Device for spraying or jetting liquids

Oct. 30, 1962 τ. b. tyler 3,061,202

DEVICE FOR SPRAYING OR JETTING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Oct. 30, 1962

T. B. TYLER

3,061,202

DEVICE FOR SPRAYING OR JETTING LIQUIDS

Filed Jan. 27, 1961

Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEY

3,061,202

Patented Oct. 30, 1962

United States Patent Office

3,061,202 DEVICE FOR SPRAYING OR JETTING LIQUIDS Tracy B. Tyler, 7936 Byron Ave., Miami Beach, Fla. Filed Jan. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 85,375 11 Claims. (Cl. 239—333)

This invention relates to improvements in devices or apparatus for spraying or jetting liquids, and, more specifically, to such devices which function by manually or mechanically pressurizing the liquid to be thus sprayed or jetted.

A prime object of the invention is to provide such a device which may be directly applied to various forms of liquid containers and which manually may be operated easily and comfortably with one hand, the device having an elongated trigger which in operation allows the use of several fingers instead of only one.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein the liquid is precluded from being ejected in a dribble if the operating trigger is pulled too slowly, the operator being required to pull the trigger fully and quickly, generating virtually full pressure, for any liquid to be ejected.

Still another object is to provide such a device wherein the liquid ejecting nozzle may be selectively adjusted to produce a conical shaped fine spray, a single stream, or graded variations between one and the other.

A further object is to provide such a device constructed with a plastic nozzle which for spraying precision has inserted in it an accurately machined metal orifice.

A still further object is to provide such a device wherein the major components are designed and adapted for low cost construction in an insoluble plastic.

Another object is to provide such a device wherein certain components may be made of an insoluble, uncementable, but meltable plastic by adjoining one member to another by means of heat fusion.

Still another object is to provide such a device which is attractive in appearance and so compact in form and size that it projects to a minimum distance from the con'· tainer or receptacle to which it may be attached.

A further object is to provide such a device comprising an operating unit, a neck and fastening means by which • it may be connected to various liquid containers, and which is so designed that it may be constructed with necks of various lengths and fastening means of various sizes without change in the operating unit.

A still further object is to provide such a device which without change in the operating unit may also be constructed with a handle and a flexible extension tube or hose by which it may be connected to and fed from a large capacity liquid container or receptacle.

These and various other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating certain embodiments of my invention, and wherein similar numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views and figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the device.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the device taken on line 3—-3 of FIGURE 2 showing the component elements in general.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the device.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a nozzle element taken on line 5—5 of FIGURE 3 and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view, also taken on line 3—3 of FIGURE 2, but showing another form of one of the elements illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view show- ing still another form of one of the elements illustrated in FIGURE 3 combined with additional elements.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 3 showing certain elements thereof ad5 justed to a different condition.

Structural Elements

Describing now the structure of the presently illustrated embodiments of my invention, and with reference ₁₀ first to FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4, the device comprises a body 10, an operating trigger 11, a hollowed piston 12, a flexible cup-formed piston washer 13, a piston reaction spring 14, an intake neck or stem 15, a bottle cap or fastening element 16, an intake valve 17, a valve seat 15 element 18, a valve suspension spring 19, a strainer screen 20, a screen retaining bushing 21, an intake or suction tube 22, an ejection nozzle 23, a nozzle insert 24 formed with an ejection aperture 25, a nose bushing 26, a sealing ring 27, a misting element 28, an outlet valve 20 29, and a valve closing spring 30.

The nozzle 23 may be secured to the nose of the body by a screw thread 31. The nose bushing 26 may be retained as by press fitting therein.

The body 10 comprises a cylinder bore 32, a spring 25 guide stem 33, an intake port 34, an outlet conduit 35, and a hand rest extension 36.

For a purpose to be later described the intake valve 17 is normally held open by the spring 19, and the head of the valve is loosely fitted in the bore of the intake stem 30 to provide a predetermined bypass space 37.

