ROBINET POUR LE SOUTIRAGE MESURE D'UN LIQUIDE EN PRESENCE DANS UN CONTENANT

VALVE FOR BATCHWISE WITHDRAWING LIQUID FROM A CONTAINER

Abrégé anglais

Title: Improvements in or relating to a valve for batchwise
withdrawing liquid from a container.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A valve for batchwise discharging a liquid material from a container
having an aperture for the passage of the material. The valve com-
prises a valve unit (3) which is an assembly of a valve stem 4 having
two spaced collars functioning as valves. The collars are fixedly
connected to the valve stem at right angles thereto. The valve stem
is supported and guided at points on opposite sides of the valve area,
ensuring proper centering during movement of the valve stem.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A container having an axial opening in the
lower part thereof, and a valve for discharging liquid
therefrom comprising:
a cap having an axial outlet at the lower part
thereof, an axially movable valve unit comprising a valve
stem and a pair of spaced, outwardly extending collars on
said valve stem,
a guide member having an axial portion in and in
engagement with the axial opening of the container and a
portion transverse to said valve stem, a central aperture
and a perforation in said transverse portion,
means for securing said cap and guide member to
said container comprising a rim on said container, a flange
on said guide member abutting said rim, and a clamping
edge on said cap engaging said guide member flange between
said clamping edge and said rim,
said valve stem passing through said central
aperture and through said outlet in said cap, the diameter
of said valve stem matching the diameter of the central
aperture and said outlet to provide a sliding fit between
said valve stem and the guide and cap during axial movement
of the valve stem,
said flange on said guide member providing a valve
seat for engagement by the upper collar of said valve
stem,
means on the interior of said cap surrounding said
outlet providing a valve seat for engagement by the lower
collar of said valve stem,
said valve stem having an axially extending recess
therein juxtaposition with said outlet of said cap,

the axial distance between said collars being
less than the axial distance between said valve seat means,
and
means for urging said valve stem downwardly to seat
said lower collar against said valve seat means on said
cap.
2. The combination of claim 1, and flexible
sealing rings on the sealing sides of said collars for
engaging said valve seat means.
3. The combination of claim 1, wherein said means
fox securing said caps on said container comprises external
screwthreads on said container.
4. The combination of claim 1, the aperture and
outlet having the same diameter.
5. A container having a neck with an axial
opening therethrough in the lower part thereof, and a valve
for discharging liquid therefrom,
said container neck having a lower rim, and having
screwthreads thereon,
a guide member having a cylindrical portion in
and in engagement with the interior of said neck, a trans-
verse portion within said neck, and an outwardly extending
flange in engagement with said rim,
said transverse portion having a central aperture
and a perforation,
a cap screwthreaded on said neck and having means
thereon for clamping the outer portion of said flange
against said rim, said cap having a lower outlet in
alignment with said central aperture,

an axially movable valve unit comprising a valve
stem and a pair of spaced, outwardly extending upper and
lower collars thereon, said valve stem extending in said
central aperture and said outlet,
said lower collar engageable with said cap around
said outlet to seat thereon, and
said upper collar engageable with the inner portion
of said flange to seat thereon.

6. A value for discharging liquid therefrom
comprising:
a cap having an axial outlet at the lower part
thereof, an axially movable valve unit comprising a valve
stem and a pair of spaced, outwardly extending collars on
said valve stem,
a guide member having an axial portion in and
adapted to be in engagement with an axial opening of a
container and a portion transverse to said valve stem,
a central aperture and a perforation in said transverse
portion,
means for securing said cap and guide member
to a container of the type having a rim thereon, a flange
on said guide member abutting said rim, and a clamping
edge on said cap engaging said guide member flange between
said clamping edge and said rim,
said valve stem passing through said central
aperture and-through said outlet in said cap, the diameter
of said valve stem matching the diameter of the central
aperture and said outlet to provide a sliding fit between
said valve stem and the guide and cap during axial movement
of the valve stem,
said flange on said guide member providing a
valve seat for engagement by the upper collar of said valve
stem,
means on the interior of said cap surrounding
said outlet providing a valve seat for engagement by the lower
collar of said valve stem,
said valve stem having an axially extending recess
therein juxtaposition with said outlet of said cap,
the axial distance between said collars being
less than the axial distance between said valve seat means,
and

means for urging said valve stem downwardly
to seat said lower collar against said valve seat means on
said cap.
7. The valve of claim 6, further comprising
flexible sealing rings on the sealing sides of said collars
for engaging said valve seat means.
8. The valve of claim 6, wherein said means
for securing said cap and guide member to a container
comprises cooperating screwthreads.
9. The valve of claim 6, wherein the aperture
and outlet have the same diameter.

