JPS5912335B2 - Liquid mixing and dispensing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a liquid mixing and dispensing apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus for producing a solution having a desired combination of components and thereafter controllably dispensing the same to a point of end use. Pertains to.

One major application of the invention is in the printing industry. Offset printing presses are generally equipped with a water fountain filled with an aqueous solution of gum arabic and a small proportion of chromic acid or phosphoric acid.

The press's dampening roller applies this ``etch and rubber'' aqueous solution to the non-printing areas of the plate surface on the press's plate cylinder.The proportion of a particular ``etch and rubber'' solution depends on the type of ink used. is dictated by a number of factors, including the nature of the print, the color being printed, and the type of paper to be printed on.A large quantity of etch and rubber solution can be prepared and stored for an extended period of time.
Zero storage has proven impractical as various types of deterioration can occur during such storage.

On the other hand, certain printing operations may require a continuous supply of relatively large amounts of solution. Adapting to both of these 35 problems to be taken into account, it has hitherto been possible to supply freshly mixed batch quantities of solution in a continuous, sequential manner under automatic control and with various printing specifications. [The proportions of the mixture may be varied from time to time as may be necessary.

Equipment is provided. Previously invented such devices have been described, for example, by Harold W. Gegenheimer, Andrew N. Stad and Philip KTO.
No. 3,166,095, issued January 19, 1965, to Messrs. Bias et al., and incorporated herein by reference. An important element of a batch mixer of the type cited is that it is capable of accurately and reliably adding the amount of etching and rubber concentrate to be added to a known amount of water, and that the same amount is controlled by the operator. It is a device provided to conveniently change under control.

No. 3,166,095, supra, this feature allows etch and rubber concentrate to be intermittently loaded to full volume, but only a predetermined portion of the stored volume is mixed with the aqueous solution. This is achieved by a metering tank that is removed but not removed. Baldwin-Gegenheimer Corporation, the assignee of this invention.
wln-GegenheimerCOrpOratiO
In a later device developed by n), a similar function is performed by an open top tank which is supported so as to float in the aqueous solution to which a metered concentrate is added and which is repeatedly refilled. . Above the open top of the tank is located a fixed piston that can enter the tank if it is moved upwards.
Upon operation of the mixing device, this upward movement of the tank actually occurs as increasing amounts of water are pumped into the receiving space around the metering tank. As a result, the piston entering the tank displaces a portion of the concentrate, causing it to overflow into the surrounding aqueous solution. The amount of concentrate released to be mixed with the water as it approaches the highest permissible water level can be controlled with completely acceptable accuracy by preadjusting the vertical position of the piston. Can be predetermined. When the water has actually reached its maximum level, the desired constitution is reached.
A batch solution of anOy) has now been made and is transferred to the press (or a central sump from which it is distributed to a number of presses) (e.g. under operator control or (under automatic control). The success of batch batch mixing of the type just described has led to a continuous expansion of its field of application and a demand for low cost yet highly accurate solution mixing and dispensing equipment. There is.

The present invention is directed to meeting these requirements. The present invention provides, in a very compact assembly, (1) a metering storage compartment for etching and rubber (or equivalent) IM condensate and (2) a compartment containing the aqueous solution into which said concentrate is mixed. establish. The first of these compartments has an overflow point above which the concentrate flows from the concentrate receiving space to the water receiving space. A liquid supply device is provided in communication with the concentrate storage space, which space will tend to maintain a constant minimum height of concentrate within the storage space during normal operation of the mixing device. There is a movable piston extending downwardly into the concentrate storage space, the piston raising the level of the concentrate to an overflow point as it is moved downwardly so that it is progressively immersed in the concentrate. ,
Therefore, the concentrated liquid is allowed to enter the water containing mixing chamber. The amount of concentrate that spills out depends on the permitted range of downward movement of the piston. As will be explained in more detail when the details of the invention are explained, this factor can be adjusted by changing the operating conditions of the printing press to which the mixing device is connected, thereby varying the proportions of water and concentrate. It is made adjustable by the operator so that it can be obtained accordingly. The water to be mixed with the etch and rubber concentrate is fed to the mixing compartment in a controlled manner by a float located within the mixing compartment.

