US3668824A

US3668824A - Device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel

Info

Publication number: US3668824A
Application number: US92404A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nikolai Nikolaevich Solomonov; Vladimir Pavlovich Ishanin; Talvalds-Olavs Arnold Apsalons
Original assignee: TALVALDS OLAVS ARNOLDOVICH APS
Current assignee: TALVALDS OLAVS ARNOLDOVICH APS
Priority date: 1970-11-24
Filing date: 1970-11-24
Publication date: 1972-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-13

Abstract

A device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel by forming a projection on the setting portion of the valve body, in which a rod is mounted in a housing for movement in an axial direction, and a series of spreadable levers concentric with respect to the rod are secured in the housing for swinging movement in longitudinal planes relative the rod. The rod cooperates with the inner surfaces of the working ends of the levers so that during the working stroke of the rod, the lever spread in a radial direction and form a projection on the setting portion of the valve body. The levers are provided with auxiliary arms, and the rod with a projection adapted to cooperate with the auxiliary arms during the reverse stroke to return the levers to the initial position.

Description

United States Patent Solomonov et al.

[ 1 June 13, 1972 [54] DEVICE FOR SECURING A VALVE IN THE NECK OF AN AEROSOL VESSEL [72] Inventors: Nikolai Nikolaevich Solomonov, ulitsa Blaumana, 16/18, kv. l6; Vladlmir Pavlovich lshanin, ulitsa Blaumana, 8, kv. 6; Talvalds-Olavs Arnoldovich Apsalons, ulitsa Dikju, LL, kv. 2, all of Riga, USSR.

[22] Filed: Nov. 24, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 92,404

[51] lnt.Cl ..B65b7/28 [58] Field of Search... .....53/330, 351, 352, 353, 88; 1 13/18 R [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,644,415 7/1953 Spalding "53/330 X 2,845,761 8/1958 Bagarozy ..53/88 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney-Holman & Stern [5 7] ABSTRACT A device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel by forming a projection on the setting portion of the valve body, in which a rod is mounted in a housing for movement in an axial direction, and a series of spreadable levers concentric with respect to the rod are secured in the housing for swinging movement in longitudinal planes relative the rod. The rod cooperates with the inner surfaces of the working ends of the levers so that during the working stroke of the rod. the lever spread in a radial direction and form a projection on the setting portion of the valve body. The levers are provided with auxiliary arms, and the rod with a projection adapted to cooperate with the auxiliary arms during the reverse stroke to return the levers to the initial position.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures II/11011111777100 l/I PATENTEDJUN 1a 1912 SHEET 10F 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to units designed for filling aerosol vessels, in particular, to devices for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel.

There is known a device designed for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel (cf., US. Pat. No. 3,234,707, class 53-88), comprising a housing in the form of a sleeve which accommodates a rod installed therein with a possibility of movement in an axial direction.

Arranged concentrically with respect to the rod is a series of levers installed in the housing with a possibility of swinging in planes extending longitudinally relative the rod. The working ends of the levers interact with the tapered end of the rod with their inside surfaces so that during the working stroke of the rod, the levers spread to form, with their ends, projections on the setting portion of the valve body. The levers are enveloped from the outside with a resilient element which tends to return the levers to the initial position.

On the housing and rod are provided flanges between which is placed a spring serving to maintain the rod in a position in which it extends outside of the working ends of the levers. Outside the housing and coaxially with respect to the housing is mounted a sleeve capable of moving along side the housing and being spring-biased relative the latter with the aid of a spring placed between flanges provided on the housing and sleeve. The sleeve is equipped with a catch for ensuring a proper positioning of an aerosol vessel with a valve inserted therein relative the levers. The rod in such known device is hollow and provided with a valve and an injection needle, which are adapted to ensure the filling of the aerosol vessel with a propellent following the securing of the aerosol vessel valve.

For securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel, the rod is shifted in an axial direction towards a support mounting the aerosol vessel with the valve to be secured in the vessel neck inserted therein. Shifted simultaneously with the rod in the same direction are the housing and the sleeve. When the catch moves onto the neck of the vessel, the sleeve displacement is discontinued while the rod moves together with the housing, thus compressing the spring between the flanges provided on the housing and sleeve. The housing ceases to move when its face end is thrust against the face end of the catch. This helps ensure a proper positioning of the working ends of the levers relative the setting flange of the valve body. Further, only the rod moves to spread, with its tapered end, the working ends of the levers. When so doing, the levers form a projection in the valve body, and the valve is secured. The injection needle acts to open the valve of the aerosol vessel and the valve built in the rod, to effect the filling of the aerosol vessel with a propellent by means of a separate device not described herein. Following the supply of the required amount of propellent to the vessel, the rod is moved in the opposite direction. The tapered end of the rod is the first to leave the working ends of the levers which are urged by the resilient element towards the center and move out of engagement with the setting flange of the valve body. Concurrently, the aerosol 'vessel valve and the valve built in the rod are closed. This is followed by a joint displacement of the rod and the housing relative the sleeve and, finally, by the sleeve displacement until the device assumes the initial position.

