Improvements in Liquid Dispensing Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Liquid Dispensing Apparatus.
I WILLIAM MILES FOWLER of Milford in the County of New Haven and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in liquid dispensing apparatuses in which
provision is made for passing a liquid from a general supply to the glass or other
receptacle from which it is to be used, and measuring the liquid during its passage
from the supply to the receptacle, to determine the quantity which shall be
dispensed.
My invention relates more particularly to the measuring receptacle and the parts
coacting immediately therewith, whereby the liquid is passed to and from the
measuring receptacle without the necessity of a vent, and without any lost motion
by the operative parts.
A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings, in which-
Fig. 1 is a view of the measuring receptacle and parts immediately connected
therewith, in side elevation, the enclosing casing being shown in section.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view from front to rear through the measuring
receptacle and the parts adjacent thereto.
Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation.
Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section, taken in the plane transverse to the measuring
receptacle, and in the longitudinal plane of the axis of the operating lever and turn
plug; and
Figs. 5 and 6 represent respectively views in detail of the turn plug in side and
end elevation.
In the form which I have chosen to illustrate my invention, the body portion A
of the measuring receptacle is formed of transparent material, such, for example, as
glass, and is of cylindrical tubular form, its ends being inserted and secured in
suitable sockets 6 and 6 formed in front and rear end castings B and B¹
respectively.
The front casting B is provided with a flange b' extending laterally therefrom,
through which the casting at the front end is secured to the casting at the rear end
by bolts or tie rods C extending through the flange and through corresponding
lugs & projecting from the rear end casting B'. The said flange b² also serves as a
convenient means for securing the measuring receptacle and its operating mechanism
to fixed brackets c and c¹ at the top and bottoin.
A tube D projecting rearwardly from the upper portion of the front casting,
serves to receive the end of a rubber hose or other suitable supply pipe or tube
leading from a general source of supply, under pressure or head, and not shown
herein. From this tube, a passage-way d, forming a continuation of the interior of
the tube D, extends through the front casting to a tapered turn-plug chamber E, and
thence by branch passages or ports d' and ', to passage ways leading to the
front and rear of the measuring receptacle A respectively. The port d³ leads to
a tubular chamber F, here shown as in axial alignment with the measuring
receptacle A, and having seated within it an exteriorly screw-threaded tubular-
plug f, having a screw-threaded engagement with a portion 1 of the interior wall
of the chamber F, for the purpose of adjusting the plug f, so that it shall extend
more or less within the receptacle A, as may be desired. The interior end of the
plug is bevelled to an edge f', for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The

page_text: outer end of the plug is provided with a notch ƒ³, for convenience in introducing
a screw driver or other suitable implement for turning the plug f. The outer or
front end of the tubular chamber F is provided with a screw cap f, and with
suitable packing for forming an air and liquid tight closure for the end of the
chamber.
The port connects with a pipe section G, here shown as of transparent
material, such as glass, which extends to a socket g formed in the front face of the
rear casting B¹, and the passage way through the tube G is continued by the
passage way g' in the casting B, into the end of the receptacle A, preferably at its
middle portion, and where the passage way g' enters the receptacle A, it is
surrounded by a wall reduced to an edge for a purpose which will hereinafter
appear. From the taper turn-plug chamber E, a port leads to a passage way e,
which communicates with a discharge spout e'.
Within the measuring receptacle A, there is located a piston free to move back
and forth within the chamber, according as there is excessive pressure upon one side
or the other of it. In the present instance, the piston consists of two discs HH',
connected by a stem h, to the opposite ends of which the discs are secured by means
of screws. The same screws which connect the discs with the ends of the
stem, also secure elastic washers h³ with the outer faces of the discs. The elastic
washers and serve, in connection with the edges 92 and f³, which determine
the limits of the movement of the piston back and forth, to form a quick and
perfect cut-off for the liquid escaping through the plug f, or through the passage
way g', as may be.
d
Within the taper chamber E, the turn plug I is fitted, having upon opposite sides
the ports i and i, which are so located that when the plug is turned in one position
(that shown in Fig. 2), the port i will form a connection between the passage way
and port d leading to the interior of the receptacle A at its front end, while the
port i will, at the same time, form a connection between the passage way d³ and the
passage-way e leading to the discharge spout, and heuce open the communication
through the passage way g', at the rear end of the receptacle and tube G, to
permit the liquid to be discharged from the rear end of the receptacle into the
discharge spout. When the said turn plug I is given a quarter-turn, it will bring
the port into position to connect the port d' with the passage way e, and hence to
the discharge spout, and, at the same time, will throw the port into position to
connect the inlet passage d with the port d², tube G, passage way g', and hence
with the interior of the receptacle through its rear end. A second quarter turn
will bring the turn plug into position with its ports i and i', in the position just the
reverse from that shown in Fig. 2, and hence with the same effect in making
connections of the passage ways as that shown in Fig. 2, while the third quarter
turn will connect the rear end of the receptacle with the supply reservoir, and the
front end with the discharge spout; and the fourth quarter turn will bring the
parts again into the position which they are shown as occupying in Fig. 2.
