Apparatus for dispensing a quantity of flowable material

Viscous flowable material dispensing apparatus for dispensing viscous flowable material such as food material. The apparatus is provided with a supply manifold for receiving and distributing the viscous material with air actuated reciprocating pump connected to the manifold to force the material therethrough, facilitated by one way inlet and outlet valves in the manifold. A pattern plate adapted to receive the material from the manifold into a flat chamber with a dispersing pattern plate supported in the chamber to disperse the material throughout the chamber. A pattern plate covering the plate chamber to receive the dispersed material and dispense same in a pattern over object to receive the material. Pneumatic control valves are utilized for operating the pump to continuously provide repeated movement of material through the apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Existing known types of apparatus for dispensing flowable materials often 
provide a single inlet or supply valve that requires separate means for 
actuating same and which thereby is not directly operable by the amount of 
source to be applied by the apparatus. This type of apparatus operation 
requires a synchronization of separate sub-apparatus to try to control the 
amount of material entering the apparatus relative to that to be dispensed 
by the apparatus. This tends to cause a lack of unison of action and 
corresponding flow through the apparatus and which, in turn, detracts from 
the accuracy and control of flow of material. 
Also, existing known types of apparatus for dispensing flowable materials 
often have a relatively small diameter, and relatively long stroke, piston 
pump sub-apparatus for pumping material through the apparatus; and a 
separately actuatable and adjustable much larger cross-sectional area for 
an ultimate dispensing pump apparatus piston pump structure for dispensing 
material from the apparatus. In this situation, a small adjustment of the 
movement of the separately actuated larger area dispensing sub-apparatus 
can result in a large corresponding variation in the amount of the 
material ultimately dispensed, defeating the desirable precision often 
required by a dispensing apparatus. 
Some existing known types of apparatus for dispensing flowable material 
even require a mold plate with a shear plate and knife plate to provide 
positive cyclic dispensing in lieu of provision of structure to provide 
precision in the amount of material to be dispensing. 
Still further, the existing known types of apparatus for dispensing 
flowable material usually provide a controlled source of air under 
pressure for directly operating the material dispensing structures which 
provide an undesirable source of possible direct contamination of the 
material to be dispensed, particularly when dispensing food material. 
Also, existing known types of apparatus, although having a sub-apparatus 
dispensing chamber for ultimately dispensing the flowable material, do not 
provide any appropriate means for diffusing the material throughout the 
sub-apparatus dispensing chamber to augment the even and accurate 
dispensing of material, over a given area, from the sub-apparatus ultimate 
dispensing structure. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an apparatus for accurately dispensing a precise 
quantity of a source of viscous flowable material, such as food material, 
uniformly and efficiently in a certain precise pattern and quantity over 
and onto a given area of an object. The apparatus of this invention 
provides a supply manifold adapted with a self-actuating one-way inlet 
valve and a self-actuating one-way outlet valve to automatically receive 
viscous material in only one direction therethrough by virtue of the 
one-way valves. A reciprocating dual piston pump is laterally connected to 
the supply manifold and is selectively actuatable to alternately withdraw 
a precise amount of material from the supply manifold to draw the material 
thereinto through said one-way inlet valve and thereafter reinject the 
precise amount of material into the manifold to force the precise amount 
of material out of the supply manifold through the one-way outlet valve 
and into a chamber of a dispensing manifold assembly. 
The dispensing manifold chamber of this invention is adapted with a pattern 
plate chamber to receive the material over a given area and in the precise 
given volume and is provided with a means for diffusing the material 
within the chamber to provide precise and even distribution of material in 
the chamber. An apertured pattern plate distributes the material from the 
dispensing plate manifold chamber in a given even pattern over and onto 
the object to which the material is to be applied. 
In addition, the structure of this invention provides a precise and 
adjustable pump for moving all of the material in unison through the 
apparatus to augment the precise distribution of the material. The valves 
for providing one-way passage of material in unison through the supply 
manifold are spring biased to a normally closed position, and the valves 
are provided with a passage therethrough separate and apart from the 
biasing mechanism to preclude contamination of the material from the 
lubrication or other impurities of the biasing mechanism. 
Also, the structure of the apparatus of this invention provides that the 
pump cylinders are of a much smaller diameter than the diameter of the 
dispensing manifold chamber and the pattern plate and the dispensing 
manifold and chamber are not actuated as pistons or the like to cause 
dispensing whereby adjustments of the structure of the piston pump of this 
invention will provide a single precise adjustment for the entire 
apparatus. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a dual reciprocating 
piston pump arrangement, with one piston reciprocally actuated by a simply 
controlled source of air pressure which piston is separate and apart from 
the piston which is actually reciprocally pumping material to separate the 
air of the air actuation source from the material actuation and thereby 
avoiding contamination from the source of air under pressure with the 
material being pumped. 
Also, the stroke of the air controlled pump piston is provided with a fine 
adjustment to further provide a precise control of the material pumped in 
unison through the apparatus of this invention.

The apparatus for accurately dispensing a precise quantity of a source of 
viscous flowable material or media 21 uniformly in a certain pattern over 
and onto a given area of an object 22 (FIG. 1) of this invention is 
generally illustrated by the numeral 10 (FIGS. 1, 3 & 7), and includes 
generally a supply manifold assembly 11, a reciprocating piston pump 
assembly 12, a dispensing manifold assembly 13 and an alternating double 
source of flowable media, such as air, vegetable oil, petroleum oil, etc., 
under pressure 14. 
Supply manifold 11 has a T-shaped passageway 16 having inlet passage 
portion 17, pump secondary passage portion 18, and an outlet passage 
portion 19. Inlet passage portion 17 is aligned with a material supply 
conduit passage 20 having a source of viscous material 21 (FIGS. 1, 3-5 & 
7) through inlet valve assembly 15. Inlet valve assembly 15 is slidably 
mounted in both supply passage 20 and passage 16 of supply manifold inlet 
portion 17 to provide one-way flow of viscous material 21 from supply 
passage 20 to supply manifold 11. 
A conduit connection apparatus generally designated by numeral 24 (FIG. 5) 
is shown in detail and includes adjacent matching flanges 25 and 26 (FIG. 
5) having respective adjacent radial surfaces 27 and 28 and respective 
beveled surfaces 29 and 30. Radial surfaces 27 and 28 have concentric 
respective annular alignment grooves 31 and 32 (FIG. 5). 
Inlet valve assembly 15 has valve body 35 (FIG. 5) with a radial spacing 
and alignment flange 36 having an annular alignment bead 37 on both sides 
thereof and structured to complementally and concentrically fit into 
respective annular grooves 31 and 32 to space apart and concentrically 
align passage 16 of supply manifold 11 and supply conduit 20. 
A clamp assembly, generally designated by numeral 40 (FIG. 2) is provided 
to maintain supply conduit 20 connected to supply manifold 11, via inlet 
valve body flange 36 and to longitudinally position inlet valve body 35 in 
supply conduit 20 and in supply manifold chamber inlet portion 17. 
Articulated clamp assembly 40 (FIG. 2) is provided with a semicircular body 
portion 41 and two semicircular locking arm portions 42 and 43 
respectively pivotally mounted at pins 44 and 45 and which respectively 
articulate about pins 44 and 45 to form a completely circular clamp (FIGS. 
3-5 and 7). Clamp elements 41, 42 and 43 have respective annular grooves 
46, 47 and 48 thereof (FIG. 5) configured to be positioned over flanges 
such as 25 and 26 in complemental engagement with surfaces 29 and 30 of 
respective flanges 25 and 26 of supply passage 20 and supply manifold 
inlet portion 17. 
A clamp thumb screw 50 (FIG. 2) has a threaded shaft 51 positioned through 
an aperture 52 in locking a projection 53. A threaded aperture 54 is 
provided in a locking projection 55 of portion 43 and is adapted to 
threadably receive threaded shaft 51 of thumb screw 50. 
When clamp 40 is placed around flanges 25 and 26, and arms 42 and 43 are 
respectively pivoted about pins 42 and 43 (FIG. 2) to bring locking 
projections in adjacent position with each other around flanges 25 and 26, 
thumb screw shaft 51 can be thumb screwed into threaded opening 54 of 
projection 55 to tighten clamp 40 around adjacent flanges 25 and 26 (FIG. 
5). This releasably retains supply conduit 20 to supply manifold 11 via 
valve body flange 36 within source passage 20 and supply manifold inlet 
portion 17 (FIGS. 3-5 & 7). 
Inlet valve body 35 is provided with a valve outlet opening 60 formed by 
the convergence of radial surface 61 and cylindrical surface 62 formed by 
cylindrical passage 63 and is in communication with a separate passage 64 
to provide a complete material passage through valve body 35. 
A valve plug 66 (FIG. 5) has a tapered inlet seating surface 67. A plug 
stem 68 is slidably mounted in aperture 69 of valve body 35 and threadably 
mounted in threaded aperture 70 of a valve cap 71. Cap 71 has cylindrical 
surface 72 slidably mounted in aperture 73 of valve body 35. Stem 68 is 
free to move longitudinally within aperture 69 of valve body 35 and with 
said valve cap 71 in aperture 73. 
A compression spring 72 (FIG. 5) is provided in body aperture 73 and in a 
spring retained cap aperture 74 to respectively urge valve cap 71 and 
valve plug and stem 66 and 68 upwardly toward the material source to cause 
tapered plug surface 67 to engage converging surfaces 61 and 62 of outlet 
opening 60 of inlet valve 15 to normally close valve assembly 15. 
When viscous material 21 is removed downwardly from plug 66, supply 
material 21 will be drawn through valve 15, against the bias of spring 72, 
to flow from material source 20 through separate passage 64 (FIGS. 5 & 6) 
and outlet opening 63 into supply manifold passage 11. 
Pump 12 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4 & 7) is provided with a material pumping cylinder 
body 80 having cylinder chamber cavity 81, and a pump actuating cylinder 
body 82 having an air cylindrical chamber cavity 83. Pump cylinder cavity 
81 is axially connected to, and in material passing communication with, 
supply manifold 11 via material communication passageway 16 by a conduit 
connecting clamp structure 24a as described above in regard to clamp 40. 
A pump piston 85 is reciprocally slidably mounted in cylinder 81 of pump 
body 80 and is provided with a connecting rod 86 extending longitudinally 
away from passage portion 18. Pump cylinder body 80 and actuating cylinder 
body 82 are axially connected by a conduit connecting clamp structure 24b 
as described above in regard to clamp 40. 
Air cylinder actuating body 82 (FIGS. 3, 4 & 7) is provided with a piston 
87 in cylinder 83 and a connecting rod 88 which, in turn, is connected to 
pump piston connecting rod 86 to impart similar reciprocal movement of 
pump piston 85 in pump cylinder body 80. A thumb screw 90 having a 
threaded body 91 is threadably mounted in a threaded axial aperture 92 of 
air cylinder body 82 to adjust the limit of movement to the left, of air 
piston 87 to similarly adjust the stroke of pump piston 85 and, in turn, 
the amount of material to be pumped and dispensed. 
An alternating source of air under pressure is selectively provided by the 
known type of air valves (not shown) through air fittings 91 and 92 of air 
cylinder 82 (FIGS. 3, 4 & 7) allowing air to pass selectively into, or out 
of, air cylinder 81 through each fittings 91 and 92. It should be noted 
that by alternatively supplying air under pressure to one or the other of 
fittings 91 and 92 and inversely releasing air under pressure to fittings 
92 or 91, air piston 87 will be alternately forced in alternate axial 
directions to similarly alternately actuate pump piston 85. 
Dispensing manifold assembly (FIGS. 2, 3, & 8-10) includes, generally: 
inlet passage member 95 having a conduit 96; manifold plate 97; diffuser 
plate 98; and pattern plate chamber 99. Outlet valve 15a, which is 
identical to inlet valve 15, as above described, is positioned within 
supply manifold conduit chamber 16 in outlet portion 19 and dispensing 
manifold conduit 96 in the identical manner that identical inlet valve 15 
is positioned between supply 20 and supply manifold 11. 
Supply manifold outlet portion 19 is axially retained and aligned with 
passage 96 of inlet passage member 95 of dispensing manifold 15 by a 
conduit connection structural apparatus 24c which is identical to conduit 
structural apparatus 24 above described in detail. Outlet valve 15a is 
thereby positioned to allow material to flow, downwardly only, from supply 
manifold 11 into the inlet passage 96 of dispensing manifold 13 against 
the spring biased valve of outlet valve 15a. 
Inlet passage portion 95 is retained in aperture 110 of a manifold plate 97 
by virtue of an annular flange 111 thereof seated in an annular groove 112 
and secured by cap 113 threadably mounted on the upper periphery of inlet 
member 95. Pattern plate 115 has an approximate horizontal area comparable 
to the area of chamber 99. 
Manifold plate chamber 99 (FIGS. 2, 3 & 7-10) is enclosed by a pattern 
plate 115 having a peripheral groove 116 seated over the lower inner 
perimeter edge 117 of manifold plate chamber 99. Pattern plate 115 is 
secured in said position by studs 118 (FIG. 10). Studs 118 have a shaft 
with an enlarged diameter portion 119, a threaded end portion 120, and an 
axially extending flat finger hold 121 on the end opposite threads 120. 
Pattern plate 115 is provided with locking projections 122 having a slot 
123 adapted to respectively laterally receive studs 118 (FIGS. 2, 8 & 9). 
In particular, pattern plate 115 is first loosely attached to the manifold 
plate 97 by studs 118 by inserting threaded stud end 120 through 
respective apertures 124 in manifold plate 97 (FIGS. 2 and 10). Studs 118 
are retained in manifold plate 97 by wing nuts 125 threaded onto end 120 
of studs 118 (FIG. 10). This provides for loose retention of studs 118 in 
manifold plate 97 with the lower ends 121 of stud 118 exposed below 
manifold plate 97 in position to be accepted into respective groves 123 of 
pattern plate lock projections 122 (FIGS. 2, 8 & 9). 
In this regard, to assemble pattern plate 115 to manifold plate, pattern 
plate 115 is positioned against lower surface 126 of manifold plate 97 
with peripheral groove 116 seated in peripheral edge 117 (FIG. 10). 
Pattern plate 115 is thereupon rotated clockwise (FIG. 9) to cause slots 
123 of projections 122 to receive respective stud shafts 118 therein 
(FIGS. 8-10) between surface 126 of manifold plate 97 and upper surface 
128 of a flange 126 of respective studs 118. 
Nuts 125 are then tightened to retain pattern plate 115 in position (FIGS. 
3 & 7-10). Pattern plate 115 is with a given pattern of apertures 127 
(FIGS. 2, 3 & 7-10). Pattern plate 115 is provided with a given thickness 
to provide apertures 127 with sufficient length to, in turn, provide 
sufficient friction between the material to be passed therethrough 
depending on the viscosity of the material to normally retain the material 
therein in lieu of any force from pump 12 of the material of the system. 
Diffuser plate 98 is a thin plate having a predetermined pattern of 
material passage apertures 131 (FIGS. 2, 3, 7 & 8). Diffuser plate 98 is 
also provided with retaining apertures 131 therethrough (FIGS. 2, 3, 7 & 
8) having mounting posts 132 secured therein at the lower end thereof by C 
retainers 133 (FIG. 2) inserted in grooves 134 in posts 132 positioned in 
retaining aperture 131. Posts 132 are attached to manifold plate 97 in 
apertures 135 (FIGS. 3 & 7) to space diffuser plate 98 in manifold plate 
chamber 99 of manifold plate 97 between upper surface 128 of pattern plate 
115 and lower surface 129 of manifold plate 97 of manifold plate chamber 
99. Diffuser plate 98 thus provides a spreading and diffusing distributing 
action of material received from inlet passage member 95 into manifold 
plate chamber 99 by providing a spaced obstacle to such passage yet 
providing distributing passage apertures 131 therethrough to spread and 
distribute material by passing material onto, around and therethrough to 
pattern plate 115. 
In operation, the apparatus of this invention for dispensing flowable 
materials is accomplished by a single pump generally designated by the 
numeral 12 which is actuated by a simple on/off alternating source of air 
under pressure. In particular, a source of material 21 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 7) 
is provided as shown initially in FIG. 1 and supplied by supply conduit 20 
to inlet valve 15 (FIGS. 3, 5 & 7). 
A complete cycle of the invention can begin with the end of one cycle (FIG. 
7) with the material pump piston 85 to the right in cavity 81 of pump body 
80 with the air actuating piston 87 also to the right in air cylinder 
cavity 83 of actuating cylinder body 82. Initially to operate the machine, 
supply manifold 11 must be fully charged with viscous material 21 which is 
accomplished by cycling the apparatus as hereinafter explained. This 
cycling action will draw flowable material 21 into the apparatus to charge 
the apparatus of this invention. 
To initiate action once supply manifold 11 is fully charged, air is 
introduced through fitting 91 either manually by air valves or by 
automatic valve means, of various known types, into cylinder 83 to the 
right of air piston 87. Piston 87 is thereby urged to the left (FIGS. 3 & 
7) exhausting air to the left of piston 87, through air fitting 92, until 
piston 87 engages stop shaft 90. This will draw viscous material from 
supply 21 into supply manifold 11 and pump cylinder 81 as indicated (FIGS. 
3 & 4) through passages 64 and 63 of inlet valve 15, passage 16 of supply 
manifold 11 against the bias in valve 15. 
Thereafter, the air is manually or automatically turned off from fitting 91 
to allow air to escape from air cylinder 83 via fitting 91. Air under 
pressure is then similarly manually, or by such known automatic means, 
applied through fitting 92 into air cylinder 83 to the left (FIG. 4) of 
air actuated piston 87. Piston 87 and its connecting rod 88 will thereby 
be urged to the right until air piston 87 engages the right end of air 
piston cylinder 83 (FIG. 7). 
Simultaneously, pump piston 85 will be urged to the right via connecting 
rods 88 and 86. During the process of movement piston 87 from the left 
(FIG. 4) to the right (FIG. 7) viscous material contained in pump cylinder 
81 will be ejected into supply manifold 11 through secondary passage 
portion 18 (FIG. 7), and out through one-way valve 15a via passages 
identical with 64 and 67 of one-way inlet valve 15 against the bias of 
outlet valve 15a. 
The pressure of the injection of viscous fluid will cause plug 66 to move 
off of converging surface seat such as that of 61 of inlet valve 15. This 
cycle of action causes eventual one-way flow from supply 21 and through 
supply manifold 11 by virtue of the fact that inlet valve 15 will operate 
only to allow viscous fluid material to enter supply manifold 11, and 
outlet valve 15a will only allow the viscous material to flow out of 
supply manifold 11 when pumping piston is moved to the right. Similarly, 
viscous material can only flow from supply 21 into supply manifold 11 and 
not out of supply manifold when piston 85 is moved to the left due to the 
one-way characteristic of valves 15 and 15a. 
When the above cycle is completed, a precise amount of viscous material 
will flow from supply manifold 11 into conduit 96 of inlet passage member 
95, into manifold plate chamber 99 around and through suspended dispensing 
plate 98 and out through apertures 27 of pattern plate 115 (FIG. 7) in an 
even pattern and quantity. 
It should be noted that the structure of piston 87 is adjustable by thumb 
screw 90 thereby precisely adjusting the amount of viscous material drawn 
into, and pumped out by pump piston and cylinder 85 and 81, and similarly, 
precisely control the amount of fluid flowing out of supply manifold 11 
through valve 15a, through manifold plate inlet passage 96 over, around 
and through diversion plate 98 and chamber 99 and out through apertures 
27. 
The action of a single such cycle as above described provides and controls 
the entire precise amount of viscous material to be dispensed and 
diffusion plate 98 provides an appropriate diffusion and disbursement of 
the material whereby pattern plate 115 will provide an even and precise 
quantity of distribution of viscous material downwardly out of pattern 
plate 115 on to object 22 to which the material is to be applied.