US 5,388,725 A · Fluid-driven apparatus for dispensing plural fluids in a precise proportion

Abstract

A fluid-driven proportioning pump for dispensing precise volumes of at least three different fluids includes a drive cylinder housing a correspondingly formed drive piston which divides the drive cylinder into first and second drive fluid chambers and is propelled in a reciprocating motion by a pressurized drive fluid. The housing for the drive cylinder is comprised of two identical hollow housings mutually matingly engaged at the open ends thereof. The face of the drive piston is provided with projecting proportioning pistons which extend into proportioning cylinders that open into each drive fluid chamber. An over-center mechanism triggered by movement of the drive piston at the extremes of the strokes of the reciprocating motion thereof operates valving that admits the pressurized drive fluid into turn it of the drive fluid chambers. The over-center mechanism is activated by hoop springs and is housed entirely within the drive cylinder. A drive cylinder liner sleeve is disposed on the interior of the drive cylinder extending at least to the extremes of movement of the drive piston and bridging the engaged mating surfaces of the two identical cup-shaped halves of the proportioning pump housing.

Claims135

Dependent claims

An apparatus for dispensing in a precise predetermined ratio quantities of a first fluid that is externally pressurized and a second fluid, said apparatus comprising:

(a) reciprocating means for continuously dispensing the first fluid, said reciprocating means comprising:
(i) a stationary portion comprising first and second identical hollow housings, each of said first and second hollow housings having an open end, and said first and second hollow housings being mutually matingly engaged at said open ends thereof to define therewithin opposed first and second fluid chambers;
and
(ii) an active portion housed within said stationary portion, said active portion being driven in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes in opposite directions alternately toward said first and toward said second fluid chambers;
(b) first and second reservoir means for holding a predetermined quantity of the second fluid, said first and second reservoir means being located individually in said first and second fluid chambers, respectively;
and
(c) fluid advancement means for continuously dispensing the second fluid, said fluid advancement means being operably connected to said active portion of said reciprocating means, thereby to draw said predetermined quantity of the second fluid into one of said first and second reservoir means and to positively displace said predetermined quantity of the second fluid from the other of said first and second reservoir means during each of said strokes in said motion of said reciprocating means.

4 more elements

A system for dispensing in a precise predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and of a first and a second constituent fluid, said system comprising:

(a) a proportioning pump activated by the drive fluid, said proportioning pump comprising:
(i) a pump housing defining in the interior thereof a drive cylinder having closed ends and sidewalls extending therebetween, said drive cylinder having a longitudinal axis disposed generally centrally of and parallel to said sidewalls;
(ii) a drive piston disposed in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second drive fluid chamber;
(iii) a pair of first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, each of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders having sidewalls and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of each of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders being disposed generally centrally of said sidewalls thereof parallel to said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder, one of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders opening opposite said drive piston into each of said first and second drive fluid chambers;
(iv) a pair of second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, each of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders having sidewalls and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of each of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders being disposed generally centrally of said sidewalls thereof parallel to said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder, one of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders opening opposite said drive piston into each of said first and said second drive fluid chambers;
(v) a constituent fluid inlet passageway corresponding to each of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders;
(vi) a constituent fluid outlet passageway corresponding to each of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, each of said constituent fluid outlet passageways opening onto a corresponding one of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders at a constituent fluid discharge site located radially remote from said longitudinal axis of said corresponding one of said first and second constituent fluid proportional cylinders, whereby when the rotational orientation of said drive cylinder about said longitudinal axis thereof is such that said constituent fluid discharge sites are at the top of said corresponding one of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, air bubble accumulation in said corresponding one of first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders is suppressed;
and
(vii) a pair of proportioning pistons projecting from each side of said drive piston, said proportioning pistons extending into corresponding individual ones of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, said reciprocating motion of said drive piston alternately advancing and retracting said constituent fluid proportioning pistons within said corresponding ones of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders;
and
(b) mounting means for securing said proportioning pump to a fixed surface at any predetermined rotational orientation of said pump housing about said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder.

8 more elements

A system for dispensing in a precise, predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and of a first and a second constituent fluid, said system comprising:

(a) a proportioning pump activated by the drive fluid, said proportioning pump comprising:
(i) a pump housing defining in the interior thereof a drive cylinder having closed ends and sidewalls extending therebetween, said drive cylinder having a longitudinal axis disposed generally centrally of and parallel to said sidewalls;
(ii) a drive piston disposed in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second drive fluid chamber;
(iii) drive reversal means for admitting the pressurized drive fluid alternately into said first and into said second fluid drive chambers, thereby to propel said drive piston in said reciprocating motion and to positively displace drive fluid alternately from said second and first drive fluid chambers, respectively;
(iv) a drive fluid communication aperture associated with each of said first and second drive fluid chambers located radially remote from and on the same side of said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder, admission and displacement of the drive fluid into and from said second and first drive fluid chambers, respectively, occurring at said drive fluid communication apertures, whereby when the rotational orientation of said pump housing about said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder is such that said drive fluid communication apertures are at the top of said drive cylinder, air bubble accumulation in said drive cylinder is suppressed;
(v) a pair of first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, each of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders having sidewalls and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of each of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders being disposed generally centrally of said sidewalls of each of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders parallel to said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder, one of said first constituent fluid proportioning cylinders opening opposite said drive piston into each of said first and second drive fluid chambers through said drive fluid communication aperture associated therewith;
(vi) a pair of second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, each of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders having sidewalls and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis of each of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders being disposed generally centrally of said sidewalls of each of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders parallel to said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder, one of said second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders opening opposite said drive piston into each of said first and said second drive fluid chambers;
and
(vii) a pair of proportioning pistons projecting from each side of said drive piston, said proportioning pistons extending into corresponding individual ones of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders, said reciprocating motion of said drive piston alternately advancing and retracting said constituent fluid proportioning pistons within said corresponding ones of said first and second constituent fluid proportioning cylinders;
and
(b) mounting means for securing said proportioning pump to a fixed surface at any predetermined rotational orientation of said pump housing about said longitudinal axis of said drive cylinder.

8 more elements

A fluid-driven pump powered by and dispensing an externally pressurized drive fluid, said pump comprising:

(a) a pump housing defining in the interior thereof a drive cylinder having closing ends;
(b) a drive piston disposed in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second fluid drive chamber;
(c) a pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway formed in said pump housing at each end of said drive cylinder;
(d) a drive fluid outlet passageway formed in said pump housing at each end of said drive cylinder;
(e) first valve means for placing said first drive fluid chamber in communication alternately with said pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway and with said drive fluid outlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent to said first drive fluid chamber;
(f) second valve means for placing said second drive fluid chamber in communication alternately with said pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway and with said drive fluid outlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent to said second drive fluid chamber;
(g) linkage means for operably interconnecting said first valve means and said second valve means through said drive piston with plural dimensions of alignment freedom, thereby to simultaneously operate both said first and second valve means in either a first or a second operative mode thereof, in said first operative mode said first drive fluid chamber being in communication with said pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent thereto and said second drive fluid chamber being in communication with said drive fluid outlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent thereto, and in said second operative mode said first drive fluid chamber being in communication with said drive fluid outlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent thereto and said second drive fluid chamber being in communication with said pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway formed in said pump housing at said end of said drive cylinder adjacent thereto;
and
(h) an over-center means for driving said linkage means to operate said first and second valve means between said first and second operative modes responsive to completion of each of said successive strokes of said reciprocating motion of said drive piston.

6 more elements

An apparatus for dispensing in a precise predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and a constituent fluid, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a drive cylinder having closed ends;
(b) a drive piston disposed in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second drive fluid chamber;
(c) a pair of proportioning cylinders for the constituent fluid, each Of said proportioning cylinders comprising a proportioning cylinder shell opening opposite said drive piston into a respective one of said first and second drive fluid chambers;
(d) a pair of proportioning pistons, one of said proportioning pistons corresponding to each of said proportioning cylinders, and each of said proportioning pistons comprising a proportioning piston footing projecting from an opposite side of said drive piston toward a corresponding one of said proportioning cylinders;
and
(e) ratio adjustment means for fixing a predetermined quantity of the constituent fluid to be drawn into and displaced from each of said proportioning cylinders by said reciprocating motion of said drive piston.

3 more elements

An apparatus for dispensing in a precise predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and a constituent fluid, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a drive cylinder having closed ends;
(b) a drive piston disposed in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second drive fluid chamber;
(c) a pair of proportioning cylinders for the constituent fluid, one of said proportioning cylinders being disposed in each of said first and second drive fluid chambers, and each of said proportioning cylinders comprising:
(i) a proportioning cylinder shell projecting from a respective of said ends of said drive cylinder and opening opposite said drive piston into one of said first and second drive fluid chambers;
and
(ii) a proportioning cylinder sleeve retained in said proportioning cylinder shell, said proportioning cylinder sleeve having an internal bore of predetermined cross-section;
(d) a pair of proportioning pistons disposed on opposite sides of said drive piston, one of said proportioning pistons corresponding to each of said proportioning cylinders, and each of said proportioning pistons comprising:
(i) a proportioning piston footing projecting from one side of said drive piston toward said corresponding one of said proportioning cylinders;
and
(ii) a proportioning piston head secured to the end of said proportioning piston footing opposite from said drive piston, said proportioning piston head having a cross-section complimentary to said predetermined cross-section of said proportioning cylinder sleeve and being slidably disposed in said proportioning cylinder sleeve, whereby said reciprocating motion of said drive piston alternately advances and retracts said proportioning piston heads within said proportioning cylinder sleeves to alternately draw into and to positively displace from said proportioning piston a predetermined quantity of said constituent fluid.