To effect the quarter turns of the turn plug hereinabove referred to, the turn plug
is provided with a toothed rim, the teeth of which are clearly shown in Fig. 6,
and located one quarter of the periphery apart. Through the turn plug 1, and
through the casting adjacent thereto at the front end of the receptacle, extends a
shaft K, which, after passing through one or several of the measures herein
described, and arranged in series, passes on to a registering and recording mechanism
of well known and approved form. As such registering and recording mechanism
forms no part of my present invention, I have omitted the illustration and
description of the same in connection therewith.
One end of the turn plug I is provided with a screw-threaded extension, for
the reception of a nut k, to hold the plug in its seat, and the opposite end of said
turn plug is provided with a projecting cylindrical portion, on which the hub 1 of
the operating lever L is loosely mounted. The operating lever is provided upon
opposite sides of its central plane of motion, with sockets l' and ', in the former of
which a spring-actuated dog M is located in position to engage the teeth on

page_text: the rim of the turn plug, and in the latter of which a spring-actuated dog M₁ is
located in position to engage a toothed wheel N fixed to rotate with the shaft K.
The engagement of the dog M' with the toothed wheel N, and hence the distance
which it is permitted to rotate the shaft K for every downward stroke of the
lever L, is regulated by means of a disc n mounted to turn on the hub of the
wheel N between the face of the dog M' and the hub of the wheel N, a portion n'
of said disc (see Fig. 1) being at such a radial distance from the centre, as to hold
the dog entirely out of engagement with the tooth wheel. Another portion n³ of
the periphery of said disc is of a lesser radial distance from the centre, so that when
it comes between the dog and the hub of the wheel N, the dog will be permitted to
engage the teeth on the wheel N, and hence will rotate the shaft K. The disc n is
provided with several notches n³ on one side, with any one of which a stop O may
be engaged, to hold the disc n in such rotary adjustment on the hub of the wheel N,
as to permit the dog M³ to engage the teeth on the wheel N at an earlier or later
point during its downward stroke, as the case may be.
The operating lever L carries on it à segment 1, having a bevelled nose l*, for
engaging a longitudinally sliding locking bar P, to prevent the movement of a
companion lever, while the lever just operated is down. The mechanism, with the
exception of the operating handle on the lever L and the projecting spout, may be
housed by the casing Q, access to the interior of which may be had only by a
person holding a key to unlock it, the lock and the means for opening the casing
being of any well-known or suitable construction.
In operation, suppose the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the
liquid from the general supply, under head or pressure, will have flowed into the
receptacle A, forcing the piston therein toward the rear end of the receptacle. If,
now, it be desired to dispense a quantity of liquid equal to the contents of the
receptacle A, between the piston and the end of the plug, the operating lever L
may be drawn down to the limit of its downward stroke. This will turn the plug I
one quarter of a revolution, and will thereby open the rear end of the receptacle A
to the general supply, and at the same time will open the front end of the
receptacle A to the discharge, in the manner hereinabove particularly set forth,
and the piston will be forced forward, driving the contents of the receptacle out
through the discharge spout, until the piston reaches the end of the plug f, against
which it will seat, its elastic washer h* forming, with the edge at the end of the
upper position
plug, a prompt and perfect cut-off. The return of the lever to its
shown in Fig. 1, will have no effect upon either the turn plug or the recording
mechanism. If, now, it be desired to dispense another measure of liquid, the
operating lever may be again brought down to the limit of its down stroke, which
movement will turn the plug I another quarter revolution, opening the front of the
receptacle A to the general supply, and, at the same time, opening the rear end of
the receptacle to the discharge spout, and the piston will be forced rearwardly
into contact with the edge g* surrounding the end of the passage-way g'. In the
above manner, the piston may be forced back and forth within the receptacle A,
each time filling a measure and discharging a measure, without a vent being
established, and without the lost motion commonly required.
The quantity may be regulated with the greatest precision by the adjustment of
the plug into or out of the receptacle A, while the flow of the liquid within the
receptacle A and through the pipe G may be readily observed from the outside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In combination, a measuring receptacle, a piston free to move back and forth
therein under the pressure of inflowing liquid, means for admitting liquid to and
discharging it from the receptacle, and a stop for the piston, the stop having an
adjustment into and out of the receptacle, to diminish or increase the movement of
the piston, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. The combination with the measuring receptacle, its piston, and the conduits
for admitting liquid to, and discharging it from the receptacle, of the rotary cock,
the shaft leading to a recorder, the toothed wheel keyed to the shaft, the notched
excentric disc mounted to rotate independently of the toothed wheel and shaft, the
stop for holding the disc in the desired adjustment, the operating lever, and the
dogs carried by the lever in position to engage the cock, toothed wheel, and disc,
substantially as set forth.
3. The measuring receptacle, comprising the tubular body portion and the ends
fitted thereto, and having passage ways leading through the ends from the interior
of the receptacle to points at one side of the body portion, a tube connecting the
passageway at one end with the passage way at the opposite end, a supply conduit
common to the two end passage ways, a discharge conduit common to the two end
passageways, and a cock seated in one of the ends, for opening and closing the
passageways, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1893.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.