrane effectively hugging around any portion of the bottom that should be above the liquid level such as a curved surface, irregular surface, inclined plane or even a flat surface, while another portion of the membrane still floats on a liquid level where this liquid level exists, permitting a continuous pumping or siphoning action until the entire circumferential portion of the membrane is resting on the bottom at all points regardless if the surface of the bottom is flat, irregular, curved or inclined from the horizontal, forming a continuous seal from air entering the suction line. When liquid again enters the outside area of the membrane, say at the lowest point ofthe circumferential area, the buoyancy of the membrane will cause it to float on top of the liquid without breaking the air seal' permitting pumping action again to resume until the cycle has been repeated.

To further explain an object of. my invention, its value and uses thereof, and which is not illustrated in drawings; picture a building excavation going on simultaneously at 3 different depths or levels with a suitable sump located at each level calling the sumps, A, Band C. With the use-of my invention, the low residual intake foot, a suction hose is laid to each of the three sumps, A, Band C, the upper or opposite ends from suction inlet of these 3 suction hoses are connected to .one main suction hose by means of a suitable conventional manifold, and from there to the suction inlet of one suitable conventional pump. When the water in sump A has been completely removed the suction foot will automatically form a seal to prevent any possibility of air entering the suction line and thereby permitting suction lines B and C to continue pumping action. With this pumping action going on in suction lines B and C, a partial vacuum is maintained in suction line A thus enhancing its effectiveness in maintaining an air seal and continuing this air seal until at such time seepage will again bring water into sump A, when this water will again cause the membrane u on suction, foot of suction lineIA to float on top of said water starting its floating action at the lowest point of the -circumferential area of the membrane, immediately restarting a pumping action in suction line A until all water has againbeen removed or cycle has repeated. Such cycles also happening in sumps B and C, the frequency of suchcycles depending on respective rates of seepage in each sump related to pump capacity.

It will be thus noted from the foregoing that with the use of my invention it is possible to carry on an excavation at'multiple levels, maintaining all levels or depths of the excavation free of water continuously with the use of. only one pumpand without the necessity of having a special attendant to start and stop and maintain a multiplicity of pumps with wet working conditions for the works man. A principal object of myinvention is to provide a means of removing almost all vestige of liquid from bottles, jugs, cans, drums, etc. when they are lying on their side and these said bottles, jugs, cans, drums, etc. having no gravity drain when said bottles, jugs, cans, drums, etc. are lying on their side or in a horizontal position, and where it is not convenient or practicable or possible to lift or tip said bottles, jugs, cans, drums, etc. to remove almost all vestige of liquid.

As a specific example and object of my invention, I shown in the drawings a milk dispenser for home refrigerators wherein the original container such as a bottle or glass jug in which the milk was purchased is used as the container of the dispenser by attaching my device thereto and layingthe jug on its side on a regular shelf in the refrigerator. One advantage is it saves tall bottles space of which there is a limited amount in the home type refrigerator. Another advantage is it provides a convenient means of dispensing milk without lifting or tipping the bottle as it will remove almost all vestige of milk from the jug through a simple faucet arrangement. Another advantage is it saves on milk bills for the housewife as it enables her to purchase milk more economically in the large gallon or half gallon jug instead of the usual quart bottles or paper cartons. Another advantage is the device is so designed so it can be mass produced at very low cost thus paying for itself quick-1y in milk cost savings. Another advantage is it can be pulled apart and replaced again quickly and without skill for easy cleaning.

Still additional objects, benefits and advantages of this invention will become evident from a study of the following detailed .description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of the milk dispenser inserted into and the nipple attached to a gallon milk jug with the jug lying'on its side.

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of a double nipple; the

purpose of this double'nipple being to fit an extremely wide range of diameters of necks of milk jugs. More information on this nipple will be given in later paragraphs FIGURE Sis a front view of a different version of the :dispenser, specifically to dispense thick or viscous liquids such as oils or syrups of which more will be told later.

FIGURE 4 shows a plan view (upper) and cross section view (lower) of the low residual intake foot. In the lower view (cross section) it shows the position of the membrane in a retracted or floating position which the membrane assumes when the entire intake foot is submerged in a liquid and which more details will be .given later. I

FIGURE 5 shows the membrane of the intake foot in a sealing position which is the position the membrane assumes when there is little or no liquid left on the bottom 10f jug and of which more details will be given later.

