US3796355A

US3796355A - Method of and apparatus for dispensing plastic material from a container

Info

Publication number: US3796355A
Application number: US00305301A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Linder; G Sjostrand; R Carter
Original assignee: FIBRE GLASS EVERCOAT CO
Current assignee: FIBRE GLASS - EVERCOAT COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1972-11-10
Filing date: 1972-11-10
Publication date: 1974-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-12

Abstract

A press is designed to accommodate a shipping container for plastic material of putty consistency; and to apply force to an inwardly displaceable end closure member of the container so as to place the contents thereof under pressure sufficient to extrude the contents through a discharge opening formed in the sidewall of the container immediately prior to initial actuation of the press, the press being portable and adapted to support the container at an inclination favorable to a clean controlled discharge of material onto a pallet or similar receptacle, for thereby eliminating the need for a valving member.

Description

United States Patent [191 Linder et al.

[4 1 Mar. 12, 1974 Gerald D. Sjostrand, Fresno; Richard L. Carter, Huntington Beach, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Fibre Glass-Evercoat Company,

Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio [22] Filed: Nov. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 305,301

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1918 White et a1. 222/390 X l/l873 Tucker, 222/327 3,138,297 6/1964 McKinney 222/185 2,822,959 2/1958 Soehnlen 222/327 3,174,677 3/1965 Ramstad 222/390 X Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-Larry Martin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-J. Warren Kinney, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A press is designed to accommodate a shipping container for plastic material of putty consistency; and to apply force to an inwardly displaceable end closure member of the container so as to place the contents thereof under pressure sufficient to extrude the contents through a discharge opening formed in the sidewall of the container immediately prior to initial actuation of the press, the press being portable and adapted to support the container at an inclination favorable to a clean controlled discharge of material onto a pallet or similar receptacle, for thereby eliminating the need for a valving member.

12 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING PLASTIC MATERIAL FROM A CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,508, assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of this invention, which discloses the nature of the container and contents with which the present invention is concerned. Said patent suggests the rudimental elements of a press, lacking details, for extruding from a container a heavy putty-like plastic material such as polyestertype auto body filler or the like, by utilizing an end closure or lid of the container as a slidable plunger head in dispensing the plastic material for use through a valve associated with an opening in the bottom of the container.

In the patented device, the container comprises a cylindrical body having circular top and bottom closure members to confine the material, the bottom member being fixed, and having a delivery opening which is initially closed by a removable cap or plug which is replaced by a conventional valving member until the contents have been completely dispensed. The top closure member is defined as a lid of soft metal or deformable plastic, including a deformable flange which normally overlies and seals against the upper beaded edge of the cylindrical container wall. In practice, the container is placed in upright position upon a support, with the cap or plug removed, and a downward force is applied to the deformable lid for driving the lid bodily through the container body in the direction of the bottom member, thereby to compress the plastic material and dispense it through the uncapped delivery opening. The material so dispensed gravitates vertically downwardly through the delivery opening, to a location beneath the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION that plastic material dispensed therefrom will not be discharged from the container except during those periods of time when a positive, deliberate expelling force is applied to the contents via the plunger. The material, when dispensed will be in full view of the operator, and completely under his control, to ensure accuracy in the quantity of material delivered with the purpose of avoiding waste due to excessive over-run. Furthermore, the delivery opening of the container is advantageously relocated in the high side of the container adjacent the bottom thereof, rather than in the bottom member thereof, to provide for a clean cutoff of material by an edge of the bottom member whenever the extrusion pressure upon the material is relaxed, as may be determined by the operator with the delivery opening readily in view.

The press apparatus is portable, of rugged construction, and easily and simply applicable to dispense plastic material from containers successively without waste, loss of time, or clean-up problems.

A primary object of the invention is to teach a unique method of selectively dispensing heavy plastic material from a container in which the material is delivered to the ultimate user thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the press apparatus of the present invention, with the pressure plate or platen thereof shown in an advanced position.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section of FIG. 1, showing the pressure plate or platen fully retracted, and the apparatus supporting a container of plastic material in an inclined position of advantage for dispensing the material through a delivery opening in the container side wall, the opening being formed by a conventional triangular-cut beverage can opener.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, indicating a material-delivery stage of operation.

