Spray nozzle, devices containing the same and apparatus for making such devices

A nozzle carrier head adapted for having, in the outer wall thereof, an inserted spray nozzle comprising (A) a housing having a central nozzle outlet and a central nozzle axis therethrough, and an inlet opening for the nozzle outlet on the inside of the housing, (B) a hollow nozzle interior which is surrounded by a side wall and through which liquid flows towards the nozzle outlet, which interior comprises

• (a) a discharge chamber located upstream of the nozzle outlet on the inside and arranged coaxially with, and along a central plane perpendicular to, the central nozzle axis,
• (b) an annular chamber arranged coaxially to the discharge chamber, along a central plane perpendicular to the central nozzle axis,
• (c) at least two feed channels which extend from the annular chamber to the discharge chamber in a plane intersecting the central nozzle axis and open at least approximately tangentially to the periphery of the discharge chamber, each feed channel having an inlet opening and an exit, the feed channels and the annular chamber forming a first stage of turbulence, and
• (d) at least one supply duct for feeding liquid to the first stage of turbulence and a supply line for the liquid to which said supply duct is connected,
• wherein the hollow interior of the nozzle comprises (1) at least one additional stage of turbulence arranged coaxially to the discharge chamber, an outermost such additional stage comprising at least one outermost feed channel leading from said supply line to the annular chamber next-following downstream and opening into the last-mentioned annular chamber tangentially to the periphery of the latter, said outermost feed channel extending along a central plane substantially perpendicular to the central nozzle axis, and (2) on the side of the hollow nozzle interior, between a stage of turbulence which is upstream taken in the direction of liquid flow and the stage of turbulence which is immediately downstream thereof, at least one obstacle which serves to break up the liquid flowing from the upstream stage of turbulence to the downstream stage of turbulence and which deflects the flowing liquid out of a flow plane which flow plane extends through the annular chamber perpendicular to the central nozzle axis, towards the side of the nozzle outlet by an angle of up to 90.degree., wherein said supply line comprises at least two supply ducts extending substantially parallel to said central nozzle axis;
• said carrier head comprising a main conduit for liquid to which the supply ducts are connected, wherein the axis of the main conduit intersects the central axis of the nozzle outlet, the main conduit has a blind end on an inner wall of the nozzle carrier head, at least a first one of said supply ducts has its inlet orifice for liquid close to the blind end of the main conduit and at least a second one of said supply ducts has its inlet orifice for liquid at a larger distance from the said blind end, and wherein the main conduit, between the inlet orifice of the second supply duct and that of the first supply duct, has a shoulder, projecting into the main conduit, from the inner wall of the nozzle carrier head, the first supply duct extending through said shoulder being longer than the second supply duct.