,To go back to FIGURE 1: 1 is a gallon milk jug lying Ion its side'. 2 is a stretchable rubber nipple. 3 is an elasticO ring which is attached to and part of the nipple 1. The? purpose of this 0 ring 3 is to form a sturdy and firm support for the entire dispenser assembly by locking behind the lip of the neck of the milk jug and also forming an airtight seal.

4 is a thickened portion of the nipple 2 with two holes running through it, the sole purpose of the thickened portion being to form a sturdy and air tight support for the tubes passing through. This thickened portion is attached to and is part of the nipple 2.

5 is a hollow air inlet tube which purpose is to admit air into the jug 1 to displace the liquid as it is withdrawn, thus preventing the forming of a vacuum in jug 1. 6 is the outlet hollow tube for the removal of liquid. 7 is a flexible tubing extending below the bottom of jug 1. 8 is a pinch or clamp type spring loaded shut-01f to stop flow of liquid. As an example an ordinary spring loaded type clothes pin would probably serve this purpose.

I 9 is a flexible suction tubing with the upper end attached to outlet tubing 6.

10 is an internal air inlet tubing; its purpose being to permit the inlet air to expel at the top of the jug 1. This internal air inlet tube 10 is not required with ordinary liquids such as milk or water, but with thick or viscous liquids such as oil or syrup. The air bubbles from arr inlet 5 travel slowly or sometimes not at all through the thick or viscous liquids such as oil or syrup and thus affect the entire operation of the dispenser. By adding tube 10 the air does not have to make its way through the thick or viscous liquids such as oil or syrup and operation of the dispenser is much improved.

11 is the circular membrane that attaches to the entire circumference of flange 12. 13 is one of 3 spacer legs the other 2 spacer legs not shown, the purpose being to raise the flange 12 to a suflicient height so the volume or area of the liquid inlet will be as great or greater than the internal diameter of suction tube 9, thus permitting the suction tube 9 to operate at its full capacity when "intake foot is totally submerged. 14 is a buoyant section of membrane 11, these buoyant sections being placed at regular intervals entirely around the circumference of the membrane 11 and forming a part of the membrane thereof.

Membrane 11, flange 12, spacer leg 13 and buoyant section 14 form the essential components of the low residual intake foot with the membrane 11 with its buoyant sections 14 being the working or moving part of the low residual intake foot.

Built into this membrane are a number of special properties, such properties being weight, buoyancy, extreme flexibility and elasticity.

Operation of the liquid dispenser Referring to FIGURE 1 again, starting with the jug 1 full of milk and lying on its side as shown in FIGURE 1, and with membrane 11 in a retracted position because of its buoyancy as shown in cross-section view of FIG- URE 4, clamp 8 is released permitting flow of milk out of flexible tube 7. As liquid level lowers in jug 1, the liquid is replaced by air entering tube 5. Liquid flow at this point is by gravity action and remains at gravity action until liquid level reaches top of tube 6 whereupon siphon action automatically takes over and continues until jug 1 is exhaused of liquid.

At a point where liquid level goes below flange 12 in FIGURE 1, if jug 1 is cylindrical in shape, membrane 11 would rest its edges on the curved surfaces with the sections of the membrane at right angles to the curved surface still floating on top of the milk and will continue to do so until almost every vestige of milk is sucked up under membrane 11, when the entire circumference of membrane 11 will rest on the curved bottom of jug 1, and form a seal along the irregular or curved surface.

FIGURE 2 showsa double nipple, the purpose being to have one nipple to fit an extremely wide range of diamand 15 are positioned in such a manner that one will not interference with the 5. other, as for example when ring is in use around the neck of a bottle, 0 ring 3 is outside and out of the way. Conversely when 0 ring 3 is in use around the neck of a bottle, 0 ring 15 is inside the neck of the same bottle out of the way.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of a liquid dispenser attached to the neck of jug 1 and with a cross-section view of the suction tube 9 inside of the jug 1.

2 is the nipple over the neck of jug 1. 17 is the liquid outlet or discharge tube. 18 is the air inlet tube by which compressed air is forced into jug 1. At 19 is located a conventional air check valve with air outlet in direction of tube 13. 19 is a conventional syringe bulb. 21 is a conventional air check valve with air inlet at outer end of syringe 21. Details of air check valves are not shown as these devices are well known to the arts. The purpose of the air check valves 19 and 21 in combination with syringe bulb 20 is to form a conventional finger operated air compressor.

Operation of the liquid dispenser. in shown in FIG- URE 3.

