US3425603A

US3425603A - Valve operated liquid dispenser

Info

Publication number: US3425603A
Application number: US660426A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore W Medlin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-08-14
Filing date: 1967-08-14
Publication date: 1969-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-04

Description

Feb. 4, 1969 T. w. MEDLIN 3,425,603

VALVE OPERATED LIQUID DI'SPENSER Filed Aug. 14, 1967 Sheet of 4 .I I R I 4' 10 2/ r %'4" 5 ark zz 7 kWh-.- \/3 Z0 z I/Z INVENTOR FIG 5 THEODOREWMEDLIN BY 04 MEL/I ATTORNEY Feb. 4, 1969 T. w. MEYDLIN VALVE OPERATED LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Aug. 14, 1967 Sheet Z 012 INVENTOR TH EODORE W. MEDLI N BY N kw ATTORN EY United States Patent 3,425,603 VALVE OPERATED LIQUID DISPENSER Theodore W. Medlin, 830 Mitchell, New Madrid, Mo. 63869 Filed Aug. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 660,426 U.S. Cl. 222-517 Int. Cl. B6741 3/00, /34; B65d 47/24 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Summary of the invention It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid dispenser incorporating valve means as to permit discharge of the dispenser contents without necessitating inversion or tilting of the dispenser.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the character stated integrally embodying valve means which are adapted for manual operation so that the same may be easily manipulated for effecting liquid discharge.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the character stated having valve means which are adapted to provide a positive liquid-proof seal with the related valve seat so as to assure of accurate flow control.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the character stated which 'may be most economically produced; which incorporates a minimum of components so as to be resistant to breakdown; and which is reliable and durable in usage.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of liquid dispenser constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a top view of the dispenser shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another form of liquid dispenser constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a top view of the dispenser shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, A generally designates a liquid dispenser of cylindrical or fnusto-conical form, which may be fabricated of molded plastic, desirably transparent, such as Lucite, having a side wall 1 and being open at its upper end as at 2. Opening 2 is eccentrically located by reason of one portion 3 of side wall 1 being of relatively greater thick- 3,425,603 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 ness than the opposite portion 3' thereof. Spaced downwardly from its upper open end 2, side wall 1 is continuous with an inward, rounded, bottom-forming extension 4, located upwardly of the lower end edge of side wall 1 and cooperating with the adjacent portions of said side wall 1 thereabove to define a receptacle or bowl 5 for receiving liquid through the upper open end 2. Centrally of extension 4 there is formed a discharge orifice 6 which, at its lower end, opens into a chamber 7 defined by the horizontally presented under face 4' of extension 4 and the adjacent portions of side wall 1 therebelow. Side wall 1 downwardly of the under face 4 is relatively reduced in thickness to present an annular shoulder 8 against which abuts the upper edge portion of a closure 9 fitted snugly within the lower end of dispenser A and serving to divide chamber 7 into upper and

lower sections

10, 11, respectively. Formedyin the body of closure 9 is a flow-directing passage 12 of general funnel shape having a relatively wide upper mouth 13 and a lower diametrically reduced outlet 14 with the intervening wall portion tapering inwardly and downwardly. Outlet 14 is vertically aligned with orifice 6.

Presented within upper chamber section 10 is a valve 15 disposed on its upper surface across the lower end of orifice 6 with the confronting portions of under face 4' providing a valve seat, as indicated at 16, with said valve 15 carrying a peripheral sealing member 17, such as an O-ring, for development of a liquid-proof joint with such sea-t. Valve 15 incorporates a short depending stem 18 having a transverse opening 19 for extension therethrough of a spring 20 produced from a length of suitable rod stock. One end portion of spring 20 is formed for biasing into a loop 21 which is disposed within upper chamber section 10 having its upper margin bearing against the under face 4. The free end extremity of spring 20 adjacent loop 21 is embedded in closure 9, as at 22. The opposite end portion of spring 20 is secured, as by welding or the like, as at 23, to the lower end of an actuator rod 24 which projects slideably upwardly within a passageway 25 provided within wall portion 3 and communicating at its upper end with the lower end of an enlarged socket 26; said latter opening at its upper end through the upper surface of wall portion 3. Within said socket 26 rod 24 is fixed to the lower end of the shank 27 of an actuator head 28; said shank being slideable within socket 26. The upper extremity of actuator head 28 is diametrally enlarged, as at 29, to provide a convenient pressure-receiving surface located normally upwardly of the upper surface of wall portion 3 by reason of the bias of spring 20. For limiting the travel of actuator head 28 within socket 26 there is provided a detent pin 30 located within socket 26 for abutment against the upper and lower shoulders 31, 32, respectively, of a lateral recess 33 formed in shank 27.

