US2811389A - Tamper-proof proportioner and dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 29, 1957 r H. FISCHER 2,811,389

TAMPER-PROOF PROPORTIONER AND DISPENSER Filed May 51, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HEINRICH FISCHER I A TOR 061:. 29, 1957 I FlscHER 2,811,389

TAMPER-PROOF PROPORTIONER AND DISPENSER Filed May 31, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HEINRICH FISCHER A TOR Oct. 29, 1957 H. FISCHER TAMPER-PROOF PROPORTIONER AND DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 31, 1956 INVENTOR.

HEINRICH FISCHER 046K444; A TOR Unite TAMPER-PRGOF PROPORTIONER AND DISPENSER Application May 31, 1956, Serial No. 588,320

4 Claims. (Ci. 299.84)

The present invention relates to a tamper-proof proportioner and dispenser, which is an apparatus compris ng a drum of liquid chemical such as a cleaning fluid, to be mixed with water in certain predetermined proportions and then dispensed from the drum as a solution having the proper strength or cleansing power suited to the work at hand.

In the past, it has been customary to furnish the liquid chemical in drums or containers of standard type, or of a type which included one or more access openings, through which it was possible for an attendant to remove more chemical than the recommended amount for the performance of a specific cleaning or treating job. The attendant thus was enabled to increase the ratio of chemical to water beyond the recommended limits, in the hope of facilitating or expediting the work of cleaning or treating. The practice invariably resulted in great waste and expense, and in some instances, depending upon the nature of the chemical, the use of excessive amounts re sulted in damage to the work undergoing treatment.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for proportioning and dispensing a water solution of chemical in liquid form, in a predetermined ratio of chemical to water, in such manner as to offer no opportunity for tampering with and altering the chemical-water ratio.

Another object is to provide a tamper-proof apparatus of the character mentioned, in which the chemical-water ratio may be selectively predetermined by authorized persons atthe chemical service plant, with a minimum expenditure of time, labor, and cost, to adapt the apparatus for proper use in the economical and eiiective treatment of dilferent types of work requiring dilfering ratios of chemical to water solutions for best results.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character stated, which includes a drum or receptacle capable of being recharged at the service plant, the apparatus further being so designed as to permit stacking thereof in storage and shipment, with obvious advantage.

A further object is to provide a device of the type re ferred to, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, and has no moving parts requiring attention or adjustment to ensure effective operation.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tamperproof proportioner and dispenser embodying the improvements of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, parts being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4, showing a modification.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the Fig. 5 modification.

States Patent ig. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on'line 7-7 of .Fig. 5.

ig 18 is a detail view showing a combination depth gauge and air vent for the drum or receptacle.

Throughout the drawings, 10 indicates a closed drum or receptacle having a fixed cover 12 which supports an aspirator or ejector .14 disposed wholly within the drum. Water is delivered under pressure to the ejector by means of a water supply pipe 1,6,, and after mixing with a liquid chemical within the ejector, the water-chemical solution is delivered through a discharge ,pipe 18 for application to the object or article to be treated. The ejector is designed to mix the liquid chemical 20 with water in certain proportions, and as the resultant solution leaves by way of discharge pipe 18 it may be directed to the work, .or o uckets or individual containers for use by workmen concerned with a cleaningor treating procedure; In the Fig. ,1 embodiment, sections 22 and 24 of the supply pipe and the discharge pipe, respectively, are welded at W or otherwise permanently connected to a mounting plate 26 which is in turn similarly fixed to cover 12 over an opening 23 in the'cover. The only reason for providing the opening 28- and plate 26 is to facilitate'manufacture and assembly; otherwise the pipe sections would be mounted directly upon the cover. -In either case, withdrawal of chemical from the drum otherwise than by ejector action, is impossible. This is an important feature of the invention, and constitutes one of the primary objectives thereof. In this connection it may be noted also that withdrawal of chemical through the ejector by tilting the drumis likewise impossible due to the provisionof a'check valve 30 in the riser 32. Thus it will be understood that the only possible method of displacing liquid chemicaltrom the drum is by ejector action, and the. rateof displacement is'governed automatically and unalterably by an orifice 34in the riser (Fig. 4), which establishes the water-chemical ratio of the solution delivered'through'the discharge pipe 18.