With jug 1 filled with liquid, syringe bulb 20 is compressed with the fingers. As air check valve 21 automatically closes with this compressing action, air is forced through check valve 19 which remains open during the action of compressing syringe bulb 20. Air forced out through check valve 19 passes inwardly through tube 18 into jug 1. When syringe bulb 20 is released its natural elasticity causes it to resume its former oval shape bringing air again into syringe bulb 20 through check valve 21. During the aforesaid action air check valve 19 remains closed and air check valve 21 opens due to their respective positioning and direction of operation.

Repeated flexing cycles of syringe bulb 20 will cause the air in jug 1 to cause enough air pressure in jug 1 to force liquid up through suction tube 9 and into discharge tube 17 and outwardly. Although not shown in FIG. 3, the low residual intake foot as illustrated in plan and cross-section view of FIGURE 4 and also side view of FIGURE 5, said low residue intake foot is attached to lower end of suction tube .9 and functions as heretofore described with the exception that in this case there is no suction action in tube 9 even though liquid flows upwardly through it. The reason is that the air pressure in jug 1 is causing the upward flow of liquid in tube 9. Using FIGURE 5 for the suction foot and assuming said suction foot is attached to bottom of tube 9 inside of ing 1 in FIGURE 3, when liquid level in jug 1 goes below flange 12 the membrane 11 no longer retains its extreme retracted position when submerged as shown in FIGURE 4. Instead the membrane 11 floats on top of the liquid as the liquid level continues to low-er. Should any portion of the circumferential area of membrane 11 rest on any protrubance on bottom of jug 1, such as a curve in the surface, a projection in the surface or the upper portion of an inclined plane while liquid level continues to lower, the circumferential edge of membrane 11 will follow around the aforementioned configuration, sealing off that area while the lower edges of membrane 11 continue to float on top of any remaining liquid until liquid is all removed.

The preceding operational explanation illustrates the fact that the low residual intake foot functions equally well either with a suction force operating against the inner portion or walls of the membrane 11, or instead with a pressure operating against the outer portion or walls of membrane 11. This is important as for an example a dispenser arrangement as shown in FIGURE 3 may be desired or required where the liquid handled is of a heavy or viscous nature in such a degree that a gravity or pump or siphon method would not operate satisfactorily, or where it is desired or required to place the liquid container at a distance below the discharge point.

I do not restrict the low residue intake foot to the specific detailed construction as shown in FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 5, as from the experiments and various models I have constructed, I have found that a number of variations from the basic design are desirable. These variations depending on nature of liquid to be handled, size of suction foot, configuration of bottom of container and other variable factors. As a specific example, were the suction hose 9 laid in a horizontal position on bottom of jug 1 it would be desirable to have the intake end of tube 9 and also flange 12 and membrane 11 in a half circle or half moon shape with the flat portion in contact with the bottom of jug 9 and having a contacting surface on this flat portion of a resilient nature so it forms a seal around any irregularity of surface of bottom of jug 1.

The membrane 11 now being only a half circle extends outwardly in a horizontal position from the half circle of flange 12 while in a retracted position from being submerged in the liquid. When liquid level reaches top of half circle flange 12 the half circle membrane 11 will float on top of liquid, following its level down until no more liquid remains to enter tube 9 through the under portion of half circle membrane 11; whereupon said membrane 11 by its own inherent weight and flexibility rests on bottom of jug 9 and following or hugging any irregularities on bottomof jug 9, thus effecting an air seal.

Applications of the low residue intake foot would be Wide spread from dispensing liquid from a bottle to pumping out excavations for buildings or other construction projects, such as excavating for a dam or draining a lake. Neither do I restrict construction details of the membrane 11 itself as described herein. One of the many variations of actual construction details would be to eliminate the special buoyant sections 14 entirely and instead have the entire membrane 11 made of materials that would make the said membrane 11 buoyant, flexible and with elastic properties where such properties are desirable, either uniformly throughout the membrane 11 or such sections as desired.

In FIGURE 1 I do not restrict the bottle attachment of thedispenser by construction details of the nipple 2, 3, and 4. A conventional stopper with 2 holes through the said stopper, tapered and long enough to fit a wide range of neck diameters would also serve as a single tapered stopper of a diameter to fit the smallest bottle neck and by adding sleeves of various thickness of round tapered hollow flexible tube lengths, slipping said lengths over original stopper would form a variation of stopper diameters to fit various size or diameter bottle necks. These are well known to the arts.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawings and while various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus completely and fully described the invention, what is now claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A siphon device adapted for dispensing fluid material from a container comprising, a closure means adapted to be detachably connected to an open end of said container, a first tube means disposed through said closure rneans adapted to provide a vent for said container, 3. second tube means disposed through said closure means adapted to provide a discharge passageway for fluid material from said container, and a low residual intake foot operably connected to said second tube means, said foot including a flange portion and a flexible membrane portion attached to said flange portion.

