US3525456A - Snap action nonthrottling fluids dispensing valve - Google Patents

Description

Aug; 25, 1970 Q N ETAL I $525,456

SNAP ACTION NONTHROTTLING FLUIDS DISPENSING VALVE File-d Oct. 8, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l8 v K so 4 l0 4' 32 r 42 I 1 I04 l /W fil 26 i f L I 36 30 I l I 24 I22 as 2 us 58 us m 38 l M w s. P'RUSSI'N H L SNAP ACTION NONTHROTTLING FLUIDS DISPENSING VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1968 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofice 3,525,456 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 3,525,456 SNAP ACTION N ONTHRO'ITLING FLUIDS DISPENSING VALVE Samuel Prussin, Los Angeles, and Jimmie L. Mason,

Hacienda Heights, Califi, assiguors to Dart Industries Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 765,867 The portion of the term of the patent subsequent to June 3, 1986, has been disclaimed Int. Cl. B67b 7/24 US. Cl. 222-4 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A snap action nonthrottling fluids dispensing valve, wherein a stationary seat and a movable valve member are disposed engagingly at opposite sides of a flexible valve element; fixed area control orifices communicating with said opposite sides of said flexible valve element; snap action actuating means disposed to move said movable valve member away from said flexible valve element, such that rapid snap action, deflection of the flexible valve element and movement of the movable valve element allows fluids to pass concurrently in proportioned amounts at said opposite sides of said flexible valve element so that said fluids which pass through said fixed area control orifices are permitted greater flow area at opposite sides of said flexible valve element than at said control orifices, thereby preventing inadvertent throttling operation of the fluids dispensing valve of the invention.

This invention relates to a nonthrottling fluids dispensing valve, and more particularly, to an aerosol fluids dispensing valve adapted for manual snap action operation, and to concurrently dispense a plurality of separate fluids in accurately proportioned relation to each other, and whereby inadvertent manual throttling operation of the valve is effectively prevented.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various fluids dispensing valves have been used for the purpose of concurrent proportional dispensation of a plurality of fluids. There has been a requirement for a compact, simple and economical valve having a minimum of moving parts which will permit concurrent and accurate proportional dispensation of a plurality of fluids.

In the art of dispensing aerosol shaving cream or other products having a plurality of reacting ingredients, it has been dilficult to provide a manually operable valve which cannot be inadvertently throttled and which will accurately proportion and dispense, as well as mix a plurality of reactive fluids to attain the production of such materials, as hot foam shaving lather, oxidation hair dyes or other similar materials.

It has 'been a problem in aerosol fluids dispensing valve mechanisms to dispense a plurality of fluids which may have varying relative densities and viscosities, and which fluids are also relatively reactive, such that the proportional dispensation of the fluids to create an efficient or accurate chemical or thermal reaction has been particularly ditficult to attain in small compact aerosol fluids dispensing valves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel nonthrottling snap action fluids dispensing valve having a flexible valve element at the opposite sides of which are dispensed separate fluids which may be chemically or thermally reactive. Snap action valve actuating mechanism is utilized manually to open the valve quickly. Separate fixed area fluid passage orifices communicate with the respective fluids; said orifices being sized in accordance with the relative densities and viscosities of the fluid so as to maintain relative flow control of the fluids in proportion to each other and in accordance with the pressure differential acting thereon. The manual snap action operation in combination with the flexible value element for controlling the flow of two separate fluids, and the relatively sized control orifices all cooperate to permit rapid opening of the flexible valve element for concurrently permitting flow of the two separate fluids therethrough, while the fiow area therearound is much greater than that of the respective flow control orifices. Thus, the orifices are instantaneously operable and permitted to control the flow in accordance with their cross-sectional area and the relative densities and viscosities of the fluids, together with the pressure differential acting thereon.

