US3358883A

US3358883A - Piercing and venting means for cans

Info

Publication number: US3358883A
Application number: US536007A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wallace D Lee
Original assignee: Loe Industries
Current assignee: WESTERN FLUIDICS Inc A CORP OF
Priority date: 1966-03-21
Filing date: 1966-03-21
Publication date: 1967-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-19

Description

Dec. 19, 1967 w. D. LOE

PIERCING AND VENTING MEANS FOR CANS Filed March 2l, 1966 R V ma M f. M M ,a

United States Patent O wauw,

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus in which a closed can may be placed for piercing of its bottom by a pointed post. Such post has two passageways, one of which leads to a fluid passage- Way through which the fluid is dispensed and the other passageway leads to the atmosphere, for venting, through a check valve and air filter means.

The present invention relates to means and techniques useful in dispensing and/or circulating fluids and has particular usefulness in apparatus of the character described in my copending application Ser. No. 502,099 llled Oct. 22, 1965 and assigned to the same assignee, this application being a continuation-impart of said application Ser. No. 502,099.

Briefly, the apparatus described in the above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 502,099 incorporates a suitable receptacle for a sealed can which is punctured in the process of mounting the can in the receptacle. Sealing means are provided whereby the contents of the pun-ctured can remain uncontaminated. Manually operated pump means is eflective to pump or dispense the fluid from the punctured can to equipment in which pressures above atmospheric pressure exist. Means are also provided whereby the pumping means may be used to produce a circulation of fluid through the equipment without the circulated fluid contaminating the contents of the punctured can. Y

Whereas in the arrangement shown in said application Ser. No. 502,099 both ends of the can are punctured, the upper end being punctured for venting purposes and the lower end being punctured to provide an opening through which fluid from the can may flow, the present arrangement is in the nature of an improvement in that only the lower can end is punctured by a single puncturing means which incorporates two channels, one for venting purposes and the other serving as a channel through which fluid from the punctured can may flow.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus of the character described in my copending application Ser. No. 502,099.

A specific object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of this character which is particularly useful in arrangements wherein it is desired to dispense fluids from closed receptacles.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of this character in which puncturing means, venting means and fluid flow channel means are all located at the lower end of the can from which fluids are dispensed.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of this character which eliminates the necessity for puncturing both ends of a can.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of this character which requires puncturing of a can only at one location.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement of this character that incorporates a means for venting a container with clean filtered air without piercing the top of the container.

Another specific object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this character incorporating JCC improved venting means with the venting means being accomplished by the use of a spring-loaded check valve operating upon the .attainment of a pressure differential and such that when contents of the container are drawn therefrom, as for example by a pump, causing a onepound differential between the inside of the container and atmospheric pressure, a check valve is off seated, thereby permitting venting of the container and also such check valve -reseats when the pressure equalizes.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. This invention itself, .both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by Ireference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in section, corresponding generally to FIGURE 5 of my above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 502,099, but incorporating the present improvement.

FIGURE 2 illustrates, in enlarged form and in section, some of the structu-re illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken as indicated by the lines 3--3 in FIGURE 1.

For ease of comparison, corresponding parts in this improved arrangement and the arrangement shown in said application Ser. No. 502,099, have identical reference numerals. Also, since in the present arrangement some of the parts are illustrated as being integral herein, the reference numeral 10 is not used herein but instead the number 11 is used with, however, the same characteristic appended letter. For example, 10D of said application Ser. No. 502,099 is now designated by the reference numeral 11D.

Referring to the drawings herein, the apparatus includes a can holder 11 within which la can 15 is mounted with the lower end of the can being punctured 4by pointed post 14 extending therein and with the lower end of the can 15 being pressed against a sealing pad 12 by a springurged flanged element 91 attached to a rod 89, such rod 89 having a flanged portion 89A thereon acting ias a seat for one end of a coil compression spring 90, the other end of the spring 90 bearing against a frame structure 76 within which the rod 89 is slidably mounted. This frame structure 76 in the condition shown in FIGURE 1 is maintained in a stationary condition but, as illustrated in my copending :application Ser. No. 502,099, the same may be unlocked from its stationary condition for removal and replacement of the empty can 15. With a new can inserted in place as illustrated in FIGURE l, the frame member 76 is moved downwardly to cause the spring-urged flange member 91 to engage the can 15 and to press the same over the pointed post 14 and against elastic sealing pad 12 and after this is done the frame member 76 is locked in a stationary condition.

The pointed post 14 is provided with a threaded shank portion 14A threaded in the base support portion 11A. Also the post 14 is provided with a ilanged portion 14B and a radially extending opening 14C which, as shown in FIGURE 2, is in communication with a bore 14L, the lower end of the bore 14L being in communication with the channel or -bore 11C in the base support portion 11A. Thus liquid from the can 15 may flow through such opening 14C and bore 14L and into channel 11C. An O-ring 14F is recessed within the base portion 11A above t-he channel 11C to prevent leakage. A second O-ring 14G also recessed in the base portion 11A, is between the upper fluid channel 11C and a lower :air channel 200 formed in the Abase portion 11A.

