Dual pump colorant dispenser

In a colorant dispenser of the type which has a colorant canister supported on a platform, a shelf at a side of the platform on which a paint container may rest to receive colorant from said canister, first and second vertically oriented measuring piston pumps positioned side by side in operative association with the canister for dispensing precise quantities of colorant from the canister, said first pump having a predetermined maximum capacity and said second pump having a maximum capacity which is an even multiple of the maximum capacity of said first pump, and a single valve to control the discharge of colorant from both said pumps to a container, the improvement comprising:

• a base for the canister and pumps which has a horizontal bore beneath the pumps;
• a first intake passage in the base connecting the canister to said bore in the vertical plane of the first pump;
• a second intake passage in the base connecting the canister to said bore in the vertical plane of the second pump;
• a single exit port from the bore to the exterior of the base, said exit port being in a transverse vertical plane between the pumps;
• and a barrel valve member mounted in the bore for rotation between an intake position, a first dispensing position and a second dispensing position;
• said valve member having a first inlet which communicates with the first passage and with the first pump when the valve member is in intake position;
• said valve member having a second inlet which communicates with the second passage and with the second pump when the valve member is in intake position;
• a first discharge passage in the valve member which extends from the first inlet to a first part of the valve surface which is in the same transverse vertical plane as the exit port and which is circumferentially spaced from said exit port when the valve is in intake position;
• a second discharge passage in the valve member which extends from the second inlet to a second part of the valve surface which is in the same transverse vertical plane as the exit port and which is circumferentially spaced from said exit port when the valve is in intake position, said first and second parts of the valve surface being circumferentially spaced from one another;
• means for rotating said valve member from said intake position in which neither discharge passage communicates with the exit port selectively to said first dispensing position in which the first discharge passage communicates with the exit port or to said second dispensing position in which said second discharge passage communicates with said exit port, each inlet being closed to the canister when its discharge passage communicates with the exit port;
• positive stop means for stopping rotation of the valve member at its intake position and at its second dispensing position;
• and detent means for arresting rotation of the valve member at its first dispensing position;
• whereby either metering pump may be selectively operated to charge it with a desired amount of colorant when the valve member is in intake position, and the valve member may then be rotated selectively to the dispensing position which places the charged pump in communication with the exit port so the charge of colorant may be dispensed through said port.