GB2110183A - Improvements in or relating to liquid-dispensing devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid-dispensing device provided with means for indicating the number of times the operating member is actuated. The indicating means comprise a counter (5) located in a specially- shaped part of the housing. In one embodiment, a lever (8) is fitted on the operating spindle (6) of the counter, the lever being provided with a portion (9) which projects therefrom to engage an abutment (4) on the operating member of the dispenser. As the operating member is moved upward, the abutment (4) causes the lever to move with if and thus rotating the spindle (6) to increase the count registered by one. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to liquid-dispensing devices This invention relates to liquid-dispensing devices of the kind which serve to deliver quantities of liquid from an inverted bottle in response to axial move ment of an operating member.

it is an object of the invention to provide means in such a dispensing device for indicating the number of times the operating member is actuated.

From one apsectthe invention consists in a liquid-dispensing device adapted to be mounted in, or on, the neck of an inverted bottle, and including a reservoir; an axially movable operating member which controls the discharge of a measured quantity of liquid from the reservoir; a helical spring surrounding a part of said operating member and bearing on an abutment on said operating member to urge said operating member axially away from said reservoir; a counter having a spring-loaded operating spindle; and a lever fitted on said spindle, said counter being so mounted in relation to said operating member that the free end of the lever is urged by the spring-loading of the spindle against said abutment, and the arrangement being such that axial movement of said operating member to cause the discharge of said measured quantity also causes rotation of said spindle to increase the count registered by said counter.

The abutment may be integral with the operating member, or may be a separate member secured to said operating member. In a preferred form, it is generally cup-shaped so that it serves to locate the helical springs not oniy in the axial direction, but also in the radial direction.

From another aspect the invention consists in a modification of a liquid-dispensing device as defined in the last paragraph but one, wherein an intermediate lever is provided between said abutment and the lever on said spindle, said intermediate lever being pivotable about a point substantially midway between its ends, and having one end engaging said abutment, and the other end engaging said lever on said spindle.

From yet another aspect the invention consists in a modification of a liquid-dispensing device as defined in the last paragraph but two, wherein a push-rod is located between said abutment and the lever on said spindle, said push-rod being mounted for axial sliding motion, and having one end engaging said abutment, and the other end engaging said lever on said spindle.

In a liquid-dispensing device as described in the preceding paragraph, the push-rod is preferebly provided with enlarged ends to engage the abutment and the lever. These enlarged ends may take the form of arms extending at right angles to the push-rod so that the push-rod is generally Z-shaped.

From yet another aspect the invention consists in any features of novelty, taken singly or in combination, of the embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1 taken on the line A:A looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1 taken on the line B:B looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 4 illustrates how a known dispensing device may be modified to incorporate features of the present invention; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 taken on the line A::A looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 7 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention; and Figure 8 illustrates a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3, the liquid-dispensing device illustrated includes a reservoir 1 which is in communication with the interior of an inverted bottle (not illustrated). The device also includes an operating member 2 which is axially slidable towards, and away from, the reservoir 1.

When the operating member 2 is raised to its uppermost poition, communication between the bottle and the reservoir 1 is cut off, while communication is opened between the reservoir and the hollow interior of the operating member 2. When the operating member 2 is in its lowermost position as illustrated in the drawings, the interior of the bottle is in communication with the reservoir 1, while communication between the reservoir and the interior of the operating member is cut off.

The operating member is urged towards its lowermoat position by a helical spring 3, the lower end of which is contained in a cup-shaped abutment 4 integral with the operating member 2. The upper end of the spring 3 bears against a collar 14 which is fixed relative to the reservoir 1.

As can be seen particularly from Figure 3, the housing of the dispenser is specially shaped to accommodate a counter 5. This counter has a spring-loaded operating spindle 6 on which is fitted a lever 7. As can be seen, the lever includes a first portion 8, the plane of which is perpendicular to the axis of the spindle 6, and a second portion 9 which projects from the first portion at right angles thereto.

