US3558059A

US3558059A - Automatically closing valve for pressure vessels containing pastes of liquids

Info

Publication number: US3558059A
Application number: US785975A
Authority: US
Inventors: Artur Pfaff; Richard Friedrich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-12-23
Filing date: 1968-12-23
Publication date: 1971-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-26

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatically closing valve for pressure vessels containing pastes or liquids, which valve consists of a valve seat which is constructed on a nozzle consisting of flexible material, and by a rigidly mounted valve piston consisting of inflexible material and extending through the nozzle, together with a valve disc cooperating with the valve seat, the nozzle and the piston being so disposed that the valve seat and the valve disc are pressed against one another in the resting position owing to the flexibility of the nozzle.

Description

United States Patent lnventors Artur Piaif S5 llohenzollernring 5, Cologne; Richard Friedrich, 5 Waldstrasse 547 l, Wassenach, Andernach, Germany Appl, No. 785,975

Filed Dec. 23, 1968 Patented Jan. 26, I971 AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING VALVE FOR PRESSURE VESSELS CONTAINING PASTES OF LIQUIDS 7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 239/337, 222/2l3;239/573, 239/576, 239/579 Int. Cl B05b 7/32, F23d 13/04 Field of Search 239/337,

573x, 576X, 579X, 583; 222/212, 213x References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1965 Raehs et a1.

2,746,797 5/1956 Remane 239/337 2,785,016 3/1957 Vollertzen et a1. 239/576X 3,195,787 7/1965 Kitabayashi 239/337X FOREIGN PATENTS 342,178 12/ 1 959 Netherlands 239/573 714,669 9/1954 Great Britain 239/337 1,250,569 12/1960 France 239/573 Primary ExaminerLloyd L. King Attorney-Burns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis ABSTRACT: The invention relates to an automatically closing valve for pressure vessels containing pastes or liquids, which valve consists of a valve seat which is constructed on a nozzle consisting of flexible material, and by a rigidly mounted valve piston consisting of inflexible material and extending through the nozzle, together with a valve disc cooperating with the valve seat, the nozzle and the piston being so disposed that the valve seat and the valve disc are pressed against one another in the resting position owing to the flexibility of the nozzle.

PATENTED JAMES 1971 3.558.059

SHEET 1 OF 3 FIG. 7

AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING VALVE FOR PRESSURE VESSELS CONTAINING PASTES OF LIQUIDS Pressure vessels (spray-dispensing vessels) are finding a constantly increasing application for the supply of pastes or liquids, in which the pastes or liquids either are themselves under pressure or are contained together with a pressureproviding agent. These vessels may also include the so-called two-compartment vessels, in which the pastes or liquids are contained in a compressible inside container within the vessel, and a pressure-providing agent is placed around this inside container within the outer shell of the vessel.

Automatically closing valves for such vessels are known. In one form of this valve, known in many variants thereof, the movable valve part is mounted on a spring which urges this movable part into the closed position. The product to be dispensed thereby comes in contact with the spring, and besides various other disadvantages, this may in some cases cause corrosion of the spring and dead areas are frequently formed in which the product to be dispensed is deposited and dries or is spoilt. Another form of valve known in many variants is closed by rotation of the movable valve body, for which a thread is provided between the movable and the fixed valve body. The manipulation of such valves is inconvenient and relatively difficult. Two hands have always to be used for the manipulation. In the case of the known valves the actual closing device is fitted inside the valve body, so that parts of the product always remain in the outlet tube of the valve and become dried or spoilt. The known aerosol valves are unsuitable for pastes, since the outlet, limited by the valve openings and passages, is too small. The outlet tubes are so shaped that the fingers are invariably soiled during the dispensing of the product.

The object of the invention is to provide an automatically closing valve for pressure vessels containing pastes or liquids, in which the above-mentioned disadvantages are avoided. The valve according to the invention should have neither a spring nor a thread for its actuation and should be applicable both for highly fluid or thin products and for viscous products and pastes. Further, in the valve according to the invention no drying or spoiling residues should be formed in or in front of the valve closure, and also no dead areas should be present inside the valve in which the product can settle. While the basic form of the valve according to the invention is nonnally to be opened with two fingers, according to another form of the invention, a valve can be made which can be opened with only one finger. The valve according to the invention should be so designed that the paste or liquid to be dispensed can also be supplied in difficultly accessible places, in which case the finger or fingers actuating the valve do not have to reach up to the place at which the paste or liquid is discharged.