However, in the known device, the resilient element enveloping the working ends of the levers does not fully ensure the return of the latter levers to the initial position, and there occurs a sticking of the projections of the working ends of the levers in places of deformation of the valve body.

The afore-mentioned disadvantage cannot be eliminated by merely increasing the degree of resilience of the element enveloping the working ends of the levers, for, when securing the valve in the neck of the aerosol vessel, considerable forces of pressing emerge between the tapered end of the rod and the inside surface of the working ends of the levers, which cause great forces of friction at the moment of pulling the tapered end of the rod from the working ends of the levers. Such forces tend to increase with an increase in the forces of resilience of the element enveloping the working ends of the levers. As a result of this interaction of forces, the spring between the flanges of the rod and housing does not ensure the reliability of pulling the tapered end of the rod from the working ends of the levers. In view of the above, the aerosol vessel remains engaged with the working ends of the levers, which affects the operating duty of the device. Such violations of the operating duty are intolerable, especially so in case the device is built in units designed for the automatic filling of aerosol containers.

An object of the invention is to provide a device for scour ing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel which ensures a reliable disengagement of the working ends of the levers from the aerosol vessel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the above and other objects, the present invention consists in that in a device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel by forming a projection on the setting portion of the valve body, according to the invention, each of the spreadable levers is provided with an auxiliary arm, while the rod is provided with a projection adapted to interact with the arm for ensuring the reverse stroke of the rod to return the levers to the initial position.

For a better understanding of the present invention. presented hereinbelow is a detailed description of possible embodiments thereof, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel, according to the present invention, in the initial position; and

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the working portion of the device for securing a valve, in the valve-securing position, the view being on an enlarged scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, the device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel has a two-way action pneumatic drive including a pneumatic cylinder 1 (FIG. 1 a piston 2, an upper cover 3 provided with a connecting pipe 4, and a lower cover 5 with a connecting pipe 6. The upper cover 3 and the lower cover 5 are attached to the pneumatic cylinder 1 by means of captive nuts 7 and 8 respectively. The lower cover 5 has a centrally disposed stepped opening which accommodates the working portion of the device for securing a valve. The working portion of the device for securing a valve comprises-a hollow rod 9 rigidly secured in the piston 2, a housing 10 accommodating spreadable levers 11, a spring 12, a nut 13 and a lock 14 arranged on a pivot 15 (FIG. 2). Telescopically mounted on the outer surface of the housing 10 (FIG. I) is a catch 16 biased by a spring 17. The housing 10 has an axially extending stepped opening whose upper portion accommodates a flange 18 of the rod 9 and one end of the spring 12 bears against the flange. The other end of the spring 12 rests against a shoulder 19 of the housing 10. The housing 10 is fixed in its lower position on the rod 9 by the nut 13. The levers 11 are set with their grooves on an inwardly directed flange 20 of the housing 10 and the levers 11 are capable of swinging in planes extending in a longitudinal direction relative the rod 9. Working ends 21 of the levers 11, during the valve-securing operation, interact with the rod 9 with their inner surfaces 22. The levers 11 are provided with auxiliary arms 23 located above their grooves and the arms 23 are adapted to interact with a projection 24 on the rod 9 during the return of the rod to the initial position. The rod 9 is also provided with a projection 25 spaced axially of the projection 24 for control over the lock 14.

The rate of travel of the rod is adjusted by nuts 26 so that the degree of spreading of the levers 11 is increased or decreased, that is, the depth of recesses of a valve 28 of an aerosol vessel 29.

Inside the hollow rod 9 is arranged a valve 31 biased by a spring 30 and resting on a seat 32, and an injection needle 33. The injection needle 33 is packed with a sealing ring 34 placed in a mandrel 35 provided with a washer 36.

The injection needle 33 has grooves 37 and a centrally extending opening 38 which terminates in radially extending openings 39. The lower end of the injection needle 33 features a flange 40 serving to limit the degree of the needle penetration into the opening of the valve 28 of the aerosol vessel 29. For more convenience in assembly, the end of the rod is made detachable.

For a fuller understanding of the principle of the device operation, it should be noted that for mounting the aerosol vessel 29 when securing the valve 28 and filling the vessel with a propellent, use is made ofa support 42 biased by a spring 41 (FIG. 1), while the upper end of the rod 9 is fitted with a connecting pipe 43 adapted for the supply of propellent from a metering pump.