The portion 9 is in the form of a thin web, and is urged by the spring-loading of the spindle 6 against the abutment 4. It can be seen, particularly from Figure 2, that, when the operating member 2 is raised to its uppermost position, the web 9 is located between the top surface of the abutment 4 and the lower surface of the collar 14. In spite of the thinness of the web 9, its presence between the abutment 4 and the collar 14 can limit the upward travel ofthe operating member 8. Accordingly, the collar 14 is formed with a reduced-diameter portion 21 on its lower side so that a space is formed to accommodate the web 9.

When it is desired to dispense a measured quantity of liquid from the device, the operating member 2 is moved upwardly, normally by placing a glass below the opening 10 at the base of the operating member, the rim of the glass making contact with the arms 11. As the operating member is moved upwardly, the abutment 4 causes the lever 7 to move with it, and thus to rotate the spindle 6 in an anticlockwise direction as seen in Figure 2. Movement of the spindle 6 through the angle resulting from the length of the lever 7 and the distance of travel of the operating member 2 causes the count registered by the counter to be increased by unity.

When the operating member 2 is lowered, the reservoir 7 is returned to the position shown in the drawings by the spring-loading of the spindle 6.

Figure 4 of the drawings shows part of a known liquid-dispensing device, and it can be seen that such a device can be converted to a device in accordance with the invention merely by removing the part of the housing at 12, and replacing it with a housing containing a counter as shown in Figures 1 to 3. It may also be necessary to remove the collar 13 and replace it with a collar 14 as shown in Figure 1 provided with a reduced-diameter portion to accommodate the web 9 of the lever 7.

A modification of the device shown in Figures 1 and 3 is shown in Figures 5 and 6. This modification consists merely in placing the counter on the left-hand side of the device instead of on the right-hand side of the device as shown in Figure 1 Further, this arrangement enables the counter to be displaced rearwardly with respect to the axis of the operating member 2 instead of forwardly as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 shows a further modification of the invention in which an intermediate lever 15 is pivotally mounted between the abutment 4 and the lever 16 on the counter. As can be seen in this case the lever 16 is shorter than the lever 7 of the other embodiments. The lower end of the lever 15 is provided with a projecting pin which engages the upper surface of the abutment 4. The reduced-diameter portion 21 of the collar 14 is dimensioned to accommodate this pin.

Figure 8 shows yet another modification of the invention in which a generally Z-shaped push-rod 17 is slidably mounted in the housing. The lower arm 18 of the push-rod engages the abutment 4, while the upper arm 19 engages a lever 20 generally similar to the lever 16 on the spindle of the counter. Once again, the collar 14 is provided with a reduced-diameter portion 21 on the lower side to accommodate the end of the arm 18.

Claims (8)

1. A liquid-dispensing device adapted to be mounted in, or on, the neck of an inverted bottle, and including a reservoir; an axially movable operating member which controls the discharge of a measured quantity of liquid from the resrvoir; a helical spring surrounding a part of said operating member and bearing on an abutment on said operating member to urge said operating member axially away from said reservoir; a counter having a spring-loaded operating spindle; and a lever fitted on said spindle, said counter being so mounted in relation to said operating member that the free end of the lever is urged by the spring-loading of the spindle against said abutment, and the arrangement being such that axial movement of aid operating member to cause the discharge of said measured quantity also causes rotation of said spindle to increase the count registered by said counter.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the lever includes a first portion, the plane of which is perpendicular to the axis of the operating spindle, and a second portion which projects from the first portion at right angles thereto, said second portion being in the form of a thin web which is urged against said abutment.

3. A modification of a liquid-dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein an intermediate lever is provided between said abutment and the lever on said spindle, said intermediate lever being pivotable about a point substantially midway between its ends, and having one end engaging said abutment, and the other end engaging said lever on said spindle.

4. A modification of a liqijid-dispensing device as claimed in Claim 1,wherein a push-rod is located between said abutment and the lever on said spindle, said push-rod being mounted for axial sliding motion, and having one end engaging said abutment, and the other end engaging said lever on said spindle.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the push-rod is provided with enlarged ends to engage the abutment and the lever respectively.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the enlarged ends take the form of arms extending at right angles to the push-rod so that the push-rod is substantially Z-shaped.

7. A liquid-dispensing device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

8. Any features of novelty, taken singly or in combination, of the liquid-dispensing device as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.