Through bias of loop 21 spring 20 is prejudiced upwardly at its rod-attached and thereby normally urging valve 15 into closed position and rod 24 upwardly within passage 25 so that the upper enlarged end of actuator head 28 will be presented above wall portion 3 (FIGURE 3). By downward pressing of actuator head 28, as through applying the users thumb against the diamet-rally enlarged portion 29, actuator head 28, together with rod 24, will be caused to slide downwardly forcing the attached end of spring 20 downwardly against the inherent bias thereof so that loop 21 will be momentarily enlarged with attendant downward, opening movement of valve 15 so as to bring discharge orifice 6 into communication with outlet 14.

Accordingly, in usage, with valve 15 in closed condition, the user will fill bowl of dispenser A with any preselected liquid and with the knowledge as to the amount thereof because of the specific volume of said bowl 5. Dispenser A may then be placed in superimposed relationship to a container designed to receive the liquid within bowl 5 for ultimate mixing or other purposes. By manipulation, as above described, of actuator head 28, the contents of dispenser A may be caused to flow to the underlying container by travel through now-opened orifice 6, passage 12 and outlet 14; the user maintaining actuator head in downwardly pressed position until the dispenser contents are exhausted. Thereupon, by release of the pressure upon actuator head 28, valve 15 will be automatically returned to closed condition through bias of spring 20. It will thus be seen that the dispenser contents may be readily discharged by simple operation and With the dispenser at all times being in vertical position, thus obviating the heretofore need for inverting or tilting measuring dispensers for release of the contents.

Referring now to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, B generally designates a liquid dispenser fabricated, if desired, of molded plastic and comprising a side wall 41 which may be, optionally, of general cylindrical form or of down wardly tapered contour. At its upper end, dispenser B is open, as at 42, to form the enlarged mouth of a receptacle or bowl 4-3, the bottom wall 44 of which is defined by a rounded generally transverse portion continuous with the inner face of side wall 41 and presented spacedly upwardly from the lower end thereof. Provided eccentrically Within bottom Wall 44 is the upper end of an outlet passage 45 progressing downwardly along a path parallel to the vertical axis of dispenser B. The lower end of passage 45 is terminated by an inclined surface 46 for directing liquid through an orifice 47 provided in the inner side portion of the wall of passage 45; the axis of orifice 47 being normal to that of passage 45. Orifice '47 opens into the inner end of a recess 48 and at its outer end opens through side wall 41, as at 49. Immediately proximate orifice 47, recess 48 communicates with a downwardly extending passage 54), through the upper end thereof; the lower end of said passage 50 constituting a discharge port 51.

Provided for close fitting disposition within the outer portion of recess 48 is an annular closure plug 52 having on its inner surface an annular recess 53 and a central socket 54. Slideably received within said socket 54 is the reduced end 55 of a valve stem 56 which is presented transversely of dispenser B extending through recess 48, across passage 45 and through an opening generally indicated 57 formed in the opposed portion of side wall 41; said stem 56 being of such length so as to have an end portion 58 extending laterally outwardly of the proximate portion of side wall 41. Integral with valve stem 56 is a diametrally enlarged valve head 59 being located immediately inwardly of orifice 47 and of greater relative transverse extent so as to serve to occlude same. Thus, the proximate wall portion of orifice 47 serves as a valve seat for valve head 59 which latter may be provided with a peripheral sealing member 6% for assuring of a positive reliable liquid-proof joint. Urging valve head 59 into orifice-closed condition is a compression spring 61 which at one end bears against the face of head 59 opposite that confronting orifice 47, while the other end of said spring 61 is received within annular recess 53 of plug 52. In order to prevent any unauthorized escape of liquid through opening 57 by leakage about valve stem 56, the said opening may communicate with an enlarge continuous recess 62 within the inner end of which may be presented a seal 63 with a molded insert '64 disposed thereagainst.

