US3130872A - Device for discharging viscous fluid - Google Patents

Description

V. L. MYERS ETAL DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING VISCOUS FLUID A ril 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheecl Filed Feb. 6, 1962 FIG.2

April 28, 1964 v, L. MYERS ETAL DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING VISCOUS FLUID 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1962 FIG 4 N a a; zw ig w wa w Z3 M NIT T /0N W #5 5 M VWM w United States Patent DEVICE FQR DHSCHARGING VISCOUS FLUH) Vernon L. Myers, Crave (Ioeur, Vincent G. Biedenstein,

Overland, and Rolland A. Nelson, Creve Coeur, Mo,

assignors to R. C. Can Company, Overland, Me, a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 171,385 3 Claims. (Cl. 22282) This invention relates to dispensing of fluids and proposes a new use for what are known as dispensing guns, that is, for discharging the fluid contents from disposable type sealed cans. In addition, this invention also relates to an improvement in dispensing guns and cans for use in these guns whereby the gun provides means to puncture the can, discharge its contents completely, and then eject the can from the gun.

There are many kinds of oils and semi-fluids now on the market which are merchandised in quart, or smaller than quart, s zed cans. These cans are discharged by puncturing one end of the can and pouring out the contents. It is well known that under certain conditions many fluids will not pour well, and that still others will not pour at all unless pressure is imposed on the contents to forcibly discharge the contents. This is especially true of grease, and it has been customary to apply external pressure to the grease in a grease cartridge for this purpose. However, a grease gun which receives the cartridge discharges only a shot of grease at a time, and, unless applied to a grease fitting, it discharges at high velocity due to the high pressures used in actuating the gun. Such a device as a grease gun would not be suitable where it is desired to discharge the entire contents of a can all at one time, nor is it adaptable to speed up the normal pouring rate of fluids, or semi-fluids. What is needed is a gun with a regulated pressure, one which will accommodate a range of size of cans, one which is simple to use, does not leak or create a mess, and one from which the cans are automatically ejected, or loosened, for removal by hand, or otherwise, after the can has been fully emptied. No gun known will meet these specifications, and to Applicants knowledge, guns have not been used to discharge a pourable fluid from a disposable can. In this particular use as in others, it is also desirable to obtain complete discharge of the can contents by the use of the gun. This is possible when using a can constructed according to this invention.

According to this invention, a dispensing gun is used to discharge a pourable substance from a disposable can thereby avoiding the delay involved in depending upon the pourability of the contents. Regardless of the viscosity, a rapid discharge is obtained in most instances by a very moderate gun pressure. The gun itself is a relatively inexpensive piece of equipment, and, as will be hereinafter described, it may be merely a slight modification of readily obtainable guns now on the market. The can adapted for use in the gun may be any one of a variety of sizes within certain ranges, and, as an example, a range of cans in sizes of a quart or less are described hereinafter. The can used is relatively simple and inexpensive to construct, and except for size may be merely a slight modification of a cartridge for caulking compound, greases, and the like, already being manufactured.

We are well aware of the prior attempts in the art to package viscous fluids in crushable or collapsible packages for the purpose of adapting the package to be completely crushed in order to dispense its contents. These attempts have as yet not been successful.

It is an object of this invention to dispense semi-liquids, or liquids, from a disposable can under pressure by the 3,130,872 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 use of a dispensing gun to speed up the normal pouring rate of the liquid and save time.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing gun in which the pressure applied can be regulated, making the gun easy to use.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a gun which will open the can to dispense the contents thereof and which will then aid ejection of the can after the dispensing operation is completed.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a can adaptable for use in a dispensing gun.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a can from which there is little loss or waste when used in a dispensing gun.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description which is in such clear, concise and exact terms as will enable any one skilled in the art to make and use the invention when taken with the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing gun suitable for the purposes herein described;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating the discharge spout end of the gun in FIG. 1 with parts broken away so as to show the relative position of the piercing end of the spout in the gun with respect to a can shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of the spout assembly;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through the can used with the dispensing gun in FIG. 1 and illustrating the initial piercing action of the spout;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the operation of the gun in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view illustrating ejection of the can from the gun; and,

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view through a modified form of gun.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the dispensing gun, generally illustrated by the reference character 10, has a stationary handle 11 mounting a pivot 12 for a trigger-like lever 13 by which the gun is operated. In the handle 11 is a ratchet mechanism operated by the trigger 13 and engaging the teeth 14 on the rod 15. This mechanism is responsive to squeezing of the trigger 13 toward the handle 11 to move the rod 15 by engagement with the teeth 14, advancing the ram, or plunger, 17 in a direction away from the handle and toward the spout end of the gun It]. On the spout end of the gun 10 is a notched plate 19 mounted on and formed integrally with the extension, or guideway, 29 which also attaches to the handle portion 11 of the gun.

