US2636503A - Detergent dispenser - Google Patents

Description

, April 28, 1953 F. T. HILLIKER DETERGENT DISPENSER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 28, 1949 INVENTOR FRANK T. HILUKER ATTO RNEY F. r. HILLI KER DETERGENT DISPENSER April 28, 1953 Filed Ma 28. 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR FRANK T. HILLIKER ATTORNEY as a dishwasher or the like.

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNII ED STATES OFFICE 3,636,593 DET RGE ISPENSER Frank T. Hillikcr, St. Louis, Mo, Application Ma 12 43, Serial, Nolfii 'lfi 3 Claims.

' This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in detergent dispensers.

In various types of commercial washing machines, such as dishwashing equipment commonly used in restaurants, laundry apparatus, and the like, the washing operations are carried out automatically, but it has generally been considered necessary to introduce detergent material, such as trisodium phosphate. powdered soap, or synthetic surface-active agent, into the machine by hand. With the increasing use of comparatively extensive synthetic detergents, hand measuring procedure is extremely costly and wasteful in ad dition to being unreliable and creatin unnecessary labor cost by reason of requiring comparatively close attendance of an operator.

It is, therefore, one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a dispenser for discharging granular, pulverulant, or powdered materials into a soap-consuming machine, such It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the type stated which is simple and economical in construction and is fully automatic in operation.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the type stated which will feed detergent material in measured proportion to the influx of fresh water into the detergent-consuming machine.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide a detergent dispensing device which will not become clogged in use and in which the granu-.- lar, pulverulant, or powdered detergent material will not be dampened or otherwise adversely affected by moisture or water vapor from the detergent-consuming machine with which the dispenser is associated.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dispenser of the type stated which may be regulated to permit the discharge of an amount of detergent proportionate to the amount of water entering the machine whereby the dispenser may be eiiiciently utilized without regard to line pressure of the water.

'It is an additional object of the present inven, tion to provide a dispenser of the type stated which is fabricated of relatively 'few parts, thereby achieving economy in manufacture and simplicity in installation.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently d s i d a d p int d out in th claims.

n the accompanyi g drawings itw sheets) Figure is a persp ctiv view f a d t r e t dispenser onstru ted in ac rda c with and mbodyi-ng the present invention;

Figure 2 is a t ans ers ectiona e ak along line 1-2 of Figure 1;

li'lgures 3, i, and ii are transverse sectional views taken along lines 3-3, 4-4, and 5.-..5, rep p ctively, of Figu e Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken o g l n 6- i ure 'l; and

F gure 7 i a ra e se se na view taken along line 'I-'! of Figure 2.

R er g now i o e d ta and b reference characters to the drawings. which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invn ltion, A d s na a onve tional type of d sh wash ng mach e an B de gna es a po dered r gr u t d de erg n d pen er om r si g a cylindrica c n ain r I hav ng a .r mc abl 't c 2, said con a ne I b g d sp sed u a onical h pp r .3 the wa l 4 of wh ch con e ge do nweirdly n o a n k p ti n 5 terminatin spaced! v bo e th p sur ace f th cl sh shin machine A. integrally formed with one section or the neck portion 5 and depending therefrom a transversely extending wall member 6, the lat-leral margins of which are integral with outward 1y projecting pa l e s d walls lone their upper ma g ns, e side Wal 1, 1. are intee al wi h the wall 4 cf he o p r '3 and are nt gra ly connected at he upper ends by a transvers os 8 ic mcd. up n h wa l'l t hopper 3. The wall member 6 and the sidewalls "l, 7, with their lower margins resting upon the upper s r of the dis washin mach A} Prov e a h usi 8 h h ay be c cl scdty plate I- 0 removably disposed upon and extend: mg between the outer margins "of the side walls 1, 1 and being secured by bolts I! extending through suitable aligned apertures in the plate In and he o Th l w r end c the are t when in lo ureen ng p s o t nds into a s ot 2 c mcd b t e ou r ma ns of the sidewalls 1, 1!, and a transverse wall: l y [3 of a support bracket or casting l4 having side walls [5 l5, which supportingly abut against the lower portions of the side walls 1, 7*, or the housing 9 and are secured thereto by screws l6 and an inner wall section I! abutting surfacewise against the transverse wall 6.