This float can also be connected to a control mechanism that enables the float to begin flowing water into the mixing compartment whenever the water level reaches a predetermined minimum level, and The inflow is terminated when a predetermined maximum height is achieved. An actuating device interconnects the aforementioned displacement piston and float in the concentrate storage chamber, and by means of this device the immersion of the piston in the concentrate increases as the water level rises. , and is gradually withdrawn from the concentrate as the water level falls towards a predetermined minimum water level. In this way, once the water level has risen, metering of the etch and rubber concentrate into the mixing compartment will begin. Furthermore, as will become clearer in the following description, the arrangement of the main working parts as described above makes the assembly of the entire device very compact and cheap. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Details of the invention will now be described.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, there is shown an assembled outline of the essential parts of the present invention in normal operating relationship.

The assembly has as a base a casing or tank 10 shaped so that it can easily stand on any horizontal surface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, due to its low cost both in terms of materials and manufacturing requirements, tank 10 comprises a molded one-piece enclosure of a liquid- and corrosion-resistant plastic material, such as polyvinyl chloride. The upper edge of the tank is provided with an outwardly directed circumferential lip 15 which, as seen in FIG. It may be slightly offset from the plane of the vertical tank wall so as to provide a On top of the cover plate 20 is a concentrated liquid containing from about 4 liters to more than 10 liters (from 1 gallon to several gallons) intended to be mixed with water or other suitable diluent or solvent during operation of the mixing device. An inverted container 30 is supported which is adapted to store etched etch and rubber solution or other concentrated solution as described in more detail below.

For purposes of the present invention, the container 30 has a plastic cylindrical side wall 32, a solid end wall 34, a generally similar wall 36 at the opposite end, and both end walls are connected to the cylindrical side wall 32 as shown. Suffice it to point out that it is a watertight and airtight assembly consisting of tie rods 38 for assembly and maintenance. In the inverted position shown, the container 30 has a downward outlet device 4, which will be described in detail below.
It has 0. Also supported above the cover plate 20 are two removable (normally attached) casings 44 and 46 that enclose both electrical and mechanical controls, which will be described in more detail below.

A water supply pipe 48 also extends through cover plate 20 and is operably connected thereto, as will be described below. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a control assembly 50 which will be shown to have an important role in controlling the rate of liquid mixing that tank 10 is to perform as a function of the tank. At the far right end of tank 10 is shown a liquid outlet conduit 60, which will also be described in more detail below. Referring now to FIG. 3, in which the parts described above will be readily identified,
When the tank 10 is viewed in longitudinal section, it becomes clear that the first relatively large fluid-receiving compartment 70 occupies most of the right-hand portion of the tank structure, and extends to the left-hand end of the structure. It has a wing portion 70a that is similar to that shown in FIG.
The function of this compartment is to receive a substantial amount of primary liquid (eg, water) to be mixed with secondary components such as etch and rubber concentrate during operation of the apparatus. To the left of this first compartment, a smaller second compartment 75 is provided closely adjacent to the first compartment, and the wall structure of the first compartment is illustrated as being continuous with the wall structure of the compartment 70. ing. The function of this compartment 75 is to receive secondary liquid or concentrate from reservoir 30. This secondary liquid is introduced from the reservoir 30 into the compartment 75 by means of the previously described outlet device 40. The details of this exit device are significant to the functioning of the invention and are therefore explained in detail below. However, here the conduit device has a primary outlet 252;
Through this outlet liquid flows down from the reservoir 30 to the compartment 7.
It is sufficient to explain that it is introduced into 5. The combination of inverted version 30 and outlet device 40 forms a level maintenance device of the type sometimes referred to as a six-chicken feeder. In such a device, the balance between the partial vacuum existing at the top of the reservoir 30 and the weight of the liquid column exiting through the outlet 252 is substantially constant as shown at 78 in the compartment 75. Maintain the liquid level. As will become apparent with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 together, the compartment 75 is connected to the tank 10.
It is an open top container having a bottom wall 75a formed with a considerable clearance from the foundation supporting the entire assembly.