In accordance with the invention, a flexible valve element with a cooperating seat and movable poppet valve provide for concurrent and accurate dispensation of a plurality of fluids at opposite sides of the flexible valve element. A snap action mechanism provides for instantan'eous manual operation of the valve at opposite sides of the flexible valve element from a closed position to an open position, and the flow area at each opposite side of the flexible valve element is sufiiciently greater than flow control orifices communicating with a plurality of respective fluid sources, under pressure, to permit the maintenance of a substantially constant pressure differential across each fluid source flow control orifice. Thus, the proportions of fluids flowing through the valve promote optimum relationships of relatively reactive fluids which may be reactive thermally or chemically to produce an end product to be dispensed from an aerosol container. The manual snap action mechanism of the invention insures against throttling action of the valve and prevents a partial flow area condition of the flexible valve element which would atford a flow area lesser than that with relation to each of the aforementioned flow control orifices. Thus, the present invention is highly elfective in preventing throttling of a valve of the invention used concurrently to dispense a plurality of relatively reactive fluids which must ultimately combine to produce a thermal or chemical reaction in order to attain the delivery of various desirable products, such as hot foam shave lather or oxidation hair dyes, or the like.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple and economical valve particularly adapted for use in concurrently dispensing of a plurality of aerosol fluids in accurately proportioned relation to each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very simple and economical fluids dispensing valve which employs snap action mechanism and valve mechanism adapted effectively to prevent throttling of the valve, and thereby permit accurate proportioning of a plurality of fluids which pass through respective flow control orifices sized in relation to the characteristics of the respective fluids and pressure ratios across said orifices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a very eflicient and reliable aerosol fluids dispensing valve adapted concurrently to dispense a plurality of relative reactive fluids in accurately proportioned relationship to each other without particular attention of the operator manually actuating the valve means of the invention.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a valve of the foregoing characteristics having the additional feature of a vapor tap purging valve operable in sequence with the product dispensing valve mechanism of the invention, whereby said last mentioned mechanism may be purged automatically at the end of each operating cycle thereof in order to prevent materials from collecting 3 therein and clogging the dispensing valve of the invention. Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an axial sectional view of a pair of fluid containers disposed in concentric relationship with each other, and showing a nonthrottling manually operable snap action valve mechanism in connection therewith;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the valve mechanism of the invention taken from the line 22 of FIG. 1, and showing the valve mechanism in closed position;

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; Y

' FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view taken from the lin 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the valve mechanism of the invention in an inverted dispensing position concurrently to dispense a plurality of fluids therethrough; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the same plane as that shown in FIG. 5, and showing details of the valve mechanism of the invention and the relative flow of a plurality of fluids therethrough.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an outer aerosol container 10 is provided with a cap 12 into which a valve housing 14 of the invention is crimped by an annular indented structure 16. The valve housing 14 is therefore carried by the cap 12 which is provided with a conventional rolled crimped portion 18 securing it to the normally open end of the aerosol container 10.

Coupled to the valve housing 14 is an inner container 20 which may be of a collapsible character or may have a slidable piston therein, as desired. The embodiment shown includes a bag of collapsible structure adapted to respond to pressure of aerosol fluid in the interior 22 of the outer container 10.

A dip tube 24 is coupled to the valve housing 14 at 26 and this dip tube 24 is provided with a normally open end 28 which is disposed near the normally lower portion of the container 10. The fluids dispensing valve of the invention is adapted to be operated in an inverted position, as shown in FIG. 5, such that the dip tube 24 at its open end 28 is disposed upwardly and adapted to receive aerosol vapor for sequential purging operations of the valve, as

will be hereinafter described in detail.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the valve housing 14 at its normally upper end 30 is enclosed by an end portion 32 of the cap 12 and by a resilient seal gasket 34 retained between the end 32 of the cap and a respective end 36 of the housing 14.

The housing 14 is provided with a hollow cylindrical bore 38 in which a hollow cylindrical valve seat member 40 is disposed, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The cap 12 at its end 32 is provided with an opening 42 through which a hollow tubular nozzle 44 extends. This nozzle 44 is adapted to dispense fluids from the containers 10 and 20 and is adapted for manual operation of the valve mechanism of the invention, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The outside diameter of the nozzle 44 is smaller than the opening 42 in the end 32 of the cap 12, and permits tiltable operation of the nozzle with respect to said opening 42, as shown best in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

The seal gasket 34 is provided with an opening 46 somewhat smaller than the diameter of the nozzle member 44, and since this gasket 34 is resilient, it grips the perimeter of the nozzle 44 at the opening 46 and provides a seal therearound.