The present device for securing a valve operates in the following manner:

The aerosol vessel 29 with the valve 28 inserted therein is mounted on the support 42, whereupon compressed air is supplied to the upper space of the pneumatic drive via the connecting pipe 4. The piston 2 together with the working portion of the device for securing a valve moves in a direction towards the support 42. The catch 16 serves to place the aerosol vessel 29 with the valve 28 under the levers 11. The movement of the whole working portion of the device continues until the housing is set with its face end 45 onto a projection or ledge 46 of the lower cover 5, and the catch 16 compressing the spring 17 is thrust against the face end 45 of the housing 10.

Variations in the height of the vessel 29 are compensated for by the spring 41. The force of the spring 41 determines the degree of compression of a packing spacer 47 (FIG. 2) between the body of the valve 28 and the neck of the vessel 29. Further, the rod 9 moves on thus compressing the spring 12, and the auxiliary arms 23 of the levers 11 leave the projection 24 on the rod 9, while their working ends 21 are spread apart by the rod 9 and form projections on a setting flange 27 (FIG. 2) of the body of the valve 28. At the same time, the projection 25 of the rod 9 moves the nose portion of the lock 14 into engagement with a groove 48 provided in the lower cover 5, whereby the housing 10 is rendered immovable with respect to the cover 5.

The injection needle 33 moves concurrently with the rod 9 and, having overcome the force of the spring of the valve 28, opens the latter to prepare it for being filled with a propellent. The moment the flange 40 of the injection needle 33 contacts the plane of the body of the valve 28, the movement of the injection needle 33 is discontinued, and the valve 31 starts to rise. Propellent is supplied from the metering pump via the hollow rod 9, between the ribs of the valve 31, and through the grooves 37, central opening 38 and radial openings 39 of the injection needle 33 into the vessel 29. After the vessel 29 is filled with the required amount of propellent, the supply of compressed air to upper space 44 (FIG. 1) of the pneumatic drive is discontinued, with such space being connected to the atmosphere, and there commences the supply of compressed air to a lower space 49 of the pneumatic drive. When so doing, the piston 2 and the rod 9 start moving in a direction away from the vessel 29. The housing 10 with the levers 11 remains immovable until the nose portion of the lock 14 is disengaged from the groove 48 of the cover 5 and the rod 9 is thrust with its flange 18 against the nut 13.

Simultaneously, the projection 24 moves the auxiliary arms 23 of the levers 11 thus causing them to swing inwardly and, thereby disengage their working ends 21 from the vessel 29, while the valve 31 (FIG. 2) and the injection needle 33 assume the initial osition.

On furt er displacement of the rod 9, all of the pans of the device return to the initial position.

The foregoing description discloses an embodiment of the device according to the invention employing an actuating mechanism built in the lower cover of the pneumatic drive, as providing for the most efficient operation. The present invention, however, is not to be limited by the embodiment described, as there being is a possibility of employing other embodiments of the device capable ofa successful solution of the technical problem of the invention. Various such devices can be employed, for example, a device incorporating a separately mounted pneumatic drive or a drive of another type; a device incorporating an immovable actuating mechanism with a movable support for mounting an aerosol vessel, as well as other embodiments designed to comply with particular requirements when producing aerosol units, for instance, a device which only provides for securing the valve without filling the vessel with propellent.

The present device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel features a number of structural advantages over the prior art devices.

The structural embodiments of the device consist in that the successive operations of the elements of the device when returning to the initial position do not depend upon the force of the spring resilience but is strictly defined by the very design of the device, and cannot be varied by the sticking of the working ends of the levers in the valve body or by an increase in the forces of pressing of the working ends of the rod levers.

Building the proposed device in automatic units or automatic production lines for manufacturing aerosol containers helps increase the reliability of their operation and, consequently, their efficiency.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel by forming a projection on a setting portion of the valve body, comprising: a housing; a rod mounted in said housing for movement in an axial direction; spreadable levers secured in said housing for swinging movement in planes extending in longitudinal directions relative the rod, said levers being arranged in a series concentric with said rod; said levers having working ends adapted to interact with said rod so that during the working stroke of the rod, said levers spread in a direction radial with respect to the rod, with this spreading of the levers serving to cause the working ends thereof form a projection on the setting portion of the valve body; auxiliary arms for said levers; and a projection of said rod adapted to interact with said auxiliary arms of the levers during the reverse stroke of said rod to return said levers to the initial position.

Claims

1. A device for securing a valve in the neck of an aerosol vessel by forming a projection on a setting portion of the valve body, comprising: a housing; a rod mounted in said housing for movement in an axial direction; spreadable levers secured in said housing for swinging movement in planes extending in longitudinal directions relative the rod, said levers being arranged in a series concentric with said rod; said levers having working ends adapted to interact with said rod so that during the working stroke of the rod, said levers spread in a direction radial with respect to the rod, with this spreading of the levers serving to cause the working ends thereof form a projection on the setting portion of the valve body; auxiliary arms for said levers; and a projection of said rod adapted to interact with said auxiliary arms of the levers during the reverse stroke of said rod to return said levers to the initial position.