Rcfcrringito Figs. 1 to 4, it shouldbe understood that the cover 12 and the bottom 36 of the drum are permanently applied to the cylindrical side Wall of the drum, a crimp connection beingshown for thispurpose' The ejector 14- may be of known construction, comprising as usual at body having at its entry port 38 a nozzle '01 jet 4% discharging through a suction chamber 42 into aventuri 44, the venturi being in communication with theoutlet port .46 of the ejector body. Suitable elbow fittings 48 and 5.0 connect the ejector ports 38 and 46 to-the water supply and discharge pipe sections 22 and 24, respectively; The suction port 52 of the ejector has fluid communieating relationship with riser 32, through an orifice fitting 54 which may be threaded at its opposite ends 56 and 5.8, for connection with the ejector and with a coupler 60 on the riser. At the lower end of the riser, suitable fittings may be provided for attachment of the check valve 30 to the riser. The fittings last mentioned may take any suit able form, such as a coupling 62 and an adapter or re ducer 64, all threadedly joined substantially as shown'in Fig. 4. The particular mode of producing the riser as sembly with fittings is of no importance to the invention and is subject to alterations as may be desired or required. That which is important is the incorporation of an orifice fitting near the top of the riser, and some form of check valve precluding retrograde movement of fluid in the riser; The check valve may or may not include a ball seating spring. g s It may here be noted that the orifice fitting S4;mayj be in the form of an inverted cup as shown, havinga trans verseend-closing wall 66 in which the orifice 34 is drilled or otherwise formed lengthwise of the fitting. The; size of the orificegoverns the chemical to water ratioof solution;

' which will leave the ejector port 46 at a given pressure of water introduced to the ejector through the supply pipe. Therefore, with a known pressure of water available at the input side of the ejector, an engineer can supply various orifice sizes at 34, to establish any desired ratio or proportion of chemical to be added to the water passing through the ejector. Once a selected size or form of orifice is incorporated in the structure, the flow of chemical therethrough cannot be altered by persons using the apparatus, because the orifice is wholly inaccessible to such persons. Under the circumstanecs, chemical will be used in predetermined ratio to the amount of water passing through the ejector, without waste or possible injurious results, and on the basis of scientific calculations rather than with reliance upon the judgment of scientifically unskilled workmen using the apparatus. By this means, the chemical component of the solution produced by the apparatus is most elfectively and economically consumed.

The check valve 30 not only precludes unauthorized withdrawal of chemical by tilting the drum, but it serves the further purpose of maintaining'a head of liquid chemical in the riser at all times, so that a proper'ratio of chemical to water is assured notwithstanding interruptions in the use of the apparatus. Moreover, the check valve precludes the possibility of dilution of chemical in the drum, in the event that water inadvertently is permitted to trickle into the ejector chamber 42 through the nozzle 40, to fill said chamber. The orifice 34, of course, is very restricted in size, and would therefore permit little, if any, passage of liquid in either direction unless influenced by suction established in the ejector chamber by jet action of water forced through the nozzle and the venturi.

In the light of the foregoing explanation, it will be apparent that any attempt to remove some of the contents of the drum by inverting the drum, or even by removing the elbows 68 at the top of the drum, would be futile.

Means may be provided for gauging the depth of liquid in the drum from time to time, and for admitting air in very small amount to the drum interior as liquid is slowly displaced therefrom. Such means may comprise a stick 70 having a head 72, the head being accessible for manipulation at the top of the drum for removal of the stick through a small opening 74 in plate 26. The stick may be threaded through opening 74 as at 76 in Fig. 8, so that by rotating the head 72 the head may be advanced against a gasket or washer 78 to close ofli the small vent holes 80. In shipment or storage of the apparatus, the vent holes would be closed by screwing down the head 72, thereby to exclude dust and dirt which might clog the vents. During use of the apparatus, the head would be unscrewed to the extent indicated by Fig. 8, for venting the drum. The vents and the opening 74 are made sufliciently small to preclude extraction of chemical fluid therethrough; and if removal of fluid through such openings were attempted by tilting the drum, no appreciable amount could flow out because air could not enter the drum anywhere to replace the fluid so displaced.

To recharge the drum with liquid chemical, it is necessary to return the apparatus to the chemical servicing plant, where a filling opening would be cut in the drum to permit recharging. The opening then would be closed by welding a suitable plate over the opening. In this manner, the apparatus may be recharged repeatedly during the life of the drum and the ejector assembly, yet when restored to commercial use, the apparatus is always tamper-proof in operation.