54, and communicating with the interior of the valve housing 14.

The nozzle 44, when tilted in the direction as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, causes the annular poppet valve rim 52 to be relieved from the inner side 54 of the gasket seal 34, and thus to allow fluids to pass inward through the ports 50 and outward through the bore 48, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The poppet valve 52 is provided with a peripheral hearing portion 56 tiltably movable in a bore 58 of the valve seat member 40. The nozzle 44 is integral with the poppet valve 52 and is provided with an integral generally spheroid cam portion 60 adapted for snap action operation of the valve mechanism of the invention. This spheroid cam portion 60 engages an annular terminus 62 of a bore 64 in a valve actuating plunger 66. This plunger 66 is provided with an annular flange 6-8 slidably mounted in the bore 58 of the hollow cylindrical seat member 40. A spring 70 is engaged on a stationary ledge 72 of the valve seat member 40, and exerts force on the flange 68 of the valve actuating member 66 so as to maintain the annular rim 62 in concentric engaged relation with the spheroid cam portion 60 in order normally to maintain the nozzle 44 in axial alignment with the housing 14 and to maintain the annular valve portion 52 thereof in closed seated position.

The nozzle member 44, when tilted as shown in FIG.

5, tends to move the spheroid cam portion 60 laterally relative to the bore 64 and to cam the annular terminus 62 thereof in a direction away from the end 32 of the cap 12. This cam portion 60 and the valve actuator 66 may be termed a snap action mechanism since sufficient pressure laterally on the nozzle 44 to actuate the valve actuator 66 will cause almost instantaneous movement of the valve actuator 66 by the cam portion 60 due to the geometry thereof in relation to the annular terminus 62 of the bore 64, all as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The valve seat member 40 at its normally inner end 74 engages a generally washer-shaped resilient valve element 76 and clamps it sealingly against a shoulder 78 in the housing 14. It will be seen that the shoulder 78 forms an abutment for the resilient valve element 76, as -well as the hollow cylindrical valve seat 40, which is provided with a bore portion 80 in which segments 82 of the plunger are reciprocally mounted, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

These segments 82 are formed by slots 84 which extend radially outward from the bore portion 64 and integral with these segments 82 is a generally cylindrical plunger portion 86 reciprocally mounted in a generally conforming bore 88 of a movable poppet valve member 90 which is provided with a seat engaging portion 92 and which is urged toward said seat engaging portion 92 by means of a spring 94 retained on a ledge 96 in the housing 14.

An end portion of the plunger portion 86 is designated 96 and is spaced from a normally enclosed end 98 of the bore 88 in the poppet valve 90. The space between the end 96 of the plunger portion 86 and the end 98 in the bore 88 is to provide for delayed action of the poppet valve 90, to insure initiation of a snap action of the spheroid cam 60 relative to the annular portion 62 of the valve actuator 66 before opening of the valve member 90, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

The seat engaging portion 92 of the poppet valve 90 opposes a stationary seat portion 100 of the hollow cylindrical seat member 40. This stationary seat portion 100 is an annular seat engageable by one side of the flexible valve element in opposition to engagement of the seat portion 92 of the poppet valve 90 at the opposite side of the flexible valve element 76. Thus, the spring 94 normally tends to hold the poppet valve member 90 against the flexible valve element 76 and to cause sealing engagement at opposite sides thereof when the flexible valve element is forced against the stationary seat 100 by the spring 94 and the poppet valve member 90.

The container 20 contains one fluid source which communicates through a control orifice 102 in one end of the housing 14 and the control orifice 102 communicates directly with a side of the flexible valve element normally engaged by the poppet valve member 90.

