Dispenser flow proportioning device
AssigneeBeatrice Foods Co.
InventorGerry A. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A liquid dispenser having an outer tank and an inner tank or trap at the bottom thereof with an inlet from the outer tank features a proportioning device at the inner tank inlet which includes an inverted cup-like member with a floating check ball therein. The parts are arranged so that the check ball offers decreasing impedance to flow from the outer tank into the inner as the liquid level in the outer tank decreases, whereby to provide a substantially constant rate of flow into the inner tank regardless of the liquid level in the outer tank.
Claims10
In liquid dispensing apparatus including a first container for liquid and a second container for liquid disposable below a liquid level in the first container, the second container having an inlet for liquid from the first container and an outlet for liquid, valve means to open and close said outlet, and means for venting the second container above said liquid level, the improvement comprising:
- flow control means for the second container inlet for controlling the flow of liquid from the first container into the second container so that the quantity of said flow when said valve means is open during a selected time period is substantially independent of said liquid level in the first container, the flow control means including a flow control housing disposable below said liquid level, the housing having a chamber for liquid therein and upper and lower ends with respect to said liquid level, the lower chamber end communicating with the first container for flow of liquid therefrom into the chamber, the chamber having an outlet for liquid therefrom intermediate said chamber ends in communication with the second chamber inlet for flow of liquid from the chamber into the second container;
- and a liquid flow check member retainable and movable in the chamber between said ends towards and away from said chamber outlet, the check member having a weight less than that of an equal volume of liquid for the first container, the check member, the chamber and the chamber outlet being proportioned relative to each other so that when said valve means is opened the check member moves relative to the chamber outlet effective to provide decreasing impedance to liquid flow from the chamber through the chamber outlet during said time period.
A liquid flow proportioning device for use with liquid dispensing apparatus having an outer liquid container and an inner liquid container disposed in a lower portion of the outer container with the inner container including a liquid inlet from the outer container and a liquid outlet, the proportioning device being disposable in the outer container upstream of the inner container inlet and comprising:
- a molded member having a cylindrical chamber therein with an inlet at one end and an end wall at the other end, the molded member having a cylindrical chamber outlet opening at one end into said chamber intermediate said ends thereof, the other end of the chamber outlet being adapted to engage the inlet of said inner container and a check ball member having a weight less than that of the volume of a liquid displaced by said member, the check ball member being disposed in the chamber and freely movable along the axis thereof to positions allowing liquid flow from the chamber to the chamber outlet, the diameter of said member being approximately twice the diameter of the chamber outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.