The trigger 11 at its upper terminus may be supported and pivoted on a metal rod 38 affixed in spaced side panels 39 of the body 10. A cross web 40 in the trigger is disposed to engage a notch or crotch 41 formed in the 35 outer terminus of the piston. A finger rest 42 may be provided on the trigger, as shown. The outward or liquid intake movement of the trigger, and hence the piston, is limited and restrained by a stop finger 43, which may abut a flattened portion on the external annulus of the 40 cylinder bore 32. The inward or liquid ejection movement of the trigger may be limited and restrained by abutment of radial projections 44 against the nose of the cylinder bore. ,

The misting element 28 (FIGURES 3 and 5) may be 45 provided with longitudinal passage flats 45 on its annulus, and a stepped shoulder 46 near one end of the portions between the flats, the latter being disposed to cooperate with another stepped shoulder 47 provided in the bore of the nose bushing 26 for a purpose to be later 50 described. The closed end of the misting element may be formed with a slightly projecting face ring 48, which may be provided with spaced tangential slots 49.

It is to be observed that with the device disposed in its normally upright position, in which it is shown, the pis55 ton cylinder is slanted substantially downward from the horizontal. This is important with respect to the structural size and height of the device. As is obvious, a certain span must be determined between the pivoted end and the web 40 of the trigger. Thus, it will be seen that 60 if the cylinder were disposed horizontally the nozzle and conduit 35 would have to be slanted or raised upwardly to a much greater angle or height, either of which conditions would increase the cost of the device and detract from its appearance.

It is also to be observed that the piston and washer, 12 and 13, are cup-formed or hollowed for substantially their entire length, the depth of the hollow being greater than the diameter thereof. This, in combination with guide stem 33, which prevents buckling, allows the reac70 tion spring 14 to be of maximum length to approach as nearly as possible a uniform reaction rate.

It is further to be observed that outlet valve 29, is in

3,061,202 ' . ³ the form of a cork, having a steeply angled nose, and is preferably made of a soft and yielding plastic, such as polyethylene. With this structure the side pressure resulting from the bias of spring 30 is multiplied by the steep angle of the valve nose, urging it to seal with maximum seat pressure and to thereby conform to any irregularities that may be present in the seating annulus of conduit 35.

Bushing 21 may be withdrawn for removal of strainer screen 20 for cleaning.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, herein is illustrated a longer form, 50, of the intake stem 15. Such stems or necks may be made to various lengths and may be trimmed with collars, such as 51 and 52, which may be suitably retained in place, as by press fitting thereon.

FIGURE 7 illustrates the device provided with a handle form of intake stem, 53, which may comprise the trim collar 51, an end knob 54, a flexible extension tube 55, a tube clamp 56, a can cap 57, an additional strainer screen 58, and a screen holder 59. Thus equipped the device may be utilized with and fed from containers and receptacles holding a gallon or more of liquid. The tube clamp, being slotted as 60, permits the tube to be moved through it when it is withdrawn from the cap and then clamps and retains the tube at a selected depth when it is reinserted.

All of the structural elements except those designated 14, 19, 20, 30, 38, 55, 57 and 58 are preferably made of an insoluble plastic, elements 13, 21, 22, 27 and 29 being preferably a flexible, yielding plastic and the others substantially rigid.

The major components of the device being preferably made of an insoluble but meltable plastic, an important feature of the invention resides in the maimer and means by which the intake stems 15, 50 or 53 are adjoined to the body 10. As will be seen, the stem end and mating body cavity are correspondingly tapered, as 61. To install the intake valve components and adjoin the body and stem, the latter members are placed in a special machine, the valve components are inserted, and the cap and/or collars placed over the stem. The latter is then rotated at a high speed while its tapered end is pressed into the mating body cavity. By this method sufficient heat is frictionally generated to melt and thoroughly fuse the tapered surfaces together, making the parts virtually unitary.

