US1998692A - Kneading or mixing device - Google Patents

Description

April 23, 1935. w. J. VAN ROSSEM -r AL; 1,998,692

KNEADIVNGY OR MIXING DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1935. w. J. VAN ROSSEM ET AL 1,998,692

KNEADING OR MIXING DEVICE Fil ed Oct. 10, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES KNEADING OR DEVICE Walter J. van Rossem, Los Angeles, and Laurence E. Harrison, Eagle Rock, Calif., assignors to Oramold Products Corporation, Los Angeles,

Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application October 10 14 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for kneading or mixing substances held in a container. While the apparatus may be used to per-'- form this function in different arts, the device is 5 intended to be particularly useful for dentists in mixing or kneading compositions useful in performing dental work.

The apparatus includes a container preferably in the form of a cylinder or barrel in which the substance to be kneaded is placed. A piston is movably mounted in the cylinder to travel to and fro, and this piston head is provided with perforations through which the substance passes as the piston advances. After the kneading operation has been completed, the piston operates to expel the substance from the cylinder or container.

The general object of this invention is to improve the general construction of devices of this kind and particularly to provide simple means for controlling the perforations so that they may remain open when using the piston to knead the substance in the cylinder and so that they can be closed thereafter to facilitate the expulsion of the substance from the cylinder.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an assembly of parts which can be readily taken apart for cleaning and sterilization. In its construction the device includes a piston rod carrying the piston. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple construction for the device which will enable the rod to be constructed of a single piece and to provide means cooperating with the rod so that at will the perforations can be closed or maintained open.

A further object of the invention is to produce 'a device of this kind in which the piston rod includes an inner rod and an outer tubular rod, and to provide simple means to cooperate with such-a rod to enable the perforations to be maintained opened or closed at will.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind with simple means for controlling the perforations'from the exterior, and for indicating on the exterior of the device, the relation of the perforations, that is to say, for indicating whether the perforations are opened or closed.

A further object of the invention is to produce a device of this kind having a single handle for reciprocating the piston.

Further objects of the invention will appear 'hereinafter. i

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to be described hereinafter,

, 1933, Serial No. 692,936

(Cl. 2591ll3) all of which contribute to produce an efiicient kneading or mixing device.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a. complete kneading device embodying our invention and illustrating the same with the perforations in their open position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken about on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with certain parts broken away, and particularly illustrating the means for holding parts of the piston so that the perforations through the piston will be in a definite relation, that is to say, opened or closed.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. l and further illustrating details of the device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the upper head of the device and illustrating another embodiment of the invention, in which we employ marks on the piston rod and head of the barrel to indicate the relation or condition of the perforations. In this view the upper portion of the piston rod is broken away and the piston head is illustrated in cross section.

Fig. 5 is a section through the piston rod taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing the upper head of the device inplan and illustrating the use of marks on the exterior of this head for enabling the condition of the perforations through the piston to be controlled.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention which dispenses with the use of. marks for indicating the condition of the perforations, and which provides means whereby the parts of the piston can be readily controlled to maintain the perforations opened or closed at will.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and looking upwardly;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken through a portion of a cylinder or barrel and illustrating another embodiment for the piston which enables the perforations through it to be closed or opened at will.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but in this view the section'passes through the piston.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line Iii-40 of Fig.9 and further illustrating details of this embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 4 but |2-l2 of Fig. 11 looking upwardly, and further illustrating details of the embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11 and illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which one of the relatively movable piston plates is maintained yieldingly in different positions on the other plate of the piston. This view particularly illustrates an embodiment of the invention in which the head of the cylinder is utilized to enable the plates of the piston to be shifted relatively to each other so as to open or close the perforations through the piston.

Fig. 14 is a horizontal cross section on the line I l-I4 of Fig. 13 and further illustrating details of the invention.

Fig. 15 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line l-l5 of Fig. 13 and further illustrating details of the piston; and

Fig. 16 is a vertical section taken through a cylinder and illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which the piston head is composed of an imperforate plate and a perforated plate and illustrating a lower head for the cylinder having an extruding orifice formed in the head.

Fig. 1'7 is a horizontal cross-section on the line II--l'l of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a vertical section showing a portion of the barrel of the device and showing a modified construction for the piston partially in section.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18 and illustrating another embodiment of means for yieldingly holding the piston plates in different rotated or oriented positions with respect to each other.