In the basic form of the valve according to the invention, this object is achieved by a valve seating which is constructed on a nozzle consisting of an elastic material, and by a rigidly mounted valve piston consisting of inflexible material and extending through the nozzle, together with a valve disc cooperating with the valve seat, the nozzle and the piston being so disposed that the valve seat and the disc are pressed against one another in the resting position owing to the flexibility of the nozzle.

A preferred form of the invention provides that the valve has a baseplate with at least one aperture to be fixed on the opening of the vessels and on the outside of which projects the valve piston carrying on its end the valve plate and consisting of a rigid rod, while the nozzle consists of a bellows affixed on the outside of the baseplate, from which a cylindrical shaft begins which lies around the piston rod and spaced therefrom and has at its end the valve seat cooperating with the valve late. p In order to open such a valve, in which the closing plane lies at the outermost end of the cylindrical shaft, the bellows of the noule is pressed with two fingers, so that it is pressed together and the valve seat is removed from the rigidly mounted valve disc.

To operate the valve with a single finger, a preferred form of the invention provides that the bellows is placed eccentrically to the piston rod so that. to open the valve, it is compressible with one finger.

A further preferred form of the invention provides that a projecting part is placed on the outside of the cylindrical shaft so as to exert a lateral pressure on the shaft.

Further instructions, features and advantages of the invention result from the following description of a few examples of the invention and with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these:

FIG. 1 shows a cross section through the top end of a pressure vessel with an inserted baseplate;

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the baseplate shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through one form of the nozzle;

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through one form of the valve piston;

FIG. 5 shows a longitudinal section through an annular body for the actuation of the valve according to FIGS. 1 to 4;

FIG. 6 shows a section through a head which is employed when the valve is used for liquids;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the part in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows another form of the baseplate in the embodiment corresponding to FIG. I; 7

FIG. 9 shows the lower end of another form of the valve piston, which is suitable for use with a baseplate according to FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 shows a longitudinal section through another form of the valve according to the invention the parts of which are here assembled.

Reference is first made to FIGS. I to 4. In FIG. 1 only the upper edge of the wall 12 of the pressure vessel, for which the valve according to the invention is intended, is shown diagrammatically. The baseplate 14, which in the example shown has a circular shape corresponding to the top opening of the vessel wall 12, is fixed in and on this top edge of the wall 12. An annular groove 16 is provided on the top side and near the outer edge of the baseplate 14. In addition, the baseplate 14 has several holes or apertures 18 arranged on a concentric circle, through which the product inside the pressure vessel can issue. The baseplate 14 is provided with a thicker part 20 at its center and has on the top and in the center of this a threaded hole 26.

An embodiment of the nozzle 30 is shown in FIG. 3. This nozzle 30 consists of a flexible material and has a lower hemispherical part 32, the top of which is connected with a coaxial hollow cylinder 34. An annular flange 35 is made on the lower edge of the hemispherical part 32, which flange has an annular rib 36 on its under side. This rib 36 fits into the annular groove 16 of the baseplate 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2) and serves for the secure fastening of the nozzle 30 to the baseplate 14. A plain glued joint is suitably provided between the underside of the annular flange 35 and the top of the baseplate 14. However, the baseplate 14 and the nozzle 30 can also be fixed on the vessel in another way, for example by rolling over the top end of the vessel wall 12.

A conical valve seat 38 is made at the top end of the hollow cylinder or cylindrical shaft 34 of the nozzle 30. In addition, the top end of the cylindrical shaft 34 has a circular shoulder 40.

The valve piston shown in FIG. 4, which is intended for use with a baseplate 14 according to FIGS. 1 and 2, consists of a rod 42 of inflexible, rigid material and has an annular flange 44 near its lower end, and below this flange the rod 42 is continued in the form of a threaded shaft 46, which can be screwed into the threaded hole 26. On the top of the rod 42 a valve disc 48 is placed, the edge 50 of which forms a valve cone fitting in the valve seat 38.

