Graco Inc.

Polaris Home Systems, Inc.

William D Vork

Joop Frans Hoekstra

Vernon K Quarve

Irving F Snyder

Richard D Lewis

James H Larson

Arlon R Pyle

William Clements

Donovan Harold Lumby

Michael Itzin

A fluid pressure regulator is designed with a removable cartridge in which all of the wetted parts of the regulator which are subject to wear by the fluid may be removed from the housing of the regulator without detaching the housing from the plumbing to which it is attached. The valve and valve actuator are designed so as to encourage relatively high velocity fluid flow there through so as to prevent clogging and settling of material therein. The valve actuator is also designed to produce divergent flow outwardly to the diaphragm perimeter preventing clogging and setting of material therein.

Cartridge pressure regulator

Gas powered refrigeration units typically utilize a pressure reducing valve after the primary generator to reduce the pressure prior to the secondary generator in the case of a double effect system or prior to the absorber in a single system. In this invention, a fluid powered pump takes the place of the pressure reducing valve and pressurizes the refrigeration fluid from the output of the absorber from the input to the primary generator. The utilization of this motor enables a much reduced use of the main motor in the system and allows substantial reduction in the amount of energy required for operation in the system.

Energy conserving refrigeration device

A pilot valve assembly is provided which substantially eliminates stalling in air motors. The pilot valve assembly is located on one end over an air piston such that when the air piston hits the trip rod, the trip rod compresses a trip spring which is in turn compressed until the load of the force stored in this spring is sufficient to overcome the inlet air pressurizing the opposite side of the pilot valve and the main spring which also pre-loads the pilot valve. At this point, air is allowed to pass through the open pilot valve, allowing a spool valve to switch over and reverse the direction of the motor.

Pilot valve

A centrifugal sprayer of the type having an electric motor driving a disc element, and coupled to a feed mechanism, wherein the feed mechanism is suspended in immersion in the liquid to be sprayed, including interchangeable hollow cone feed members having at least several surface slope angles relative to the vertex of the cone, and an outer housing around the feed mechanism, the housing having a bushing surface in supporting contact with the feed mechanism to maintain constant axial position during rotation of the cone feed mechanism.

Centrifugal sprayer having interchangeable feed mechanism

A method is disclosed for mixing liquids in closed containers wherein the container is partially filled with a liquid such as paint and is moved over a closed path in a vertical plane such that the vertical velocity component of fluid movement causes a force component in the fluid within the container to displace the air therein away from the top of the container.

Method of mixing liquids in closed containers

Apparatus for mixing liquids such as paints in closed containers, including a motor drive unit coupled to a drive pulley to produce a constant rotational speed. The drive pulley is connected via an eccentric crank to a shaker plate which has mounted therein a container housing, the shaker plate being also supported from at least two other points by similar crank couplings so as to produce a circular oscillating motion when the drive motor is actuated.

Apparatus for mixing liquids

Apparatus for connecting to a pump inlet where a first inlet feedpipe is attached including a second inlet feedpipe tap having a one-way check valve, and a resilient orifice member in the first inlet feedpipe upstream of the tap, whereby the orifice size is less than the inlet feedpipe size so as to provide a flow restriction for periodically creating negative pressure in the region of the tap, to draw liquid from the second inlet feedpipe into the first inlet feedpipe.

Secondary pump feed apparatus

Apparatus for use in a reciprocating pump wherein a one-way check valve opens to admit fluid from a reservoir during the pump upstroke and a second one-way check valve opens to expel fluid from the pump during the downstroke. The apparatus includes a valve seat having a frusto-conical shape and formed from resilient material, and a spherical metallic ball, together with a rigid seat edge liner for restricting the seat resilient expansion. In operation, the invention enables the check valve in the check position to automatically compensate for excessive forces against the ball by distributing these forces over a variable spherical ball/seat surface to provide a predetermined maximum pressure on the valve seat.

Variable seat check valve

Apparatus for an improved diaphragm pump wherein hydraulic shock and mechanical wear to the diaphragm membrane is reduced by providing a circular reed valve member adjacent to the diaphragm. The reed valve member provides a barrier to pressurized hydraulic fluid jets from direct impingement upon the diaphragm membrane, and provides a valve closure member for reducing hydraulic shock effects on the diaphragm membrane.

Diaphragm pump having a reed valve barrier to hydraulic shock in the

A system and method for automatically metering and dispensing a plurality of fluids such as paint components is disclosed, including an operator input station for selecting the desired combination of metered fluids, a scanner drive subsystem for positioning a metering unit at appropriate fluid component storage stations, an automatic valving subsystem for controlling the flow of the selected metered component, a metering subsystem having a unit for measuring the proper volume of fluid component to be dispensed, and a dispensing subsystem for feeding the metered quantity into a receptacle. The apparatus may be operated automatically under electrical control of a control subsystem with pre-stored fluid formulations, wherein the desired mixture is identified and the pre-stored formulations enable precise metering of fluid components, or manually where each of the fluid components is manually selected and proportioned by the operator. The respective fluid component storage stations are aligned along a circular arc, and a centrally positioned scanner is rotated so as to contact each of the fluid component storage stations in a pre-selected order, and the fluid at the selected storage station is then metered and dispensed according to the desired formulation. A secondary feature of the invention includes an automatic receptacle positioning apparatus for controlling the positional alignment of the receptacle in correspondence with the fluid component selected.

Automatic metering and dispensing system

Apparatus is disclosed for translating rotary motion into reciprocating motion, of the type utilized in piston operated pumps. The apparatus includes a crank shaft having one or more axially offset diameter segments, each segment having a block bearing partially encircling it, and the block bearing having a raised shoulder for mating with a piston surface groove. The piston is spring biased so as to hold the assembly comprising the piston, block bearing, and offset diameter segment together in a unitary assembly, so that rotation of the shaft causes the piston to reciprocate.

Piston drive assembly

Apparatus for producing a fog/spray as a coating medium for articles. The apparatus comprises a trigger actuated gun having an inlet connected to a source of hydraulically pressurized spray fluid, wherein the pressurizing medium and drive source is itself driven by a compressible fluid such as air. The compressible fluid supply line to the drive source has mounted therein a flow sensing valve which actuates an air valve for controlling atomizing air supply to the applicator gun. The atomizing air supply to the applicator gun is coupled into a gun chamber downstream of the spray orifice so that fluid sprayed through the orifice becomes fogged by the pressurized air in the chamber.

Fog/spray system and apparatus

Apparatus is disclosed for attachment to a spraying device, comprising a rotatable ball member having a spray orifice and passage, and a handle formed as an integral part, a housing for enclosing the ball member while allowing the handle portion to project external of the housing, a sealing member for fitting into the housing in sealing contact with the ball member, and a threadable attachment for securing the housing and ball and sealing members to a spraying device so that the ball member may be rotatably moved to place the spray orifice and passage in forward and in reverse contact with the spraying device.

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Edina, MN, United States of America

William D Vork