In the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1, the container is in the form of a barrel I having a removable bottom head 2 and removable upper head 3. The bottom head 2 is preferably constructed so that it is quick-acting. For this purpose we prefer to employ a bayonet slot con- 'struction, such as illustrated in Fig. 3, that is to say, I provide the end of the barrel with lugs 4 that are received in under-cut slots 5 in the removable head 2. The device includes a piston 6 which includes two relatively movable perforated parts, the perforations of which may be moved in or out of alignment. The piston is preferably formed of two plates 1 and 8, the latter of which is rigidly attached on the end of an inner piston rod 9 and the former of which is rigidly attached on a tubular rod 10. The rods are guided out through the upper head 3 to the exterior of the device and are provided with a handle for enabling the piston to be reciprocated, and also provided with means for holding the inner rod 9 and the outer rod 18 in different rotative positions with respect to each other. By this means perforations It in the plate I may be made to register with corresponding perforations 12 in the plate 8, and by rotating the plates relative to each other the perforations 12 in the plate 8 may be drawn out of line with each other, thereby closing off communication between the upper chamber l3 and the lower chamber M of the barrel.

Any suitable means may be employed for ro tating the inner and outer piston rods with respect to each other, but, asillustrated in Fig. 1, we provide a handle 15 preferably secured on the end I6 of the inner rod 9, which projects beyond the end of the tubular rod. This handle I5 is preferablyconstructed of bakelite or similar material and may include two opposite radially projecting arms II, which form a good grip for the fingers of the hand in grasping the handle. The handle and the outer tube are preferably provided with means for locking them together so that the perforations are either in alignment with each other or out of alignment. In the present instance, we provide the tubular rod with a resilient lever Hi, the outer portion of which may be received in a radial socket 19 formed in the lower face of the handle. In addition to this, the lower face of the handle is preferably provided with a stop 20. By pulling down on the head 20 at the outer end of the spring lever I8, it can be dislodged from the socket l9 and rotated around until it strikes the stop 20. In this position of the lever I8 the perforations II and I2 will be out of register with each other. This gives the piston the effect of a solid head. After kneading the substance in the cylinder, the lever 18 can be rotated around as indicated and the substance within the cylinder extruded at the lower end of the cylinder, after removing the cap 2.

The handle l5 if constructed of bakelite or similar materal, is preferably provided with a ferrule 2| which is cast at its center. The upper extremity of the inner rod 9 is provided with screw threads 22 which enables a-thumb screw 23 to be screwed down tight onto the ferrule so as to clamp the handle rigidly on the inner rod. The spring arm I8 is preferably formed on a removable collar 24 which may be secured by a set screw 25.

By constructing the device as described, it will be evident that it can be readily taken apart to enable the separate pieces to be cleaned and sterilized. In doing this, the plate 8 with the inner rod 9 can be withdrawn from the tubular rod.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the piston head is composed of an upper plate 26 which is rigidly attached to a} piston rod 21. Thispiston rod is in one piece, that is to say, in this construction we dispensed with any tubular piston rod, such as rod in illustrated in Fig. 1. The plate 26 is countersunk into the upper side .of the lower plate 28 which is loosely mounted on the lower end of the piston rod. This lower plate 28 is provided with one or more projections or teeth 29 which extend above the upper face of the upper plate 26. By pulling the rod upwardly so as to bring the piston head against the inner face of the upper head 30, the projections or teeth 29 can be engaged in corresponding sockets 31 formed in the inner face of the head 30. In this way the plate 28 can be held while the rod 21 is rotated to rotate the plate 26 and throw the perforations 32 and 33 out of alignment with each other. In other words, in this embodiment of the invention, we provide the loose plate 28 and the head 30 with correlated interlocking means to enable the plate to be held fixed when this rotation is taking place.