In this instance the vertically extending base portion 11D is formed integrally with the base portion 11A and is formed with a bore 11E that intersects the bore 11C. The upper end of bore 11E is closed by a plug 11L. A bore 11H intersects bore 11E and leads to a check valve 17 in filter housing 16. This check valve 17 involves a ball 17A normally seated by coil compression spring 17B against the ball seat 24, such seat 24 being threaded in a large bore 21 in housing 16. This housing 16 is secured to the can base support 11 with an O-ring seal 24 squeezed therebetween to prevent leakage at that location. The downstream side of check valve 17 communicates with a passage 22 and passage 2.5 and the same are in communication with the suction side of a pump such that during operation of the pump, the check valve 17 is automatically opened against the action of its spring 17B to thereby cause uid to tlow from the can and through -a path which includes opening 14C, channels 14L, 11C, 11E, 11H, check valve 17 and

passageways

22 and 25 with the fluid being caused also to flow through a filter element releasably secured to its housing 16 as more fully described in my previously mentioned copending application Ser. No. 502,099.

For these purposes the interior of the can is vented using a construction now described in detail and embodying important features of the present invention. The previously mentioned air channel 200 in base portion 11C is in communication with the post opening 14L through the interconnecting channels 14M and 14N, the opening 14L and channels 14M and 14N being in the post 14. This channel 200 communicates with a check valve 201 which incorporates a ball 2,02 normally urged into engagement with its seat 203 by a coil compression spring 204. This seat 203 is threaded in the base portion 11A and communicates with a large chamber 204 in base portion 11A. Such chamber 204 accommodates a replaceable air filter 206 which is normally retained by an apertured plug element 207 threaded in the base portion 11A. In general, the check valve 201 accomplishes the same purposes as the check valve 92 in the previously mentioned application Ser. No. 502,099 but in this case the top end of the can need not be pierced.

Venting is accomplished by use of this spring-loaded check valve 201 operating on a pressure diiferential. When fluid is withdrawn from the can 1S, a one-pound differential in pressure between the inside of the can and atmospheric pressure causes the atmospheric pressure to move the ball 202 from its seat 203 against the action of spring 204 to thereby allow air to enter the can. When the pressure is equalized, the valve 201 recloses.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described wherein an unsealed can is placed in a holder and pressed against puncturing means to puncture one end of said can, the improvement which resides in providing said puncturing means with two separate channels, one of which is in com munication with a fluid ow passageway and the other one of which is in an air vent passageway, each of said passageways being formed in said holder, said puncturing means comprising a pointed post threaded in said holder and having two diametrically and oppositely extending openings near the pointed end of said post.

2. Apparatus `as set forth in claim 1 in which check valve means is in said fluid flow passageway to allow only fluid flow from said can, and also check valve means in said air vent passageway preventing fluid flow therefrom but allowing air to enter the can.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said check valve means in said air vent passageway opens when atmospheric pressure exceeds pressure in said can.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including air filter means removably mounted in said air vent passageway.

5. Apparatus `as set forth in claim 1 in which said air vent passageway terminates at a threaded opening.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which an apertured plug is threaded in said threaded opening and releasably maintains air filter means in said air vent passageway.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which a threaded valve seat is threaded within said air vent passageway, said valve seat being engaged by a ball, -a spring acting between said hall and said holder to normally press said ball against said seat, said seat being accessible after removal of said apertured threaded plug and after removal of said air filter means.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said passageways in said holder extend radially from said post and an O-ring encircles said post to provide a seal between said passageways.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,004,359 9/1911 Brown 222-86 2,258,636 10/ 1941 Young et al. 222-84 2,504,683 4/ 1950 Hiarnley 222-189 2,744,656 5/1956 Hope 222-82 3,110,422 11/1963 Beck 222-835 WALTER SOBIN, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED WHEREIN AN UNSEALED CAN IS PLACED IN A HOLDER AND PRESSED AGAINST PUNCTURING MEANS TO PUNCTURE ONE END OF SAID CAM, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH RESIDES IN PROVIDING SAID PUNCTURING MEANS WITH TWO SEPARATE CHANNELS, ONE OF WHICH IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH A FLUID FLOW PASSAGEWAY AND THE OTHER ONE OF WHICH IS IN AN AIR VENT PASSAGEWAY, EACH OF SAID PASSAGEWAY BEING FORMED IN SAID HOLDER, SAID PUNCTURING MEANS COMPRISING A POINTER POST THREADED IN SAID HOLDER AND HAVING TWO DIAMETRICALLY AND OPPOSITELY EXTENDING OPENINGS NEAR THE POINTER END OF SAID POST.