Through bias of spring 61 valve head 59 is maintained in normally closed condition whereby the user may fill bowl 43 and passage with the preselected liquid. Dispenser B as so supplied may then be located in superimposed relationship to a container designed to receive the dispenser contents. Thereupon the operator need but apply inwardly directed pressure against the exposed end 58 of valve steam 46 so as to direct same toward side wall 41 thereby causing valve head 59 to be moved away from its seat while placing spring 61 under tension. With orifice 47 thus opened, liquid will flow from passage 45 through said orifice 47 and thence through passage and outwardly of discharge port 51 for reception within the container. After liquid discharge, the user need merely remove pressure from valve stem 5d whereupon under influence of spring 61 valve head 59 wlll be effectively and reliably returned to orifice closed condition.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, arrangement and combination of the several parts of the valve operated liquid dispenser may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letter Patent is:

1. A liquid dispenser comprising a body having a sidewall, said body having a receptacle portion opening through the upper end thereof, there being an outlet in the lower end of said receptacle portion presented transversely of said body, a valve member being located downwardly of said outlet, an elongate spring passing through said valve member in a direction generally transversely of said body for urging said valve member into closed relationship with respect to said opening, and control means for overcoming said elongate spring comprising an actuator slideably mounted in said body having one end engaged to said spring and the other end normally presented outwardly of said body to allow for valve opening operation.

2. A liquid dispenser as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said actuator having a lower narrow portion and an upper portion of increased diameter, and means for limiting the slideable movement of said actuator.

3. A liquid dispenser as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by means defining a socket formed within said body adjacent said receptacle portion, said actuator being slideably disposed Within said socket, and means for limiting the extent of slideability of said actuator within said socket.

4. A liquid dispenser as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by means defining a socket formed within said body adjacent said receptacle portion, said actuator being slidea'bly received within said socket, a retainer pin mounted transversely in said body extending through said socket, said actuator having a recess, with upper and lower edges, said retainer pin being disposed within said recess for being engageable with said edges for limiting relative axial movement of said actuator within said socket.

5. A liquid dispenser comprising a body having a top wall and a bottom wall with an intervening sidewall, said body having a receptacle portion opening through said top wall, there being a liquid outlet in the lower end of said receptacle portion, said body having a chamber downwardly of said receptacle portion and in communication therewith through said discharge outlet, a closure having a discharge opening received within said chamber spacedly from said receptacle outlet, a valve member disposed in said chamber in normal occluding relationship with said outlet, said leaf spring engaged in one end portion within said closure and having an intermediate portion engaged to said valve member for normally urging same into occluding relationship with said receptacle 5 6 outlet, means defining a socket formed within said body tor and connecting rod so as to control the movement of sidewall and opening at its upper end through said top said valve member. wall, means defining a passage connecting the lower end of said socket with said chamber, an actuator slideably References Cited disposed within said socket, a connecting rod being se- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS cured to said actuator, the lower end portions of said rod being connected to the end portion of said leaf spring re- 1948227 2/1934 Rechten ZZZ-5 11 mote from its engagement to said closure whereby when 2255879 9/1941 f T 222 518 X said actuator is operated said connecting rod urges said 2753O87 7/1956 D.Antomo 222 5I0 X leaf spring downwardly for moving said valve member 10 3344964 10/1967 Dlamond 2225 11 from occludin relationship with said receptacle outlet, and means for limiting the slidea'ble travel of said actua- STANLEY TOLLBERG Pumary Examiner