GB2165524A - Device for metering and dispensing liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for metering and dispensing liquid has a metering chamber with an inlet (22) and an outlet (16). A valve seal (20) closes the inlet (22) and a seal (24) closes the outlet (16). The seals (20) and (24) are mounted on a valve arm (18) which moves between a first position where the inlet is open and the outlet is closed and a second position where the outlet is open and the inlet is closed. The valve arm (18) is pivoted on an axis (52), and an operating arm (70) is pivoted on the same axis and has an over centre mechanism which acts to provide a snap-action movement for moving the arm (18) between its two end positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for metering and dispensing liquids Field of the invention This invention relates to a device for metering and dispensing liquids and is particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for dispensing potable spirits at a bar.

Background to the invention Spirit measures are known for use at bars. They generally comprise a measuring chamber positioned below a bottle of spirit. The chamber has an inlet valve at the top and an outlet valve at the bottom and is operated by raising a glass which is to receive the measured quantity of spirit against projecting fingers around the bottom of the chamber. Upward movement of the glass against these fingers opens the outlet valve from the chamber and closes the inlet valve between the spirit bottle and the chamber, so that the content of the chamber can be dispensed into the glass.

The operator has to watch the outflow of liquid to know when to take the glass away. When an operator is in a hurry, as is frequently the case at a bar, it is possible to remove the glass and thereby to close the outlet valve before the chamber is fully drained. The spirit measure itself gives no indication to the operator that it has been operated incorrectly, and thus unintentional maloperation is possible.

Summary of the invention According to the present invention, there is provided a device for metering and dispensing liquid, the device having a metering chamber with an inlet and an outlet and valves for closing both the inlet and the outlet, the valve closures for both inlet and outlet valves being mounted on a common valve member which is able to be snapped over between a first position where the outlet is closed and the inlet is open and a second position where the inlet is closed and the outlet is open, the device having a spindle, rotation of which causes the valve member to move between its first and second positions, and an operating arm mounted for rotation about the spindle axis and movable about the axis to actuate a snap rotational movement of the spindle to produce a snap over movement of the common valve member.

The snap over action is desirable to produce some feedback to the operator indicating that the device is in its dispensing or refilling mode. The mounting of the operating arm on the spindle provides a compact assembly. In addition there are fewer stressed components since the reaction forces are brought back to a common axis rather than being transmitted through separate axes and a joining component, and there is additionally a lower requirement for component accuracy since there are fewer components involved in the system and they are all related to a common axis.

An auxiliary arm is preferably mounted fast on the spindle, outside the chamber, so that rotational movement of the arm results in rotational movement of the spindle, and vice versa. The operating arm is however free to turn about the spindle axis without causing rotational movement of the spindle itself.

The auxiliary arm and the operating arm are preferably linked by an overcentre mechanism which provides the snap-over action. The overcentre mechanism can be provided by a spring acting between the auxiliary arm and the operating arm and tending to force apart at adjacent ends of these arms. The spring is preferably a C-shaped leaf spring.

The operating arm may have a spring biasing it into a rest position.

In one embodiment of the invention, the common valve member can be mounted on the spindle and thus performs an arcuate movement when the spindle rotates, between its first and second positions.

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the common valve member can be guided for rectilinear movement in the chamber between its first and second positions, and a separate actuating arm can then be mounted on and rotate with the spindle and can have an end remote from the spindle which engages with the valve member and which produces rectilinear movement of the valve member of rotation of the arm.

The snap-over action of the spindle may be combined with interlocks which act so that the common valve member can only be moved to close the inlet valve and open the outlet valve to dispense liquid when liquid is present above the inlet valve and when there is no flow through the inlet, and so that the arm can only return to its initial position where the outlet valve is closed when there is no liquid remaining in the chamber.

This combination of interlocks and snap action makes the device very easy to use accurately, because the arm will only snap over at the beginning and end of each operation, and the snap over feature provides a clear indication to the operator that dispensing is complete and that the glass may be removed.

The interlocks may be provided by a first float associated with the inlet and a second float associated with the outlet, the floats being able to take up positions dictated by the liquid to prevent or allow movement of the common valve member. The first float can be free to move in a filler neck leading into the inlet, between a position adjacent the inlet when there is no liquid in the neck and a position away from the inlet when there is liquid in the neck.