FIG. 4 is a view indicating a cut-off stage of material delivery.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section showing details of the pressure plate or platen of the press apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Containers of the kind herein disclosed are useful for the packaging, shipping, and dispensing of plastic substances such as putty-like polyester or fiberglas fillers and the like. The container usually is of hollow cylinder formation and may conveniently be fabricated of any suitable sheet stock. Such a container is denoted generally by the letter C upon the accompanying drawing, and with the exception of the delivery opening, the herein-disclosed container may be considered as similar to that of the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,508.

Briefly stated, the container comprises a cylindrical side wall 26, a disc-like bottom closure member 14 having no delivery opening, and a top closure member or lid 30 capable of being advanced bodily through the cylindrical container in substantial accordance with the disclosure of the issued patent aforesaid, for extruding the contents of the container. The bottom member 14 is permanentlv crimped or otherwise mounted in sealing relationship upon the container body, a circumferential crimp 20 being shown for this purpose. A bead or roll may be provided circumferentially of the top opening of the container, as in the patented structure, if desired.

In the present embodiment, lid 30 includes a circumferential deformable plastic skirt 133 adapted to turn inwardly as the lid is advanced bodily through the container by press action, substantially as explained in the issued patent aforesaid, FIGS. 9 and 10. As therein explained, the lid removably attaches itself to platen 22 as the platen advances, thereby to facilitate lid recovery upon retraction of the platen.

The apparatus for applying force to the container lid, may be in the general form of a press which preferably is hand-operated through the agency of a long screw 24 having at one end a crank or turning device 28. The lower or inner end of screw 24 has a rotary connection with the center point of the disc-like pressure plate or platen 22, which is dimensioned to fit nicely or snugly by preference, within the circular inner limit of the lid as initially applied to the container top. As the platen is forced to advance flatwise against the outer face of the lid, by the action of screw 24 turning within the nut 50, the lid will yield to the force of the screw and will advance downwardly bodily within the container with a corresponding displacement of plastic material there-- from through a discharge port as more fully hereinafter described.

The platen 22 is rotationally mounted upon an end of screw 24 in any suitable manner. As shown in FIG. 6, the platen is cupped and provided with a fixed inner disc 52 having an aperture 54 aligned with an aperture 56 formed centrally of the platen. A retainer screw 58 passing through said apertures may be threadedly anchored in the lower end of pressure screw 24, allowing the platen to rotate thereon.

The reference numeral 60 indicates a substantially flat base plate or support member, upon which is fixed an angularly inclined shelf member 62. The fixed shelf member 62 is substantially flat so as to support the bottom of container C. Gussets 64, 64 at opposite sides of the shelf establish the angularity of the shelf relative to the plane of base plate 60, and for securing the shelf thereon by means of screws 66 or other fastening devices. Uniformly satisfactory results have been obtained in those instances in which the inclination of the shelf member relative to the base plate approximates 50 degrees.

A stationary yoke 68 disposed at right angles to the plane of shelf member 62, provides a support means for nut 50, which is fixed thereon. The

opposite arms

70, 70 of the yoke are spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate between them the container C, and the height of the yoke likewise is dimensioned to accommodate the height of the container when platen 22 is fully retracted relative to shelf 62. The yoke is fixed relative to shelf 62 and base plate 60, and may be secured to either or both of these elements. As shown, the lower ends of arms 70 are bent inwardly as at 72 to engage slots 74 formed in the gussets 64, thereby to effect a firm connection between the yoke and the shelf member. The cross-head of the yoke is denoted 76.

