US3291344A - Tube dispensing device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, R, W MEYER TUBE DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23, 1965 R O T N E V m R W MEYER United States Patent 3,291,344 TUBE DISPENSING DEVICE Robert W. Meyer, 199 E. Ouuda, Elmhurst, Ill. Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,277 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-98) This invention relates to tube dispensing devices and particularly to a device which is most useful in applying sealant or similar materials in production operation.

In the dispensing of sealant or similar material from flexible tubes, the flexibility of the tube is usually relied upon for permitting the folding of the tube on itself so to speak and thereby compelling the material within the tube to be expelled from a spout or nozzle at the opposite end. Under most conditions the material in a tube is not completely dispensed and where large quantities of sealant are used as in production operations for example, a very substantial amount of sealant is wasted where no complete dispensing operation is effected.

To the foregoing end therefore the instant invention is directed to a form of dispensing device in which all of the sealant is expelled from the tube with the possible exception of a microscopic layer remaining on the interior of the tube, which in the ultimate analysis could not be dispensed under any conditions in any event and thereby a substantial improvement in reduction of cost is effected as will be readily apparent from the fact that all the sealant substantially is used and may be availed of for such purpose as will be readily understood.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple dispensing device in which the tube from which the sealant or like material is to be dispensed, may be emplaced and by manipulation cause the sealant to be expelled as occasion may require or demand.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device in which a tube of material is wrapped around a drum and the material caused to be squeezed substantially completely therefrom in a uniform manner by simple manipulative action and responsive to the hand of the operator at all times.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device in which the tube from which a material is to be dispensed can be easily applied to or emplaced in the device and subsequently removed from the same for discard after the material in the tube has been completely expelled therefrom.

Other and further objects of the invention will be unclerstood from a consideration of the specification appended hereto and disclosed in the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side view showing the device of this invention with a tube of material applied thereto for dispensing purposes.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view on somewhat enlarged scale showing the certain operating parts of the mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is what may be termed a front view of the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the device.

FIGURE 5 is a view of the drum showing a slot in which a tube end may be emplaced so as to compel the wrapping of the tube therearound during operation of the device.

Referring now to the various figures, the device shown and described as a dispensing device, includes a body 1 of U-shaped form in which the open end of the arms 2 and 3 is adapted to receive therebetween the drum designated 4, the drum 4 being supported on a transversely extending shaft 5 for rotation.

At one end of the drum 4 is a ratchet wheel 6, having the teeth 7 thereon in any preferred number and spaced for most satisfactory operation of the device as to be subsequently explained.

3,291,344 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 Extending from one of the arms 3 of the body 1, is the support handle 8, being fastened to the arm 3 in any preferred manner as by welding or the like as indicated at 9, the support handle 8 in turn carrying on a pivot 10 an operating handle 11 which is usually maintained in separated position as to the extremity thereof from the support handle 8 by means of a spring 12 which includes portions engaging the support handle, surrounding the pivot 10 and likewise engaging the operating handle 11, and being subject to winding when the handles are squeezed toward one another.

At the end of the operating handle 11 as indicated in FIGURE 2, a ratchet dog 13 is pivotally mounted at 14 and maintained in operating position by means of a spring 15 which engages the body of the dog and likewise the body of the handle 11, to thereby tend to cause the dog 13 to move in a counterclockwise direction as to the extremity thereof.

The extremity of the dog designated 13a is intended to engage with the teeth 7 as will be apparent, when the handle 11 is moved toward the handle 8 for example.

Upon release of the handle 11 for returning to its initial position, the dog 13 in due course will move to a new position with respect to the teeth 7 and ratchet 6 so that further rotation may be imparted to the drum 4 upon which the ratchet 6 is positioned.

It will be understood from the foregoing that squeezing and releasing of the handle 11 will cause a rotative movement to be imparted to the drum 4.

The rotative movement of the drum 4 may be availed of to cause a tube such as 18 of generally conventional form and usually of material which is flexible so that the contents of the tube may be squeezed from within the same, the end of the tube designated 19 being positioned in the slot designated 20 formed across the face of the drum 4, the slot being a radial slot for the purposes hereof, and since the end of the tube 18 is flexible, may be inserted in said slot and caused to be wrapped around the drum 4.

In order to cause the material within the tube 18 to be expelled, a squeezing roll 20 is mounted on the body 1 at the extremities of the arms 2 and 3 thereof by means of swingable links 21, pivoted at 22 to the arms 2 and 3, the roll 26 in turn being rotatably mounted on a cross shaft 23.

As viewed in FIGURE 1, the tube 18 has been positioned so as to be wrapped around the drum 4, the squeezing roll will in turn assume a position about as indicated in the figure so that it will cause the roll to tightly roll over the material from which the tube is formed against the surface of the drum 4 and thereby effect the dispensing operation desired.

It will be apparent that the squeezing roll is adapted to assume relatively varying positions as the material from which the tube is formed may be thicker or thinner under some circumstances and thereby accornodate any tube which is susceptible of dispensing in the manner herein disclosed.

When the tube material has been completely dispensed, it is of course desirable to remove the tube from the drum and to that end the release lever is provided, and extends outwardly from the dog 13 as indicated at 25 in FIG- URE 2 and disclosed in its general relationship in FIG- URE 1 as being operable in an opening 26 formed in the support handle 8, a suitable slot being provided in the operating handle 11 in which said lever may move.

By manipulation of the lever 25 so as to move the end 13a of the dog 13 out of engagement with the tooth 7, the drum 4 may be rotated by withdrawing the tube from beneath the squeezing roll and when sufiiciently unwrapped from the drum, permit the end to be withdrawn from the slot 20 and a new tube substituted therefor for J manipulation in the manner hereinbefore described for dispensing purposes.

I claim:

In a dispensing device of the class described, in combination, a U-shaped body, a hand Width support handle extending therefrom, a drum rotatably mounted between the outer walls of said body, said drum having means to engage a tube to be dispensed, squeezing means comprising a roll member swingably mounted on the body for movement toward and from the surface of the drum, means for rotating the drum including a ratchet on the drum, an operating handle pivoted to the support handle, a ratchet dog operable by the operating handle, the support handle being connected to the body at one end of the latter, the ratchet on the drum being adjacent said support handle, the operating handle is substantially the same size as and is pivoted on the support handle, said device being thereby arranged for one handed manipulation, spring means to separate the extremities of the handles References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,357.351 9/1944 Oliver 222102 FOREIGN PATENTS 137,908 11/1952 Sweden.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner.

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