The three lateral partition walls of this container are connected to and recessed into the partition walls of the compartment 70 by horizontal bridging portions 75b. The narrow wing 7 of the compartment 70 can be seen more clearly in FIG.
0a extends along and actually surrounds the side wall of the compartment 75. It becomes clear that because of this arrangement, the compartment 75 can be described as having an overflow point, above which the liquid 78 contained within the compartment 75 spills over the bridging portion 7.
5b and fall into the large mixing compartment 70. The significance of this arrangement and the means by which an overflow from compartment 75 to compartment 70 can be created will be explained in due course. What has to be described here is a liquid supply device capable of maintaining the liquid in compartment 70 between a predetermined minimum level and a predetermined maximum level.

These devices have as their main functional element a float 80 made of a material body with a significantly lower specific gravity than water. The body of material may be a rigid block of closed cell spongy polyvinyl chloride. The upper surface of the float 80 is provided with a stainless steel plate 82, which serves inter alia as a weight-enhancing device, allowing the block to perform the counterweight function described below. As shown most clearly in Figure 6,
A U-shaped bracket 85 projecting upward is attached to the plate 82 by a bolt 83 that projects into the float 80.

This bracket has vertical legs 85a and a lateral portion 85b connecting the legs. In the central part of this lateral section there is a slot 85c (see FIG. 4a) which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the section. Please mainly refer to Figure 6 (
4), within the casing 44, well above the central portion of the float 80 and mounted to the cover, there is a power connection contact 88a and a separate solenoid valve controller as described below. A two-way toggle switch 88 is supported having two alternately usable contacts 88b and 88c, each connected to ground.

This switch is of an over-center toggle type, and the switch actuating member 88d is connected to the spring link 88.
It is connected via 8e to a movable operating head 88f.
Linkage assembly 9 cooperating with fixed mounting bracket 92
An actuating joint is provided between the switch 88 and the float 80 by a push rod 90 whose upper end is attached to the switch box operator 88f by 1. A rod 90 extends downwardly through a slot 85c in a lateral portion 85b (FIG. 4) of the bracket so that its lower end approaches but does not contact plate 82. Circular collars 93a and 93b are mounted on the intermediate portion of rod 90 such that their relative positions can be adjusted or preset by the operator of the device (e.g. by set screws). installed.
With the parts so arranged, it will be appreciated that as the float 80 moves upwards (i.e., while water is being conveyed from the source to the compartment 70), the fourth As shown in the figure, the lateral portion 85b of the bracket is attached to the collar 93.
A point is reached at which the switch actuator 88f (FIG. 4) is engaged and actuated to move the switch actuator 88f (FIG. 4) to its uppermost position. This action snaps the power connection contact 88a to the switch contact or terminal 88a.
This will bring it into contact with c. As will be explained in more detail when discussing FIG.
This will cut off the water supply entering the compartment and allow water to begin flowing out from the bottom of the compartment, thus lowering the water level within the compartment. As mentioned above, since the switch 88 is of the over-center type, this lowering of the water level will not immediately affect the state switch.

