US1659258A - Liquid measuring and dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 14, 1928.

1,659,258 J. T. GREELEY ET AL LIQUID MEASURING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES T. GREELEY AND ORVILLE W. BRUNELL, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

LIQUID MEASURING AND Application filed April 3,

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for therapid and ac: curate delivery of measured volumes ot liquids, inchiding the rapid and aseptic de livery of charges oi vaccine or serum to small ampules or containers.

Another object is to provide a charge delivering or dispensing apparatus, adapted to be so adjusted that the volume of the delivered charges may be varied from time to time, as occasion may require.

The above-mentioned and other related objects are attained by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention, parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig ure 1, and an elevation of parts at the right of said line.

Figure 3 an enlargement of a portion of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a different condition.

Figure 5 isa section on line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing portions of the piston-operating mechanism hereinafter described.

Figure 7 is a perspective view, showing the ai'itomatic stop motion hereinafter described.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing a modification.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The drawings show an apparatus suitable for charging small ampules or other containers, such as the well known collapsible tubes, with liquid vaccine or serum. We desire it understood, however, that certain features of this invention are particularly adapted to measuring of larger volumes of liquids and discharging the same into containers.

12 designates a fixed body having a cylindrical bore 13, said body and bore forming a pump barrel. 14 designates a reciprocating piston movable in the barrel and provided with a rod 15, which is movable in a fixed guide 16.

17 designates a fixed dispensing outlet,

downward, and preferably supported by an extension of the body 12.

18 designates a valved suction conduit,

communirating with a source of liquid supply, such as a liquid reservoir and. communicatin also with the lower end portion of the pump barrel. The reservoir is located above the lower end portion of the barrel, and is connected therewith by the suction conduit 18 and an extension thereof, such as the passage 32, hereinafter described, so that liquid flows by gravity to, and submergesthe lower end of the barrel.

20 designates a valved exhaust conduit, communicating at one end with the end portion of the barrel with which the suction conduit con'n'nunicates, and at its opposite end with the dispensing outlet 17.

The suction conduit 18 includes a valve seat 21 (Figures 3 and 4). The valve 22 of said conduit is adapted to be opened, as shown by Figure 4, by movement of liquid in the suction conduit, induced by a suction stroke of the piston 14, and is adapted to be closed on the seat 21, as shown by Figure 3, by the force of liquid expelled from the barrel by the exhaust stroke of the piston, a spring 23 being provided to aid in the closing of the valve.

The exhaust conduit 20 includes a valve seat 24. The valve 25 of this conduit is adapted to be closed on its seat, as shown by Flgi'lie d, by a spring 26, when a flow ot liquid into the barrel is induced. by the suction stroke ol the piston. The exhaust conduit 20 and the dispensing outlet 17 are, therefore, closed, and the suction conduit is opened during the suction stroke, and the suction conduit 18 is closed and the exhaust conduit 20 opened during the exhaust stroke.

lVe provide operating mechanism including a reciprocating member 28, engaged with the piston-rod, and adapted to impart unvarying suction and exhaust strokes to the piston, 14;, the arrangement being such that a suction stroke draws liquid through the suction conduit 18 to the barrel, and the following exhaust stroke expels a measured charge of liquid through the exhaust c011- duit 20 and from the dispensing outlet 17.

As gases may be drawn in with, or liberated from the liquids measured, and accumulate in the pump barrel, we provide the pump barrel with a vent 29, located below and in close proximity to the piston when the latter is at the end of its suction stroke, as shown by Figure 1.

During the initial part of the exhaust stroke, the piston ejects the gases and may eject a small amount of liquid through the vent, the latter being closed by the piston during the major or succeeding part of the exhaust stroke. The expulsion of a measured charge commences when the vent is closed, the volume of said charge depending on the exhausting movement of the piston,

fter the closing of the vent. The ejected gases and any liquid ejected therewith may be utilized to agitate liquid in the reservoir 19, so that in case the liquid is a vaccine, consisting of bodies of killed bacteria and a saline solution in which the bodies are suspended, the suspended material may be so distributed that the number of killed bacteria in each charge or dose remains constant. Further distribution is accomplished by the movement of the liquid through the suction conduit. The suction and exbaust conduits are preferably formed in the body 12, as shown by F igure 1, although they may be provided by the modified construction shown by Figure 8, in which 18 designates the suction conduit, 20 the exhaust conduit, 12 the barrel, and 19 the storage reservoir.

In the preferred embodiment of the inven-- tion the suction and discharge conduits communicate with the barrel through a short passage or port 32, opening into one side of the barrel. r

In the modification (Figure 8) said conduits communicate with the barrel through an intermediate conduit portion 32, opening into an open end of the barrel.