In order to indicate the condition or relation of the perforations on the interior of the cylinder, we provide the side of the rod with a mark such as the mark 34, and we provide the upper end of the boss of the head 30 with two radial marks and 36. When the mark 34 is in alignment with the mark 36, the operator knows that the perforations 32 and 33 are in alignment. When the mark 34 is in alignment with the mark 35, he knows that. the perforations will be closed.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which the piston comprises a plate 31 and a second plate 33. These plates have a correlated constructloni enabling them to hold themselves in different positions. In one position the perforations will be open and in the other position they will be closed. In order to accomplish this, we prefer to construct the plate 38 as a thin plate of resilient material and we provide it with one or more rounded projections 39 on its under side which may be engaged in the upper ends of the perforations 40 of the plate 37. In this position the perforations in the upper plate 38 are out of register with the perforations 40. In this embodiment of the invention we may provide the same means illustrated in Fig. 4 for effecting relative rotation of the plates 31 and 38. In this connection it should. be understood that plate 38 is loose on the piston rod 4| but the plate 31 is rigid on this rod. The edge of the spring plate 38 may be provided with one or more teeth or dogs 42 to be received in corresponding sockets 43 on the inner face of the cylinder head. By pulling the piston rod out as far as possible, the dogs or teeth 42 can be engaged in the sockets 43 and the rod 4! can then be rotated. This rotation dislodges the rounded projections 39 from the perforations 40 and enables them to be shifted around until they snap into slight depressions or recesses 44 formed in the upper face of the lower plate 31. This holds the perforations of the two plates in register with each other.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, the piston 45 is composed of two rigid plates 46 and 41, which are yieldingly pressed together by a resilient washer or spider 48. In this construction the two plates are relatively movable on the axis of the rod 49, as in the other constructions, but the upper plate 46 of the piston is rigid with the rod. The lower plate is rotatable on an internally threaded hub 50 that is attached to the threaded and reduced lower end of the rod. Under the head of this hub 50, the spider 49 is attached. This spider has a plurality of radial arms 48* which are resilient and the ends of these arms press against the lower face of the plate 41 and hold it up against the upper plate. One of the plates, for example the lower plate 41, is provided with a radial tongue 5|, which is received in a sectorshaped slot 52 in the opposite plate. -By this means the relative movement of the 'plates with respect to each other is limited. In one position the perforations in the two plates will be in alignment with each other. In the other position they will be out of alignment with each other. With this construction, it will be evident that it is merely necessary to rotate the piston rod 49 to relative rotary movement or rocking movementto be accomplished. 3

If desired, the ends of the a ms 48 may be received in shallow recesses 53 in the lower face of the plate 41. This prevents any possibility of their shifting their position so as to cover the perforations in the lower plate.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 11, the piston is composed of an upper plate 54 and a lower plate 55, the former of which is provided with means to enable it to cooperate with the inner face of the wall 56 of the cylinder to hold this plate against rotation. The plate is rigidly secured to the lower end of the piston rod 51. The plate 54 may be provided with a pin 58 which is received in a slot 59. This means orother means may be provided for enabling the lower plate to have a limited rocking movement on its axis with respect to the upper plate. The upper plate is provided with one or more tongues which run'in one or more longitudinal grooves 6| formed in the cylinder wall. With this construction it will be evident that by rotating the rod 51 to the right or to the left the perforations in the plates can be brought into alignment or out of alignment with each "other. 1

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 to 15, inclusive, the piston comprises a lower plate 58' and an upper plate 59, the latter of which is of thin resilient metal and preferably constructed so that it can be snapped over the lower end of the piston rod 60 before the lower plate is secured in position by small machine screw 6|. For this purpose the piston rod may be provided with a peripheral groove 62 (see Fig. 15). The plate 59' is formed with an opening 63 of slightly larger diameter than the rod 60 and at diametrically opposite points this opening 63 has inwardly projecting edges 64 which will engage in the groove 62 when the plate 59' is snapped into position.

The upper face of the spring plate 59 is provided with one or more teeth 65 which may engage in any one of a plurality of corresponding sockets 66 formed on the inner face of the adjacent head 61 of the device. On the under side of the plate 59 one or more teeth 68 are provided, which may be similar to the teeth 65, and these teeth are received in corresponding sockets 69 in the upper face of the plate 58'. These sockets 69 are circumferentially disposed around the upper face of the plate 58' and are spaced so that in one position the perforation through the upper plate and lower plate will be in register with each other, and in the next position they will be out of register with each other. With this construction it will be evident that by rotating the rod 60' through a small angle while the teeth 85 are in the socket 66, the lower plate 58', which is rigid with the rod, can be rotated through a slight angle, and when the teeth 68 snap into the next adjacent socket 69, the perforations in the plates will be out of register.