For assembling, the nozzle 30 is first fixed on the baseplate 14, and then the piston 42 is introduced from above through the cylindrical shaft 34 and the hemispherical part 32, after which the threaded shaft 46 of the piston is screwed into the threaded bore 26 of the baseplate 14. The dimensions of the nozzle 30 and the piston 42 are such that, when the piston is completely screwed in, the valve cone 50 is pushed firmly into the valve seat 38, while the nozzle 30 is slightly compressed. Owing to the elasticity of the nozzle 30, this can yield a little and the valve seat 38 is pressed firmly against the valve cone 50. Since the inside of the nozzle 30 is also under the pressure of the product issuing through the holes 18, the pressure of the valve seat 38 against the valve cone 50 is further increased by this inside pressure.

Another form of the baseplate I4 is shown in FIG. 8. Here also the baseplate has an annular groove 16 for the reception of the rib 36 of the nozzle 30. Further, holes 18' for the passage of the product are provided. The baseplate l4 differs from the baseplate 14 in that, instead of the threaded bore 26 in the thickened central part a bore 27 passing through this part with an inwardly projecting rib 29 is provided.

A form of the lower end of the valve piston 42' suitable for the baseplate I4 is shown in FIG. 10. Here on the other side of the annular flange 44', an end 52" running to a point and containing an annular groove 54" is provided instead of the threaded shaft 46, into which groove the inside rib 29" of the baseplate 14 can catch, in order to fix the valve piston 42 securely to the baseplate 14", otherwise the form of the valve according to FIG. 8 and 9 does not differ from the form described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4.

In order to actuate the valve, i.e. to open this valve, the user presses together downwards with two fingers the bellowslike part 32 of the nozzle consisting of flexible material. Through this the valve seat 38 is removed from the valve disc 48 and the mass under pressure in the vessel 12 can then issue through the openings 18 and the cylindrical shaft 34.

When the user ceases pressing on the bellows 32, then owing to its elasticity and owing to the pressure prevailing inside the bellows 32, this then goes back into the closing position in which the valve seat 38 presses fast against the valve disc 48.

According to FIG. 5, an actuating attachment can be put on the top end of the cylindrical shaft 34 of the nozzle 30. This attachment consists essentially of an annular flange 58 with a central hollow cylinder 62, which can be pushed over the hollow cylinder 34 of the nozzle 30, while a shoulder 64 on the inside of the top end of the cylinder 62 fits on the shoulder of the nozzle 30.

The actuating attachment 56 serves to operate the valve. When one presses with two fingers on the annular flange 58 in the direction of the arrows 60, the nozzle 30 is pressed downwards with elastic deformation, so that the valve seat 38 is removed from the valve disc 48 and the valve is opened. The more heavily one presses on the annular flange 58 and thereby deforms the nozzle 30, the further the valve seat 38 is removed from the valve cone 50 and the more the valve opens.

It will be noted that the actual closure in the case of the valve according to the invention is constructed at the outermost end of the nozzle 30, so that no dead areas are formed on the other side of the actual closure in which the product brought out accumulates and may dry or be spoilt.

Owing to the conical form of the

valve parts

38, 50, this valve is automatically cleaned when it closed, since the two

valve parts

38, 50 strip off outwards the part of the product still present between them.

When it is desired to use the valve according to the invention for the dispensing of liquids, a head according to FIGS. 6 and 7 may be used instead of the actuating attachment 56. This head 66 consists essentially of a hollow cylindrical part open at the bottom, which can be put on the free end of the cylindrical shaft 34 of the nozzle 30, when a corresponding shoulder 72 in the head 66 catches in the shoulder 40 of the nozzle 30. The hollow space 69 inside the head 66 is so large that the valve disc 48 of the valve piston 42 can move therein, when the nozzle 30 is elastically deformed by the finger pressure on the top 70 of the head 66, so as to open the valve. The head 66 has a lateral outlet aperture 68 for the liquid.

With the previously described forms of the invention, to open the valve one presses with two fingers either on the bel lows 32 or on the annular flange 58 of the actuating attachment S6. The outlet aperture of the valve in such cases lies at the end of the cylindrical shaft 34, so that the product can also be dispensed at a difficultly accessible place, while the operating finger has not to reach up to this difficultly accessible place. If the head 66 according to FIGS. 6 and 7 is used, the valve can then be opened with one finger, but since it must press on the top 70 of the head 66, this finger must reach up to the place where the product comes out. FIG. 10 shows a form of the valve according to the invention which can be opened with one finger, in which the place of issue (38, 48) lies at a distance from this actuating finger, so that the product can also be dispensed at a difficultly accessible place.