It may here be noted that container C will usually have its bottom closure member 14 defined by a circumferential roll or bead which is slightly larger in diameter than the side wall of the container body. This roll or head may be utilized to hold the container centered or positioned on shelf 62. For the purpose,

hooked lugs 78 may be applied to or struck from the metal of the shelf, to overlie and engage the extending bead or roll of the container bottom while said bottom rests upon the upper face of the shelf. By preference, three such lugs or hooks are provided (see 78, Fig. 5), two of which are located at opposite ends of a diameter of the bottom bead, while the third is intermediate, and located lowermost near the plane of base 60.

The hooks or lugs are so arranged that the weight of the container tends to keep the bottom bead engaged with the hooks or lugs at all times, though the container may readily be deposited upon or lifted bodily from the shelf so long as the platen 22 remains elevated and disengaged from the container lid.

As was previously mentioned, the container bottom preferably includes no preformed delivery port, because with the use of the dispensing press herein disclosed, advantages are gained by releasing the plastic contents of the container through a substantially triangular delivery port 80 which is located in the highest portion of the side wall adjacent to the container bottom. Said port 80 may be formed very simply with the use of the common triangular-cut beverage can opener 82 which includesa fulcrum lug 84 that hooks under the bottom bead 20 of the container body in performing the puncture.

Port is advantageously located above the uppermost or forward edge 86 of shelf member 62. In the preferred construction shown, the shelf member is foreshortened so that a portion of the container bead 20 overhangs the shelf edge 86 while the shelf supports the container. Port 80 preferably is located at the highest point of bead 20, to include an imaginary vertical plane that bisects the container body axially. As a result, the delivery port is located conveniently in full view of the press operator so that any extrusion of plastic material from the port is clearly observable and controllable with accuracy.

Another advantage of the arrangement disclosed, is that the uppermost portion of bead 20, being closely adjacent to an edge of port 80, serves as an effective automatic cut-off means for the plastic material, (FIGS. 3 and 4), upon termination of delivery pressure generated by screw 24. That is to say, a clean and effective cut-off is obtainable when as in FIG. 3 a desired quantity of material has been dispensed by rotating the screw 24 in one direction, followed by a limited reversal of the screw rotation as in FIG. 4, to terminate delivery of the material. The material delivered may be deposited upon a portable pallet 88 or other receptacle held or supported beneath the level of shelf edge 86.

It is important to note that each successive delivery of plastic material from container C is attended by a clean and accurately gauged cut-off that is within full view of the operator; and by reason of the overhang at shelf edge 86, there is precluded any liklihood of plastic material reaching or adhering to any parts of the press apparatus.

When the supply of material within container C is exhausted, the operator will rotate screw 24 in the proper direction for withdrawing platen 22 and lid 30 from the container, so that the container may be dislodged from the embrace of hooked lugs 78 and replaced with a full one. As was previously pointed out herein, and in the disclosure of the issued patent aforesaid, platen 22 when withdrawn or retracted, carries with it the lid 30.

The viscosity of the plastic material is between 18 to 36 mm as measured on a I-Iumboldt Penetrorneter, and, as already noted, the inclination of the container is such as to preclude the gravitational discharge of material from opening 80, even though said opening is never closed during the entire time when the container is as sociated with the press, as in FIG. 4, that is, even when the contents are not being pressure expelled, as in FIG. 3.