The second float associated with the outlet is preferably pivotally mounted on an axis on the common valve arm and includes a buoyant chamber spaced from this axis. The float has laterally extending lugs which co-operate with recesses in the metering chamber wall to prevent or allow arm movement.

Brief description of drawings The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a liquid metering and dispensing device in accordance with the invention, with the body of the device shown in section; Figure 2 is an enlarged section through a seal for the device; Figures 3a, 3b, 3c, show three stages in the outlet valve interlock operation, Figure 4 is a view on the arrow A from Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side view of part of the device showing the operating mechanism; Figure 6 is an exploded view of a liquid metering and dispensing device in accordance with second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a sectional view through the assembled device of Figure 6; and Figure 8 is an external view of the device of Figures 6 and 7.

Description of preferred embodiment The device in Figure 1 has a body 10 which defines an internal chamber 12. The volume of the internal chamber 12 is dimensioned so as to accommodate a certain volume of liquid to be dispensed in one operation of the device. The body includes a filler neck 14 to which a liquid reservoir will be attached, and an outlet 16.

The device shown in the drawings is intended for use as a spirit measure for dispensing measured quantities of potable spirits, and a bottle of the appropriate spirit may be inverted above the filler neck 14, in a manner already known.

Within the chamber 12, there is a pivotally mounted valve arm 18. The arm carries a first seal 20 which can be moved against an inlet aperture 22 to form an inlet seal, and a second seal 24 which is shown in its sealing position against an outlet aperture 26. An operating mechanism, which will be described later, operates to move the lever arm 18 smartly, with a snap action, from the end position shown in Figure 1 to an opposite end position in which the seal 20 seals the inlet aperture 22 and the seal 24 is clear of the outlet aperture 26.

It will thus be seen that in the position shown in Figure 1 spirit from the bottle or other reservoir above the filler neck 14 will fill the chamber 12 and the filler neck 14. When the device is operated, the arm 18 will snap across closing the inlet opening 22 and opening the outlet 26. The measured quantity of liquid in the chamber 12 will then be dispensed through the outlet 16. It is necessary for air to be admitted to the chamber if the liquid is to be dispensed, and this is made possible by the provision of an air valve 28. When the arm 18 is in its raised position, a lug 30 at its top end contacts a cam 32, and the cam acts on a plunger of the air valve allowing it to open against a biasing force provided by a spring 34. As soon as the arm 18 returns to the position shown in Figure 1, the spring 34 will close the air valve 28 again.Once the arm returns to the position of Figure 1, the inlet opening 22 will again be opened and the emptied chamber 12 can be refilled with liquid.

The device shown incorporates interlocks which prevent operation of the device when the reservoir has been emptied and when the chamber 12 is therefore less than completely full. To achieve this condition, a float 36 is movable vertically in the filler neck 14 and is guided by a vertical guide plate 38. The guide plate 38 also acts as a flow splitter, i.e. air passes up the front side to replace the liquid withdrawn from the bottle above, as the liquid passes down the back. Under normal conditions, when the filler neck 14 is full of liquid, the float 36 will rise above the position shown in the Figure, and there will be no impediment to movement of the arm 18 in an anti-clockwise direction.

However, should there be no liquid in the filler neck 14, because the reservoir above is empty, then the flat 36 will drop to the position shown in the Figure and anti-clockwise movement of the arm 18 will be prevented as a result of a plunger pin 40 on the arm abutting the float. The flat is shaped so that it will also take up its lower position shown in Figure 1 whilst there is flow through the filler neck 14, and thus the device cannot be operated whilst the chamber 12 is in the process of being filled. The float 36 rises once filling is completed and there is no longer any movement of liquid in the filler neck.

The interlock on the outlet from the chamber uses a float 42. This float is pivoted at 44 to the valve arm 18. The right-hand limbs of the float have laterally projecting lugs 46 which engage in shaped recesses 48 in the walls of the chamber 12.

The operation of this float will become clearer from reference to Figures 3a to 3c. The buoyancy of the float 42 is concentrated in a float chamber 50. When the chamber 12 is full of liquid, this chamber 50 will tend to rise and the float as a whole will tend to turn in a clockwise direction about the axis 44. However, as can be seen in Figure 3a, the lugs 46 are (when the arm 18 is lowered as in Figure 1) restrained from moving in this clockwise direction by abutment with the adjacent wall of the recess 48. The float therefore takes up the position shown in Figures 1 and 3a.