The embodiment of the valve according to the invention shown in FIG. 10 corresponds in its basic idea to the previously described forms, and therefore the same or corresponding part would be provided with corresponding reference symbols. A baseplate I4 is fixed in the top edge I2 of the vessel and has on its top side an annular groove 16" in which an annular rib 36" of the nozzle 30" engages. The baseplate 14 has on its under side a reinforcing rib l7 and is provided with at least one aperture 18". In a covered part 20" of the baseplate 14" a recess 22" open at the bottom is constructed, in which a spreader 24" can be fixed when the vessel I2 is a two-compartment container, i.e. when the vessel 12 has a compressible inner container. This spreader 24" thus serves for the purpose of preventing the pressure agent round the compressible inner container from compressing this abnormally, for example in the center, so that at the lower end of the compressible container a closed pocket can be formed, the contents of which cannot be emptied by the valve.

The valve piston 42" corresponds in its type of construction to the piston 42' according to FIG. 9 and has at its lower end 52" an annular groove 54 in which a rib 29 engages which is provided in a bore 27" of the baseplate 14''. It will be seen that the valve piston 42" is placed eccentrically in the baseplate 14'.

The nozzle 30" has a bellowslike part 32" which consists of flexible material and has an approximately cylindrical sidewall and a flat closing wall at the top, while the cylindrical shaft 34 is concentric with the eccentric valve piston 42" and at its top end has a conical valve seat 38" which cooperates with the valve cone 50" of the valve disc 48". The nozzle 30 abuts against the top side of the baseplate 14" with a lower annular flange 35" and is fixed on the container 12 by means of a rolled round part of the top edge of the container 12.

According to one form of the invention the cylindrical shaft 34" is constructed as a smooth hollow cylinder, i.e. the dotdash line 61" is the outer bounding line of this cylindrical shaft 34". If the flat top of the bellows 32" is pressed with one finger in the direction of the arrow 60", the bellows 32" is compressed, and the valve seat 38" is removed from the valve disc 48", so that the valve opens. According to a preferred form of the invention, the flat top of the bellows 32" can be made somewhat more rigid than the cylindrical side wall of this bellows, in order to obtain a uniform compression of the bellows.

A further form of the invention is provided by making a projection 82 on the sidewall of the cylindrical shaft 34", which lies above the place where the finger will be pressed on the bellows 32". The valve can then be opened by pressing on this projection 82 in the direction of the arrow 84. But the valve can also be opened by pressing on the bellows 32" in the direction of the arrow 60" and at the same time pressing on the projection 82 with the back of this finger in the direction of the arrow 84. In this way the uniform opening of the valve is facilitated.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 the bellows 32" is placed concentric with the baseplate 14', while the valve disc shaft 42" and the cylindrical shaft 34" lie eccentric thereto. Obviously it would also be possible to arrange the valve disc shaft and the cylindrical shaft concentric with the baseplate and only to press out the bellows laterally from the center.

Obviously the bellows 32 or the bellows 32" need not have the shape shown in the drawings. This bellows could also have any other shape provided only that it is suitable to effect the opening of the valve by finger pressure.

The invention is not of course limited to the details of the embodiments shown. The essence of the invention, on the contrary, lies in the fact that, instead of the use of springs or threads for closing the valve, one of the valve parts is made of elastically deformable material and the other valve part is made of rigid material, so that through the elasticity of the one valve part the valve can be opened by actuating with one or two fingers and automatically closed again.

We claim: 7

l. A dispensing apparatus for pastelike material comprising:

a. a pressure vessel for containing pressurized pastelike material;

b. a rigid valve stem mounted at a first end thereof on said pressure vessel and extending outwardly therefrom;

c. a valve formed at a second end of said valve stem;

d. aperture means defined by an exterior surface portion of said vessel generally adjacent said valve stem for the passage of pastelike material from the interior of said vessel to a point remote therefrom;

e. a flexible resilient nozzle disposed in fluidtight engagement at a first end thereof with an exterior portion of said vessel;

f. said nozzle being arranged to surround said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means and also to surround said valve stem;

g. said flexible resilient nozzle being formed with a bellows portion adjacent said first end thereof and a valve seat at a second end thereof for receiving said valve;

h. said flexible resilient nozzle being held in compression between said valve and said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means; and

i. whereby said dispensing apparatus may be actuated by an operator moving said second end of said flexible resilient nozzle in a direction away from said valve and whereby said valve seat of said flexible resilient nozzle is restored to a position in engagement with said valve in response to the pressure of said pressurized pastelike material urging against an inner surface of said bellows portion of said nou le when the operator releases said second end of said nozzle.

. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein:

a. a plate member provides said exterior surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means;

b. said fluidtight engagement of said first end of said resilient flexible nozzle with said vessel comprises:

a groove formed on the exterior surface of said pressure vessel to surround said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means; and

a rib formed to extend axially from said first end of said nozzle and corresponding in size and shape with said groove for mating engagement therein;

c. whereby said resilient flexible nozzle is operable to direct a jet of paste through said aperture means, along the outer surface of said valve stem and over said valve in response to the movement of said nozzle away from said valve.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2; wherein said valve comprises a generally frustoconical shape and said plate member comprises a generally planar surface.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pressurized vessel generally comprises a cylindrical container:

a. said valve stem member being disposed generally centrally of said plate member and extending axially outwardly from said cylindrical container;

b. said aperture means comprising a plurality of holes disposed about said first end of said valve stem member;

and c. said groove comprising an annular'recess formed in said plate member.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said enlarged bellows portion of said flexible resilient nozzle comprises a generally semispherical portion extending toward said first end of said nozzle and terminating in said rib.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said flexible resilient nozzle is formed with an external shoulder disposed about said second end thereof the addition of:

a. an outer collar member having an axial passage formed therein with an internal shoulder corresponding in size and shape with said external shoulder of said sleeve member for mating engagement therewith; said collar member being formed with outwardly projecting flange means;

b. whereby said collar member fits over said nozzle member with said internal shoulder engaging on said external shoulder; and

c. whereby an operator may actuate said pastelike material dispensing apparatus by moving said flange means of said collar member axially away from said valve.

7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said bellows is of a greater flexibility than the remaining portion of said flexible resilient nozzle.

Claims

1. A dispensing apparatus for pastelike material comprising: a. a pressure vessel for containing pressurized pastelike material; b. a rigid valve stem mounted at a first end thereof on said pressure vessel and extending outwardly therefrom; c. a valve formed at a second end of said valve stem; d. aperture means defined by an exterior surface portion of said vessel generally adjacent said valve stem for the passage of pastelike material from the interior of said vessel to a point remote therefrom; e. a flexible resilient nozzle disposed in fluidtight engagement at a first end thereof with an exterior portion of said vessel; f. said nozzle being arranged to surround said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means and also to surround said valvE stem; g. said flexible resilient nozzle being formed with a bellows portion adjacent said first end thereof and a valve seat at a second end thereof for receiving said valve; h. said flexible resilient nozzle being held in compression between said valve and said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means; and i. whereby said dispensing apparatus may be actuated by an operator moving said second end of said flexible resilient nozzle in a direction away from said valve and whereby said valve seat of said flexible resilient nozzle is restored to a position in engagement with said valve in response to the pressure of said pressurized pastelike material urging against an inner surface of said bellows portion of said nozzle when the operator releases said second end of said nozzle.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: a. a plate member provides said exterior surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means; b. said fluidtight engagement of said first end of said resilient flexible nozzle with said vessel comprises: a groove formed on the exterior surface of said pressure vessel to surround said surface portion of said vessel defining said aperture means; and a rib formed to extend axially from said first end of said nozzle and corresponding in size and shape with said groove for mating engagement therein; c. whereby said resilient flexible nozzle is operable to direct a jet of paste through said aperture means, along the outer surface of said valve stem and over said valve in response to the movement of said nozzle away from said valve.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said valve comprises a generally frustoconical shape and said plate member comprises a generally planar surface.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pressurized vessel generally comprises a cylindrical container: a. said valve stem member being disposed generally centrally of said plate member and extending axially outwardly from said cylindrical container; b. said aperture means comprising a plurality of holes disposed about said first end of said valve stem member; and c. said groove comprising an annular recess formed in said plate member.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said flexible resilient nozzle is formed with an external shoulder disposed about said second end thereof the addition of: a. an outer collar member having an axial passage formed therein with an internal shoulder corresponding in size and shape with said external shoulder of said sleeve member for mating engagement therewith; said collar member being formed with outwardly projecting flange means; b. whereby said collar member fits over said nozzle member with said internal shoulder engaging on said external shoulder; and c. whereby an operator may actuate said pastelike material dispensing apparatus by moving said flange means of said collar member axially away from said valve.