7 more elements

A proportioning pump for dispensing in a precise, predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and of a first and a second constituent fluid, said proportioning pump comprising:

(a) a drive cylinder having end walls and sidewalls extending therebetween;
(b) a drive piston positioned in said drive cylinder and propelled by the drive fluid in a reciprocating motion comprising successive strokes of said drive piston in opposite directions, said drive piston separating said drive cylinder into a first and a second drive fluid chamber;
(c) a first constituent fluid proportioning cylinder projecting from said end wall of said drive cylinder adjacent said first drive fluid chamber and opening into said first drive fluid chamber opposite said drive piston;
(d) a second constituent fluid proportioning cylinder projecting from said end wall of said drive cylinder adjacent said first drive fluid chamber and opening into said first drive fluid chamber opposite said drive piston;
and
(e) a first fluid tubing manifold nestable about the exterior of said drive cylinder at said first drive fluid chamber, said first fluid tubing manifold comprising an end plate positionable against the exterior of said end wall of said drive cylinder adjacent said first drive fluid chamber, said end plate having formed therein the following fluid passageways, each communicating from the exterior of said first fluid tubing manifold to said first drive fluid chamber through said end wall of said drive cylinder adjacent said first drive fluid chamber:
(i) a pressurized drive fluid inlet passageway;
(ii) a drive fluid outlet passageway;
(iii) a first constituent fluid inlet passageway;
(iv) a first constituent fluid outlet passageway;
(v) a second constituent fluid inlet passageway;
and
(vi) a second constituent fluid outlet passageway.

10 more elements

A method for dispensing in a precise predetermined ratio quantities of a drive fluid and constituent fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) valving a pressurized drive fluid alternately to opposite sides of a drive piston slidably disposed for reciprocating motion in a drive cylinder using valving disposed within said drive cylinder, said drive cylinder being comprised of first and second identical hollow housings, each of said first and second hollow housings having an open end and being mutually matingly engaged at said open ends thereof to form a sealing joint of said drive cylinder and to define said drive cylinder within said matingly engaged first and second hollow housings;
(b) venting the side of said drive piston not provided with the pressurized drive fluid to enable said reciprocating motion of said drive piston and the positive displacement of the drive fluid from said side of said drive piston not provided with the pressurized drive fluid;
(c) securing within said drive cylinder on each side of said drive piston a pair of proportioning pistons extending parallel to the axis of said drive cylinder into individual corresponding proportioning cylinders opening into said drive cylinder facing said drive piston, said proportioning pistons advancing into and receding within said corresponding proportioning cylinders in said reciprocating motion of said drive piston;
(d) supplying the constituent fluid to said proportioning cylinders as said proportioning pistons recede therein;
and
(e) venting said proportioning cylinders as said proportioning piston advances thereinto to enable the positive displacement of the constituent fluid therefrom.

3 more elements

A method for dispensing in the precise, predetermined ratio quantities of an externally pressurized drive fluid and of a first and a second constituent fluid, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) valving a pressurized drive fluid alternately to opposite sides of a drive piston slidably disposed for reciprocating motion in a drive cylinder using valving disposed within said drive cylinder, said drive cylinder being comprised of first and second identical hollow housings, each of said first and second hollow housings having an open end and being mutually matingly engaged at said open ends thereof to form a sealing joint of said drive cylinder and to define said drive cylinder within said matingly engaged first and second hollow housings;
(b) venting the side of the piston not provided with the pressurized drive fluid to enable said reciprocating motion of said drive piston and the positive displacement of the drive fluid from said side of said drive piston not provided with the pressurized drive fluid;
(c) securing within said drive cylinder on each side thereof first and second proportioning pistons extending parallel to the axis of said drive cylinder into individual corresponding first and second proportioning cylinders that open into said drive cylinder facing said drive piston, said proportioning pistons advancing into and receding within said corresponding proportioning pistons in said reciprocating motion of said drive pistons;
(d) supplying the first and second constituent fluids to said first and second proportioning cylinders, respectively, as said corresponding proportioning pistons recede therein;
and
(e) venting said first and second proportioning cylinders as said corresponding proportioning pistons advance thereinto to enable the positive displacement of the first and second constituent fluid, respectively, therefrom.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fluid-driven apparatus for dispensing plural fluids in a precise proportion

Life of this patent

Fluid-driven apparatus for dispensing plural fluids in a precise proportion

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims135