Abstract:
A combination spray apparatus which allows for the selection of several different flowable materials to be sprayed from a single unit and at the site of the unit itself. In the preferred manner, the spray apparatus includes a trigger nozzle as well as the selection of two different materials to be sprayed through a second barrel portion. An eductor it utilized to draw selected materials into a spray stream. The combination spray apparatus is operable with water pressures which are customary to most cities and industries.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     NONE 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     NONE 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to apparatus for mixing and spraying fluid materials. More particularly, it relates to such apparatus wherein the selection of sprayable materials can be made in conjunction with the apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     It is customary to provide a single nozzle or wand from which can be sprayed a variety of fluid materials. For example, at a do-it-yourself car wash, soap, water and wax can be sprayed from a single wand. However, the selection of these materials must be made at a site remote from the wand. 
     It is also known in the art to provide dispensing apparatus for dispensing different materials through a nozzle. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,193, a beverage dispensing apparatus is disclosed which dispenses through a nozzle a preestablished volume of a syrup and a preestablished volume of a soda to be intermixed within a nozzle prior to being dispensed into a container. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,414 a premixed dispensing system is disclosed wherein several beverages can be selected by pushing independent selection buttons which control independent dispensing valves and independent nozzles. A three-grade gasoline dispensing system wherein an intermediate grade is provided by mixing two other grades through pump arrangement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,283. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art does not provide a sprayer device which provides for the selection of different sprayable materials and can dispense the different fluid materials from a single body member. 
     It is an advantage of the invention to provide a sprayer apparatus which affords a selection of sprayable materials in direct conjunction with the sprayer device. 
     It is another advantage of the invention to provide a sprayer apparatus of the foregoing type which can mix two fluid materials. 
     It is still another advantage of the invention to provide a sprayer apparatus which has a siphoning function for a fluid material. 
     It is yet another advantage of the invention to provide a sprayer apparatus which is easily manipulated. 
     The foregoing advantages are accomplished in one aspect by the sprayer apparatus of this invention which includes a main body portion with a flow passage formed through the main body portion. A first barrel and a second barrel are in fluid communication with the flow passage. A first valve member is connected to the first barrel and a second valve member connected to the second barrel with both the first and second valve members operatively associated with the flow passage. 
     In another aspect, an additional flow passage is in fluid communication with the second barrel. 
     In a preferred embodiment, an eductor is operatively associated with the second barrel. 
     In another preferred embodiment, there are two flow passages in fluid communication with the eductor. 
     In still another aspect, there are two valve members each connected to one of the two flow passages and constructed and arranged to separately open and close the two passages, the two valve members are operable by a single control apparatus which includes a first gear with a camming surface and a second meshed gear which operates the second valve member. 
     In yet another aspect, the second valve member is an on/off valve and the first valve member includes a trigger mechanism. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the sprayer apparatus of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with portions broken away. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial exploded view of the sprayer apparatus. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a valve member for use in the sprayer apparatus. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectioned views of the valve member shown in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the combination spray apparatus generally  10  includes a body  12  having a first barrel  14  and a second barrel  16 . A spray head  18  extends from barrel  14  and a second spray head  20  extends from barrel  16 . A liquid passage  22  in the form of a hollow tube is disposed inside the body  12 . It has internal threads  23  for connection to a source of liquid such as a hose. Fluid passage  22  connects also with a hollow handle  24  of a typical trigger nozzle such as sold by the Gilmour Company in Louisville, Ky. It includes a trigger lever  26  which controls a rod  28  inside nozzle portion  30 . Connected to nozzle portion  30  is an attachment member  32  having a nut  34  for connecting to nozzle portion  30 . A second nozzle portion  33  connects to the attachment member  32  by means of the nut  36 . The spray head  18  slidably engages the second nozzle portion  33 . 
     When a source of liquid is connected to liquid passage  22 , it will flow through the handle grip portion  24  and the flow controlled in nozzle portion  30  by the rod  28  and the trigger lever  26 . The flow will continue through the attachment member  32  and into the second nozzle portion  33  where the adjustment of the spray will be controlled by the spray head  18 . 
     A branch liquid passage  38  is also in fluid communication with liquid passage  22 . It supplies liquid to a valving device  40  of the on/off type. It is connected to the branch fluid passage by the nut  42 . An eductor  44  of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,338 connects to the valving device  40  and includes an inlet port  46  to which is connected the supply lines  48  and  50 . The adjustable spray head  20  engages the eductor  44  at the end thereof. 
     Referring to FIG. 3 it is seen that there are two valves  52  and  54  to which liquid flow is regulated through the lines  48  and  50  to the eductor  44 . Liquid is supplied to these valves by the lines  58  and  57 . Suitable fittings such as  53 ,  51 ,  55  and  56  are provided on the valves  52  and  54 , respectively for this purpose. Lines  57  and  58  are in fluid communication with inlet fittings such as  59  extending from housing  60 . The flow of liquid through the valves  52  and  54  is controlled by the gear  70  which has the axle  72  for rotatably fitting into collar  74  which is connected to the body  12 . Valves  52  and  54  are also secured to body  12  and are actuated by the contact of the cam surface  76 . Gear  70  drives gear  68  which has the cap  66  for engagement with the stem  64  of the valve  40 . 
     Each of the valves  52  and  54  are of the same construction. Accordingly, only valve  52  is shown in detail in FIGS. 4-6. It includes the valve body  84  in which is slidably mounted a plunger  86  having a seal portion  88 . The plunger is activated by the cam contact  80  which is guided over the valve body  84  by the flange section  78 . A spring  82  biases the cam contact upwardly as well as the plunger  86  with respect to the housing  84 . Valve  52  is shown in the closed position in FIG.  5 . There it will be seen that the seal portion  88  is positioned in the channel  89  formed between the housing  84  and the valve cap  92 . An appropriate seal  90  is placed between the housing  84  and the cap  92 . A slot  85  is provided in the housing  84  to accommodate the end section  83  of the seal portion  88 . This affords a seal tight condition for the valve when the plunger is in the closed position 
     FIG. 6 represents the valve  52  in an open position. As shown, the cam contact  80  has been moved downwardly and accordingly so has the plunger  86 . This causes the seal portion  88  to move downwardly and out of the channel  89  thereby permitting liquid flow from inlet  51  to outlet  53 . 
     OPERATION 
     A better understanding of the combination spray apparatus  10  as well as its unique features will be had by description of its operation. A source of water such as from a hose is connected to the threads  23  and the fluid passage  22 . A source of detergent such as Break-Up, available from Johnson Wax Professional of Sturtevant, Wis., is connected to the inlet  59 . A source of sanitizer such as J-512, also available from Johnson Wax Professional, is connected to a similar inlet through housing  60  which is in fluid communication with the line  57 . The end  19   a  of the handle  19  of the control knob  17  is placed in a 12 o&#39;clock position as viewed in FIG.  1 . In this position valve  40  is in a closed position so that no water is flowing through the eductor  44 . Water flows through the handle grip portion  24  of the trigger nozzle  11  as well as the nozzle portion  30 . Water is sprayed through the spray head  18  by means of the activation of the trigger lever  26 . After suitable spraying has taken place, the detergent can then be applied by means of the eductor  40 . This is accomplished by turning the handle  19  in a counter-clockwise position so that the end  19   a  is in a 9 o&#39;clock position. Before this movement, it will be appreciated that valve  40  is in a closed position so that no water is flowing through the eductor. When handle  19  is moved to the previously mentioned 9 o&#39;clock position valve  40  will open allowing water to flow through the eductor. This is effected by a cap (not shown) on the inside of knob  17  engaging the axle  73  (see FIG. 2) of gear  70  which in turn rotates gear  68  and the stem  64 . At the same time, the inside cam surface  76  of gear  70  will move over the cam contact  81  of valve  54  to allow a siphoning of detergent from line  58  through the valve  54 , through line  48 , to the eductor  44  and consequently out through the spray head  20 . After the application of the detergent, it may be desirable to apply a sanitizer. This is accomplished by rotating the handle  19  and the end portion  19   a  to a 3 o&#39;clock position. This opens the valve  40  by the opposite rotation of gear  68  as well as opens the valve  52  by movement of the cam surface  76  over the cam contact  80  of valve  52 . This allows a siphoning of sanitizer from line  57 , through valve  52 , through line  50  to supply sanitizer to the eductor  44  and ultimately the spray head  20 . 
     It should be pointed out that the eductor described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,388 is particularly suitable for use with the combination spray apparatus. This is because of its back-flow tolerances which substantially reduces the chance of liquid flowing back though the air gap irrespective of any back pressure created by the spray head  20 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, it is seen that the spring  82  is accommodated in housing  84  in a manner to be isolated from the flow passage through the valve  52  as represented by the input and output passages  95  and  96 , respectively, and the channel  89 . This protects the spring  82  from contact with any corrosive or degrading fluid materials in the passages and channel. 
     Another feature of the valves  52  and  54  is the configuration of the plunger  86 . As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 the seal portion is of a turned up J-shaped configuration so that a sealing mechanism is located along and parallel to the direction of motion of the plunger and not perpendicular. This assures that any wearing of the plunger surfaces does not degrade the quality of the seal as no wear occurs on the major sealing surface. 
     It will thus be seen that there is now provided a combination spray apparatus which can afford the selection of materials to be sprayed directly in conjunction with the spray apparatus and without having to move to a control source. This is advantageous not only from a time saving standpoint but also from the standpoint of convenience where the spraying nozzle may be used in a difficult to reach position. The combination spray apparatus of this invention has been illustrated for use in conjunction with the spraying of both a detergent and an sanitizer material. It is obvious that it could be utilized to advantage with only the spraying of one additional material such as the detergent or the sanitizer. This can be accomplished through utilization of only one of the valve members such as  52  or  54 . Further, while a particular trigger nozzle has been indicated for use in the combination spray apparatus, other styles and designs could be incorporated. Neither is the particular design of the body  12  of critical importance. Other geometric configurations could also be utilized. All such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be within its scope as defined by the appended claims.