US2993627A - Fluent material dispenser - Google Patents

Description

July 25, 1961 G. MANSELL FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER 5 Sheets-Sheei'. 1

w lik Filed June 5. 1959 July 25,1961 G. MANSELL FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5. 1959 y 1961 G. MANSELL 2,993,627

FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed June 5, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 v 0a 50 a w J I United States Patent "i e 2,993,627 FLUENT MATERIAL DISPENSER Geolfrey Mansell, San Juan Capistrano, Califi, assignor to Rohertshaw-Fulton Controls Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 5,1959, Ser. No. 818,379 9 Claims. (Cl. 222-284) This invention relates to dispensers and more particularly to dispensers of the type adapted to discharge a predetermined variable quantity of fluent material from a storage bin.

One of the objects of this invention is to require a preselection of the quantity of material to be dispensed.

Another object is to allow a change in such a selection to be readily made any time prior to the actual dispensing.

A further object of this invention is to derive the power for the actual dispensing from available fluid pressure systems.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, rotatable metering means are driven by pressure operated driving means. A toggle Valve assembly controls the supply of pressure to the driving means. Rotation of a first knob determines the amount of detergent to be dispensed whereas rotation of a second knob initiates a dispensing cycle by tripping the toggle valve assembly to admit pressure to the driving means to cause the rotatable metering means to discharge the selected quantity of material.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view, partly in section and with portions removed, of an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially exploded perspective view, with portions removed, of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view, on an enlarged scale and with portions in section, of a detail shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a detail of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional View taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a somewhat schematic view of a clothes washing machine provided with the device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a detail shown in FIG. 1.

Whereas it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptible to a variety of uses, the following description is directed to an embodiment especially adapted for use in dispensing detergents into an automatic clothes washing machine. Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, a detergent dispenser, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, is provided with a storage bin or hopper 12. Hopper 12 is open at the top to receive a supply of detergent and is formed with sloping bottom walls which converge at an outlet 14. The size of hopper 12 is preferably chosen so as to contain a sufiicient supply of detergent for repeated operation of dispenser 10, as for example, enough to actuate dispenser twenty times before it becomes necessary to replenish the detergent supply. The gravity feed of the detergent to outlet 14 is aided by the normal vibration encountered when the washing machine is in operation.

Metering means in the form of a rotatable impeller 16 is disposed within outlet 14 for measuring and discharging the desired amount of detergent through outlet 14. Impeller 16 is provided with a plurality of radially ex- Patented July 25, 1961 tending blades 18, the outer ends of which cooperate with an arcuate portion of outlet 14 to entrap a specific quantity of detergent within the compartments between the impeller 16 and portion 20. It is preferable that the amount entrapped be a convenient volume, as for example, one quarter of a cup per each compartment, so that upon each 60 increment of angular displacement, onequarter cup of detergent is dispensed through outlet 14. It should be obvious that the number of impellers 18 is purely a matter of choice in determining the quantity of detergent discharged with each increment of rotation of impeller 16.

As best seen in FIG. 3, outlet 14 is formed in an impeller housing 22 on which hopper 12 is mounted. The impeller shaft 26 extends through a pair of bushings 24, 24 connected to housing 22. A brake collar 28 and a brake spring 30 are connected to one end of shaft 26.

The other end of shaft 26 is connected to a clutch collar 32 and a clutch spring 34 which engages a pinion gear 36 driven by a rack 38 guided for longitudinal movement by a guide bushing 40. Clutch spring 34 and brake spring 30 allow impeller 16 to be rotated clockwise only, as viewed in FIG. 1.

Actuating means for driving the metering means in cludes a pressure operated motor means in the form of an expansible chamber 42 comprising a cylinder 44 secured to the supporting structure 45 for hopper 12 and impeller housing 22 and a movable piston 46 connected to a piston rod 48. A cylinder closure cap 50 is formed with a vent hole 53 through which entrapped air may escape. A stop collar 52 is mounted on piston rod 48 to limit inward movement of piston 46. Piston rod 48 is tubular and is connected at one end to a pressure line 54 in the form of a flexible tube which is adapted to be connected to a washing machine water supply system to admit pressurized fluid into expansible chamber 42 to move piston 46.v A bleed line 56 is connected to cylinder 44 and communicates with chamber 42 to bleed the pressure within chamber 42 when the supply of pressurized fluid from tube 54 is cut ofi.