The container 10 contains another fluid source which communicates through a port 104 in the side of the housing 14 with the annular seat 100 of the hollow cylindrical seat member 40.

Thus, two sources of fluid communicate with opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76. The port 104 extends directly to an annular groove 106 in the perimeter of the stationary hollow cylindrical seat member 40, and this groove 106 communicates with radial ports 108 which in turn communicates with an annulus 110 extending directly to the inner side of the annular seat portion 100, and in communication with the normally upper side of the flexible valve element 76. Thus, two separate sources of fluid communicate with opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76 and the stationary annular seat 106 controls the source of fluid passing through the port 104, annular groove 106, ports 108, and annulus 110, and the poppet valve member 90 controls the flow of fluid through the control orifice 102 and inward adjacent the opposite side of the flexible valve element 76.

The structure of the flexible valve element and its related seat 100 and the seat 92 on the poppet valve member 90 are shown in detail and on enlarged scale in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The plunger portion of the valve actuator 66 is adapted to engage the flexible valve element at the'ends of the segments 82 which are separated by the slots *84. The ends of these segments are designated 112 and are adapted to engage the normally upper side of the flexible valve element adjacent to the stationary seat 100 so as to concurrently remove or displace the flexible valve element 76 from the stationary seat 100 in unison with engagement of the end 96 of the plunger portion 86 with the end 98 of the bore 88 in the poppet valve member 90. Thus, the valve is adapted to operate concurrently and precisely to displace the flexible valve element from the seat 100, and displacement of the seat portion 92 of the poppet valve member 90 from the opposite side of the flexible valve element, all as indicated best in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

It will be understood that concurrent and proportional opening of the valve seat structures at opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76 is important, and particularly so in cooperation with the snap action operation of the cam portion 60 relative to the annular rim 62, and in relation to the fixed area flow control orifices 102 and 104 communicating with the separate sources of fluids in the containers 10 and 20.

The dip tube 24, hereinbefore referred to, is carried by a hollow cylindrical portion 114 of the housing 14. This hollow cylindrical portion is provided with a bore 116 communicating with an annular groove 118 in the bore 38 of the housing 14. Communicating with this bore 118 are ports 120 in the side wall of the hollow cylindrical seat member 40, and thus the interior of the dip tube 24 communicates with a chamber 122 in the interior of the hollow cylindrical seat member 40. This chamber 122 communicates directly with the annular poppet valve portion 52 which is integral with the nozzle 44 and which operates, as will be hereinafter described in connection with the disclosure of FIGS. and 6 of the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the valve 6 mechanism of the invention is inverted with respect to that as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and in this inverted position, the valve mechanism of the invention is adapted to operate to dispense materials from the interiors of the containers 10 and 20 through the bore portion 48 of the nozzles 44 when it is properly manually actuated to an open position of the annular poppet valve portion 52, as shown best in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

When the container 10 is inverted and the valve mechanism of the invention is disposed, as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, and when the nozzle 44 is tilted by manual pressure of a persons fingers, the spheroid cam portion 60 acting on the annular ledge 62, as hereinbefore described, cams the valve actuator 66 toward the flexible valve element 76, and during the application of manual pressure to the nozzle 44, the spring 70 resists movement of the cam 60 relative to the ledge 62 until the pressure reaches a predetermined amount at which time snap action cam operation of the spheroid cam portion 60 with respect to the ledge 62 occurs which very rapidly overcomes compression of the spring 70 and snaps the valve actuating plunger 66 toward the flexible valve element 76 and the poppet valve member 90. At this instant, the ends 112 of the segments 82 engage the flexible valve element 76 at one side and the end 96 of the plunger portion 86 engage the end 98 of the bore 88 of the poppet valve member 90, and remove it from the opposite side of the flexible valve element into a position, as shown in FIG. 6, wherein the seat surface 92 of the valve member 90 is forced away from a side 91 of the flexible valve element 76. The spacing of the seat portion 92 and side 91 is then substantially equal to the spacing of a side 101 of the flexible valve element relative to the stationary seat from which it has been previously displaced by snap action of the nozzle 44 and valve actuator member 66.