Description

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This invention relates to a valve for batchwise discharging a li~uid
- material from a container having an aperture for the passage of said
material, in particular a bottle.
In practice there is a wish for the possibility of ~ithdrawnng dosed
quantities of a given liquid material fro~ a container, for example a
~ottle, in which the material :s stored. One example of such a practical
case concerns containers filled wnth liguid soap in public la~atories.
Another example concerns containers filled with liquid sha~poo. This
example, in p~rticular, clearly illustrates the advantage of having a
contai~er with the possibility of applying pre-determined equal doses of
shampoo at poi~ts spaced o~er the scalp.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide means for
realizing the ~ish described in the preceding paragraph. In addition, there
is the condition that the liquid material should only be discharæed from the
container at com~and, and that, beyond that, therefore, there should not be
any loss of material from leakage.
According to the present invention, there is provided a valve for
batch~ise discharging a liquid material from a container having an ~perture
for the discharse of said material, in particular a bottle, comprising a
cap having a~ axial outlet, ar.d a valve ~nit comprising a valve stem with
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a pair o~ spaced collars fixedly connected to said stem at right angles
thereto and functioning as valves, and both located between said axial
outl-t ~nd a guide member accessible for the passage of the li~uid material,
said guide member having a guide aperture for guiding the movement of said
valve stem and a flange suitable for use as a valve seat, and being adapted
to be louered into the container aperture for the discharge of the material
therein with said ~lange acting as a stop, and a spring supported on said
guide ~ember and confined between said guide member and the adjacent collar
on said valve stem, which collar can provide a seal against the flange of
said guide member and the other of which collars can provide a seal against
the rim of said axial outlet.
The Yalve unit according to the present invention can be reg~rded
as a double valve with the understanding thS~t the two collars functioning
as vælves are fixedly connected to the valve stem. As the places where the
valve siem is supported and guided against lateral movement during the
openin~ and closing of the re~ulator have been selected on opposite sides
of the area of the valves, proper centering of the valve stem movement
is permanently ensured, so that the valves wi11 be properly seated on the
seats, too~
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described~ by
way of example, with re~erence to the accompanying dra~ings. In said
drawings,
Fig. 1 shows a part-sectional elevation of the valve according to the
present invention~ mounted on a bottle whicn in the condition shown is
secu~ed upside down for ex2mple to a w~ll by means of a bracket, the valve
being in a position in which the connection to the bottle is closed and
the connection to the outside is open; and
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j Fig. 2 shows the valve of Fig. 1, also in section, in a position in
¦ which the connection to the bottle is open and that to the outside is
closed.
1 Referring to the drawings, there is shown a bottle 16, ~illed for
I example with liquid soap, and suspended upside down from a bracket 17
secured to a wall (not shown) with adhesive or by means of screws.
The neck o~ the bottle has external screwthread on which the valve
- according to the present invention is screwed. Tne valve comprises a cap 1
, having internal screwthread for it to be secured to the neck of the bottle
¦ 16. As its botto~, in the condition shown~ cap 1 has an outlet 2.
Designated by 3 is a valve unit comprising a valve stem 4, vollars 5 and 6,
guide member 7 and compression spring 9. When the valve unit is made from
a synthetic plastics material, the generally better flexibility of such a
~ material can be utilized to advantage for manufacturing the unit as a
¦ sub-assembly by providing valve stem ~ with a number of barbs 15, and
~ sliding first spring 9 and then guide member 7 over them, the barbs pre-
I venting member 7 from sliding off stem ~- This procedure facilitates the
! subsequent inst~1lation of the combination on a bottle.
As shown, when valve unit 3 is installed, guide member 7 is
lowered into the opening of the bottle neck. In this connection the diameter
i of member 7 i~ to be so selected as to avoid undue radial clearance
between the inner wall of the bottle neck and the outer wall of the guide
i member. Guide member 7 is lowered into the bottle until flange 8 of guide
member 7 abuts against the rim of the bottle neck. The inner wall of cap 1
~ is off-set to form a clamping edge 19, which when C2p 1 is screwed home on
to the bottle neck clamps do-~n guide member 7 ~ia flange 8 on the rim of
container 16. Outlet 2 in the cap and the aperture 11 in guide member 7
each ha~e a diameter matching the external dia~eter of stem ~, the latter
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7~3
- 4 -
being preferably constant throughout its length, so as to provide a good
sliding fit for su~porting and guiding the valve stem during its axial
movements.
~ ig. 1 shows valve stem 4 (pushed) upwardly against the action of
spring 9 through a distance suf~icient for collar 6 to be sealingly pressed
mainly against the inner rim of fl m ge 8. Preferably a sealing ring 13 o~
~lexible material, for example, rubber, is provided on the sealing side o*
collar 6. By virtue of such a sealing ring, no leakage results from minor
dimensional imperfections between the inner rim of the flange and collar 6,
which in the case of synthetic plastics material can easily arise during
the manufacturing process or when the cap is screwed on the bottle neck.
The liquid soap present in the cap cavity can flow away to the outside via
the slit at the recess 14 formed in the valve stem,
When the pressure on the end of the valve stem is released, spring 9
will expand and force away the stem until sealing ring 12, of a flexible
material such as subber, abuts against bottom 10 of cap 1. Bottom 10 is
preferably made flat to provide for a contacting sur~ace area as large as
possible to promote due sealin,g. Collar 6 is cleared ~rom the rim of
flange 8, so that a ~resh quantity of soap can flow from bottle 16 into
the cap through per*orations 21 formed in the recessed portion of guide
member 7. Pressure e~ualization, required for the inf_ux of soap into the
cap, is ensured by means of an aperture made in the bottom o* the bottle
by pin m,~mber lô.
Naturally, viariations and modifications of the embodLment of the
invention as described and showntherein can be made ~ithout departing
from the scope of the invention.