When the device is operated, the arm 18 is raised (i.e. turned anti-clockwise about its own axis 52). Because of the abutment between the lug 46 and the adjacent wall of the recess 48, this raising movement is accompanied by an anti-clockwise movement of the float 42 about the float pivot 44 which is formed on the arm 18. This movement therefore causes the float as a whole to take up the position shown in Figure 3b. However, once the lever 18 has reached its upper end position, the lugs 46 reach a position above a shoulder 54 in the recesses 48, and clockwise movement of the float about its pivot 44 can take place to reach the position of Figure 3c. This position is taken up provided that the float chamber 50 is surrounded by liquid in which it is buoyant. Because the lugs 46 (see Figure 3c) are now above the shoulder 54, the arm 18 cannot drop, and the outlet valve cannot therefore be closed whilst there is still liquid in the chamber 12. This feature ensures that the device cannot be operated without dispensing the full volume of liquid contained in the chamber 12.

Once the chamber is empty however, there is no liquid to support the float chamber 50, and the float turns anti-clockwise about its pivot 44. The position of Figure 3b is once again taken up. in this position the lug 46 is clear of the shoulder 54, and so the arm 18 can drop to the closed pOsition.

A pimple 54 is provided at the base of the flat chamber 50 to prevent the float being held down against the bottom of the chamber 12 by surface tension or sticky residues.

The seals which effect closing of the inlet and outlet of the device are of a special design shown in more detail in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a seal 60 fitted at the end of a spigot 62, and in proximity to a seat 64 which it is adapted to seal. The seal has a flexible outer skirt 66, the diameter of which is slightly larger than the diameter of the aperture in the seat 64. For example, if the aperture in seat 64 has a diameter of 12mm, the skirt 66 may have a diameter of 14.5mm. As the seal moves in a valve closing direction, the lower tip of the skirt 66 will first come into contact with the seat 64 effecting an initial closure. However, further movement of the seal into the seat will cause the skirt 66 to be deflected against the surface 64, and a tight seal will result over a range of relative positions of the spigot 62 and the seat 64.Once the spigot 62 reaches its further most position, movement on either side of this position will be tolerated without disturbing the tight seal between the seal member 60 and the seat. Although the valve arm 18 is intended to snap over between its two end positions, it is possible that attempted operation of the device whilst one or other of the interlocks is in operation, could cause some movement of the arm 18, and the construction of the seal 60 ensures that such movement will not open either the inlet or the outlet, as the case may be, of the device.

The snap-over action of the valve member 18 is produced by means of the arrangement shown in Figure 5. An operating arm 70 which is mounted for free rotation of a shaft extending along the axis 52 projects below the outlet 16 of the device. A glass which is to be filled with liquid from the device is held below the outlet 16 and is pressed laterally against the operating arm 70 as indicated by arrow B, to operate the device, and this has the advantage that operation is effected without the rim of the glass touching any part of the device.

An auxiliary arm 72 is also mounted on the shaft on axis 52. This auxiliary arm is however, mounted on a squared section of the shaft, and it will be noted from Figure 1 that the arm 18 is also mounted on a squared section. The arms 72 and 18 therefore move together. Rotational movement of the operating arm 70 is limited by a radial pin 74 which moves between two stops 76 and 78 on the casing of the device.

The upper ends of the arms 70 and 72 each bear a pin 80 and 82 respectively. These pins lie parallel to one another and overlap in an axial sense. A spring loop 84 is connected between the pins 80 and 82, and provides the snap-over movement.

When the operating arm 70 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow B, the arm will turn in a clockwise direction about axis 52. The spring 84 will provide a force through pin 82 onto the secondary arm 72 trying to turn this arm clockwise also. However, because the arm 18 is in the end position shown in Figure 1, neither the arm 18 nor the arm 72 can actually move in that direction. As the operating arm 70 continues to move, the pin 80 will pass across a line connecting the axis 52 to the pin 82, and once this central position is passed the spring 84 will provide a force pushing the pin 82 and the arm 72 and the valve arm 18 in an anticlockwise direction. Because of the construction of the spring 84, this movement will be rapid.