However, when the float 80 descends significantly (i.e., the water level drops), the horizontal portion 85b of the bracket moves to the collar 93 of the rod.
A point will be reached where it will touch the top surface of a and thus pull the rod downwards. If this event occurs, switch 88 will be forced into its alternate position where contacts 88a and 88b are engaged. Under these conditions, the water flowing out of the compartment 70 will be stopped and a new supply of water will begin to flow in, as will be explained in more detail below. This cycle will continue indefinitely unless interrupted by the operator of the present invention. It should be understood that both the highest and lowest water surface that water is allowed to reach is carried by the collar 93a on the rod.
and can be predetermined by raising and lowering adjustment of 93b. In general, the highest water level selected will always be at a point well below the overflow point of the secondary compartment 75 (75b in Figure 4), and the lowest water level will be at least as low as the float 80 in the compartment. It will be high enough to prevent it from reaching the floor. Before summarizing the above-described operation of the apparatus, reference should usefully be made to the right-hand portion of FIG. 3, which shows in some detail the apparatus for extracting water from compartment 70. .

The device has a lever arm 100, shown at 102, supported on the end wall of the mixing device casing. The lower end of the lever arm, which is biased to the right by the spring, carries a partially hollow frusto-conical cap or cover member 105. In the position shown in FIG.
is engaged with. When the lever arm 100 is rotated clockwise about the fulcrum 102, the cap 10
5 must be separated from the fixture 107, so that water does not flow into the compartment 70.
to the conduit 60. To prevent this cap from becoming vacuum-locked to the fitting 107, the upper edge of the latter provides passage to the conduit 60 in the compartment 70.
A vent is provided into a vertical duct 112 which extends above the highest reachable level of the liquid within. conduit 6
The flow of liquid entering the 0 and passing through to the point of end use (for example the ink sump of a printing press) is obtained either by gravity flow or by a pump attached to the same conduit. The entire operation of the water level control system described above can best be summarized by referring to Figure 7, in which parts shown in previously described figures are given the same reference numerals. I am forced to do so.

In the condition of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7, the water level in compartment 70 has reached the specified minimum level and
0 is the lowest position that can be reached with the collar 93a in the illustrated position. In such a situation, it can be assumed that the switch element 88a is connected to the contact point 88c.
from the dashed line position where it is engaged to the solid line position shown in FIG. The result of this transition is that the solenoid 120, which in the energized position holds the lever 100 in the dashed line position, has been deenergized and the cap 105 is in engagement with the bulkhead fitting 107 (i.e., in the solid line position as shown). ), thus resulting in termination of the flow of water to the outlet conduit 60. The normally closed solenoid valve 125 is simultaneously energized and moved to the open position, thus allowing water to flow to the lower part of the compartment 70 (
Entry into the same compartment is made possible through a supply conduit 48, which is designated by the reference numeral 48a and has an extending section. The resulting mixed flow again raises the water level in compartment 70 and moves float 80 upwardly, a process that continues until switch element 88a snaps into engagement with contact 88c. At this point, solenoid valve 125 is deenergized and solenoid 120 is energized, thus beginning a new drain and refill cycle. This process is the main path switch 1
This will continue until the device is totally energized by cutting 30. Comparing the two or three figures in the attached drawings,
It will be found that other figures (particularly FIGS. 1 and 3) show the mechanical positions of elements such as the solenoid 120, its solenoid valve 125, and the switch 130 first mentioned in the description of FIG. This is what it shows. The water level control device provided in conjunction with the primary compartment 70 has now been fully described and is now adapted to control the amount of etch and rubber solution metered into the secondary compartment 75. It is in order to describe the device that operates this device.

With particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, it will be appreciated that each of the floating mounting vertical legs 85a of the bracket is provided with a pair of spaced apart fulcrum pins 140 and 141. Each of the upper pins has a lever arm 145 rotatably attached thereto, which arm is also rotatably attached to and attached to a fixed fulcrum provided by a pin or bolt 141. It is supported by a fulcrum. Each bolt 147 is attached to a vertical bracket 14 that is rigidly attached to the cover plate 20 as shown at 150.
It is held in place by 8. Each lever arm 14
5 extends a certain distance to the left of the fulcrum pin 147, and is provided with an upward notch 155 near the left end of the lever. As best understood by considering Figures 2 and 3 in conjunction, each notch engages (from below) a horizontally extending support bar 160; The functions will be explained in detail later. At the same time, referring again to Figures 3 and 6, it becomes clear that
Each bracket leg 85a also has a second lever arm 165, which is swingably mounted on one of the ports 141, attached thereto.