2. A siphon device in accordance with claim 1, including a plurality of spaced legs attached to and depending downwardly from said flange portion adapted for engagement with a confronting interior surface of said container.

3. A siphon device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said membrane portion comprises a plurality of spaced buoyant sections.

4. A siphon devicein accordance with claim 1, wherein said membrane portion is comprised of an elastomeric material.

5. A siphon device for dispensing fluid material from a container having a closed end and an open end of the type which is adapted to be disposed on its side in a generally horizontally extending position for dispensing the contents therefrom comprising, a resilient cap having a pair of spaced apertures detachably connected adjacent the open end of said container, said cap including a forwardly disposed thickened body portion, said apertures disposed in said body portion, a flexible, uninterrupted nipple portion extending rearwardly from said body portion, said nipple portion having an integral ring-like means a-dapted for resilient snap-fastening engagement over the open end of said container, a first tube means disposed through one of said apertures in said cap and extending interiorly of said container and adapted to provide a discharge passageway for fluid material therefrom, a flexible conduit attached interiorly of said container to one end of said second tube means, said conduit being bent angularly downwardly toward the bottom of said container and adapted to extend below the surface of fluid material to be discharged from said container, another flexible conduit attached to the other end of said second tube means exteriorly of said container, and a valve means detachably mounted on said last mentioned conduit adapted to deform said conduit into closed sealing relationship for controlling the flow of fluid material from said container.

6. A siphon device in accordance with claim 1, whereing said closure means includes a cap having a forwardly disposed thickened body portion, said apertures disposed in said body portion, a flexible, uninterrupted nipple portion extending rearwardly from said body portion, said nipple portion having an integral ring-like means adapted for resilient snap-fastening engagement over the open end of said container.

7. A siphon device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said ring-like means has a greater cross-sectional thickness of said nipple portion.

8. A siphon device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said cap includes a pair of concentrically disposed flexible, nipple portions made integral with and extending axially from said body.

9. A siphon device in accordance with claim 6, Wherein each of said nipple portions includes an integral ringlike portion adapted for resilient snap-fastening engagement over the open end of said container.

10. A siphon device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said cap is comprised of an elastomeric material.

11. A siphon device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said ring-like means has a greater cross-sectional thickness as compared to the cross-sectional thickness of said nipple portion.

12. A siphon device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said cap includes a thickened body, said apertures extending through said body, and a pair of concentrically disposed, flexible, nipple portions made integral with and extending axially from said body.

13. A siphon device in accordance with claim 12, wherein each of said nipple portions includes an integral ring-like portion adapted for resilient snap-fastening engagement over the open end of said container.

14. A siphon device in accordance with claim 13,

' wherein said cap is comprised of an elastomeric material.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 355,467 1/1887 Parker 251-7 442,696 12/ 1890 Thompson 222-416 1,053,816 2/1913 Hughes 222-416 1,188,267 6/1916 Girshefski 222-464 1,287,046 12/ 1918 Knapp 222-416 1,524,833 2/ 1925 McCrackan 215-4 1,752,090 3/1930 Johannssen 215-4 2,099,292 11/ 1937 Brown 222-47 8 2,174,354 9/ 1939 Shields 222-464 2,377,261 5/ 1945 Norris. 2,662,670 12/ 1953 Voight n 222-478 2,740,563 4/ 1956 Jackson 222-464 2,825,495 3/ 8 Fazio 222-47 8 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner. A. N. KNOWLES, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SIPHON DEVICE ADAPTED FOR DISPENSING FLUID MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER COMPRISING, A CLOSURE MEANS ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO AN OPEN END OF SAID CONTAINER, A FIRST TUBE MEANS DISPOSED THROUGH SAID CLOSURE MEANS ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A VENT FOR SAID CONTAINER, A SECOND TUBE MEANS DISPOSED THROUGH SAID CLOSURE MEANS ADAPTED TO PROVIDE A DISCHARGE PASSAGEWAY FOR FLUID MATERIAL FROM SAID CONTAINER, AND A LOW RESIDUAL INTAKE FOOT OPERABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND TUBE MEANS, SAID FOOT INCLUDING A FLANGE PORTION AND A FLEXIBLE MEMBRANE PORTION ATTACHED TO SAID FLANGE PORTION..

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