In the modification, Figs. through 7, an alternative form of mount for the ejector assembly is proposed, consisting of an access plate 80 which is removable from the drum cover for refilling or recharging of the drum. Here the plate 80 is shown rectangular in shape, with a circumferential gasket 82 applied to its under surface and adapted to form a seal between the plate and the drum cover. At opposite ends of the plate, clamping means are provided to keep the gasket under compression, and such clamping means are furnished with tell-tale seals which cannot be removed for release of the plate without revealing the fact of tampering.

The clamping means may comprise a fixed stud 84 welded or otherwise secured to the drum cover in upright position, the stud being threaded at its free upper end to receive a nut 86. The nut bears against 'a clamp plate 88 apertured to receive the stud 84, and when the nut is advanced along the stud, it forces the plate 88 firmly onto the top of the access plate for fixing the latter in closing position over the drum opening 90. Both the nut and the stud may be drilled transversely, as at 92 in Fig. 7, to receive the wire loop 94 of the sealing device, the ends of which loop are embedded in a wafer or chunk 96 of lead or other material. Such seals are in common use commercially for other purposes, to detect unauthorized tampering with public utility meters and other equipment. When applied to the nut and stud assembly of Fig. 5, the sealing device will discourage attempts to gain access to the contents of the drum.

To preclude rotation of the clamp plate about stud 84, the access plate 80 may be provided with a pair of spaced lugs or stops 98 forming a channel receptive of clamp plate 88 with the latter in clamping position as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The lugs or stops 98 may be welded to the upper or outer face of the access plate 80, if desired. As will be understood, known equivalent means may be provided to preclude rotation of plate 88.

To the under face 100 of the access plate may be fixedly mounted a shallow box 102, forming a protective housing for the ejector and its associated fittings which may include a water pressure regulator 104. The pipe sections 22 and 24, which are parts of the water supply line and the discharge pipe, respectively, may be welded as at W to the access plate, leaving exposed the upper ends of the short pipe sections. The upper ends may be interiorly threaded at 106, so that when the apparatus is delivered to the job, the water supply and discharge pipes may be connected at the threads with pipe elbows for placing the apparatus in service, substantially as suggested by Fig. 1.

It may be noted that the drum cover has a circumferential upstanding rim or flange 108, and all parts of the structure shown in Figs. 5 through 7 are disposed at a lower elevation than the top of the flange, to permit vertical stacking of the drums without interference from such parts. Moreover, all water connections and equipment within the box 102 are disposed within the confines of the drum where they are protected against damage and possible tampering or abuse.

Reverting to Fig. 1, it should be understood that a pressure regulator such as164 might be incorporated in the system at the approximate location of elbow 48, requiring perhaps an increase in the spacing of pipe sections 22 and 24 and a slight enlargement of plate 26. Such use of a pressure regulator is preferred, particularly in localities or under circtnnstances where pressure of water is variable at the supply line. Many existing supply lines, however, are found equipped with pressure regulators, and in such instances a regulator at the apparatus disclosed herein would be unnecessary. If a regulator is incorporated in the Fig. 1 structure, it may be housed as suggested by Fig. 5. 3

With further reference to Fig. 1, the apparatus may be prepared for storage or shipment by removing the pipes 16 and 18 either at the couplings 110, or at the fixed pipe sections 22 and 24. If connections are severed at 22 and 24, all exterior fitting including the elbows 68 may be displaced, thereby to permit vertical stacking of the drums in storage or transit. If preferred, the pipe fittings identified with Fig. 1 might be'altered slightly to correspond with those of Fig. 5. In shipment or storage, the exposed open ends of the fittings 22 and 24 may be temporarily plugged to exclude dirt and other foreign matter.

in the light of the present disclosure, it will at oncebe appreciated that the proportioner and dispenser of the invention is effectively protected against improper use, and unauthorized tampering with the water-chemical ratio of the solution dispensed. As the result, the solution dispensed is maintained at the proper strength for performing its intended function, effectively and without waste or risk of damage to articles or objects undergoing treatment. As pointed out previously herein, the waterchemical ratio may be altered only at the factory or servicing station, by skilled technicians, who calculate or otherwise etermine the size of orifice required at the ejector, to produce a solution fitted for any given type of service. The apparatus of the invention is well adapted for mixing cleaning chemicals with water, and dispensing the proper grade or strength of solution to the job. If the cleaning solution is to be used generally upon greasecovered metallic surfaces, the ratio of water to chemical might preferably be different than that recommended for cleaning soot or similar dirt from painted surfaces, for example. Judgment as to this is reserved to the technical staif, under the conditions imposed by the present invention, and no opportunity is offered for change of the solution characteristics by unskilled non-technical workers using the solution at the job.