This lever arm has bracket leg 85a and bracket 1.
48 and is swingably attached to the latter by a pin or bolt 170. As can be discerned from the cross-sectional view in FIG. 4, two lever arms 165 of the same shape are connected at their rightmost ends by a bridging piece 165b, and in FIG. has U
A glyph assembly is formed in cooperation with bridging piece 165b.
Fixed vertical bracket 148, lever arm 145
and 165, and the float mounting bracket legs 85a form a pantograph structure at each of the opposite ends of the float 80, the effect of which is that the bracket legs 85a are always perpendicular to the floor of the compartment 70 when the float moves up and down. The goal is to ensure that This ensures that the main surface of the float is always maintained parallel to the floor of the compartment, and that the float is prevented from assuming an inclined position and coming into frictional engagement with any wall of the compartment. . Further, as a result of this construction, the lateral portion 85b of the floating mounting bracket is connected to the switch operating push rod 90.
Be sure to apply a completely vertical thrust to the collars 91a and 91b attached to the collars 91a and 91b. Of course, this pantograph structure is truly floating. 80 is moved to the right to some extent as the float rises from the low position occupied by the float in FIG. 3, and as the float descends again during the next phase of the device. Then move it back to the left. However, this movement does not result in significant deflection or binding of the push rod 90 because of the elongated slot 85c defined in the bracket portion 85b (see FIG. 4). The next order is float 8
0 moves to enable etch and rubber concentrate (or other activating liquid) to be measured and transferred from the secondary compartment 75 to the primary compartment 70. .

Referring to FIG. 4, suspended in the right hand portion of compartment 75 is seen a displacement body or piston 200, shown as having a generally square cross section. Other relative dimensions of this piston are shown in FIG. This piston extends over only a portion of the area of the compartment 75, leaving room for the liquid conduit bulkhead or outlet device 40. The piston is constructed of a suitable liquid-resistant material, and in the preferred embodiment is constructed of high density polyvinyl chloride having a specific gravity of about 1.4. Having the above-mentioned specific gravity, this piston will move the liquid 78 contained in the compartment 75.
If not supported by means other than the buoyancy of the piston in the liquid, it will tend to sink into the liquid. The support device actually adopted is the horizontal bar 160 (
2), to which the piston is attached by eye bolts 205 spaced apart from each other.
The holes in these bolts are sized to allow the piston to swing freely on the bar 160. The bar 160 itself has two separate support devices.

The first of these support devices is the notched lever arm 145 described above. The second support device is
There is another pair of lever arms 210, which are joined by a transverse member 210b extending between the right ends of the lever arms to form a U-shape, as can be seen in FIG. It is made into a rough three-dimensional shape. The assembly is provided with oppositely oriented fulcrums by means of protrusions of bolts or pins 147 carried by downwardly extending arms of bracket 148. Because of this structure, when the horizontal member 210b moves downward, both lever arms 21
The piston support end of 0 will rise. These ends are provided with upwardly directed notches 210a formed to receive the ends of the horizontal bar 160. without considering the maximum upward movement of the float 80.
What limits the possible downward movement of the histone and thus allows a controlled variation of the amount of secondary fluid that the histone can spill out of the compartment 75 is the aid described next. It is the function of the lever arm 210 that cooperates with the device.