In Fig. 16 we illustrate a barrel with a lower head 10 having an extruding orifice 16 closed by a removable cap 11, and this view also illustrates another embodiment for the piston in which we employ a single piece piston rod 18, the inner end of which carries rigidly a perforated piston plate 19 and a loose imperforate plate 80. These the other plate, said slot having an opening 83 at one end large enough to receive the hook end of the pin. By pulling the rod 18 out as far as possible, projections 84 can be engaged in recesses 85'on the inner face of the head 85; the piston rod can then be rotated until the hook pin falls into the slot; a further rotation will interlock the piston plates. The imperforate plate 80 can then be advanced by pushing in on the rod. This will extrude the substance from the barrel. Evidently when these two plates are not locked together the perforated plate can be reciprocated to knead a substance in the barrel.

The pistons are preferably constructed so that the upper and lower plates engage the wall of the cylinder by means of a circumferential rib or bead 81 (see Fig. 1). In other words, each piston has its body portion of reduced diameter, as indicated at 88. This construction enables the piston to be moved readily through the substance and at the same time insures that the piston will fit sufliciently tight in the barrel.

Irf the embodiment shown in Fig. 18, the cylinder wall is provided with a longitudinal groove 89 and one of the piston plates, for example the plate 93, is provided with resiliently pressed means for engaging in this groove. This may consist of a ball 9|, held in a socket 92 and backed up by a coil spring 93. The other plate 94 is provided with a tongue 95 to run in the groove 89 to hold plate 94 when it is desired to orient the plates to open or close the perforations. The plate 90 is, of course, rigid on the rod andthe plate 94 is loose.

In Fig. 19 a construction is illustrated in which one of the plates is provided with a string pressed ball 96 for engaging in either of two recesses 91 and 98. As illustrated in this view, the plate 99 is rigid with the rod 30. 1

In the type of the device employing a single shaft piston rod, such as the piston rod 69, a handle would be attachedto the rod which may, if desired, be similar to the handle l already described.

From the foregoing description, it is evident that in practicing our invention, we construct the piston of two relatively movable plates, and with perforations which may be thrown in or out of register, and we provide means for effecting this from the exterior of the cylinder.

In using the device, the piston is reciprocated by means of the handle I! with the perforations of the piston plates in registry with each other. This violently forces the substance being kneaded through the perforations so that the substance passes to and fro between the chambers l3 and M of the barrel (see Fig. 1). After the substance has been sufliciently kneaded, the device is operated so as to throw the perforations of the piston plates out of registry, after which the lower head or the cap 11 can be removed so as to permit the substance to be forced out of the barrel.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only 'one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and we do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What we claim is:-

1. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to move to and fro in the barrel, 2. piston rod carrying the piston, said piston having a. pair of plates with perforations therethrough capable of being moved relatively to each other on the axis of the barrel, means associated with the piston plates for yieldingly holding the same in any relative position,

'means operatable from the exterior of the barrel for effecting the relative rotation of said plates to enable the perforations to be aligned with each other during the kneading operation, and means for forcibly reciprocating the piston while the perforations are in alignment to cause violent flow of the substance to and fro through the perforations.

2. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel, a piston rod extending through the head of the barrel and having a handle, said piston having a pair of plates with perforations therethrough capable of relative rocking movement on the axis of the barrel, means for yieldingly hold ing the plates together, said barrel having a head with means for engaging the adjacent piston plate to hold the same against rotation and enable the rotation of the piston rod on its axis to bring the perforations into, or out of alignment with each other, and means for forcibly reciprocating the piston while the perforations are in alignment to cause violent flow of the substance to and fro through the perforations.

3. .Ina kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel, and comprising two plates with perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates, the other of said plates being capable of relative movement on the axis of the barrel, means for limiting said relative movement, means on the interior of the barrel for holding the lastnamed plate against rotation in the barrel, thereby enabling rotation of the rod to bring the perforations into or out of alignment with each other, and means carried by the rod for enabling the piston to be forcibly reciprocated to cause the substance to pass violently to and fro through the perforations.

4. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates relatively movable with respect to each other, a piston rod extending through the end of the barrel, and rigid with one of said plates, the other of said plates being of resilient material and yieldingly engaging the other plate, said plates having per- 1 forations therethrough, a head on said barrel, said head and said resilient plate having correlated engaging means for. enabling the resilient plate to be held against rotary movement by the 4 said head, thereby enabling the rotation of the rod to bring the perforations into .or out of alignment with each other.

5. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates relatively movable with respect to each other, a piston rod extending through the end of the barrel, and rigid with one of said plates, the other of said plates being of resilient material and yieldingly engaging the other plate, said plates having perforations therethrough, a head on said barrel, said head and said resilient plate having correlated engaging means for enabling the resilient plate to be held against rotary movement by the said head, thereby enabling the rotation of the rod to bring the perforations into or out of alignment with each other, said resilient plate having a projection thereon adjacent the other plate and operating to hold the plates yieldingly with the perforations in or out of register with each other.

6. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates and passing through the end of said barrel, a tubular piston=rod enveloping the first-named rod and rigid with the other of said plates, means carried by said rods for rotating the same on their axis relative to each other to bring the perforations into or out of register with each other, and means carried by the piston rod for enabling the piston to be forcibly reciprocated to cause the substance to flow violently to and fro through the perforations.

,7. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the

, combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with a plurality of perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates and passing through the end of said barrel, a tubular piston rod enveloping the first-named rod and rigid with the other of said plates, means fixed on one of said rods, and means fixed on the other of said rods, said last-named means having a correlated construction enabling the same to hold the plates in a definiteposition, thereby enabling the perforations to be maintained closed or open at will.

8. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the

combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a. piston guided to and fro in the ,barrel and comprising a pair of plates with a rod enveloping the first-named rod and rigid with s the other of said plates, a handle rigidly secured to the inner rod, and means fixed on the tubular rod for enabling the same to be rotated relatively to the inner rod to maintain the perforations opened or closed.

9. Ink-a kneading and.-. .mixing apparatus; the combination of. a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with a plurality of perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates and passing through the end of said barrel, a tubular piston rod enveloping the first-named rod and rigid with the other of said plates, a handle rigidly secured to the inner rod, and means fixed on the tubular rod for enabling the same to be rotated relatively to the inner rod to maintain the perforations opened or closed, said last-named means and said handle having interlocking means for maintaining the perforations in a definite ,relation to each other.

10. In a kneading and mixing apparatus,.the combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with a plurality of perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid witl one of said plates and passing through the end of said barrel, a tubuiar piston rod enveloping the first-named rod ans. rigid with the other of said plates, said inner rod projecting beyond the end of the tubular rod, a handle rigidly secured to the end of the inner rod beyond the tubular rod, a lever carried by the tubular rod adjacent the handle and enabling the tubular rod to be rotated relative to the inner rod to control the relative position of the perforations.

11. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the

combination of a barrel to contain the substance to be kneaded, a piston guided to and fro in the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with a plurality of perforations therethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates and passing through the end of said barrel, a tubular piston rod enveloping'the first-named rod and rigid with the other of said plates, said inner rod projecting beyond the end of the tubular 110d, a handle rigidly secured to the end of the inner rod beyond the tubular rod, a lever carried by the tubular rod adjacent the handle and enabling the tubular rod to be rotated relative to the inner rod to control the relative position of the perforations, and correlated interlocking means between the lever and the handle for maintaining the perforations in or out of register with each other.

12. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel to containthe substance to be kneaded, a head on the barrel, 9, piston guided to and fro in-the barrel and comprising a pair of plates with perforationstherethrough, a piston rod rigid with one of said plates, the other of said plates mounted for rocking movement on the axis .of the rod, ahead on the barrel,

said head and the loose plate having correlated.

interlocking means for enabling the loose plate to be held against rotation while the rod and the other plate are rotated to bring the perforationsinto or out of alignment with each other.v

13. In a kneading and mixing device, the combination of a cylinder, a piston rod movable'therein, a piston plate rigidly mounted on the end of said rod, a second piston plate loosely mounted on the rod adjacent the first-named plate, said plates having perforations which may register together, and yielding means carried by one of said plates for engaging the other plate, the-said other plate having means for engaging the yielding means to enable said plates to be held in different oriented positions with respect to each other.

14. In a kneading and mixing apparatus, the combination of a barrel, a tubular piston rod guided through the same, an inner rod mounted within the tubular rod, a handle carried by one of said rods for reciprocating the saine, a piston plate carried by the inner rod within-thebarrel, a piston plate carried by the tubular rod within the barrel lying adjacent to the first-named piston plate, said piston plates having a plurality of perforations therethrough which may align, means for effecting a relative rotation of the inner rod and the tubular rod to maintain the perforations at will in register or out of register with each other, and means on .the rods for forcibly reciprocating the piston plates to cause violent movement of the substance to and fro through the perforations when in alignment.

. WALTER J. Gm ROSSEM.

LAURENCE nnanmson.

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