Nozzle

3,022,016

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Feb. 20, 1962

R. S. SHREWSBURY

NOZZLE

Filed Nov. 13, 1959

A O

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United States Patent Office

3,022,016

Patented Feb. 20, 1962

3,022,016 NOZZLE

Robert S. Shrewsbury, Dunedin, Fla,, assignor to VicMar Corporation, Dunedin, Fla., a corporation of Florida

Filed Nov. 13,1959, Ser. No. 852,643 4 Claims. (Cl. 239—521)

This invention relates to nozzles, and more particularly to nozzles for discharging fluid under pressure laterally relative to a conduit to which it is secured.

The nozzle of the present invention is applicable to the sectionizing of citrus fruits by the procedures disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 727,185. However, it will be apparent that the nozzle of the invention is capable of many other uses, and hence the invention is not limited to any particular use or application.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel nozzle construction adapted to produce a relatively thin, wide stream of liquid discharging laterally from a tube or conduit on which the nozzle is arranged.

Another c-bject of this invention is to provide a novel tubular nozzle construction wherein fluid passes in one direction around an outer surface of a tubular portion of the nozzle and is dicharged tangentially in a relatively thin, wide stream.

These and further objects and advantages will be readily apparent to these skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a radial cross-secticnal view of a pair of oppositely disposed nozzles of this invention shown in an exemplary operating position relative to a portion of a citrus fruit;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2—2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of the structure of each of the nozzles of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5—5 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6—6 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the embodiment of the invention there shown comprises a tubular body portion 16 having one of its ends 12 adapted to be suitably joined to a conduit 14 for communication with a source of fluid under pressure, for example, water. For this purpose, end 12 of portion 19 may be integral with conduit 14 or it may be appropriately sealingly engaged thereto, as by welding. In this connection, portion 19 and conduit 14 may be made of metal, if desired, or they may be made of any suitable material.

Adjacent to and spaced from the other end 16 of body portion 10, there is formed an annular recess 18 having a narrow longitudinal opening 20 therein. The opening 20 preferably extends the entire length of recess 18 between ends 12 and 16 of body portion 10. Disposed about body portion 10 and surrounding recess 18, is a sleeve member 22 having an enlarged and longitudinally extending discharge slot 24. Sleeve 22 is disposed about reduced portion 18 so that the slot 24 is circumferentially spaced from the elongated opening 29 in recess 18, and a fluid passage 21 is defined between the outer surface of recess 18 and the inner surface of the sleeve 22. Slot 24 is shown as being of approximately the same length as recess 18, as best seen in FIGURE 2.

A plug 26 having a stem portion 2S is shown fixedly secured to the end 16 of portion 10 with stem 28 being fitted into end 16, as shown. Plug 26 provides a fluid seal for this end of portion 18.

Preferably, the end 25 of sleeve 22 abuts the pipe 14 when assembled thereon, and the Other end of the sleeve is in engagement with shoulder 30 of the plug 26. A longitudinally extending plug member 32 is disposed ad5 jacent the opening 20 in conduit 10 so that fluid passing through the opening 20 will be directed circumferentially in one direction only, between the outer surface of the recess 18 and the inner surface of sleeve 22 toward slot 24 in the sleeve, as best indicated in FIGURE 1. Aper10 ture 24 is shown enlarged in width so that fluid passing between reduced portion 18 and sleeve 22 is discharged therethrough in a thin wide sheet substantially tangentially to the outer surface of recess 18. In this respect, a portion of the discharge slot 24 is shown located in 15 the direct flow path of the fluid between reduced portion 18 and sleeve 22 so that the fluid will encounter minimum obstruction as it passes outwardly from the nozzle in the direction of the arrows of FIGURE 1.

The sleeve 22 may be secured to the portion 10 in any 20 appropriate manner so as to prevent the flow of fluid between the engaged surfaces of the portion 10 and sleeve 22. For example, if all parts are made of metal, sleeve 22 may be welded or press-fitted to body portion 10, and/or conventional O-ring seals may be provided co25 axially around portion 10 between end 25 of sleeve 22 and the adjacent end of pipe 14, and also between the opposite end of sleeve 22 and shoulder 30 of plug 26.