This function should be accomplished without simultaneously changing the total amount of primary liquid supplied to compartment 70. These purposes provide a device controlled by the operator to adjust the extent to which the left hand end (as seen in FIG. 4) of lever arm 210 can be pulled down by the weight of displacement body 200. It is achieved by doing so. A particular device provided for this purpose includes a circular blocking member 220 fixed to the lower end of a vertical adjustment rod 225. As seen most clearly in FIG.
0b engages the upper surface of the transverse member 210b when it reaches a certain height that can vary depending on the degree of downward protrusion of the adjusting rod 225. Once engaged in this manner, the downward movement of the displacement body 200 necessarily stops regardless of the degree to which the displacement body 200 is submerged in the etching and rubber solution 78. Assuming that a predetermined amount of solution has been deposited into the compartment 75 before the displacement body begins its descent, it becomes clear that it is possible to limit the descent of the displacement body. automatically determining the portion of said volume that is to be overflowed from the interface or bridging portion 75b, and thus effectively determining the amount of concentrate that can flow into mixed relation with the liquid in the compartment 70; It's about calculating. 4, the adjustment rod 225 is supported from the cover plate 20 by a fitting 227 which is internally threaded to engage an external thread on the rod. There is.

Knurled knob 22 near the top of this rod.
8 is provided, and this knob allows this rod to be attached to the fixture 2.
27 and can be raised and lowered. A pointer 229 mounted at the upper end of the rod (although not rotatable therewith) cooperates with a ruler 231 marked with an appropriate flow rate scale (e.g., ounces per gallon) at the beginning of the device. After reading , the position of this pointer is such that it indicates the amount of liquid to be drained from compartment 75 during a single cycle of operation of the mixing device. This amount can be increased at any time by turning knob 288 to raise blocking member 220 to the extent indicated by the change in position of pointer 229. Conversely, this amount can be reduced by lowering the blocking member. Although the lever arm 210 and the blocking member 220 jointly define the limits of movement of the piston 200, it will now be made clear that such movement occurs primarily due to the previously described lever arm. 145
It depends on the action of

What can be envisaged in this regard is, for example:
At the end of the fill and mix cycle, the mixing device will be in the state shown in FIG. What will be seen in this figure is that the float 80 is at a higher position corresponding to the attainment of the highest desired level of primary liquid. Under these conditions, the lever arm 145 is brought into engagement with the piston support bar 160 by the opening notch 155, and is therefore free to disengage from the same engagement. There is. Therefore, the piston is an independent lever arm 2
It is only supported by 10. However, it should be considered that the next phase of operation of the mixing device involves draining all of the liquid from compartment 70. When such ejection occurs, float 80 lowers and lever arm 14
The leftmost end of 5 will rise. At some point, notch 155 will re-engage horizontal bar 160;
In fact, it is taken over from the lever arm 210. In the preferred operating condition of the device, the piston is moved by the lever arm 145 (i.e., the lowering float 8
0) will be lifted. To completely raise the piston from the liquid, if it were possible, during any operation subsequent to such raising, the piston would move an indeterminate distance before the level of liquid in compartment 75 began to rise. This is not desirable as it would require moving the As a result, the maximum achievable displacement of liquid will be reduced. It should be understood from the above description of the mixing device that all the working components of the device, except for the fitting for the outlet conduit 60 (FIG. 3) and the parts 100 to 105 cooperating with this outlet, are connected to the cover plate of the tank. 20.

As already mentioned, this cover plate is supported by a perimeter shelf 17 formed inside the upper edge of the tank. However, this cover plate further includes a pair of U-shaped brackets 23 (third
and 4), these brackets being arranged in each case so that the closed part of the U-shape rests on the floor of the compartment 70. Because of this arrangement, the combination of both compartments 70 and 75 can be formed as a one-piece structure of molded liquid-resistant plastic material, for example polyvinyl chloride vacuum-formed from sheet stock. The flat force plate 20 can also be molded from the same material. The cost of these main parts of the assembly of the device is therefore advantageously low. Furthermore, the attachment of the working parts of the mixing device to the cover plate 20 allows for the shortest production time so that the device as a whole is much cheaper than previously available for making etching and rubber solutions. In short, it is easily achieved. It should be understood that for secondary liquids (e.g. etch and rubber concentrate) 30 can be lifted as a whole from cover plate 20 and refilled with fresh material at specified time intervals. .