It will be understood that snap action of the spheroid cam 60 relative to the annular ledge 62 is permitted to take place before the end 96 of the plunger element 86 engages the end 98 of the bore 88 so that the flexible valve element 76 is not actuated until the snap action mechanism reaches a point of no return. Thus, the snap action mechanism is allowed to attain its snap operation before opening of the flexible valve element starts, and this is the primary reason for the spacing of the end 96 of the plunger 86 from the end 98 of the bore 88 in the valve member 90. It will be therefore appreciated that manual operation of the valve mechanism of the invention cannot cause throttling since the loading of the tiltable nozzle 44 becomes critical and passes into a snap action operation preliminary to engagement of the valve operating plunger 66 with either the flexible valve element 76 or the movable valve member 90, and thus snap action of the mechanism is insured before the flexible valve element 76 or the movable valve member 90 is engaged by the valve operating plunger 66 and its portions 112 and 96, as hereinbefore described. This snap action opening of the valve of the invention is important in order to prevent inadvertent throttling of the operation of the valve 76 so that instantaneous and full flow capacity operation of the control orifices 102 and 104 may take place in accordance with the predetermined pressure differential acting thereacross and in accordance with the characteristics of the various fluids and the sizes of these orifices, all as hereinbefore described.

Thus, fluid is adapted to flow from the interior of the container 20 through the control orifice 102 around and through grooves 93 in the perimeter of the poppet valve 90, all as indicated by arrows in FIG. 6 of the drawings. This flow continues through a central opening 77 in the flexible valve element 76, this opening 77 being substantially larger than the diameter of the actuator stem portion 86. Fluid flowing from the interior of the container 100 flows through the port control orifice 10-4 to the annular groove 106, hereinbefore described, and through ports 108 into the annulus 110, hereinbefore described.

Fluid flows from the annulus 110 around the annular stationary seat 100 and between it, and the side 101 of the flexible valve element 76. In this manner, fluids flow from opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76 concurrently and in equal proportions upwardly through the slots 84 which separate the segments 82 of the valve actuator 66. Attention is particularly directed to the overall operation of the valve in this condition.

Three important factors are responsible for eflicient proportional dispensation of a plurality of fluids around the flexible valve element, and to prevent throttling operation thereof, these factors are, the snap action of the manually operable nozzle 44, and the spheroid cam 60, as well as the concurrent dispensation of fluids at opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76, and the fixed crosssectional areas of the flow control orifices 102 and 104 which are sized in relation to the characteristics of the fluids being dispensed from the inner container 20 and the outer container 10. This orifice sizing depends upon the relative densities and/ or viscosities of these separate fluids. It will be appreciated that the characteristics of the fluids may be dependent upon the chemistry of the fluids in accordance with their reactive natures relative to each other. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the materials used to produce an exothermal reaction in a hot foam shave lather production and in accordance with operation of the invention, may require that one fluid have a greater relative density and/ or viscosity, and consequently the higher viscosity fluids, in order to be dispensed at a proper proportional rate to the lower viscosity fluids, may require a different size control orifice. Consequently, the control orifices 102 and 104 are sized to maintain the critical proportional relationship between fluids being dispensed under the influence of a given pressure differential. The snap action mechanism of the nozzle 44 and the spheroid cam 60 relative to the valve actuating member 66 insures that the flexible valve element 76 will be completely cleared for full open operation, and in this position, the flow areas at opposite sides 91 and 101 of the flexible valve element 76 are much greater than the respective flow areas through the respective control orifices 102 and 104. It will therefore be appreciated that snap action operation of the poppet valve member 90 insures complete and rapid full cross-sectional flow area disposition around the flexible valve element 76 so that a normal or predetermined pressure differential may exist across both of the control orifices 102 and 104 in accordance with pressurization of the aerosol fluid in the outer container 22, and which reacts to pressurized fluid materials in the inner container 20 due to its collapsible nature or piston fluid pressure operation.

