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US 3,932,977 AGranted
Ball inflating apparatus and method
OwnerLloyd H. Ringlerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerLloyd H. Ringlerinventor
Estimating the term…
Ball inflating apparatus automatically operable through succession of cycles in each of which a ball inflation needle is momentarily exposed for reception of an end of the same through apertured valve housing of an inflatable ball of stretchable material. In each cycle the ball is also engaged between spaced ball sizing means. Simultaneously with each successive withdrawal of the needle from the valve housing, slide members reciprocated in fixed support base operable to present air sealing device in path of reciprocatable plunger, to urge the sealing device into valve housing aperture for retaining air in the inflated ball. With each withdrawal of inflating needle from fully inflated ball and after insertion of sealing device, full distention of inflated ball actuates ball sizing means to release inflated ball and initiate next successive ball inflation cycle.
In an apparatus for automatic inflation of inflatable balls of type each having an integral elastic valve housing apertured for inward yielding reception of a closure adapted to retain inflating fluid in the balls, comprising, top and bottom guide means, top and bottom slide members slidably received in said top and bottom guide means respectively, an inflation needle having a distal end and coacting with said top slide member to be reciprocated toward and from a fixed position on said support member to project the distal end of the needle freely of the support member, ball supporting means in association with said support member and to align the valve housing aperture with said needle, means for reciprocating said needle to and from reception of said distal end thereof into the apertured valve housing of a ball for inflating the ball to a predetermined size, and closure applying means operable in synchronism with retraction of the reciprocated inflation needle to inject a said closure into yielding reception thereof within the elastic ball valve housing aperture for maintaining the ball in inflated condition.
Apparatus for inflating balls having apertured valve housings comprising, a supporting base provided with a generally horizontally extending first guide passage and a second generally horizontal guide passage extending generally transversely of said first guide passage, said base having generally vertically extending passageway means therethrough communicating with said first and second guide passages and with the exterior of said base, first and second guide elements mounted in said first and second guide passages respectively to be slidable therein from respective start positions toward given stop positions and return of said slide elements back to said start positions, said slide elements being provided with generally vertical apertures alignable with each other and with the first mentioned passageway means in said positions, feeding means for feeding ball valve closure means into one of said apertures in said second slide element while said first and second slide elements are in certain of said positions thereof, said first slide element carrying a reciprocal inflation element and a reciprocal closure inserting element laterally spaced with respect to one another, motor means for reciprocating said first slide element to alternately align said inflation element and then said inserting element with said first mentioned passageway means, and vice versa, means to momentarily operate said inflation element in said ball to inflate the same and then to move said inflation element generally vertically out of said ball whereupon said motor means shifts said first slide element to its said stop position wherein said closure inserting element is aligned with said first passageway means, and means to cause shifting of said second slide element to a position wherein said one aperture thereof and the associated valve closure means therein are in alignment with said first mentioned passageway means, and means for causing reciprocation of said closure inserting element to cause injection of said valve closure means into the valve housing aperture of the ball for maintaining the ball in inflated condition, and means for causing the last mentioned shifting means to return said second slide element to said start position and for causing said motor means to return said first slide element to said start position.
A method for inflating an expandable ball of type having an integral valve housing apertured for inward yielding reception of a closure adapted to retain inflating fluid in the ball comprising, impaling the apertured valve housing of the ball on a reciprocal inflation element and engaging the ball from the sides thereof for retaining it with said valve housing in predetermined position on the inflation element, inflating the ball to a predetermined expanded diameter size by means of the said inflation element, withdrawing the inflation element from the ball valve housing and shifting said withdrawn element laterally to non-interfering relation with respect to the apertured valve housing and positioning a valve closure over the apertured valve housing of the inflated ball, and forcing the valve closure into the apertured valve housing while retaining the ball with the valve housing maintained in said predetermined position by lateral gripping of the sides of the ball and thereby to seal the valve housing aperture so as to retain the inflating fluid interiorly of the inflated ball, and then terminating said gripping engagement of the ball from the sides thereof to permit movement of the ball away from the gripping means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.