Improvements in Funnels for Liquids.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Funnels for Liquids.
We, EDWARD NAPOLEON GAUDRON, Mechanic, and IONS GRAHAM HEWISON,
Capitalist, both of 91, Sixth Street, Portland, in the County of Multnomah, and
State of Oregon, United States of America, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved funnel, which is
simple and durable in construction, arranged for conveniently filling liquids into
receptacles, and constructed to retain the liquid in the funnel after the latter is
closed at the time the receptacle is filled to the proper height.
The funnel consists principally of a body, a nozzle, a tube held concentric in the
said nozzle and forming with the latter an annular space for the liquid to pass
through, and a float valve contained in the said tube and adapted to automatically
close the lower end of the said nozzle.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied. Figure 2 is
a vertical section of the same, on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan view of part of the improvement.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the improvement, on the line 4-4 of
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the concentric tube.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the funnel supporting washer, and
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of the improvement.
The improved funnel is provided with the usual inverted and approximately
cone-shaped body A, from the small end of which extends the nozzle B, formed
near its lower end and at the inside thereof with a valve seat C, on which is
adapted to be seated the flaring or bell-shaped end D¹ of a float D, fitted to slide
in a tube E, supported centrally in the nozzle B. Sufficient space is formed
between the tube E and nozzle B for the downward flow of the liquid to be filled
into the bottle and poured into the body A. The lower flaring end D' of the
float D forms a valve for closing the lower end of the nozzle B at the time the
said float D rises, this rising motion being caused by the action of the rising liquid
filled into the bottle as hereinafter more fully described. The upper end of the
concentric tube E is formed with an annular flange E', resting on pins E', secured
on the flange B', which forms the connection between the body A and the nozzle B.
The flange E' is held a suitable distance above the flange B' on the pins E to
permit the liquid flowing down the body A to pass into the annular space formed
between the tube E and the nozzle B. On the threaded edge of the flange E
screws an air tube or pipe E³, extending upward in the body A and terminating a
suitable distance below the upper edge of the said body, as plainly shewn in
Figures 1 and 2. The upper closed end of the float D is rigidly connected with a
stem F extending upwards and attached by a suitable hook connection G', with the
under side of a plate G, adapted to be seated on the flange E¹ to support the float
valve D and to hold the bell-shaped mouth D₁ thereof, off the seat C, as illustrated
in Figure 1. Above the plate G is arranged a permanent magnet H adapted to
attract the plate G, and to hold the same in an uppermost position at the time the
float valve D closes, with its bell-shaped mouth D₁, the lower end of the nozzle B,

page_text: the said bell-shaped mouth then being seated on the seat C.
seated on the flange E' and the nozzle B is open at its lower end, then the power
When the plate G is
of the magnet H is not sufficient to attract the said plate, but when the float
valve D slightly rises then the plate G is lifted off the flange E¹ and is moved into
the field of the magnet. The latter then attracts the plate and holds it in an
uppermost position. The magnet H is held on a screw H', adapted to be vertically-
adjusted in a slot E, formed vertically in one side of the tube E3, so that the lower
end of the magnet can be moved the proper distance from the plate G, according to
the attractive power of the magnet. From the latter extends upward a rod G²,
which passes through an opening in a screw 1 screwing in a cap E' attached to the
upper end of the tube E³. On the extreme upper or outer end of the rod G' is
secured a knob G' for lifting the rod G2 or depressing the same to move the
plate G upward or to detach it from the magnet H whenever desired. In one side
of the screw I is formed a slot l' leading to the central opening thereof, so that
the rod G can be disconnected from the screw by moving it to one side, the rod
then passing into an aperture E³ formed in the cap E'; see Figure 3. Normally
the screw I is turned with its lug to one side or out of register with the aperture E
so that the rod G2 is held in proper position and cannot accidentally be disengaged
from the screw. In the nozzle A. is arranged a strainer J through which passes the
tube E³, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2. The lower end of the tube E³ is preferably
provided with lugs E7 adapted to rest loosely against the inner wall of the nozzle B
so as to hold the tube in a concentric position relative to the nozzle B. In the
upper end of the tube E is arranged an apertured guide or bridge Es for guiding
the stem F. In order to hold the funnel on the bottle, the nozzle B is engaged by
a flexible ring K preferably split as at K' and formed at its under side with
notches K so as to permit the air to escape from the bottle at the time the latter
is being filled.