Piston rod 48 is connected to a lever 58 which is pivoted on a bracket 60 and is connected at one end to rack 38. Piston rod 48 carries a toggle valve assembly 62. As best seen in FIG. 8, toggle valve assembly'62 includes a collar 70 mounted on a piston rod 48 as by a set screw. A bracket 63 is connected to collar 70 and is mounted upon piston rod 48. A lower portion of bracket 63 is connected to a pair of helical tension springs 66 for actuating toggle valve assembly 62 between positions. An intermediate portion of bracket 63 holds flexible tube 54 against a V-shaped portion 65 of bracket 63. An actuating arm 64 is formed with a V-shaped groove 67 which is cooperable with portion 65 to pinch tube 54 to shut off the supply of pressure to piston rod 48 when in the position shown in FIG. 8. Actuating arm 64 is connected at the upper end to tension springs 66 and is pivoted about a pivot 73 connected to bracket 63. I The lower end of actuating arm 64 is formed with a section 61 which is bent at an acute angle to provide a stop which abuts piston rod 48 to limit clockwise rotation of actuating arm 64 to the open position.

Bleed line 56 is smaller in size than the central bore of piston rod 48. When toggle valve assembly 62 is open, the rate at which pressurized fluid enters chamber 42 is higher than the rate at which the fluid bleeds through line 56; consequently, pressure builds up in chamber 42 causing piston 46 and piston rod 48 to move.

A bracket 72 is secured to the piston rod 48 between collar 70 and stop collar 52. The piston rod passes through an opening in a bracket 71 which is intermediate the toggle valve assembly 62 and bracket 72. The bracket 71 is a part of the support structure 45. A helical compression spring 68 is carried on piston rod 48 and bears at one end against bracket 71. The other end of spring 68 abuts bracket 72 secured to piston rod 43 so that spring 68 causes piston rod 48 to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, until stop collar 52 limits the movement.

It will be obvious that the amount of detergent dispensed by impeller 16 is proportional to the length of the stroke of piston 46. The length of stroke may be controlled by actuating toggle valve assembly 62 between positions at a predetermined point of the stroke. To vary the length of the stroke and hence the amount of detergent dispensed, it is necessary to vary the point at which toggle valve assembly 62 is tripped. To accomplish this, adjustment means are provided which include a knob or selector dial 74 which rotates a cam plate 76 to pivot a lever 78, one end of which is disposed in the path of actuating arm 64. Selector dial 74 is keyed to a tubular shaft 80 which passes through a support bracket 82. Cam plate 76 is disposed to the rear of bracket 82 and is rigidly secured to shaft 80. A truncated conical sheet metal spring 84 is connected at one end to selector dial 74- and bears against bracket 82. Selector dial 74 may be depressed inwardly slightly against the bias of spring 84 which in turn, upon release of dial 74, causes dial 74 to move outwardly. When dial 74 is at the zero setting, lever 78 engages toggle valve assembly 62 to prevent actuation thereof.

Lever 78 .is pivoted about a cam follower pin 86 which engages the outer periphery of cam plate 76. Pin 86, as best seen in FIG. 4, is connected at one end to plate 82 and has a return spring 88 coiled thereabout with one end of spring 88 engaging the bent over edge section of plate 82 and the other end of spring 88 being connected to lever 78 to cause cam follower pin 86 to follow cam plate 76.

A manually rotatable dispensing knob 90 is disposed coaxially with selector dial 74 and is connected to a shaft 92 by a set screw 94. Knob 90 is formed with an aperture 96 which, when dial 74 is depressed, affords access to set screw 94. Shaft 92 extends rearwardly and coaxially with shaft 80 and is connected to a starwheel 98 which is biased away from cam plate 76 by an annular spring 100. As best seen in FIG. 1, starwheel 98 is formed with a plurality of spokes 101, 102, and 103 which are engageable with a pin 104 connected to a dispensing slide plate 106. Plate 106 is formed with an elongated groove 108 through which shaft 92 passes. The lower end of plate 106 is connected to a helical tension spring 110 connected to a stationary bracket 112. Spring 110 biases plate 106 towards the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein shaft 92 abuts the upper end of groove 108.

Plate 106 is formed with an abutment 113 engageable with a toggle valve trip lever 115. Plate 106 is also formed with a rectangular aperture 111. A resilient pin spring 116 is connected to plate 106 and extends across a portion of aperture 111. Pin 116 is adapted to engage a pin 118 connected to a flap return pulley 120.

The operation of plate 106, starwheel 98 and trip lever 115 is best understood by referring to FIG. 1. Clockwise rotation of dispensing knob 90 rotates starwheel 98 causing spoke 101 to lift pin 104 and slide plate 106 from the position shown in FIG. 1. A clearance is provided between the side walls of groove 103 and shaft 92 so that as pin 104- moves upwardly, plate 106 moves to cause abutment 113 to overlie the cooperating portion of lever 115. Further rotation allows pin 104 to slide over the outer extremity of spoke 101 and plate 106 thereupon snaps downwardly, due to the bias of spring 110, until pin 104 engages the succeeding spoke 2. This downward or returnmovement causes abutment 113 to rotate lever 115 in a counterclockwise direction to actuate toggle valve assembly 62 from the closed position to the open position.