The operating mechanism which includes the reciprocating head or member 28, also includes a rotary shaft 35, ournaled in bearings on a frame, which supports the body 1.2, and connections between said shaft and the member 28, adapted to transmit reciprocating movements of unvarying amplitude to said members. Said connections in this instance, include a disk 36, fixed tothe shaft, an eccentric wrist-pin 37, carried by the disk, a rock-shaft 38, ournal-ed in hearings in standards 39, constituting members of the frame, an arm 40, fixed to the rock-shaft, a rod 41, connecting the arm 40 with the wrist-- pin, arms 42, fixed to the rock-shaft, and rods 43, connecting the arms 42 with opposite ends of the member 28.

Theshaft 35 is to be driven by an electric motor or other source of constant speed, the casing of which is designated by 44, and the shaft by 45 (Figure 1). Coupled 46 to the motor shaft is a shaft 47, having a. worm 48, meshingwith a worm gear 49, on the shaft The gear 49 is preferably loose on the shaft 35, and detachably engaged therewith by a clutch mechanism including members which are normally interengaged and are automatically separated after each complete rotation of the shaft and when the piston is at the end of its suction stroke, so that after the piston has expelled a charge and drawn another charge .intothe barrel,'the rotation of the shaft 35 and the operation of the pump cease, until interengagement of the clutch members is permitted by means provided for that purpose.

YAny so called automatic stop motion may be employed for the purpose above stated.

Figures 1 and 7 show a suitable stop motion which ineludesa clutch member provided by a recess or socket 50, formed in the hub of the loose gear 49, and a complemental clutch member provided by a bolt 51, carried by a disk or sleeve 52, fixed to the shaft 35. The bolt 51 is movable endwise in a trans verse guidmvay 53, in the sleeve 52, and is pressed. by a spring 54, toward the loose gear 49, the arrangement being such that when the bolt is unrestrained, it is projected by the spring toward the gear which rotates continuously, so that when the recess 50 coincides with the bolt, the latter is projected into the recess, the sleeve and the shaft 35 being thus interlocked with and rotated by the gear 49.

As here shown, the bolt 51 is automatically retracted from the recess 50, when the bolt reaches a given point in its orbit, by a wedge 56, formed on a bar 57, which is pivoted at 58 to a fixed support. 'The wedge 56 rests loosely on the bottom of a peripheralgroove 52, in the sleeve 52, and is in the path of a shoulder 59 on the bolt 51, so that when the shoulder, moving in the direction ofthe arrow X (Figure 7) strikes the wedge, the bolt is retracted.

The free end of the bar 57 is connected by a link 60, with the shorter arm of a lever 61. which is fulcrumcd at 62 and has a longer arm adapted to be depressed by the operator to raise the bar 57,and release the bolt 51, a spring 63 being provided to yicldingly hold the bar on the bottom of the groove 52. The bar 57 may be confined by any suitable means, in a raised inoperative position, when a continuous or uninterruptedoperation of the apparatus is desired.

The arrangementdis such that the clutch members are automatically disconnected, as described, when the piston is at the end of. its suction stroke, the piston beingraised.

To prevent the piston from gravitating downwardwhen the shaft 35 is loose, we provide a counterweight 64, which is preferably aweighted arm fixed to the rock-shaft 38, and arranged to counterbalance the piston.

An important feature ofthe invention is an adjustable connection between the piston Ill!) rod 15 and the reciprocating member 28, whereby the piston may be longitudinally adjusted relative to said members, so that the limit of its exhaust or downward stroke may be varied to vary the volume of the charge expelled during the exhaust stroke. Said connection is preferably provided by a tapped orifice at 66 (Figure 2), in the reciprocating member 28, and a screw-threaded portion at 67, on the piston-rod engaging the internal thread of the tapped orifice, so that the rotation of the rod changes the iongitudinal position of the piston. The rod is preferably provided with a knob or handle (58, whereby it may be rotated, and with a lock-nut 69, adapted to prevent its accidental rotation.

To determine the longitudinal adjustn'ient of the piston required for any given measure-- ment, we provide a fixed indicator which is preferably a plate 70, fixed to the member 28, and provided with a graduated scale 71, adapted to cooperate with the knob 68.

In practice the piston is so adjusted that at the end of the suction or upward stroke, the lower end of the piston is above the vent 29, so that gases which may accumulate in the cylinder above the liquid therein will be expelled through the vent. The quantity of liquid expelled during the exhaust or downward stroke, depends on the extent of the downward movement of the piston after it has closed the vent.