The operation is as follows:- -When the several parts are in the position shewn
in Figure 1 the liquid poured into the body A passes down the same into the
annular space between the tube E and nozzle B and finally through the open valve
seat C into the bottle or other receptacle to be filled. When the liquid rises in the
bottle to the position shewn in Figure 1, or slightly above the same, then the
float D is caused to slide upward by the action of the rising liquid, so that
the plate G is moved into the field of the magnet H and is suddenly attracted by
the latter so that finally the mouth D₁ of the float is firmly seated on the seat C,
thus closing the lower end of the nozzle B. A further inflow of the liquid in the
receptacle is thus prevented, and as the float valve D is locked in position by the
magnet H, the liquid remains in the nozzle B and body A. The funnel can then
be taken from the filled bottle to a second bottle to be filled, the liquid remaining
in the nozzle and body as the mouth D' of the float valve D closes the lower end
of the nozzle. As soon as the nozzle B has been inserted in the neck of the second
bottle, the operator presses the knob G' so as to disengage the plate G from the
magnet H as above described, whereby the mouth D of the float valve D is
unseated from the seat C and the liquid previously retained in the nozzle B and
body A can flow into the second bottle. When it is desired to stop filling a bottle
at any desired point before the bottle is completely filled, as before described, then
the operator simply pulls on the knob G³ so as to raise the rod G2 and the plate G
which latter then moves in contact with the permanent magnet H and at the same
time the float valve D is lifted upward and its mouth D' is seated on the seat C.
As illustrated in Figure 7, we may employ other means, instead of the magnet H
to finally seat the float valve D and to hold it to its seat after the bottle has been
filled to the proper height. As shewn in Figure 7 we connect the stem F of the
float valve D with a lever L fulcrumed at L' in the body A. and connected by
a short link N with one side of a closed cylinder O journaled in a suitable bracket
attached to a bridge A¹ secured to the body A. The end of the cylinder O near
the link N is closed by a heavy head O' and in the cylinder is mounted to roll a
ball P resting on the head O' when the device is in a normal position, as shewn in

page_text: the said Figure 7, that is, when the mouth D₁ of the float valve D is off its seat C.
The end of the cylinder O opposite the link N is connected by a link Q with a
lever R fulcrumed in the body A, and pivotally connected with a short arm R¹
attached to tube E'.
Now, it will be seen that the ball P and the head O' of the cylinder O over-
balance the right hand end of the said cylinder O, so that the float valve D is held
off its seat until the position of the ball P is reversed. This latter takes place
when the float valve D rises, as previously explained, and at the time the bottle
is filled to the proper height, as then the rod F moves upward and causes the
lever L to swing upward whereby the link N imparts an upward swinging motion
to the left hand end of the cylinder O, so that the ball P finally rolls through the
cylinder to the right hand end thereof to quickly move this end of the cylinder
into a lowermost position, while the other end swings upward suddenly and thus
draws the float valve D with its mouth D' firmly to its seat. The liquid is thus
shut off from the nozzle B and retained in the latter and the body A. The funnel
may then be removed from the bottle and placed on a second bottle with the liquid
retained in the body A and nozzle B. Now, in order to fill the second bottle, the
operator presses a spring T held on the cap of the body A so that the arm T of
the said spring engages the left hand end of the cylinder O and swings this end
downward to cause the ball P to roll back to its former position on the head O'.