From the description so far, it will be readily recognized that the gun It) is a standard type obtainable on the market and used specifically for discharging caulking compound from cartridges provided with a discharge spout. The slot in the end plate 19 is specifically adapted to receive the spout of the caulking compound cartridge. To modify the present gun for the purposes intended here, it is necessary first to provide a rotatable connection between the rod 15 and the ram 17 so that the rod 15 can be turned by its finger piece 24 to release the teeth 14 from the ratchet mechanism within the handle 11 and retract the ram, or plunger, 17. This latter member is also modified by providing it with an arcuate notch 25, and by providing the ram 17 with a notch 16' which will index the position of ram 17 when retracted by registry with tapered finger 16. Plate 19 is provided with a piercing type of spout located in a hole suitably provided below the slot in the end plate 19. This particular spout and its pieces are shown in the exploded view, FIG. 3. It is also desirable to chop off the upper edge of plate 19 along the line 18.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the spout 26 is threaded at 27 to receive a nut 28. Spout 26 is inserted through the hole in the end plate 19 until flange 29 abuts the inner face of the plate 19. Nut 28 is then threaded on from the outside to tightly secure the spout in the position shown in FIG. 2. The inner end of the spout 30 is cut on the diagonal so as to provide a sharp piercing point 31. The piercing end 30 projects beyond the collar, or flange, 29 far enough to receive thereon one or more O-rings, such as 33, made of a rubber-like material. The assembly is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2, and it will be noted therein that the piercing point 31 is located to be just below the top of arcuate notch in ram 17.

With the ram 17 retracted, the can 40 is dropped into place within the guideway formed by extension 20. Trigger 13 is then actuated and ratchet member advances the ram forcing the end of the can 40 against the piercing point 31.

FIG. 4 illustrates a can which is suitable for use in the gun It) in the manner above described, and the initial piercing action of piercing point 31. This can has a body 42 preferably formed by spirally wound strips of paper adhesively secured one to another. The discharge end of the can has a metal end closure 43 which, when pressed against the piercing point 31, will be penetrated in the manner shown in FIG. 4. Piercing point 31 cuts a hole the size of the piercing end of the spout, as shown at 45, bending back the metal of the hole into a tongue 46. As the ram 17 continues to push upon the can 40, the end outer face of the end closure 43 is forced against the O-ring 33, compressing the O-ring. Flange 29 is wide enough to permit the bead 48 at the end of the can 40 to contact the end plate 19 after the O-ring is compressed suflicient to form a seal. This seal prevents seepage of the contents of the can 40 outwardly of the spout around the piercing end 30.

The other end of the container 40 is closed by a closure 50 which has circumferentially extending flanges 51 and 52 which-grip the inside and outside of the wall of the can 42. The center section of the end closure 50 is preferably dome-shaped, as at 54, and the entire closure 50 is formed of a rubber-like material, preferably a polystyrene. There is a weakened section in the closure 50 extending around the edge of the flange 51 and indicated as 55.

Initially, the pressure of the ram produces piercing as shown in FIG. 4, thereafter as movement of the ram 17 continues, it will first fracture the closure 50 along the circumferential weakened section 55 and then move the closure 5! through the interior of the can 42 forcing the contents of the container through the spout 26. This action of the gun is illustrated in FIG. 5.

The force of ram 17 is usually suflicient to flatten the dome portion 54 of the closure 50 in some degree. This will cause the closure 50 to expand diametrically and form a tight seal with the inner wall 42 of the can. The ram 17 fits within the flange 51 and presses against the outer surface of the dome portion 54 except the portion of the dome 54 opposite the arcuate cutout 25 of the ram. The upper margin of the cutout 25 is located to pass above the piercing point 31. When the ram finally reaches the full line position in FIG. 5, the contents of the can is totally forced out in those portions of the can end 43 opposite the ram. Furthermore, the dome portion 54 is flattened between the surface of the ram 17 and the can end 43. This causes the dome portion 54 to bulge through the arcuate cutout 25 in ram 17 and form a pocket like cavity around the end of the piercing spout 30. Usually the pocket like cavity is of suflicient depth so that although the piercing point 31 engages the front face of the closure 50, the force is not sufficient to cut through, although this may happen occasionally. In any event, piercing closure St) has no elfect on operation. It has also been discovered by repeated tests that the closure 50 will engage tongue 46 and fold it upon itself as shown in FIG. 5, and although the tongue may be bent back upon itself as shown in FIG. 5, and although the tongue may be bent back upon itself and toward the opening in the spout 30, a passage is still left open which will drain the can almost completely. In other words, the purchaser of the can gets a full measure whereas in some instances it has been known that as much as an ounce of liquid was wasted because it remained in the can. Oil additives are by nature thick and sticky substances which even when heated to temperatures which make the can uncomfortable to handle, do not readily pour. By the use of a gun, cans of additive have been successfully emptied almost completely, even when cold, and heating is not necessary or even desirable when a gun is used.