The apparatus obviously may be employed in the mixing and dispensing of liquids other than cleaning chemicals, wherefore its use is not to be thusly limited. The apparatus is simple and inexpensive, and incorporates no moving parts requiring frequent adjustment or servicing. Its structural details, moreover, are subject to various modifications and changes, within the scope of the appended claims, without departure from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tamper-proof proportioning and dispensing apparatus of the class described, the combination which comprises a vented drum for housing a liquid chemical to be mixed with water in predetermined proportions, said drum including an apertured cover closing one end of the drum, an apertured access plate for closing the cover aperture, a hollow box having a bottom wall provided with an opening, said box being mounted upon the access plate and dimensioned to pass through the cover aperture, a Water pressure supply pipe section and a discharge pipe section both fixed to the access plate, said pipe sections coinciding with the plate apertures and extending into the box on the plate, an ejector disposed wholly Within the confines of the box, including a hollow body providing a suction chamber a pressure nozzle in fluid communication with the supply pipe section, and a venturi in fluid communication with the discharge pipe section, a tubular riser depending from the ejector body and through the opening in the bottom wall of the box, said riser having an upper end in fluid communication with the suction chamber, and a lower end extending substantially the depth of the drum, an orifice member associated with the upper end of the riser for limiting flow of liquid chemical through the riser and into the suction chamber incident to operation of the ejector, and means for clamping the access plate to the drum cover, with the box suspended in the drum cover aperture.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the pipe sections for the water supply and the discharge project only in one direction from the plane of the access plate, toward and into the box, and means are provided for establishing pipe connections to said sections exteriorly of the box.

3. In a tamper-proof proportioning and dispensing apparatus of the class described, the combination which comprises a vented drum for housing a liquid chemical to be mixed with Water in predetermined proportions, said drum including an apertured cover closing one end of the drum, an apertured access plate for closing the cover aperture, a hollow box having a bottom wall provided with an opening, said box being permanently suspended from one face of the access plate and dimensioned to pass through the cover aperture, a water pressure supply pipe section and a discharge pipe section both fixed to the access plate, said pipe sections coinciding with the plate apertures and extending into the box aforesaid, a water pressure regulator and an ejector disposed wholly within the confines of the box, said ejector including a hollow body providing a suction chamber, a nozzle in fluid communication with the supply pipe section through the pressure regulator, and a venturi in fluid communication with the discharge pipe section, a tubular riser projected through the opening in the bottom wall of the box, said riser having an upper end in fluid communication with the suction chamber, and a lower end extending substantially the depth of the drum, a selectively replaceable orifice member associated with the upper end of the riser for limiting'flow of liquid chemical through the riser and into the suction chamber incident to operation of the ejector, and means for clamping the access plate to the drum cover, with the box including the ejector and the pressure regulator suspended in the drum cover aperture.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a vented drum for housing a liquid chemical to be mixed with water in predetermined proportions, said drum including an apertured cover closing the drum, an access plate for closing the aperture of the cover, a box depending from the access plate and receptive in the cover aperture, an ejector within the box including means for Withdrawing liquid chemical from the drum, a supply pipe for feeding water under pressure into the ejector, a discharge pipe conveying from the ejector the water input and a limited quantity of liquid chemical in solution, and means for detachably fixing the access plate to the cover in sealed relationship, with the box and the included ejector disposed wholly within the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,854,282 Thornhill Apr. 19, 1932 1,887,371 Doyle Nov. 8, 1932 1,908,707 Kramer May 16, 1933 2,010,661 French Aug. 6, 1935 2,039,275 McGrael Apr. 28, 1936 2,233,965 Strovink Mar. 4, 1941 2,530,357 Kateley Nov. 14, 1950 2,737,413 Mitchison Mar. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 140,964 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1930

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