A conventional torsion spring (not shown) acts on the operating arm 70 about the axis 52 and causes the arm 70 to be returned to the position of Figure 5 as soon as a force in the direction of arrow B is removed. Normally this force will continue to be applied all the time liquid is being dispensed through the outlet 16, and the arm will only be released once the complete measure has been dispensed. However, even if the arm should be released early, before the full measure has been dispensed, the valve 18 will not move until the complete measure has been dispensed because of the presence of the interlocks which were described with reference to Figures 3a, 3b and 3c.

Figure 1 also shows that the chamber 12 is formed entirely in a main body portion 90 of the device. The main body portion has an open side at the right in Figure 1, and the correct volume to be dispensed will be that volume contained within the chamber 12, when this is fitted with the arm 18 and other internal components, and when the open side of the main body portion is closed by a flat plate 92. The flat plate 92 which thus forms a body closure portion has no function other than to close the body, and thus the assembly of this plate to the rest of the body can be carried out as a final stage in manufacture. Whilst the body is thus open on one side, the operation of all the internal mechanism can be thoroughly tested.If desired "personalised" plates 92 bearing advertising material can be used without complicating the production process because the main body portion 90 will be common to all devices produced, whatever the advertising material appearing on the closure plate 92. The plate may be clear to allow the contents of the measure to be seen. Additionally, the plate 92 could be other than flat if devices having a range of liquid capacities are to be produced. The plate 92 may be outwardly domed to increase the capacity or inwardly shaped to reduce volume, but the main body portion and its internal components can be identical for all devices irrespective of their capacity, the capacity only being finally determined when an appropriate closure plate 92 is added to the sub-assembly as a final manufacturing stage.

The embodiment shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 is similar in principle to that shown in Figures 1 to 5.

Where parts shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 correspond to parts already shown and described in connection with Figures 1 to 5, those parts are designated by a reference numeral formed by adding 100 to the previously used reference number.

The significant differences between the two embodiments are that in the second embodiment there are no interlocks for controlling when the device can be operated, and also the common valve member 118 moves in a rectilinear path within the chamber, rather than along an arcuate path as in the first embodiment.

The internal chamber of the device is formed by two main housing parts 110 and 111 which are welded together along their mating faces to define a chamber which is open at the front. To close the chamber, a front plate 192 is welded in place.

The valve member 118 has synthetic elastomer seals 120 and 124 at its opposite ends and these seat against corresponding seats at the top and bottom of the chamber. The valve member is guided for rectilinear movement within the chamber by guides 113 adjacent the upper and lower chamber openings.

To produce the required up and down movement of the valve member 118, an actuating arm 119 is mounted on a squared part of the spindle 152 where the spindle traverses the chamber.

Thus, as the spindle rotates so will the arm 119 rotate. The end of the arm 119 remote from the spindle is formed in a circular configuration and is received inside a correspondingly shaped recess 121 in the valve member 118. As the actuating arm turns, so it lifts or lowers the valve member so that the valve member is moved between the upper and lower valve seats in the chamber.

The auxiliary arm 172 is formed in one piece with the spindle 152, and an overcentre spring mechanism 180, 182, 184 is provided between the operating arm 170 and the auxiliary arm 172, as already described with reference to the first embodiment.

In order to reduce the number of component parts compared with the embodiment of Figure 1, the air vent valve 128 is constructed as a single plastics moulding. The valve has a cylindrical plug portion 129 which passes into the chamber through a square hole 131. A die cut seal 133 is fitted around the plug portion 129. When the plug is in its lowermost position, the seal 133 closes the square hole 131. However, once the plug is raised, the seal lifts and opens vent passages between the periphery of the square hole and the cylindrical plug portion. An upper portion of the valve 128 takes the form of a two-armed leaf spring 135. The upper ends of the leaf spring arms bear against the internal faces of two housing halves 137 and 139, and this can be seen in Figure 7.When the valve member 118 is moved into a raised position, the bottom end of the plug portion 129 bears against a saddle 141 on the valve member and this causes the plug portion to be raised against the spring pressure provided by the arms 135 until the seal 133 lifts away from the hole 131 to provide an air vent passage from the chamber. When the valve member 118 is lowered again, the pressure exerted by the spring arms 135 causes the valve to close again.

The housing halves 137 and 139 are placed around the mechanism as a final stage of assembly. They prevent unauthorised tampering with the mechanism and, in addition, they can be provided with matching apertures 145 through which a seal 147 can be passed, so that tampering with the device cannot occur unless the seal is first broken.