After the can is emptied by forcing the ram 17 to its limit of movement as shown in FIG. 5, a couple of more squeezes on the trigger will assure the operator the can is squeezed dry. Rod 24 is then rotated to point handle 24 up and the ram 17 withdrawn. The can 42 can be held by hand while ram 17 is withdrawn. O-ring 33 expands and by inverting the gun, can 43 will fall out in the manner shown in FIG. 6. The clearance provided by chopping of the upper part of end plate 19 along the line 18, and the shape of the point 30 allows the can to rotate olf the piercing point 31.

FIG. 7 shows a different kind of gun. One which derives its force from compressed air, or the like, which is readily available at gasoline service stations, for example. In this particular gun, the handle 60 carries a cylinder 61 within which is a piston 62. A spring 63 biases the piston 62 toward the open end of the cylinder 61. Projecting from one side of the piston 62 is a trigger 65 secured to the piston and operable by hand pressure to move the piston 62 into the cylinder 61 when atmospheric pressure only exists in the cylinder 61. An extension 67 from the cylinder 61 mounts an end plate 69 which carries a spout 26, constructed exactly as heretofore described, and mounted in a hole in the end plate 69. In this type of gun, the trigger 65 is operated to retract the piston 62 against the spring pressure 63. A can 70 is then placed upon the tguideway formed by the extension 67, and the trigger 65 released. Spring 63 then operates piston 62 into a position to contact with the end of the can 70. This end of the can is closed by a closure 72 constructed very similar to the closure 50, heretofore described. In the face 64 of the piston 62 are one or more very small holes 75. After the trigger 65 is released and the can firmly gripped between the face of the piston 64 and the piercing end 31 of the dispensing spout, the nipple 77 is connected with an air holse. Preferably the nipple 77 is constructed the same as a stem for a pneumatic tire. It will then cooperate with the fitting at the end of the air hose to release the air to charge the cylinder 61. The increased air pressure forces the piston 62 against the end of the can 70 and drives it into contact with the limit stops 79 on the plate 69 thereby compressing O-ring 33 and forming the seal. Of course, the piercing end 31 punctures the can end 80. After the can 70 has moved against the stop 79, the piston 62 will have its face in tight sealing engagement against the rim of the closure 72 which will form a gasket to prevent air leakage from between the end of the piston 62 and the end of the can 70. Air pressure bleeding through the aperture then increases the pressure between the face of the piston 62 and the opposite face of the closure 72 fracturing the closure and forcing its piston part 32 in a direction toward the spout 26. During the actuation of the piston 82 by the air pressune, the piston portion 82 will expand forming a tight seal with the interior of the can 70. As shown in this operational View, the piston portion 82 will finally occupy a position in which it is held against the end closure 88 and wrapped around the end of the spout 31. At this point, the contents of the can 70 are completely discharged. The air is then shut oil? from the gun by disconnecting the hose fitting from the stem 77 and the trigger 65 actuated to withdraw the piston 62. When the pressure of the piston 62 is relieved from the end of the can 70, 'O-n'ng 33 will expand ejecting the can 70 from the spout end 31 when the gun is inverted, as before described in PEG. 6. The can then can be removed or allowed to fall into a trash receptacle. Since it is a disposable type of container, it has no further utility. In the description of FIG. 7, the piston 62 performs the same function as the plunger, or ram, 17 in FIG. 1, consequently, the same terminology would apply as we'll to the modification in FIG. 7.

In operation, a can, such as 42 or 70, of oil or the like is taken from the rack and dropped into the guideway formed by the extension 20 of the gun in FIG. 1, or 67 in the gun in FIG. 6. The gun is then operated as above described to discharge the contents within either can, it being understood that either can 42, or can 70, can be used in either gun. After the can has been discharged, the ram 17, or ram 62, depending on the type of gun used, is retracted and the can is ejected by the stored compressive forces in the rubber-like O-ring 33.

Changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for discharging highly viscous fluid such as a thick oil from a can, said can having (a) a tubular body closed at one end by (b) a can end closure, and at its opposite end by (c) a piston-like end closure with a skirt within the tubular body and (d) flexible domes-haped piston head joined to said skirt, the improvement comprising,

(1) a guideway shaped to receive and support said tubular body (a) of said can,

(2) a fixed end plate at one end of said guideway (1),

(3) a spout mounted in said fixed end plate (2) having a discharge end on one side of said end plate,

(4) a piercing point on said spout (3) projecting from the opposite side of said end plate (2) beside said guideway (1) and provided with a cutting edge dis- 6 posed in a diagonal plane inclined away from said .guideway (1),

(5) a resilient sealing ring around said piercing point (4) and held against movement away from said piercing point by said end plate (2),

(6) a movable part on said device operable to move along said guideway (1) toward and away from said piercing point (4),

(7) means on said device, under the control of an operator for moving said movable part (6) away from said piercing point (4) so that a can body (a) may be placed on said guidew-ay (1) with its metal end closure (b) adjacent said piercing point (4), and

(8) means to move said movable part (6) toward said piercing point (4) to puncture said end closure (b) and compress said resilent sealing ring (5), and then to move said piston-like end closure (0) against said end closure (b) to discharge the contents of said can from said spout (3),

whereby the flexible dome-shaped piston head of said flexible end closure (c) is flattened on said end closure (b) and formed into a pocket around said piercing point (4) during the discharge of the contents from said can and on subsequent actuation of said means (7) the can is ejected from said piercing point (4) by expansion of said sealing ring (5).

2. The improvement as defined in claim 1 in which said movable part (6) is a plunge-r with a notched periphery.

3. The improvement as defined in claim 1 in which said movable part (6) is a plunger which forms air tight seal with one end of said can and the means (8) to move said movable part (6) and said piston-like end closure (b) includes an air cylinder in which said plunger acts as a piston and connecting passages to said air cylinder and through said plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,051,736 Misfeldt Aug. 18, 1936 2,105,039 Hulme Ian. 11, 1938 2,421,711 Moots et al. June 3, 1947 2,588,819 Garneau Mar. 11, 1952 2,593,362 Taylor Apr. 15, 1952 2,941,699 Schmidt et al June 21, 1960 3,029,985 Krueger et al Apr. 17, 1962

Claims (1)

1. IN A DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING HIGHLY VISCOUS FLUID SUCH AS A THICK OIL FROM A CAN, SAID CAN HAVING (A) A TUBULAR BODY CLOSED AT ONE END BY (B) A CAN END CLOSURE, AND AT ITS OPPOSITE END BY (C) A PISTON-LIKE END CLOSURE WITH A SKIRT WITHIN THE TUBULAR BODY AND (D) FLEXIBLE DOMESHAPED PISTON HEAD JOINED TO SAID SKIRT, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, (1) A GUIDWAY SHAPED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT SID TUBULAR BODY (A) OF SAID CAN, (2) A FIXED END PLATE AT ONE END OF SAID GUIDEWAY (1), (3) A SPOUT MOUNTED IN SAID FIXED END PLATE (2) HAVING A DISCHARGE END ON ONE SIDE OF SAID END PLATE, (4) A PIERCING POINT ON SID SPOUT (3) PROJECTING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID END PLATE (2) BESIDE SAID GUIDEWAY (1) AND PROVIDED WITH A CUTTING EDGE DISPOSED IN A DIAGONAL PLANE INCLINED AWAY FROM SAID GUIDEWAY (1), (5) A RESILIENT SEALING RING AROUND SAID PIERCING POINT (4) AND HELD AGAINST MOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID PIERCING POINT BY LSAID END PLATE (2), (6) A MOVABLE PART ON SAID DEVICE OPERABLY TO MOVE ALONG SAID GUIDEWAY (1) TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID PIERCING POINT (4), (7) MEANS ON SAID DEVICE, UNDER THE CONTROL OF AN OPERATOR FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE PART (6) AWAY FROM SAID PIERCING POINT (4) SO THAT A CAN BODY (A) MAY BE PLACED ON SAID GUIDEWAY (1) WITH ITS METAL END CLOSURE (B) ADJACENT SAID PIERCING POINT (4), AND (8) MEANS TO MOVE SAID MOVABLE PART (6) TOWARD SAID PIERCING POINT (4) TO POUNCTURE SAID END CLOSURE (B) AND COMPRESS SAID RESILENT SEALING RING (5), AND THEN TO MOVE SAID PISTON-LIKE END CLOSURE (C) AGAINST SAID END CLOSURE (B) TO DISCHARGE THE CONTENTS OF SAID CAN FROM SAID SPOUT (3), WHEREBY THE FLEXIBLE DOME-SHAPED PISTON HEAD OF SID FLEXIBLE END CLOSURE (C) IS FLATTENED ON SAID END CLOUSRE (B) AND FORMED INTO A POCKET AROUND SAID PIERCING POINT (4) DURING THE DISCHARGE OF THE CONTENTS FROM SAID CAN AND ON SUBSEQUENT ACTUATION JOF SAID MEANS (7) THE CAN IS EJECTED FROM SAID PIERCING POINT (4) BY EXPANSION OF SAID SEALING RING (5).

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