By doing this, the cylinder O moves back into the position shewn in Figure 7,
whereby the float valve D is moved downward off the seat C so that the liquid
can flow through the open valve seat into the second bottle. The above described
operation is then repeated for filling the second bottle. When it is desired to stop
filling the bottle at any determined point, then the operator presses on a second
spring T2 having an arm T³ adapted to engage the right hand end of the cylinder (
whereby a swinging motion can be given to the cylinder to draw the float valve
upward on to its seat C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is-
1. A funnel comprising a body, a nozzle, a tube held concentric in the said
nozzle and forming with the latter an annular space for the liquid to pass through,
and a float valve contained in the said tube and adapted to automatically close the
lower end of the said nozzle, substantially as shewn and described.
2. A funnel comprising a body, a nozzle containing a tube forming with the
nozzle an inlet for the liquid, a float valve contained in the said tube and adapted
to automatically close the lower end of the said nozzle, and a magnet for finally
seating the said float valve and holding it to its seat, substantially as shewn and
described.
3. A funnel provided with a float forming at its lower end, a valve for closing
the nozzle of the funnel, and a permanent magnet for finally seating the valve of
the float on its seat on the nozzle, and a releasing device for unseating the said
valve, substantially as shewn and described.
4. In a funnel, the combination, with a funnel body and a nozzle extending
therefrom, the lower end of the nozzle being formed with a valve seat, of a float
closed at its upper end and formed at its lower end with a valve adapted to be
seated on the said valve sent, substantially as described.
5. In a funnel, the combination, with a funnel body and a nozzle extending
therefrom, the lower end of the nozzle being formed with a valve seat, of a float
closed at its upper end and formed at its lower end with a valve adapted to be
seated on the said valve seat, a tube arranged concentrically within the said funnel
and in which slides the said float, a valve stem connected with the said float and
extending through the said tube, the upper end of the said valve stem carrying a
plate, and a permanent magnet adapted to attract the said plate, substantially as
shewn and described.

page_text: 6. In a funnel, the combination, with a funnel body and a nozzle extending
therefrom, the lower end of the nozzle being formed with a valve seat, of a float
closed at its upper end and formed at its lower end with a valve adapted to be
seated on the said valve seat, a tube arranged concentrically within the said funnel
and in which slides the said float, a valve stem connected with the said float, and
extending through the said tube, the upper end of the said valve stem carrying a
plate, a lever, and a rod connected with the said lever and provided with a disc
adapted to engage the said plate, for raising the latter, substantially as shewn and
described.
7. In a funnel, the combination, with a funnel body and a nozzle extending
therefrom, the lower end of the nozzle being formed with a valve seat, of a float
closed at its upper end and formed at its lower end with a valve adapted to be
seated on the said valve seat, a tube arranged concentrically within the said funnel
and in which slides the said float, a valve stem connected with the said float and
extending through the said tube, the upper end of the said valve stem carrying a
plate, and a releasing device, substantially as described, for disconnecting the said
plate from the said permanent magnet to unseat the valve of the float, substantially
as shewn and described.
8. A funnel provided with a flexible split ring adapted to engage with the nozzle
of the funnel and formed at its inner edge with notches forming air escapes,
substantially as shewn and described.
9. In a funnel, the combination, with a funnel body and a nozzle extending
therefrom, the lower end of the nozzle being formed with a valve seat, of a float
closed at its inner end and formed at its lower end with a valve adapted to be
seated on the said valve seat, a tube arranged concentrically within the said funnel
and in which slides the said float, a valve stem connected with the said float and
extending through the said tube, the upper end of the said valve stem carrying a
plate, and means, substantially as described, for adjusting the said magnet relative
to the said plate, as set forth.
10. In a funnel, the combination, with a float valve adapted to close the funnel
nozzle, of a pivoted cylinder closed at its ends and containing a ball, the said
cylinder being connected at one side of its fulcrum with the said valve, substantially
as shewn aud described.
E. N. GAUDRON,
I. G. HEWISON,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.