Further, it will be understood that With each opening motion of the annular valve element 52, as shown in FIG. of the drawings, vapor may enter the normally upper open end 28 of the dip tube 24 and pass through the chamber 122 for initially purging the chamber 122 and ports 50, as well as the bore 48. This function also serves immediately before the valve of the invention is closed so that products which have been passing through the chamber 122 are purged from the outlet of the valve in order that these materials do not accumulate in the chamber 122, ports 50 and bore 48, and eventually clog the valve. This clogging is thus prevented by the vapor provided through the dip tube 24, all as hereinbefore described.

It will be seen that the valve mechanism of the invention is so constructed that the bore 38 of the housing 14 receives the hollow cylindrical valve seat strucutre 40 from the open end 36, and that the nozzle 44, as well as the valve actuator 66, flexible valve element 76, poppet valve member 90, and springs 70 and 94, are all installed from said end 36 of the housing 14 in proper sequence. The annular indented crimped portion 16 engaging a conforming groove in the housing 14 is finally formed and serves completely to install the elements of the valve mechanism in the housing 14 from one end thereof and with a single assembly operation. It will be appreciated that the flexible valve element 76 is clamped against the ledge 78 by the hollow cylindrical valve seat member 40 due to the fact that it, at its outer end, is clamped by the flexible valve gasket 34 and the end 32 of the cap 12 when the annular crimp 16 is formed into a conforming annular groove in the outer portion of the valve housing 14.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the relationship between the snap action valve operating mechanism, the concurrent opening of the valve seat mechanism at the opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76 and the fixed flow control orifices 102 and 104 communicating with opposite sides of the flexible valve element 76, and the size of these flow control orifices in accordance with the viscosities and/0r densities of the fluids which must pass through these flow control orifices in properly proportioned relationship to each other so that these materials may react thermally or chemically in a predictable manner as the materials come together in the chamber 122 and pass outwardly through the bore 48 of the nozzle 44. This relationship is critical to dispensation of chemically-reactive materials normally used in the production of oxidation hair dyes or hot foam shave lather materials, since such materials are produced by reaction in the valve mechanism of the invention after they have been dispensed from their individual containers, namely, the interior of the container 10 and the interior of the container 20. These materials are normally isolated from each other so as to maintain the reactive materials separate until they are dispensed through the valve mechanism of the invention.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the present invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

We claim:

1. In a fluids dispensing valve, the combination of: a valve housing; a stationary annular valve seat means therein; an annular flexible valve element in said housing and having first and second opposite sides, said first side engageable with said stationary annular seat means; a movable valve member engageable with said second side of said flexible valve element; and first and second passage means communicating with said first and second sides of said flexible valve element, whereby separate pressurized fluids may flow from said first and second passage means, when said movable valve member is moved away from said flexible valve element; a manually movable valve operating plunger member having a first portion engageable with said first side of said flexible valve element, at a location adjacent said stationary seat; said plunger member also having a second portion engageable with said movable valve member, said second portion normally spaced from said movable valve member a distance substantially equal to the distance between said first portion of said valve operating plunger member and said first side of said flexible valve element to provide concurrent flow through said first and second passages, when said fluid dispensing valve is operated to an open position.

2. The invention, as defined in claim 1, wherein: manually operable snap action means is disposed to operate said operating plunger member to a position of snap action before said first and second portions engage said flexible valve element and said movable valve member, respectively.

3. The invention, as defined in claim 2, wherein: said first and second passage means being fixed cross-sectional area flow control passages having flow capacities substantially less than that at respective first and second sides of said flexible valve element, when said movable valve member is operated to a snap action position away from said flexible valve element.

4. In a fluids dispensing valve, the combination of: a

valve housing; a stationary annular valve seat means therein; an annular flexible valve element in said housing and having first and second opposite sides, said first side engageable with said stationary annular seat means; a movable valve member engageable with said second side of said flexible valve element; first and second passage means communicating with said first and second sides of said flexible valve element, whereby separate pressurized fluids may flow from said first and second passage means, when said movable valve member is moved away from said flexible valve element; a movable valve operating plunger having a valve engaging portion spaced from said movable valve member; manually operable snap action means disposed to operate said operating plunger member to a position of snap action no return before said movable valve element is engaged and moved away from said flexible element.

