Abstract:
A hand-held dispenser for precisely controlling the flow rate of water therethrough and for injecting a liquid chemical into the water passing through the apparatus.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a hand-held dispenser and more particularly to a hand-held dispenser which is convenient to use and which is capable of controlling the flow rate of water therethrough for mixing with a liquid chemical into the water passing through the dispenser. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many types of dispensers have been previously provided which may be connected to the end of a water hose or the like wherein the device introduces chemicals into the water flow so that a lawn or the like may be sprayed. The devices of the prior art are also able to inject liquid chemicals into a water stream so that a mop bucket, etc., may be filled with water, detergent or other chemicals. 
     In Applicant&#39;s earlier U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,237,728 and 7,296,761, hand-held dispensers are disclosed which are able to conveniently and economically precisely control the rate of water flow through the dispenser and to precisely control the metering of liquid chemicals in the precisely controlled flow of water. 
     Although the dispensers of Applicant&#39;s earlier patents have met with considerable success, Applicant has developed an improved hand-held dispenser which is convenient to use which precisely controls the water flow therethrough and the injection of liquid chemicals thereinto. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A hand-held dispenser is described for precisely and conveniently controlling the flow rate of water therethrough so that a liquid chemical or the like may be mixed with the water passing therethrough. The apparatus of this invention comprises a body member which includes a generally horizontally disposed first body portion having first and second sides, an inlet end and a discharge end. The body member also includes a generally vertically disposed second body portion extending downwardly from the first body portion, with the second body portion having a lower end adapted to be secured to a liquid container. The first body portion has a generally horizontally disposed first body member which extends inwardly from the inlet end of the body member towards the discharge end thereof. The first body member has an inlet end and a discharge end and has a horizontally disposed first passageway formed therein which extends from the inlet end towards the discharge end thereof, with the first passageway having an inlet end and a discharge end. The inlet end of the first passageway is adapted to be placed in communication with a source of water under pressure. 
     The first body portion also has a generally vertically disposed second body member positioned at the discharge end of the first body member with the second body member having upper and lower ends. The second body member has a cylindrical chamber formed therein which has an inlet end and a discharge end. The second body member has an annular valve seat formed therein above its inlet end with the valve seat having an inlet side and a discharge side. The inlet side of the valve seat is in communication with the first passageway with the discharge side of the valve seat being in communication with the cylindrical chamber in the second body member. A vertically movable first valve means is selectively vertically movably mounted in the chamber with the first valve means including a valve member positioned below the valve seat and a valve stem secured to the valve member which extends upwardly therefrom through the valve seat and through a valve guide positioned in the chamber. The first valve means is selectively vertically movable between a lower position to an upper position. The valve member of the first valve means closes the valve seat when the first valve means is in its upper position. The valve member, when the first valve means is in its lower position, permits the flow of water from the first passageway, through the valve seat, and upwardly into the valve guide in the chamber. 
     A valve actuating lever is pivotally secured to the first body portion which is operatively connected to the upper end of the valve stem. The lever is pivotally movable from an upper “off” position wherein the first valve means is in its upper position to a lower “on” position wherein the first valve means is unseated from the valve seat. 
     The first body portion also has a horizontally disposed second passageway formed therein which extends from the valve guide in the chamber, above the valve seat towards the discharge end of the first body portion. The first body portion also has a third body member positioned at the downstream side of the second body member. The third body member has a transversely extending spool opening formed therein. The third body portion also has a third passageway formed therein which extends from the spool opening to the second passageway. The third body portion has a fourth passageway extending from the spool opening towards the discharge end of the first body portion. The third and fourth passageways are in alignment with each other. A spool valve is selectively rotatably mounted in the spool opening with the spool valve having at least two passageways formed therein which have different diameters. The spool valve is selectively rotatably so that either of the two passageways therein may be placed in communication with the third and fourth passageways. The first body portion has an elongated fifth passageway extending from the spool opening to the discharge end of the first body portion. The first body portion also has a sixth passageway formed therein which extends downwardly from the fifth passageway to the lower end of the second body portion so as to be in communication with the liquid in the liquid container. The passage of water through the fifth passageway to the discharge end of the first body portion, when the first valve means is in its open position, draws liquid from the liquid container upwardly through the sixth passageway for mixing with the water passing through the fifth passageway. 
     When the first valve means is in its closed position, the water pressure below the valve member yieldably urges the spring-loaded valve means to its upper closed position. When the first valve means is in its open position, the water pressure above the valve member yieldably maintains the first valve means in its lower open position. The water flow rate through the dispenser may be controlled by rotating the spool valve to its desired position. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved hand-held dispenser. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved chemical dispenser. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved hand-held dispenser which dispenses chemicals mixed with water. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the type described which enables the precise control rate of the flow rate of water therethrough. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance. 
     These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of the hand-held dispenser of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the hand-held dispenser of this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view of the hand-held dispenser of this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the spool valve of this invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the spool valve of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the hand-held dispenser of this invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the dispenser of this invention together with three different types of nozzles which may be mounted on the discharge tube of the dispenser. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     Dispenser  10  includes a dispenser body  12  which is generally T-shaped in configuration and which includes a generally horizontally disposed body portion  14  and a generally vertically disposed body portion  16 . Obviously, body portion  14  will not always be horizontally disposed when being used nor will body portion  16  always be substantially vertically disposed when in use. 
