Multi-purpose container system for loading liquid dispenser

A container system is provided for storing, transporting, measuring and loading liquid into dispenser equipment. A predetermined quantity of liquid is stored within a first larger container having gradings or markings for visually observing the quantity of liquid in the container. A lower discharge outlet is provided for selectively discharging liquid from the first container. A second smaller container, also including gradings or markings for visually observing the quantity of liquid within the second container, is removably mounted to the outer surface of the first container. A spray nozzle for metering and controlling the quantity of liquid to be discharged from the first larger container may be stored within the smaller second container when not in use. The container system enables a user to transport both a larger and smaller container, and a discharge nozzle, as a single assembled unit. The components of the system which may be disassembled and selectively used for different operations including measurement of liquid contents at different degrees of precision.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a container system, and in particular 
to containers for storing, measuring, transporting and discharging 
materials, particularly liquids. The system is particularly useful for 
loading agricultural dispensing equipment with liquid agricultural 
treatment material to be applied to a field. 
The quantity of treatment material to be dispensed from agricultural 
equipment is measured at various degrees of precision before it is loaded 
into the dispensing equipment. The quantity of liquid material loaded into 
the dispensing equipment will vary with the type of material to be 
dispensed, the concentration of the liquid desired, the area to be 
treated, and the type of application or treatment to be performed. For 
certain treatment operations, the precision of the measurement of the 
quantity of liquid loaded in the dispensing equipment is not significant, 
while for other operations the precision of the measurement is of 
importance. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a container system in 
which the precision of the measurement of liquid material loaded into 
dispensing equipment can be selectively controlled by the user during the 
loading operation. It is a further object of the invention to provide a 
container system having several different components assembled together to 
be transported as a single unit, and in which the separate assembled 
components may be removed from each other for selected use during 
different loading operations. 
Other objects and advantages of the container system of the present 
invention will become apparent from the following discussion. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The container system of the present invention includes a first larger 
container and a second smaller container removably mounted thereon. Each 
of the containers includes gradings or other visible indicia enabling the 
contents of liquid within the respective containers to be readily 
ascertained upon visual inspection. The first container includes a 
discharge port defined proximate to the bottom of the container, and a cap 
is removably mounted thereon for selectively covering and uncovering the 
discharge outlet. The second container is removably mounted in an upright 
position to a portion of the outer surface of the first container, and 
includes an opening defined in the top surface thereof. The second 
container may be used as a storage receptacle for liquid metering 
dispensing means, such as a valve controlled spray nozzle, which may be 
selectively mounted over the discharge outlet of the first container in 
lieu of the cap covering that discharge outlet. 
In operation of the container system, liquid material to be dispensed from 
the first container may be discharged by gravity feed directly through the 
discharge outlet by removing the cap covering the outlet. The quantity of 
material discharged in this manner may be visually observed from the 
gradings provided on the outside of this container. When more sensitive or 
accurate measurement of the quantity of the discharged liquid is required, 
the cap may be replaced with the valve means stored within the second 
container for more precisely controlling the rate of discharge flow from 
the first container. Liquid may be discharged from the first container in 
either of the above manners directly into an intended reservoir (e.g. into 
agricultural application equipment), or into the second smaller container 
which can be dismounted from the first container and positioned to receive 
the flow of material through the discharge outlet of the first container. 
The quantity of liquid discharged from the first container into the second 
container will be more precisely measured because the measurement markings 
provided on the second container are more precise than the markings on the 
first container. 
The container system of the present invention enables the user to 
selectively control the rate of discharge and the precision of measurement 
of the quantity of material discharged from the first container in several 
different ways, depending upon the nature of the project. The components 
of the container system are adapted to be as removably assembled together 
so that the container system may be conveniently transported as a single 
unit and thereafter disassembled to adapt the system to a particular 
project as may be desired.

DISCUSSION OF THE BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing illustrate the preferred embodiment of the 
container system in accordance with the present invention. Although the 
system may be advantageously used for loading predetermined quantities of 
liquid agricultural treatment material into agricultural dispensing 
equipment, it will be apparent that the container system may be used for a 
wide variety of applications where different degrees of precision of 
measurement of the quantity of liquid contents to be discharged from the 
system may be required. 
As illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, the basic components of the container 
system, generally designated by the reference numeral 2, include a larger 
container 4, a smaller container 6, a discharge valve (with a mechanical 
coupling) 8, and a cap 10 removably mounted to a discharge outlet or 
nozzle 12 defined on the container 4. The container 4 is preferably formed 
from a plastic material and includes a handle portion 5 integrally defined 
at the top of the container to enable a user to both transport the 
container and easily manipulate the container to pour the liquid contents 
through the discharge nozzle 12 by the gravity feed. 
The container 4 includes a front end 11 which is generally vertically 
oriented relative to the bottom of the container. The vertical portion of 
the front end 11 is designated by reference numeral 13. The lower portion 
of front surface 11 includes an inwardly angled surface, designated by 
reference numeral 14, extending downwardly from the vertical surface 13. 