Were is not for this element of the invention the illustrated structure could not be made of an insoluble plastic, for to effect a satisfactory spray mist a liquid pressure of 300 p.s.i. minimum must be attained—sufficient to burst or cause leakage in a joint not strongly and hermetically sealed.

The bottle cap or fastening element 16 is preferably rotatably retained on the neck stem to permit the device to be turned in any desired direction on the liquid container to which it may be attached.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is designed primarily for use on containers such as long neck bottles, while that of FIGURE 6 is adapted for use on conventional short neck bottles, small cans, and the like.

Operation

With the embodiments of FIGURES 3 or 6, when the device is attached to a container of liquid the operator holds the device in such manner that several fingers grasp the trigger, the finger rest 42 supported on the forefinger and the hand rest extension 36 comfortably supported in the crotch between the thumb and forefinger. Thus, a relatively heavy container may safely and easily be supported with one hand while the device is operated.

The device may now be primed by making several rapid pulls or strokes of the trigger, which in obvious manner causes the piston Ϊ2 to reciprocate cooperatively with the bias of spring 14 and to intake and impel the liquid through the designated or illustrated ports or conduits responsive to the opening and closing of valves 17 and 29 in conventional manner. Now, with the device primed, if the operator pulls the trigger too slowly or slightly the liquid pressure or volume movement developed will not be sufficient to open the outlet valve 29 against the bias of its spring 38 or close the intake valve 17 against the bias of spring 19. Instead, the slow moving liquid will vent back into the container through the bypass space 37 and the open intake valve seat. Thus, to eject any fluid from the nozzle the trigger must be pulled with sufficient force and movement to urge escape of the contained liquid faster than the bypass space 37 and bias of spring 30 will permit. With such force and motion, the valve 17 will close on its seat 18, the fluid will be sufficiently pressurized to preclude dribble, to open outlet valve 29, and to eject a forceful mist or jet.

The area of the bypass space 37 and the bias of spring 38 are so preset that rapid full strokes of the trigger will generate a sufficient pressure of air alone to close valve 17 and effect priming of the device. The area is also great enough to allow sufficiently rapid liquid intake flow.

With reference now to FIGURE 3 it will be observed that the face ring 48 of element 28 is in closed abutment with the flat inner face of the nozzle 23, such abutment being sustained by both liquid pressure and valve spring 30. After the fluid passes valve 29 it flows through the passages formed by the flats on the misting element 28 and then through the tangential slots 49, which latter cause it to be rapidly whirled in the cavity formed by and within the face ring 48 before it is ejected through the nozzle aperture 25. By this action the liquid is dispersed into a mist as it emerges.

In many applications a stream or jet, instead of a mist, may be desired, or various patterns or gradations between a plain stream and a full mist. To provide for such selection the nozzle 23 is made adjustable, and as shown in FIGURE 3, with face ring 48 in closed abutment with the nozzle inner face, as described, it is adjusted to eject a full and relatively wide coned mist. With reference now to FIGURE 8 the plain stream adjustment of the nozzle will be seen. In this condition the nozzle has been unscrewed far enough for its inner face to be withdrawn from contact with the face ring of element 28, the latter itself being restrained from such contact by abutment of its stepped shoulder 46 with shoulder 47 in bushing 26. The liquid now passing through without the whirling action or agitation will emerge as a plain stream.

By adjusting the nozzle closer to the face ring of element 28 in varying degrees, the liquid ejection pattern may be graded to many types from a plain stream to a wide coned mist.

When the nozzle is in screwed out adjustments, such as illustrated in FIGURE 8, it is sealed against fluid leakage by the sealing ring 27 alone, but when it is screwed in tightly, as in FIGURE 3, it is further sealed by abutment of its inner face against the coned end, as shown, of the nose bushing 26. Thus, in applications where adjustability is not required the sealing rings may be omitted to save cost.