In order that the portion of the piston rod 15, which is exposed between the member 2% and the guide 16, may not contaminate the solution in the barrel, we surround said portion by a flexible rubber sleeve 72, which is impervious to air, and has air-tight connections at 73 and 7 l with the member 28 and guide 16. An hermetic aseptic seal is thus formed, preventing access to the exposed portion of the piston-rod of external air, which may be contaminated, so that con tamination cannot be conveyed by the rod into the barrel.

Another form of aseptic seal may be provided by an absorbent packing 7 5, associated with the guide 16, and saturated with a sterilizing medium, the guide being in the form of a stuffing-box, and the packing 7 5 being confined by the body and gland of said box.

The air necessarily admitted to the storage reservoir 19 to replace liquid withdrawn therefrom, may pass through a duct 76 (Figure 1), communicating with the top of the storage reservoir. The duct con tains an electrically heated resistance coil 77, adapted to. sterilize the entering air. The duct may contain, also, a filter 78, located at the intake end of the duct.

It will be seen that when the piston is once adjusted to deliver a predetermined amount of liquid, the same amount will be delivered during each exhaust stroke, until the piston is readjusted, and that the accuracy of the apparatus is not dependent on the judgment of the operator.

The supporting frame preferably includes a base 80, and a housing 81, supported by the base, and supporting the standards 39.

The body 12, is preferably detachably connccted by screws 82, with an arm 83, sup ported by the standards 39. Provision is thus made for the detachment from the supporting frame of all parts with which the sera, vaccine, or other liquids come in contact, so that said parts may be convenient- 1y sterilized.

lVe claim:

1. A liquid-measuring and dispensing apparatus comprising a pump including a barrel and a piston having a rod; a fixed guide for said rod; a dispensing outlet; valved suction and exhaust conduits communicating' with an end portion of the barrel, the suction conduit communicating with a source of liquid supply and the exhaust conduit with the dispensing outlet, and operating mechanism including a reciprocating member engaged with said rod and adapted to impart unvarying suction and exhaust strokes to the piston; the arrangement being such that a suction stroke draws liquid through the suction conduit to the barrel, and the following exhaust stroke expels a measured charge of liquid from the dispensing outlet, the valves of said conduits being adapted to close the exhaust conduit during the suction stroke, and to close the suction conduit during the exhaust stroke, the barrel being provided with a vent communicating with the suction conduit and located below the piston when the latter is at the end of the suction stroke, and closed by the piston before the major part of the exhaust stroke, so that gases in the barrel are ejected therefrom during the initial part of the exhaust stroke, and before the expulsion of the measured charge.

2. A liquid-measuring and dispensing apparatus, comprising a supporting frame, a body fixed to the frame and including a pump barrel, a dispensing outlet, and valved suction and exhaust conduits coinniunieating with an end portion of the barrel, the exhaust conduit communicating with the dis pensing outlet, a storage reservoir supported above the pump barrel to supply the latter with a constant source of liquid, at all times submerging the pump barrel and communicating with the suction conduit, said reservoir having a piston-rod guide, a piston in said barrel having a rod movable in said guide; the barrel being provided with a vent communicating with the suction conduit, so that gases and surplus liquids in the barrel are ejected into the suction conduit during the initial part of the exhaust stroke, and are conducted by the suction all times subi'ncrging into the reservoir to agitate liquid therein.

conduit into the reservoir to agitate liquid therein. i v

3. A liquid-measuring and dispensing apparatus comprising a supporting.frame, a body fixed to the frame and including a pump barrel, a dispensing outlet, and valved suction and exhaust. conduits communicating with an end portion 0:13 the barrel, the exhaust conduit communicating with the dispensing outlet, a storage reservoir, supported above the pump barrel to supply the latter with a constant source of liquid, at the pump barrel and communicating with the suction conduit, ,aid reservoir having a piston-rod guide, a piston in said barrel having a rod movable in said guide; the barrel being provided with a vent coimminicating with the suction conduit, so that gases and surplus liquids in the barrel are ejected into the suction conduit dining the initial part of the exhaust stroke, and are conducted by the suction conduit 4. A liquid-measuring and dispensing apparatus, comprising a fixed pump barrel, a dispensing outlet, a reciprocating piston and operating mechanism including a reciprocating member rigidly connected with the piston, and means for imparting reciprocating movements of unvarying amplitude to said member, to impart unvarying suction and exhaust strokes tothe piston, means being provided for connecting the barrel with a source of liquid supply during a suction stroke, and with the dispensing outlet during the exhaust stroke, so that each exhaust stroke forces a measured charge through the outlet, the barrel being provided with a vent which is open during the initial part of the exhaust stroke, and closed by the )iston durin the succeedin art of said #3 ti 7 stroke.

In testimony whereof we have aflixed our signatures.

JAMES T. GREELEY. ORVILLE V. BRUNELL.

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