5. The invention, as defined in claim 4, wherein: first and second passage means being fixed cross-sectional area flow control passages having capacities substantially less than that at respective first and second sides of said flexible valve element, when said movable valve member is operated to a snap action position away from said flexible valve element.

6. The invention, as defined in claim 4, wherein: first and second passage means being fixed cross-sectional area flow control passages having capacities substantially less than that at respective first and second sides of said flexible valve element, when said movable valve member is operated to a snap action position away from said flexible valve element; said manually operable snap action means comprising a tiltable nozzle having a cam portion thereon engageable with said plunger; and a poppet valve integral with said nozzle adapted to be opened when said nozzle is actuated to create snap action operation of said plunger; a vapor tap dip tube communicating with said last mentioned poppet valve and adapted to provide sequential admission of vapor through said nozzle at the beginning and end of each operating cycle of said fluids dispensing valve to purge the same of materials from said first and second passage means to thereby prevent accumulative clogging of said fluids dispensing valve.

7. The invention, as defined in claim 4, wherein: said valve housing is provided with a bore having an open end; a shoulder in said bore supporting said flexible valve element; a hollow cylindrical valve seat means having an end portion engaging said flexible valve element in opposition to said shoulder; a bore in said hollow cylindrical seat means supporting said plunger member reciprocally therein; said plunger member having a bore provided with an open end and a terminus in the form of an annular ledge; said manually operable snap action means comprising a nozzle having a spheroid cam portion engaging said annular terminus ledge; a spring supported in said hollow cylindrical seat member and tending to force said actuating member into engagement with said spheriod cam portion of said actuating nozzle; said movable valve member being reciprocally mounted in said housing; a spring tending to force said movable valve member into sealing engagement with said flexible valve element in opposition to said hollow cylindrical valve seat member, said bore in said housing adapted to receive said hollow cylindrical seat member, said plunger, said flexible valve element, said movable valve element, and said springs from one open end of said bore; and a container cap crimped on said housing and having a partially enclosed end adapted to contain said valve mechanism in assembly; said cap having a central opening extending therethrough; said nozzle member being tiltably operable in said opening and extending outwardly beyond said container.

8. In a fluids dispensing valve, the combination of: a hollow cylindrical housing having an open end provided with a bore communicating therewith; said bore extending to said open end; said housing having a shoulder extending inwardly from said bore; a stationary valve seat means having inner and outer ends; said inner end having an annular clamp portion; and an annular seat portion concentrically spaced radially inward from said annular clamp portion thereby forming an annulus between said annular clamp portion and said annular seat portion; said valve seat means disposed in said bore; a flexible valve element having a periphery and having first and second opposite sides; said flexible valve element having a central opening therein; said second side of said flexible valve element near its periphery engaged with said shoulder; said flexible valve element engaged near said periphery and clamped by said seat means at said annular clamp portion thereof; said first side of said flexible valve element engageable with said annular seat portion; a movable valve member engageable with said second side of said flexible valve element in opposition to said annular seat portion; and first and second passage means communicating with said first and second sides of said flexible valve element; said first passage means communicating with said annulus and the exterior of said housing; said housing having an inner end opposite to said open end; said second passage means in said inner end of said housing, whereby separate pressurized fluids may flow from said first and second passage means when said movable valve member is moved away from said flexible valve element; a cap secured over said open end of said housing and having a central opening therein; a gasket having a central opening therein, said gasket clamped between said cap and adjacent portions of said housing and said valve seat means; and manually operable means extending through said openings in said cap and said gasket and movable therein, said manually operable means disposed to actuate said movable valve member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,272,389 9/1966 Frangos 222l36 3,325,056 6/1967 Lewis 22294 3,447,722 6/1969 Mason 137-628 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

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