Plug 32 will be of such size and shape that it will effectively block flow of fluid in a counterclockwise di30 rection in the space between sleeve 22 and recess 18 in the right-hand nozzle shown in FIGURE 1, as should be evident. This plug is shown as being of rectangular configuration, and will be sealingly engaged to the surrounding or adjacent surfaces of recess 18 and sleeve 22 in 35 any suitable fashion.

A guide vane 34 having an elongated and curved portion 36 adapted to releasably engage the sleeve 22, and also having a guiding portion 38 extending outwardly from the curved portion 36, may be disposed upon the ⁴⁰ sleeve 22 so that the portion 38 extends in the general direction of the tangential discharge of fluid from the slot 24 (FIGURE 1). Tubular portion 36 may be made of a resilient or springy material adapted to resiliently and releasably grip the sleeve 22, as will be apparent.

⁴⁵ Plug 32 may be made of any appropriate material. It may be made integral with, or otherwise fixedly secured to, the body portion 19. As the plug 32 remains adjacent to opening 20 in body 10, fluid passing through the body 10 and outwardly through the opening 20, passes only in one direction between recess 18 and the sleeve 22 towards the slot 24.

It is to be understood that in the construction and arrangement of the nozzle, the circumferential spacing of the slot 24 from opening 20 may be varied in accordance with the desired angle or direction of discharge of fluid from the slot 24. As shown, the fluid will pass approximately 270° around recess 18 before discharging. If preferred, this may be varied so that the fluid passes through a greater or lesser angle.

In operation, with the nozzle connected to a source of fluid under pressure as described above, fluid passing through the pipe, or hose, 14, passes into body portion 10 and then outwardly through the elongated opening 20 in @5 its recessed portion 18. By reason of the presence of plug 32, the fluid will then pass only in one direction through the circumferential fluid passage 21 defined by the outer surface of reduced portion 18 of conduit 10 and the inner surface of sleeve 22 disposed about the 70 conduit. Fluid passing through the passageway 21 thus passes circumferentially until it arrives at the slot 24, whereupon the fluid is discharged from the nozzle sub3,022,016 stantially tangentially to the outer surface of the conduit 10, as indicated in FIGURE 1.

Thus, it will be seen that the fluid will discharge in a relatively thin and wide stream. This discharging stream will flow smoothly and uniformly, with minimum turbulence whereby it may be advantageously utilized as a cutting jet, for example, to sectionize citrus fruits by -the method disclosed in my copending application, referred to above.

If vane 34 is mounted upon the sleeve 22 so that the guiding extension 38 of vane 34 is disposed adjacent to the slot 24 of sleeve 22, as shown in FIGURE 1, the fluid will not only pass tangentially from the nozzle but will also be directed along the guiding portion 38 of the vane 34. A pair of nozzles may be oppositely mounted such that slots 24 of sleeves 22 face each other and the guide vane portions 38 are confronting (FIGURE 1), whereby the two nozzles may operate to separate adjacent sections 40 of citrus fruit from an adjoining radial membrane 42 when the nozzles are positioned as shown in FIGURE 1 and used in a manner explained in my copending application, referred to above.

Another embodiment of my invention is shown in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6. This embodiment is similar to that just described, and hence, similar reference numerals have been used to designate similar parts in the two embodiments. In FIGURES 4-6, the nozzle is shown as being formed on conduit 14' by means of annular recess 18', opening 20' therein, sleeve 22' surrounding the conduit 14' and recess 18' and suitably secured to the conduit 14' in fluid-tight manner. Plug 32' is provided between sleeve 22' and recess 18', and slot 24' is formed in the sleeve in the manner shown. End 16' of conduit 14' may be sealed off in any appropriate fashion with the other end of the conduit communicating with a source of fluid under pressure. As in the previous embodiment, the parts may be made of any desirable materials.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a device in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.