Suitably mounted within the housing 9 is an electric motor l8 having ashaft l9 projecting m a d y nto the ne Pc t cn o the hoppe 3 th ough aligned apertures 20, 2!, in the neck. po tion .5 and vert cally exten ing sc ticn 122 ci a boss .23. integrally termed with the hopper ction 3 3, having its upper wall 24 continuous with the wall 4 of the hopper 3 and being provided with a weight-reducing recess 25. Secured for rotation with the shaft 25 by a pin 25 is the diametrally reduced end of a hexagonal feeder member 21 which projects across the area between the boss 23 and the diametrally opposite section of the neck portion 5. At its other end, the feeder 21 is provided with an inwardly extending threaded recess 28 for receiving the diametrally reduced end of a screw 29 which projects outwardly through an aperture 38 in the neck portion in alignment with the apertures 20, 2|. Integral with the lower margin of the neck portion 5 is an inwardly extendingarcuate flange 3| which thus restricts the opening or discharge orifice 32 at the lower endof the hopper 3. Swingably disposed beneath the orifice 32 is a flow-metering plate 33 having a forwardly presented cut-ofi edge 34 and being pivoted upon a screw 35,which is threaded upwardly into a boss 35 integrally depending from the wall 4 of the hopper 3. It is thus to be seen that, upon swinging of the plate 33, the effective opening of the orifice 32 may be regulated for permitting desired amounts of the detergent to flow therethrough.

The electric motor I8 is connected by an electric cable 3'! in parallel with a solenoid stop valve 38 positioned preferably upon the top sur- "face of the dishwashing machine A adjacent the 4 floor 42' thereof. Extending diametrally across the upper end of the passage 53 is an integral filament 55 supporting a small sleeve 56 located co-axially within the passage 53 for receiving the rod-like leg 5'1 of an umbrella-like trap plate 58. When the plate 58 rests upon the sleeve 55. its peripheral margin will extend down into the annular basin 42 in upwardly spaced relation to the floor 42 thereof, as best seen in Figure 2 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In operation, with the solenoid stop valve 38 in open position, water is discharged into the for example, if it is desired to control the water taneously, the electric motor 18 will be energized,

thereby rotating the feeder member 21 and causing detergent to be discharged from the hopper 3 through the orifice 32.

j Detergent thus discharged descends into an annular'basin 42 having a dishedfioor 42' provided in an inwardly projecting rounded portion of the casting l4. Adjacent said basin 42, the casting I4 is provided with a boss-like portion 43 having a passage 44 for projection therethrough of a flexible bleed-line 45, which, at its inner end, is diametrally reduced and projects tangentially into the basin 42 and at its other or outer end is connected to the water line 33, as at 46. The boss-like portion 43 of the casting 14 is further provided with an internally threaded passage 41 to receive an adjusting screw 48' having a nut 48' and abutting at its inner end against the flexible bleed-line 45 for restricting the flow of water therethrough for reasons appearing more fully hereinafter.

Z Integral with and depending from the basin 42-is"an externally threaded stem 49 extending downwardly through an aperture 50 in the top surface ofthe dishwashing machine A and having disposed therearound a washer 5| held abuttingly against the underface oi the top of the machine A by a nut 52. The stem 49 is provided with an axial passage 53 for conducting detergent and water to the interior of themachine A, said passage 53 opening at, its upper end in the basin 42-throug-h a centrally elevatedportion 54 of the machine A and a portion thereof will pass through the bleed-line 45 into the basin 42, creating a moderate turbulency therein as a result of the tangency of the axis of the line 45 to the basin 42. Water so entering the basin 42 will cover the floor 42 thereof and overflow downwardly through the passage 53 of the stem 49. Detergent discharged from the orifice 32 will fall upon the upper surface of the plate 58 of the trap 56 and be sluiced downwardly through the passage 53 by the water issuing from the line 45 for ultimate admixture with the fresh water entering the machine A. When the flow of water is cut off through closure of the valve 38, the flow of water through the bleed-line 45 will also stop and the motor l8 will cease rotating, so that dispensing action will concurrently stop. Because of the unique shape of the basin 42, sufiicient water will remain therein to cover the lower margin of the plate 58, thereby forming a trap to prevent upward escape of moisture, vapor, or steam from the dishwashing machine A through the passage 53. The plate 58 of the trap member 56 thus acts as a shield between the incoming detergent and any vapors as might escape from the machine A, thereby efiectively preventing the formation of any clogging mass of detergent.

In the event the amount of water passing through the line 45 into the basin 42 should be excessive, as where the source of water is under high pressure, the adjustment screw 48 may be threaded inwardly to compress the flexible sides of the bleed-line 45 for restricting the flow therethrough.