The device shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 therefore provides a simplified version of the device shown in Figures 1 to 5 which still incorporates a number of the advantages of that device, particularly the use of a single axis for all operational functions.

Claims (1)

1. A device for metering and dispensing liquid, the device having a metering chamber with an inlet and an outlet and valves for closing both the inlet and the outlet, the valve closures for both inlet and outlet valves being mounted on a common valve member which is able to be snapped over between a first position where the outlet is closed and the inlet is open and a second pbsition where the inlet is closed and the outlet is open, the device having a spindle, rotation of which causes the valve member to move between its first and second positions, and an operating arm mounted for rotation about the spindle axis and movable about the axis to actuate snap rotational movement of the spindle to produce a snap over movement of the common valve member.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an auxiliary arm is mounted fast on the spindle, outside the chamber.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the auxiliary arm and the operating arm are iinked by an overcentre mechanism which provides the snap action.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the overcentre mechanism is provided by a spring acting between the operating arm and the auxiliary arm the to urge adjacent ends of the arms apart.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the spring is a C-shaped leaf spring.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including spring means biasing the operating arm to a rest position.

7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the common valve member is mounted on the spindle and performs an arcuate movement between the first and second positions.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the common valve member is guided for rectilinear movement in the chamber between its first and second end positions, and an actuating arm is mounted on and rotates with the spindle and has an end remote from the spindle which engages with the valve member and which causes rectilinear movement of the valve member on rotation of the arm.

9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the common valve member can only be moved to close the inlet valve and open the outlet valve to dispense liquid when liquid is present above the inlet valve, and when there is no flow through the inlet, and wherein the common valve member can only be returned to its initial position when the outlet valve is closed where there is no liquid remaining in the chamber.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first float is associated with the inlet and a second float with the outlet, and the floats take up positions dictated by the liquid to prevent or allow movement of the valve member.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, wherein a filler neck leads into the inlet to the chamber, and the first float is free to move in this neck between a position adjacent the inlet when there is no liquid in the neck, and a position away from the inlet when there is liquid in the neck.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the valve closure for the inlet includes a finger projecting through the inlet and, when the first float is in its position adjacent to the inlet, the float interferes with the finger to prevent closure of the inlet valve.

13. A device as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the float is shaped so that it takes up its position adjacent to the inlet when liquid is flowing through the filler neck.

14. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including an air vent valve to the chamber, and wherein the common valve member is arranged to open the vent valve when the valve member moves to allow liquid to be dispensed.

15. A device as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the second float is pivotally mounted on the axis on the common valve arm.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second float includes a buoyant chamber spaced from the axis.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the second float has laterally extending lugs which cooperate with recesses in the metering chamber wall to prevent or allow arm movement.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the recesses in the metering chamber wall each include a shoulder, and the lugs engage the shoulders to prevent arm movement.

19. A device as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein the buoyant chamber and the lugs are on opposite sides of the pivot axis.

20. A device as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the engagement of the lugs with the recesses prevents pivoting movement of the float until the lugs rise above the shoulders.

21. A device as claimed in any preceeding claim, wherein the metering chamber has a main body incorporating the inlet and the outlet and the valves therefore and a main body closure sealed to the main body to enclose the metering chamber.

22. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the main body closure is a flat plate.

23. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the valve closures are constructed so that movement of the valve arm by an amount less than that needed to snap the arm over will not alter the closed state of whichever valve is closed.

24. A device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the valve closures include seal members having flexible skirts, the flexible skirts being adapted to contact valve seats to provide the necessary seal.

25. A device for metering and dispensing liquid substantially as herein described with reference to any one embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 26/9/ 85 Superseded claims 1 New or amended claims: claim 1

1. A device for metering and dispensing liquid, the device having a metering chamber with an inlet and an outlet and valves for closing both the inlet and the outlet, the valve closures for both inlet and outlet valves being mounted on a common valve member which is able to be snapped over between a first position where the outlet is closed and the inlet is openand a second position where the inlet is closed and the outlet is open, the device having a spindle on which the valve member is carried to be driven by rotation of the spindle between its first and second positions, and an operating arm mounted to drive the spindle in rotation and thereby produce snap over movement of the common valve member.