The discharge nozzle 12 of the container 4 is defined on the inwardly 
angled surface area 14 proximate to the center thereof. The angle of 
inclination of surface area 14 relative to surface area 13 is 
approximately 45.degree. in the illustrated embodiment of the invention. 
As also illustrated, the discharge nozzle 12 extends downwardly and is 
oriented substantially perpendicular to the inclined surface 14. Providing 
the discharge nozzle 12 on the angled portion 14 facilitates the discharge 
of liquid material from the container by gravity feed. 
A portion of the vertical surface 13 of the front end 11 of the container 4 
defines a raised area or projection 16 extending vertically through the 
approximate center of the front end 11. The upper portion 22 of the 
projection 16 is ramp shaped, and the lower portion 17 of the projection 
16 is leveled. Three ribs 26 extend outwardly from the level portion 17 of 
the projection 16, and a pair of shoulders 24 is defined to the sides of 
the level portion 17 of the projection 16, approximately midway down the 
level portion. 
The front end 11 of the container 4 is formed, in part, from a transparent 
material which is illustrated by strip 18. The strip 18 extends vertically 
down the center of the front side 11, substantially throughout the entire 
length of the front side, and terminates on the periphery of the discharge 
nozzle 12. A plurality of horizontal indicating lines 20 are defined on 
the front end 11 of the container 4 and are oriented perpendicular to the 
transparent strip 18 on both sides of the strip. The indicating lines 20 
are visual scales which represent the content of liquid within the 
container 4. Accordingly, the user of the container system may visually 
observe and determine the contents within the container 4 through the 
transparent strip 18 and the scales 20, and may readily determine the 
quantity of liquid discharged from the container by recording the contents 
in the container prior to and subsequent to the discharge of liquid 
therefrom. 
The container 6 is a smaller container having a capacity of approximately 
16 fluid oz. (The larger container 4 may have a capacity exceeding 112 
fluid oz.) The smaller container 6 may be formed from a plastic material, 
and preferably, is entirely transparent. The front surface of the 
container 6 has a plurality of indicating lines or scale markings 28 which 
enable the user of the system to visually observe the liquid contents 
within this smaller container. The scale lines, in addition to 
representing the absolute liquid content of the contained liquid, may also 
provide an alternative indication representing the acreage of land over 
which the liquid contents within the container is to be applied when the 
container system is used for agricultural application purposes. 
The rear surface of the container 6 defines an indentation 30 having both a 
ramp shaped portion and a level portion which complement the shape of the 
raised projection 16 on the front end 11 of the larger container 4. The 
indentation 30 on the smaller container 6 further defines a pair of 
shoulders 32 complementing the configuration of the pair of shoulders 24 
defined on the raised projection 16 of the larger container 4. Two 
horizontally oriented ribs 34 extend outwardly from the level portion of 
the indentation 30, and two opposed ledges 36 extend vertically downwardly 
along opposed sides of the level area of the indentation 30. The ledges 36 
are adapted to engage corresponding ledges 37 defined on the opposed sides 
of the level portion 17 of the projection 16 on the container 4. 
The container 6 has an opening 7 defined on its upper surface. This opening 
is sufficiently large enough to receive both the discharge valve 8 and the 
cap 10 therethrough. 
The cap 10 is a conventional cap which has internal screw threads adapted 
to engage complementary external screw threads on the outer surface of 
discharge nozzle 12 of the container 4. The discharge valve (and coupling) 
8 is adapted to selectively replace the cap 10 on the discharge nozzle. 
The mechanical coupling of the discharge valve is of the same dimension as 
the cap 10 and includes similar internal threading so that it may be 
removably mounted to the outer surface of the discharge nozzle in place of 
the cap 10. The valve element and coupling 8 is provided as a single 
piece, and the valve element is rotatable relative to the coupling so that 
the direction of discharge of liquid from the container through the valve 
may be varied or adjusted by the user. The valve includes conventional 
means, such as a spring biased plunger, to enable the user to selectively 
open the valve to discharge a predetermined quantity of liquid from the 
container at a desired rate of flow. 
The container system described above provides the user with different 
alternative ways for dispensing a predetermined quantity of liquid 
material measured at different degrees of precision, as required by the 
nature of the project. 
As illustrated by FIG. 1 of the drawing, the container system is shown with 
all components assembled together in a single unit. The system will be 
assembled in this manner, for example, when the container 4 is carrying 
liquid and the system is being transported to a location for application 
of the liquid. In this transport or storage mode of operation, the cap 10 
is mounted over the discharge nozzle 12 of the container 4, the smaller 
container 6 is removably mounted to the projection 16 of the larger 
container 4, and the discharge valve and coupling 8 is stored within the 
smaller container 6. The container 6 is removably mounted to the container 
4 by sliding the indented portion 30 defined on the rear surface of the 
container 6 downwardly along the complementary projection 16 on the front 
end 11 of the container 4 until the projection 16 is fully received within 
the indentation 30. The complementary shoulders 24 and 32 on the 
containers 4 and 6, respectively, act as stops to prevent any further 
downward movement of the container 6 relative to the container 4 once the 
projection 16 is fully received within the indentation 30. The 
complementary ledges 36 and 37 defined on the sides of the indentation 30 
and the projection 16 act as guides for the relative motion between the 
container 6 and the projection 16. When the container 6 is properly 
mounted in position on the projection 16, the ribs 34 extending from the 
indentation 30 on the container 6 are disposed in the vertical spaces 
defined between the ribs 26 on the projection 16 to further secure the 
container 6 to the container 4. When the container 6 is removed from the 
container 4, the container 6 is slid vertically upwardly relative to the 
container 4 until the indentation 30 is completely disengaged from the 
projection 16. 
When discharge of liquid from the container 4 is desired, the cap 10 can be 
removed from the discharge nozzle 12 and liquid will flow through the 
nozzle by gravity feed. The quantity of liquid discharged, and the 
discharge flow rate, may be controlled by manual manipulation of the 
position of the container 4 (e.g., the container may be tilted backwards 
from the front end 11 to reduce or prevent flow from the discharge outlet 
even when the cap 10 is removed). By visually observing the contents of 
the container through the transparent strip 18 both before and after the 
discharge of liquid, the quantity of discharged liquid may be readily 
determined. If more precise control and measurement of the quantity of 
discharged liquid is required, the cap 10 may be replaced by the discharge 
valve 8. The discharge valve may be mounted to the discharge nozzle either 
before the container 4 is filled with liquid material to be dispensed, or 
after the container is filled with liquid provided that the container is 
tilted backward during the replacement operation to prevent inadvertent 
leakage of liquid through the discharge nozzle. Either the discharge valve 
8, the cap 10, or both, may be stored in the smaller container 6 when 
liquid is being discharged directly from the larger container 4. 
If more precise measurement of the quantity of liquid discharged from the 
container 4 is desired, the smaller container 6 may be dismounted and 
positioned below the discharge nozzle 12 of the container 4. Liquid from 
the container 4 can be discharged directly into container 6 by gravity 
feed by removing the cap 10 from the container 4. In the alternative, the 
cap 10 may be replaced with the valve and coupling 8, and the liquid from 
the container 4 can be discharged into the smaller container 6 by manually 
controlling the valve. Preferably, liquid will be discharged into the 
smaller container 6 when the quantity of discharged liquid is required to 
be more precisely controlled and measured since the measurement scale 
lines on the container 6 are more precise and well defined than the 
measurement scale lines on the larger container 4. The valve element 8 
will be used during the discharge operation when more precise control of 
the flow rate of liquid discharged from the container 4 is desired. 
The control of the flow of liquid through the discharge outlet 12 of the 
container 4 is enhanced by providing the discharge outlet on the angled 
surface 14 of the front end 11 of the container. This positioning 
facilitates the discharge of liquid by gravity feed when the container 4, 
particularly when the container is manually manipulated or tilted by the 
user. The orientation of the discharge nozzle 12, which extends outwardly 
and downwardly from the angled surface 14 of the front end 11 of the 
container 4, also adds mechanical stability to the container to prevent it 
from tilting forward when it is standing upright on a supporting surface. 
The container system described above is advantageous in many respects. The 
system provides means for both storing and transporting a plurality of 
containers as a single unit. The system further provides alternative means 
for both controlling the rate of flow of discharged liquid, and measuring 
and controlling the quantity of the discharged liquid, depending upon the 
precision of these parameters required by a particular project. As 
discussed above, if the flow rate of liquid from the container 4 is 
critical, the valve 8 may be employed to more precisely control the flow. 
Otherwise, the discharge flow may be controlled by manually manipulating 
the container. Likewise, if the quantity of discharged liquid is critical, 
the liquid may be initially discharged from the container 4 (with or 
without use of the valve 8) into the smaller container 6 where a more 
precise measurement of the liquid can be made before it is applied to a 
further use. Otherwise, the quantity of liquid discharged from the 
container 4 may be roughly estimated by visually observing the measurement 
scale lines on the container 4 itself. The angular orientation of the 
lower portion of the front end 11 of the container 4 on which the 
discharge nozzle is defined advantageously facilitates the discharge of 
liquid from the container and the manipulation of the container itself. 
The container system of the present invention is particularly adapted to 
the application of liquid agricultural treatment material into 
agricultural dispensing machinery. The quantity of liquid material 
introduced into the dispensing machinery for a desired treatment operation 
is measured and controlled by the container system of the present 
invention. However, the container system may also be employed for any 
operation in which a predetermined quantity of liquid material to be 
discharged from a storage container is required to be metered and measured 
at varying degrees of precision. 
Other advantages, features, and modifications of the present invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the discussion 
of the preferred embodiment of the container system herein has been 
intended to be illustrative only, and not restrictive of the scope of the 
invention, that scope being defined by the following claims and all 
equivalents thereto.