Since the amount of water per unit of time discharged into the machine A through the line 49 is dependent upon the particular pressure at the source, it is necessary to regulate the flow of detergent through the orifice 32 in order thatv the proportion of detergent to the quantity of water he maintained at any predetermined ratio. The plate 33 may accordingly be rotated to limit the eifec'tive opening of the orifice 32, so that the requisite amount of detergent will be discharged. To determine whether the desired amount of detergent is entering the machine A, various socalled dry runs may be made with the plate 33 at different settings. Thus, the wash water in the machine A will at all times have the proper amount of detergent therein regardless of the particular line pressure of the water and coincidentally effect a maximum economy of detergent. Finally, the water issuing from the bleedline 45, to sluice the detergent into the machine A, preliminarily wets the detergent so as to start the proces of dissolution, thereby materially accelerating the rate at which the detergent goes into solution when it reaches the main body of water in the machine A, and effecting great economy in terms of detergent-consumption.

It should be understood that changes and 0 modifications in the form, construction, arrange-' ment, and combination of the several parts of the detergent dispenser may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in which washing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprising a hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so to be substantially unaliected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes within the chamber, said hopper being provided with a: discharge aperture and means for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, a dishlil-ze receptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the discharge aperture and having a central discharge spout opening downwardly into the chamber, said dish being provided around said spout with an annular depressed channel the upper level of which is approximately flush with the uppermost portion of the spout so that when liquid is charged into said channel the liquid will only discharge into the spout when it rises "above said level, a canopy-like element mounted across and in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge spout and having a continuous peripheral margin which projects downwardly into said channel substantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to form a trap preventing escape through the spout or" steam, spray, and moisture laden fumes from the interior of the chamber, and means for introducing a stream of liquid into the bottom of said channel for flushing out the detergent deposited therein.

2. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in which washing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprising a hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so as to be substantially unaffected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes within the chamber, said hopper being provided with a discharge aperture and means for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, a dish-like receptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the discharge aperture and having a central discharge spout opening downwardly into the chamber, said dish being provided around said spout with an annular depressed channel the upper level of which is approximately flush with the uppermost portion of the spout so that when liquid is charged into said channel the liquid will only discharge into the spout when it rises above said level, a canopy-like element mounted across and in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge spout and having a continuous peripheral margin which projects downwardly into said channel substantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to form a trap preventing escape through 6 the spout of steam, spray, and moisture laden fumes from the interior of the chamber, and means for introducing a stream of liquid tangentially into the bottom of said channel for flushing out the detergent deposited therein.

3. For use with a machine having a substantially closed chamber in which washing operations may be carried out, a detergent dispenser comprising a hopper mounted exteriorly of said chamber so as to be substantially unafiected by the steam, spray, and other moisture laden fumes within the chamber, said hopper being provided with a discharge aperture and means for ejecting detergent through the discharge aperture, a dish-like receptacle disposed in downwardly spaced relation to the discharge aperture and having a central discharge spout opening downwardly into the chamber, said dish being provided around said spout with an annular depressed channel the upper level of which is approximately flush with the uppermost portion of the spout so that when liquid is charged into said channel the liquid will only discharge into the spout when it rises above said level, a canopy-like element mounted across and in upwardly spaced relation to the discharge spout and having a continuous peripheral margin which projects downwardly into said channel substantially below the upper liquid level thereof so as to form a trap preventing escape through the spout of steam, spray, and moisture laden fumes from the interior of the chamber, and-means for introducing a stream of liquid tangentially into the bottom of said channel for flushing out the detergent deposited therein, the outer side walls of said receptacle being substantially higher than the uppermost level of the canopy-like element so that the whirling stream of liquid which circulates around the channel from the tangential input means can ilow upwardly and circulate near the top of the canopy-like element to ilush the detergent cleanly therefrom.

FRANK T. HILLIKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V Number Name Date 574,156 Lippincott Dec. 29, 1896 868,848 Davis Oct. 22, 1907 1,452,710 Schmelzer Apr. 24, 1923 1,879,101 Coleman Sept. 27, 1932 2,062,704 Forsyth Dec. 1, 1936 2,162,228 Peirce June 13, 1939 2,197,602 Walcott et a1 Apr. 16, 1940 2,228,914 Pierce Jan. 14, 1941 2,254,269 Clark et al. Sept. 2, 1941 2,382,648 Martin Aug. 14, 1945 2,503,878 Linn Apr. 11, 1950

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