This is not only to enable refilling when empty, but also to reduce the deterioration that is likely to occur in the quality of these materials if they are left unused for too long. This is desirable in order to avoid this. The outlet device 40 employed in conjunction with the reservoir 30 was developed by JOhn G. St. JO, claimed in U.S. Pat.
This is a separate invention by Mr. hn). The patent application is for exit device 4
It is particularly advantageous here that the details of 0 are adequately explained. For purposes of such explanation, reference is made to FIGS. 8-10. The outlet device 40 is entirely removable from the end wall 36 of the reservoir 30 by means of an external thread 241 cut in the upper end of a hollow cylinder 242 forming the enclosure of the device.

The male thread is attached to the end wall 36 of the tank and extends downward to engage a mating female thread cut in the port-forming sleeve 30b which passes through an appropriately sized hole drilled in the tank cover plate 20. . An annular flange 24 with a gasket 241a attached to the end of the sleeve 30b and the outer surface of the cylinder 242.
2a is airtightly sealed. The threaded end of cylinder 242 surrounds in a close fit a second cylinder or sleeve 243, which has an inwardly tapered or fluted end surface 243a. This end face is adapted to receive an interlocking closure member or stop 244 attached to an axially extending push rod 246. This rod engages the floor of the tank compartment 75 as shown at 246a when the reservoir 30 is in place on the tank cover plate 20 as shown in FIG. It has such a length that it will fit. Follow. The stopper 244 is pushed away from the tapered end surface 243a,
Liquid flows freely through cylinder 242. On the other hand, when the reservoir is removed from the tank assembly (for refilling or other purposes), a compression coil spring 249 suitably located at the lower end of this rod immediately moves the stopper to the closed position. , thus allowing the reservoir to be lifted and returned to an upright position without loss of liquid. This feature is not new or unique in nature. However, the lower end of the cylinder 242 is provided with a unique device for controlling the liquid discharged into the tank compartment 75. These devices have a cylinder block 250 fitted into a hole in a hollow cylinder 242. The block has a central hole for passing rod 246 and two additional round holes 250a and 250b. The first of these two holes receives a tubular body 252 which extends downwardly to below the intended liquid level 78 in the compartment 75 in the illustrated state of the mixing device; It also serves as the main outlet for liquid flowing from reservoir 30 to compartment 75. Hole 2
50a receives at its upper end a second tubular body 254 which is closed at its uppermost end as shown at 254a and has a relatively small circular orifice 255 in the side wall of the collapsed portion. . Through the holes provided in this way, the liquid in the cylinder 242 is not simply passed through the lower end of the hole 250b, but is positioned so that the center line is at the desired equilibrium liquid level of the liquid 78. It also communicates with the liquid body in tank compartment 75 through a small transverse orifice 256 . The effect of this structure is that as long as the supplied concentrate remains in the reservoir 30, the liquid level of the concentrate maintained in the receiving compartment 75 will tend to stabilize approximately in the center of the hole 256. be. That is, as long as the liquid has accumulated to or above the liquid level, the air inlet passage provided to the container 30 through the still exposed portion of the hole 256 will allow air bubbles to enter the enclosure cylinder 242. is too narrow (due to the surface tension of water or otherwise) to make this possible. Thus, no air reaches the top of the container 30 and the partial vacuum maintained at the top prevents liquid from being discharged into the compartment 75 through either the tubular body 252 or the hole 256. However, it should be understood that once the displacement piston (Figure 4) has been lowered sufficiently to flood a significant amount of concentrate into the mixing compartment, it is then removed by the weighted float (i.e. from the mixing compartment). Once raised again (as a result of the solution being extracted), the liquid remaining in the compartment 75 (when not replenished) will be reduced below its initial level. However, once this begins to occur, hole 256 will no longer be covered and a stream of small air bubbles will pass from this hole through orifice 255 to the top of container 30. In this way, the vacuum within the container is broken and liquid can thus be released through the tubular body 252. This situation will continue until the liquid level in compartment 75 reaches again into hole 256, at which time air flow will cease and a new stable condition will exist. The liquid control device just described is particularly advantageous in avoiding large undulations of incoming air and outgoing liquid at any time.

