Pump apparatus for dispensing a selected one of a plurality of liquids from a container
AssigneeReckitt & Colman Inc.
InventorBeth T. G. Graubart
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pump apparatus for dispensing a selected one of a plurality of liquids includes a pump housing containing a pump which is fixed to a container having a plurality of compartments, each accessed by a separate dip tube. The dip tubes each communicate with bores through a base disposed at the top of the container. A thumb wheel with a single bore is rotated about a central access to align the single bore with the selected one of the dip tubes and the single bore is connected to the pump via a crank-shaped connecting tube. Preferably, the thumb wheel is accessed through a window in the pump housing and has indicia thereon to indicate which of the liquids has been selected for dispensing by the pump.
Claims8
An arrangement for dispensing liquid from a selected one of a plurality of juxtaposed compartments, the arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of dip tubes, one of which extends into each compartment;
- a base having bores therethrough, each of which is in communication with one of the dip tubes;
- a thumb wheel rotatably mounted on the base for rotation about a central axis, the thumb wheel having a single bore therethrough which bore is selectively aligned with one of the bores in the base;
- a connector tube extending from the bore in the thumb wheel and having an end in alignment with the central axis of the pump;
- a housing having a window with the thumb wheel being aligned with and accessed by the window;
- and
- a pump mounted in the housing, the pump having an outlet tube in the form of a bushing for receiving the upper end of the connected tube and a trigger for operating the pump, wherein, when the thumb wheel is rotated about the central axis, the tube connects a selected one of the dip tubes with the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.