Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to aerosol spray cans, and, more
particularly, to an actuator and actuator-orientator assembly which
automatically orientates the actuator when it is inserted into the
orientator so that the spraying orifice of the actuator is properly
aligned.
Aerosol spray cans which are filled with marking materials
such as paints, dyes, and the like are frequently used in marking
traffic and parking lines on pavement, boundary lines on athletic
fields, restricted areas on golf courses, and many other indicators.
1~ If an aerosol can is to be used for spraying a stripe of marking
material, it is often desirable to provide the actuator or nozzle
of the aerosol can with an elongated or slotted spraying orifice so
that the material is sprayed in a well-defined stripe of the desired
width. The aerosol cans are desirably mounted in a spraying appara-
tus-which facilitates the marking operation. Wheel-equipped marking
machines for spraying stripes are described, for example, in my
; prior Patent Nos. 3,700,144 and 3,796,353, and hand-carried marking
devices are described in my Patent Nos. 3,485,206 and 3,977,570.
,;
Actuators with elongated or slotted spraying orifices are described
20 in Patent Nos. 3,817,429, 3,891,208, and 3,924,784.
If an actuator with an elongated spraying orifice is used,
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the actuator should be aligned with respect to the spraying apparatus
80 that the long dimension of the orifice extends perpendiçularly to
the direction in which the apparatus is advanced in order to make
the widest possible stripe. In order to make the narrowest stripe,
; the long dimension of the ori~ice is aligned parallel with the direc-
tion of movement of the apparatus. Variations in stripe width between
these two extremes are possible by varying the angle between the long
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dimension of the orifice and the direction of movement of the appara-
tus. One type of stripe-adjusting means is described in Patent No.
3,924,784.
Patent Nos. 3,817,429 and 3,891,128 describe an actuator
with a flat aligning surface which is engageable with the actuating
bar which slides transversely relatively to the axis of the aerosol
can to align the elongated orifice of the actuator in a direction
perpendicular to the direction of movement of the spraying apparatus.
The actuating bar opens the valve of the aerosol can by moving the
1~ actuator.
The invention provides an actuator for an aerosol can and
a means for orientating the actuator when the actuator is inserted
'f into the orientator. The orientator may be mounted as part of the
;~ spraying apparatus, and the orifice of the actuator is automatically
aligned as the actuator is inserted into the orientator.
Description of the Drawing
Invention will be explained in conjunction with an illus-
trative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which --
Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view showing an actua-
0tor on an aerosol can being inserted downwardly into an orientatorformed in accordance with the invention;
Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the actùator
fully inserted into the orientator;
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the orientator;
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Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the orientator taken along
the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;
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Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the orientator taken along
line 5-5 of Fig. 3;
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Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the actuator;
Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the actuator taken
along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6:
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of the actuator taken
along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.
Description of Specific Embodiment
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a conventional aerosol spray
can includes a dome-shaped top 11 and a valve stem 12. The valve
stem is part of a well known conventional aerosol valve which is
~housed within the top of the can.
Aerosol valves are generally of two types. In one type
of valve the valve is opened to release the contents of the can
when the valve stem is pushed axially with respect to the can
(upwardly as viewed in Pigs. 1 and 2). In another type the valve
is opened when the valve stem is tilted laterally or transversely
with respect to the can axis. Although the invention can be used
with aerosol valves of both types, the invention works best with
valves which are opened by pushing the valve stem axially.
An actuator or spraying nozzle 13 is mounted on the valve
2~/stem and is adapted to be inserted into an orientator 14, which is
mounted on a spraying apparatus 15. The actuator has a circular
outer wall 16 (Fig. 6), and a central bore 17 (Fig. 1) is sized to
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snugly receive the valve stem 12. The bore terminates in a spraying
orifice 18, and a radially inwardly extending shoulder 19 in the
bore engages the end of the valve stem and limits the movement of
the actuator toward the can.
As can be seen in Fig. 6, the spraying orifice is elongated
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or rectangular and includes a long dimension and a short dimension. A
pair of locating lugs 20 project outwardly from the surface 16 and are
aligned with the longitudinal dimension of the spraying orifice. Each
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of the lugs includes a pair of parallel flat side surfaces 21 (Fig. 8)
and a pair of convergent surfaces 22 which meet at the flat end sur-
face 23 in which the spraying orifice 18 is provided.
The orientator 14 includes a generally tubular wall 24 and
a radially outwardly flared upper portion 25. By comparing Figs. 4
and 5, it will be seen that about half the thickness of the tubular
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wall of the orientator is recessed or notched to provide curved or
spiral guide surfaces 26 and a pair of diametrically opposed rectan-
gular recesses 27. The non-recessed portion of the tubular wall
l~forms a cylindrical inner surface 28, and the recessed portion of the
tubular wall forms an intermediate cylindrical surface 29. The dis-
tance between the cylindrical surfaces 20 and 29 provides the thick-
; ness of the guide surfaces 26, which appear annular when viewed from
above (Fig. 3).
The orientator includes a total of four guide surfaces 26.Referring to Fig. 5, two guide surfaces spiral upwardly from each
side of each of the recesses 27, and guide surfaces which extend
from the diametrically opposed recesses meet at a point 31 midway
' along the arc which extends between the two recesses (Fig. 4?' i.e.,
~t a point 90 removed from the centers of the recesses.
, Each of the recesses 27 includes a pair of side surfaces
32 (Fig. 5) and a bottom surface 33 which is provided by the full
thickness of the tubular wall 24. The distance between the side
surfaces 32 is just slightly greater than the distance between the
~i~ flat side surfaces 21 of the lugs on the actuator.
The orientator is mounted on the spraying apparatus 15 in
any convenient fashion. For example, the actuator can be clamped in
a split-ring clamping collar 34 (Figs. 1 and 2) on the spraying
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~ apparatus, and the collar can be tightened about the orientator by
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a nut and bolt. The particular spraying apparatus illustrated is
adapted to spray the contents of the aerosol can downwardlyj so
the aerosol can is mounted in the apparatus in an inverted position.
The aerosol can does not include a dip tube, and the contents of
the can are expelled by the aerosol propellant when the can is in
an inverted position.
When the aerosol can is moved downwardly toward the orien-
tator, the actuator on the can is guided into the central opening
of the orientator by the flared upper end 25 of the orientator. The
1~ diameter of the cylindi7cal side surface 16 of the actuator is
slightly less than the diameter of the inner cylindrical surface 28
of the orientator, and the maximum diameter of the actuator acros~
the lugs 20 is slightly less than the diameter of the intermediate
cylindrical surface 29 of the orientator. Accordingly, the lugs
will engage the curved guide surfaces 26 of the orientator unless
the lugs are aligned with the recesses 27. The welght of the can
will cause the lugs to slide downwardly along the durved guide sur-
faces toward the recesses as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and
the can and the actuator will rotate as they move downwardly to
2~ bring the lugs into alignment with the recesses. When the-lugs reach
the recesses, the lugs will drop into the recesses, and further rota-
tion~of the actuator will be prevented.
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After the lugs are positioned in the recesses, the contents
of the can may be sprayed by pushing the can downwardly so that the
valve stem is moved axially upwardly relative to the can. The bottom
surface 33 of each of the recesses engages the lug and prevents down-
ward movement of the actuator and the valve stem when the can is
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pushed downwardly. The can may be pushed downwardly either manually
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or by mechanical actuating means on the spraying apparatus.
Alternatively, the can could be fixed against upward movement,
and the orientator and actuator could be pushed upwardly to open
the valve.
The recesses of the orientator orient the spraying
orifice of the actuator so that the long dimension of the
orifice extends in the desired direction. If a stripe of maximum
width is desired, the recesses are aligned transversely to the
direction in which the spraying apparatus will be advanced so
1~ that the long dimension of the spraying orifice is also aligned
transversely when the lugs of the actuator are positioned in the
recesses. If a stripe of minimum width is desired, the recesses
are aligned parallel to the direction the spraying apparatus will
be advanced so that the long dimension of the spraying orifice is
also aligned parallel to the direction of movement. Variations in
stripe width between the maximum and minimum can be obtained by
positioning the orientator accordingly. The orientator is desir-
ably mounted on the spraying apparatus in a manner which permits
the orientator to be rotated to align the recesses in the desired
20 direction. For example, the clamping collar 34 can be loosened
when it is desired to rotate the orientator and tightened after
the orientator has been positioned as desired.
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9 While in the foregoing specification a detailed descrip-
` tion of a specific embodimént of the invention was set forth for
"''! the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that many of
the details herein givenmay be varied considerably by those skilled
in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
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