That is, the series of small bubbles that develop in the narrow passageways formed by holes 256 and 255, combined with the limited liquid flow that can occur through tubular body 252, creates a vacuum-controlled liquid supply system. This prevents the severe ``glugging'' that is often seen in chambers 70. This event then causes the concentrate to spill over the bridging portion 75b of the wall (FIG. 4) and thus reduces the proportion of solution created in the compartment 70. disturbances severe enough to cause unpredictable fluctuations in
That is, it prevents sag from occurring on the liquid level in the compartment 75. What is believed to be sufficient to allow such operation is that the holes 255 and 256 as well as the holes in the tubular body 252 are designed to be relatively small compared to the cross-section of the main passage within the cylinder 242. A good result in the particular case is that cylinder 242 has an inside diameter of approximately 1 inch, and holes 252, 255, and 256 are 1/4 inch and 6.35 mm, respectively. (1/4 inch) and 3/3 inch (9.525 mm). Although the invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments,
It should be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.

For example, for special purposes, the float 80 can be individually floated 2
Divided into sections, one section controls the off-on function of the water supply and the other section controls the lever arms 145 and 165.
It doesn't matter if it is controlled. Coordination of these functions is, of course, maintained by the fact that both floating parts move synchronously with the rise and fall of the water level in the tank compartment 70.
Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims cover all modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the external appearance of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the device in FIG. 1 with a part of the top structure cut out and enlarged from the same figure, and FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing all the elements in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 3 (with the upper part cut away);
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the assembly of some of the main functional parts shown in FIGS. 1 to 5; and FIG. A detailed cross-sectional view showing a part of the structure shown on the left hand side of FIG. 4 and enlarged from the same figure, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8. , FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9A--9A of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a rough cross-sectional view taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 40... "Secondary liquid supply device", 48...
..."Primary liquid supply device", 70... "First compartment", 75... [Second compartment], 75b...
... "Point" in Claim 1 B1, 78...
... "Secondary liquid", 80 ... "Float", 120
・・・・・・Claim 1A, 4 “control device”, 125・・・・・・“liquid supply control device”, 145
・・・・・・“Apparatus” in Claim 1D, 20
0..."Piston".

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A first liquid supply device 48 that introduces the primary liquid into the first compartment 70, a float 80 that moves up and down according to the level of the primary liquid in the first compartment, and a float 80 that introduces the primary liquid into the first compartment 70; Next, the float activates the first liquid supply device when the liquid decreases to a predetermined minimum liquid level and deactivates the first liquid supply device when the primary liquid increases to a predetermined maximum liquid level. a liquid supply control device 125 connected to the liquid supply controller 125, which causes the primary liquid to flow into the application conduit 60 when the liquid level in the first compartment reaches the highest level, and when the liquid level in the first compartment reaches the lowest level; a control device 120 for preventing said liquid from flowing into the application conduit; and a bridging portion for causing a secondary liquid in a second compartment disposed adjacent to said first compartment to overflow into said first compartment. 75b, a secondary liquid supply device 40 for maintaining a constant level of the secondary liquid in the second compartment, and a secondary liquid supply device 40 extending downwardly into the second compartment to supply the secondary liquid to the second compartment. a vertically movable piston 20 that overflows from the bridge portion and mixes with the primary liquid stored in the first compartment;
0, and a connecting member 145 that raises the piston as the liquid level in the first compartment decreases and depresses the piston as the liquid level in the first compartment increases. Mixing and dispensing equipment.