Pulley 120 is mounted upon a shaft 122 which in turn is connected to a flap or trapdoor 124 disposed beneath outlet 14 above a mixing chamber 126. Pulley 120 is connected to piston rod 48 through frictional clutch means in the form of a pivoted bar 128 biased into engagement with pulley 120 by a leaf spring 130. Bar 128 is pivoted upon bracket 72 and moves with piston rod 48.

Upward movement of spring 116 rotates pulley 120 counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1, causing clutch bar 123 to slip. Subsequent outward movement of piston 46 and rod 48 tends to rotate pulley 120 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 6, until door 124 en gages stop means (not shown), after which clutch bar 128 slips against pulley 120. Subsequent inward movement of rod 48 causes bar 128 to rotate pulley 120 and door 124- to the closed position, indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 6. A

A water inlet tube 132 is connected to hopper 12 and terminates at its lower end in mixing chamber 126. A bafile 134 is disposed in the path of water flowing through inlet tube 132 to prevent the water from striking the outlet 14 and causing calting of the detergent therein. Mixing chamber 126 communicates with an outlet tube 135 which is adapted to discharge the slurry of water and detergent into the washing tub or chamber. Lever 58 is provided with an arm 136 having beveled pin 138 mounted adjacent the outer extremity for cooperation with an arm 140 of cam plate 76.

Arm 136, pin 138 and arm 140 provides means for automatically resetting the selector dial 74 to the zero position, in a manner best understood by reference to FIG. 5. The solid lines represent the zero position wherein pin 133 engages arm 140 to prevent accidental rotation of selector dial 74. To set the amount of detergent to be dispensed, it is necessary to depress dial 74 against the bias of spring 84 until arm 140 disengages pin 138 whereupon dial 74 may be rotated to the desired setting. Rotation of plate 76 causes arm 140 to move between arm 136 and the portion of lever 58 connected to rack 38.

For the purposes of illustration, the position of plate 76 corresponding to the desired setting is indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 5. Subsequent actuation of the toggle valve assembly 62 causes lever 58 and arm 136 to move in a clockwise direction causing arm 136 to slide over arm 140 until arm 136 reaches the dotted position. This position corresponds to the point at which toggle valve assembly 62 is tripped to allow piston rod 48 to move inwardly. This inward movement rotates arm 136 counterclockwise causing pin 138 to engage arm 140 and rotate cam plate 7 6 and selector dial 74 clockwise until it reaches the Zero position.

As illustrated somewhat schematically in FIG. 7, dispenser 10 may be mounted within a washing machine so that hopper 1-2 is beneath a trapdoor 144 through which detergent may be added to hopper 12. Selector dial 74 and dispenser knob 90 extend through the front wall of a backsplasher 146 and the discharge outlet 135 overhangs the washing tub 148. A suitable air gap may be provided between the washing machine water supply system and water inlet tube 132 for compliance with plumbing codes.

In operation, assuming that selector dial 74 is in the off or zero position, it is first necessary for the operator to select the desired quantity of detergent to be dispensed by depressing and rotating dial 74 to position lever 78 at the desired point.

To commence the dispensing cycle, knob 90 is rotated clockwise causing plate 106 to actuate trip lever 115 and pulley 12h. Toggle valve assembly 62 moves to the open position to admit water from inlet 54 into chamber 42, causing piston rod 4 3 to move outwardly. This movement rotates lever 58, moves rack 38, rotates pinion 36, and rotates impeller 16 causing detergent to fall through outlet 14 into mixing chamber 126.

Piston rod 48 continues to-move until toggle valve assembly 62 engages and is tripped by lever 78. This cuts off the pressure from line 54 and the fluid within chamber 42 is bled through bleed line 56 allowing spring 68 to move piston rod 48 and piston 46 into cylinder 44. The inward movement of piston rod 48 closes door 124 and causes lever 58 and arm 136 to rotate until pin 138 engages arm 140. Further inward movement of piston rod 48 rotates cam plate 76 and selector dial 74 to the zero position.

After the detergent drops into mixing chamber 126, water may be admitted to inlet tube 132 to flush the detergent through outlet 135. The time at which water is admitted to the tube 132 may be controlled by various means, as for example, by a solenoid valve actuated by a washing machine timer mechanism.

