Flow divider and method

A flow divider for delivering metered amounts of volumetric liquid from a source of pressurized liquid to a liquid utilizing device requiring a supply of metered volumetric liquid under pressure, comprising:

• a housing including material defining an inlet configured for connection to the source of pressurized liquid, an outlet configured for connection to the liquid utilizing device, and a cavity between said inlet and said outlet;
• a passageway defining member rotatably positioned in said cavity of said housing, said passageway defining member intermittently placing said inlet and said outlet in fluid communication with a passageway in said passageway defining member as said passageway defining member is rotated;
• a metering piston located in said passageway, said metering piston being configured to slide reciprocatingly back and forth in said passageway;
• a piston-travel-limiting member for limiting the travel of said piston in said passageway to a predetermined distance;
• a drive connected to said passageway defining member for rotating said passageway defining member, whereby, by continuously rotating said passageway defining member, said passageway is repeatedly reversed by the rotation of said passageway defining member so that said piston is repeatedly located proximate the inlet and is thereafter forced by incoming pressurized liquid toward the outlet, whereby the reciprocating action of the piston delivers a predetermined metered quantity of volumetric liquid to said liquid utilizing device at a predetermined rate;
• said passageway defining member includes a bore, and including a piston receiving tubular insert positioned in said bore, said tubular insert including an inner surface defining said passageway;
• a pair of said inserts positioned in opposing ends of said bore, said pair of inserts defining a gap therebetween;
• and
• a seal located in said gap.

A fluid flow metering system for delivering controlled amounts of pressurized fluid, comprising:

• a housing including an inlet and at least one outlet;
• a source of pressurized fluid connected to said inlet;
• a fluid utilizing device requiring pressurized fluid connected to said at least one outlet;
• a drive;
• a spool rotatably positioned in said housing and operably connected to said drive, said spool including at least one passageway that periodically aligns with said inlet and said at least one outlet as said spool is rotated;
• a piston positioned in said at least one passageway for reciprocating sliding movement within said passageway, whereby as said spool is rotated, said piston is moved by incoming fluid along said at least one passageway away from said inlet and toward said at least one outlet, and as said spool is further rotated, said piston is again positioned proximate said inlet and is again forced along said at least one passageway in an opposite direction, such that a metered volumetric flow of the pressurized fluid is passed at a controlled rate from said source to said fluid utilizing device;
• and
• a motor connected to said drive, said motor being operably connected to said source of pressurized fluid and driven by the pressurized fluid received therefrom.

A method of dispensing liquid fluid comprising:

• providing a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a spool rotatably positioned in the housing, the spool including a passageway for intermittently connecting the inlet to the outlet as the spool is rotated, and a floating piston located in the passageway;
• supplying pressurized fluid having the viscosity of one of hydraulic fluid and water to the inlet;
• dispensing a metered amount of said fluid from the outlet by rotating the spool so that the incoming pressurized fluid intermittently forces the piston to move thus dispensing fluid in the passageway;
• and
• providing a motor operably connected to said spool for rotating the spool and operably connected to said inlet, and wherein said step of supplying includes supplying pressurized fluid to the inlet such that the motor is motivated by said pressurized fluid in said inlet.

An apparatus for delivering proportionate amounts of flowable substance comprising:

• a first end member;
• a second end member;
• a plurality of housing sections configured to be positioned adjacent each other and between said first and second end members, each of said housing sections defining a cavity, an inlet to said cavity and an outlet from said cavity;
• a plurality of spool sections configured to be positioned adjacent each other and interconnected to each other, each of said spool sections being movably positioned in one of said cavities and defining a passageway for intermittently connecting the inlet of said one cavity to the outlet of said one cavity;
• a floating piston located in each of said passageways for metering fluid flow from the inlet to the outlet in each of said cavities;
• a drive shaft connected to one of said spool sections, said drive shaft extending through said first end member;
• and
• a motor connected to said drive shaft for driving, said plurality of spools, said motor being operably connected to one of said inlets for receiving energy to motivate said motor.

A method of dividing fluid flow for providing pressurized fluid to pressurized fluid utilizing devices, comprising:

• providing a housing including an inlet and an outlet, a passageway defining spool rotatingly mounted in the housing for periodically connecting the inlet to the outlet, and a free floating piston located in the passageway;
• connecting a source of pressurized fluid to said inlet and a fluid utilizing device to said outlet;
• communicating pressurized fluid to the inlet;
• positioning a first end of the passageway adjacent the inlet such that the piston is forced away from the inlet and such that the fluid located within the passageway forced out the outlet under pressure;
• rotating the spool so that a second end of the passageway opposite the first end is positioned adjacent the inlet so that the piston is moved in the opposite direction in the passageway and additional pressurized fluid is again moved out of said passageway and through said outlet, whereby the piston reciprocates in the passageway at a predetermined rate and dispenses fluid at a predetermined rate;
• providing a motor operably connected to said spool for rotating the spool, said motor being operably connected to said inlet;
• and
• said step of supplying including supplying pressurized fluid to the inlet such that the motor is motivated by said pressurized fluid in said inlet.