     Body portion  14  includes an inlet end  18  which preferably has a rotatable dispenser nut or connector  20  mounted thereon so that a water hose or the like may be secured thereto with the water hose being in communication with a source of water under pressure. It is preferred that a back flow preventer of conventional design be imposed between the water hose  22  and the inlet end  18 . An elongated hollow discharge tube  24  is provided at the discharge end  26  of the body portion  14 . As will be explained hereinafter, tube  24  may have any type of discharge nozzle selectively removably mounted thereon. A seal ring  28  is mounted on tube  26  as seen in  FIG. 1 . A pair of oppositely disposed locking lugs  30  and  32  project from tube  26  adjacent the inner end thereof as seen in  FIG. 3 . Tube  26  has a bore or passageway  34  extending therethrough. 
     Body portion  14  includes a horizontally disposed cylindrical body member  36  at its inlet  18  which has a bore or passageway  38  extending therethrough. The inner end of body member  36  joins a vertically disposed hollow cylindrical body member  40  having a vertically disposed cylindrical chamber or passageway  42  formed therein. The inner end of bore  38  of body member  36  communicates with a small opening  44  formed in the side wall of body member  40  so that water may flow through passageway  38 , through opening  44  and into chamber  42  above the lower end of body member  40 . A generally cylindrical valve guide or insert  46  is selectively removably positioned in chamber  42  above the lower end thereof. Valve guide  46  has an annular valve seat  48  formed therein at the lower end thereof which communicates with bore  50  formed in valve guide  46 . 
     The numeral  54  refers to a valve which is designed to seat upon valve seat  48  to close the same. Valve stem  56  extends upwardly from valve  54  and vertically movably extends upwardly through passageway or bore  50  so that the upper end of valve stem  56  is positioned above valve guide  46 . 
     Body portion  14  also includes a transversely extending cylindrical member  58  having a chamber  60  formed therein, with the chamber  60  communicating with chamber  42  by way of passageway  62  and with passageway  34  in discharge tube  24 . An elongated, cylindrical spool  64  is selectively rotatably mounted in chamber  60  and includes opposite ends  64   a  and  64   b . Handles or knobs  65   a  and  65   b  are secured to the opposite ends  64   a  and  64   b  respectively to permit the selective rotation of spool  64 . Spool  64  has a first passageway or bore  66  extending therethrough. Spool  64  also has a second passageway or bore  68  formed therein which communicates with bore  66 . Spool  64  also has a bore or passageway  70  which is aligned with bore  68  and which communicates with passageway  66 . As seen, bores  66  and  68  have the same diameter with bore  70  having a smaller diameter than bores  66  and  68 . 
     Spool  64  may be selectively rotated so that passageway  68  communicates with passageway  62  and so that bore  70  communicates with passageway  34  in tube  26 . Spool  64  may also be selectively rotated so that the ends of bore  66  communicate with passageways  62  and  34  to change the flow rate of the dispenser. Other types of spools having various sized bores formed therein may be utilized to vary the flow rate of the dispenser as required. Bore  72  is formed in body portion  16  with its lower end communicating with the interior of a container  74  containing liquid chemicals or the like. As water flows past the upper end of passageway  72 , a venturi action is created to draw or suck the liquid from the container  74  into the passageway  34  where it is mixed with the water flowing through passageway  34  and then discharged from tube  34 . 
     The numeral  76  refers to an actuating lever having its forward end pivotally secured to body portion  14  at  78 . The underside of lever  76  is connected to the upper end of valve stem  56  at  80  so that pivotal movement of lever  76  will cause valve stem  56  to be vertically moved in response to movement of the lever  76 . Spring  82  embraces the upper end of valve stem  56  between the underside of lever  76  and the upper end of valve guide  46  to yieldably maintain the rearward end of lever  76  in its upper “off” position and to maintain valve  54  in seating engagement with valve seat  48  thereby preventing flow of water through the dispenser  10 . As the rearward end of the lever is depressed from its upper “off” position, valve stem  56  will be moved downwardly in bore  50  to unseat valve  54  from valve seat  48  so that water will flow through passageway  38 , opening  44 , into chamber  42  upwardly through valve seat  48 , upwardly into passageway  50 , through the forward end of passageway  52 , through passageway  62 , through the selected passageways in spool  64 , into passageway  34  and outwardly from tube  26 . Dispenser  10  also includes a slide lock  102  which is movably mounted thereon to permit the selective locking of the lever  76  in either its “off” position or its “on” position. 
     When valve  54  is in its closed position, the pressure of the water therebelow in chamber  42  is exerted upwardly onto the lower end of valve  54  to aid in maintaining the valve  54  in its closed position. When valve  54  is moved downwardly from its closed position, the water pressure against the upper side of the valve  54  aids in maintaining the valve  54  in its open position. 
     Various types of discharge nozzles may be selectively mounted on the discharge tube  24 . For example, a foaming nozzle  86 , a spray nozzle  88  or a container filling nozzle  90  may be selectively mounted on discharge tube  24 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 7 , the foaming nozzle  84  has a rear wall  92  with an opening  94  formed therein to enable tube  24  to be positioned within the nozzle  86 . Opening  94  is provided with a pair of notches  96  and  98  adapted to permit the locking lugs  30  and  32  to be inserted therethrough. Rotation of nozzle  86  causes the nozzle  86  to be selectively locked onto the discharge tube  24 . As the water/chemical mixture passes from the outer end of tube  24 , which is positioned within nozzle  86 , the mixture is mixed with air which is drawn into the nozzle  86  by way of a plurality of openings  100  formed in the body of nozzle  86  which creates a foaming action in the water/chemical mixture being discharged from the discharge end  26  of nozzle  86 . The nozzles  88  and  90  may be similarly mounted on tube  24  as desired. 
     For convenience, dispenser  10  is provided with a handle  104  which may be grasped by the user of the dispenser or which may be clipped onto a water bucket or the like. 
     Thus, it can be seen that a dispenser has been provided which accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.