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US 4,813,785 AGranted
Mixing structure for paint colorant in a dispensing apparatus
AssigneeHarbill Manufacturing Company
InventorWilliam A. Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for mixing a liquid colorant in a container. A flexible cable is rotated about its length to drive rotatable agitating structure in the container. Where a plurality of containers, each having agitating structure and an associated cable are used, a motor driven gear simultaneously rotates all cables to effect rotation of the agitating structures.
Claims14
A liquid mixing apparatus comprising:
- a container for storing a supply of liquid and having an open upper end through which liquid can be introduced to the container;
- a lid removably press fit to the container so that the lid closes the open container end;
- an agitator;
- means in the container for mounting the agitator for rotation within the container;
- a flexible cable having spaced ends;
- drive means for rotating the cable about its length;
- means for connecting one of the spaced cable ends to the rotating drive means to be rotated thereby;
- rotating means on the lid and extending into the container for imparting rotation to the agitator with the lid press fit to the container;
- said rotating means being disengaged and separated from the agitator upon the lid being removed from the container so that the agitator remains within the container and is disabled;
- and
- means for connecting the other cable end to the rotating means on the lid for imparting rotation from the cable to the rotating means on the lid.
8 more elements
A liquid paint colorant mixing and dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a turntable;
- means mounting the turntable for rotation relative to the base about a vertical axes and in elevated relationship to a surface supporting the apparatus;
- first and second containers for retaining separate supplies of liquid paint colorant and each having an open end;
- means mounting the first and second containers to the turntable at locations spaced from said vertical axis and for rotation with the turntable;
- means for controlled dispensing of colorant from the first and second containers;
- first means rotatable about a vertical axis for agitating the colorant in said first container;
- second means rotatable about a vertical axis for agitating the colorant in said second container;
- a first flexible cable having a sheath and spaced ends;
- a second flexible cable having a sheath and spaced ends;
- a drive motor;
- a drive gear rotatably driven by the drive motor about a vertical axis;
- first and second gears in mesh with the drive gear and simultaneously rotatably driven thereby about vertical axes;
- means for releasably keying the one ends of the first and second cables to the first and second driven gears for rotation therewith so that rotation of the drive gear can selectively rotate one, both or none of the first and second cables about their length depending upon whether one, both or none of the one cable ends is keyed to its respective first and second driven gears,
- said keying means including means for interconnecting the one cable ends and driven gears upon the one cable ends being moved vertically relative to the driven gears in one direction and for releasing the one cable ends upon the one cable ends being moved relative to the driven gears vertically relative to the driven gears oppositely to said one direction;
- and
- means on each of the first and second lids for imparting rotation from the other cable ends to the first and second agitating means,
- said rotation imparting means each including means for disengaging the rotation imparting means from the agitating means upon the lid associated therewith being removed from its associated container,
- said rotation imparting means each further including means for frictionally engaging the sheath on each of the cables to maintain the sheath in a predetermined orientation at the other cable end,
- whereby each of said agitating means can be disabled by either removing the lid on the container associated with each agitator or by disconnecting the one end of the cable associated with each agitator from its associated driven gear.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.