Autotrol Corporation

William G Weekley

Paul R Goudy, Jr

Thomas C Olszewski, Sr

Keith A Lamon

Donald L Dovala

A seal member for use in a pellet dispensing apparatus which can provide a barrier between a rotor member and a supply hopper so that gas emitted from the supply hopper will not escape. The seal arrangement also serves the function of a spacing or biasing member for a drive gear as well as a bearing surface. The seal member is disposed in a manner that it will selfadjust during wear yet is flexible to withstand contact with debris. Preferably the seal unit is fabricated from a fluorocarbon resin and is frusto conical in shape.

Seal member for pellet dispenser

A pair of flapper valves are mounted in parallel to control the flow of a fluid into a reservoir. The flapper valves are opened by a first rotatable cam which is rotated through one or more complete revolutions when a float control switch in the reservoir is opened thereby indicating a drop in the level of fluid in the reservoir. Each complete revolution of the first cam actuates an impulse switch for a short duration. The impulse switch energizes a low speed memory motor and increments the output shaft of the motor. Each increment corresponds to one complete revolution of the first cam and, therefore, one unit of a fixed quantity of fluid passing through the valves. The output shaft of the memory motor rotates a second adjustable cam that controls the actuation of a switch which in turn controls a dispenser for dispensing a chemical additive into the fluid added to the reservoir.

Valve control with mechanical memory

A dispensing device for a bactericidal pellet such as chlorine tablets which is readily adapted to being placed on a hopper container for the pellets and which can dispense the pellets such as in conjunction with a well or a water recirculation system while employing a minimum number of parts. The pellet dispenser employs a unique rotor member with pellet carrying passages designed to dispense the pellets from the hopper and out of the pellet dispenser in an individual manner and without jamming. In the instance where pellets may become improperly placed in the pellet carrying passages so that the rotor does not properly move inside the rotor housing, a bi-directional self-reversing motor is utilized so that the tablet dispensing sequence will continue in an accurate manner. This is effected in part by a bidirectional rotor member which is able to dispense tablets in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner.

Bactericidal pellet dispenser

A diffuser for air or other fluids has a rigid body with an upper disc portion having a series of radially projecting fingers about its perimeter. The fingers are relatively narrow and blunt. A diaphragm formed of a soft elastomer has a rim portion which receives the fingers. The diaphragm overlies the disc and normally closes a central opening in the body. Spaces at the base of the fingers are not covered by the rim portion of the diaphragm and air or other fluid escapes through those spaces when it is admitted under pressure through the central opening in the body. A circular cylindrical wall depends from beneath the disc at the bases of the teeth to discourage the fluid from collecting beneath the disc. In another embodiment, the spaces through which the fluid passes are covered by an open cell foam in the form of a ring that surrounds the wall and that is held in place against the rim portion by a plate mounted to the body and seated against the bottom of the wall. The fluid is forced through the foam to exit as fine bubbles.

Growing community of inventors

Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

William G Weekley