The subject invention eliminates the need for dispenser valves heretofore considered necessary in dispensers of heavy plastic materials.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for dispensing flowable, viscous, plastic material from an inclined, substantially rigid container having a side wall, a bottom wall, and a displaceable top frangibly connected to the side-wall and movable through said container toward the bottom thereof, said apparatus comprising a substantially flat, planar support base, an angularly upwardly inclined, substantially flat, planar container support shelf fixed on an upper surface of the support base and having a high edge spaced upwardly from the base, upstanding container bottomengaging support and centering means on said shelf engaging the bottom of a container and supporting the container on said shelf with the axis of the container inclined to the horizontal and with the bottom of the container having a high side located forwardly of and above the high edge of the shelf, an open port in the side wall of the container at the high side of the bottom thereof, a one-piece, substantially U-shaped yoke with a bight portion parallel to said shelf and spaced therefrom a distance greater than the length of the container side wall and opposite depending legs substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shelf and having free ends fixed to said shelf at opposite sides thereof, and an extensible and retractable press means carried by the bight portion substantially in the center thereof and movable into engagement with the displaceable top of the container to force the top through the container toward the bottom thereof to expel the contents of the container through said port, the angle of inclination of the container being such that the contents of the container are not gravitationally discharged through said port.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein the base is substantially rectangularly shaped and is normally horizontally disposed, a downwardly extending gusset on opposite edges of the shelf, an outwardly extending flange on a lower end portion of each gusset, fastening means extended through the flanges into substantially the center of the base securing the gussets and thus the shelf to said base with the shelf in said upwardly inclined position and with a substantially free, unobstructed space beneath the bottom of the container and in which space a pallet or the like may be placed for receiving material discharged through said port, the free ends of said legs of said yoke having inturned flanges thereon, said shelf having slots therein at opposite sides thereof, and said inturned flanges on said legs received in said slots securing said yoke to said shelf.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein said press means comprises a nut fixed on said bight portion, an elongate actuating screw threaded through said nut substantially coaxial with said container and having one end thereof between said bight portion and said shelf, and a substantially circular platen carried by said one end in a plane parallel to the plane of said top wall of said container for flatwise contact with said top wall.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 3, wherein said upstanding support means on said shelf comprises a plurality of upstanding restraining lugs each including a hook engageable with a portion of the bottom of the container to restrain the container against axial displacement upon withdrawal of said pressure platen from said container.

5. Apparatus as called for in claim 1, wherein the press means comprises a movable pressure platen dimensioned to flatly overlie, displace and advance said top, and means for advancing and retracting said platen.

6. Apparatus as defined by claim 5, wherein said advancing and retracting means includes a nut on the bight portion of the yoke, and a rotatable screw threaded into said nut and carrying the pressure platen at one end thereof.

7.-Apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein is included cooperative means on the container and on said shelf, to preclude axial displacement of the container during retraction of the pressure platen.

8. Apparatus as defined by claim 7, wherein said cooperative means comprises at least one restraining lug upstanding upon the shelf and including a hook engageable with a portion of the bottom wall.

9. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein is included cooperative means on the container and on said shelf, to preclude axial shifting of the container relative to the plane of the shelf.

10. Apparatus as defined by claim 9, wherein said cooperative means comprises at least one restraining lug upstanding upon the shelf and including a hook to engage a portion of the container near the bottom wall thereof.

11. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said angle of inclination ranges between 30 and 12. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said angle ofinclination approximates 50.

Claims

1. Apparatus for dispensing flowable, viscous, plastic material from an inclined, substantially rigid container having a side wall, a bottom wall, and a displaceable top frangibly connected to the side wall and movable through said container toward the bottom thereof, said apparatus comprising a substantially flat, planar support base, an angularly upwardly inclined, substantially flat, planar container support shelf fixed on an upper surface of the support base and having a high edge spaced upwardly from the base, upstanding container bottom engaging support and centering means on said shelf engaging the bottom of a container and supporting the container on said shelf with the axis of the container inclined to the horizontal and with the bottom of the container having a high side located forwardly of and above the high edge of the shelf, an open port in the side wall of the container at the high side of the bottom thereof, a one-piece, substantially U-shaped yoke with a bight portion parallel to said shelf and spaced therefrom a distance greater than the length of the container side wall and opposite depending legs substantially perpendicular to the plane of the shelf and having free ends fixed to said shelf at opposite sides thereof, and an extensible and retractable press means carried by the bight portion substantially in the center thereof and movable into engagement with the displaceable top of the container to force the top through the container toward the bottom thereof to expel the contents of the container through said port, the angle of inclination of the container being such that the contents of the container are not gravitationally discharged through said port.

7. Apparatus as defined by claim 6, wherein is included cooperative means on the container and on said shelf, to preclude axial displacement of the container during retraction of the pressure platen.

11. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said angle of inclination ranges between 30* and 70*.

12. Apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said angle of inclination approximates 50*.