Whereas the foregoing description is directed towards a detergent dispenser for an automatic clot-hes washing machine, it should be obvious that the dispenser can be used for fluent materials other than detergents and that the dispenser can be used with apparatus other than automatic clothes washing machines.

When used to dispense liquids, the impeller blades 18 and the cooperating arcuate portion 20 should be formed to prevent liquid leak-age between cooperating surfaces.

Another modification of this invention contemplates eliminating obvious elements so that the material dispensed can fall directly from outlet 14 into, for example, a cup held in the hand of an operator.

Furthermore, in some instances it may be desirable to eliminate the zero reset means for dial 74 by removing arms 136 and 140. In such a case, the selector dial 74 remains in the set position until it is later changed by the operator.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a fluent material dispenser, the combination comprising metering means adapted to dispense a quantity of the material, pressure actuable driving means operably connected to move said metering means, means for admitting a pressurized fluid to said driving means including a toggle valve movable between open and closed positions, and actuating means operably connected to open said toggle valve to admit pressurized fluid to actuate said driving means, and subsequently to move said toggle valve from said open position to said closed position in response to a predetermined movement of said metering means.

2. In a detergent dispenser for a washing machine, the combination comp-rising metering means movable between positions and adapted to dispense a quantity of detergent, adjustable means including a first control knob operably connected to vary the amount of detergent dispensed, and a second control knob disposed concentric with said first control knob and being operably connected to initiate a cycle of operation to dispense the predetermined quantity of detergent and to subsequently return said first control knob to a zero setting.

3. In a fluent material dispenser, the combination comprising: a hopper adapted to contain a quantity of the fluent material, said hopper having an outlet; rotatable metering means disposed in said outlet for dispensing a quantity of the material proportional to the amount of rotation of said metering means; and actuating means for driving said metering means and including an expansible chamber, means for delivering a pressurized fluid to said chamber, and motion transmitting means interconnecting said chamber and said metering means for rotating said metering means in response to increases in pressure within said expansible chamber.

4. In a fluent material dispenser, the combination comprising metering means adapted to dispense a quantity 6 of the fluent material proportional to the amount of movement of said metering means, driving means operatively connected to move said metering means, and adjustable means adapted to vary the quantity of material dispensed and comprising a manually operated knob, a cam connected for movement with said knob, and lever means connected between said cam and said driving means for limiting the movement of said driving means in proportion to the setting of said knob.

5. The device of claim 4 in which said driving means is operably connected to move said cam and said knob to a zero setting after a quantity of the material has been dispensed.

6. A detergent dispenser for a washing machine comprising: a hopper adapted to be connected to the washing machine and being adapted to contain a quantity of detergent, said hopper having an outlet; a mixing chamber; metering means disposed in said outlet for dispensing detergent from said hopper to said mixing chamber; driving means operatively connected to move said metering means and including pressure operated motive means; a pressure supply line connected to said motive means and adapted to be connected to the washing machine water supply; a

. toggle valve connected to said supply line and being movable between an open position wherein pressure is admitted to said motive means and a closed position wherein the pressure is cut off from said motive means; control means operably connected to move said toggle valve from said closed position to said open position; and adjustable means operably connected to move said toggle valve from said open position to said closed position in response to predetermined movement of said motive means.

7. The device of claim 6 in which a trapdoor is disposed between said hopper and said mixing chamber, said door being operably connected to open upon movement of said control means and being operably connected to close upon movement of said driving means when said toggle valve is closed.

8. In a dispenser for fluid material, the combination comprising storage means adapted to contain a quantity of the fluent material, said storage means having an outlet, a rotatable impeller disposed within said outlet for metering a quantity of material from said storage means, and driving means for said impeller including an axially movable rod, expansible chamber means connected to said rod, toggle valve means mounted upon said rod for movement therewith, conduit means interconnecting said toggle valve means and said expansible chamber means to a pressure supply, said toggle valve means being operable to admit pressure to said expansible chamber means to move said rod and said toggle valve means in one direction, said toggle valve means being further operable when closed to cut 01f the pressure supply to allow said toggle valve means and said rod to move in the other direction, and motion transmitting means connected between said rod and said impeller to rotate said impeller to dispense a quantity of the fluid material in response to movement of said rod in said one direction.

9. The device of claim 8 in which adjustable trip means are provided to move said toggle valve means from the open position to the closed position in response to a predetermined movement of said rod in said one direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,274,212 Thompson July 30, 1918 1,657,761 Novelli Ian. 31, 1928 1,939,899 Hurlbrink Dec. 19, 1933 1,956,178 Rogers et al. Apr. 24, 1934 2,387,922 McBrien Oct. 30, 1945 2,793,940 Bennett May 28, 1957 2,808,969 Moravecky Oct. 8, 1957

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