Soap metering and dispensing device for washing machines

Claim 1

A METERING AND DISPERING DEVICE FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL COMPRISING A HOPPER, A DRUM HOUSING COMMUNICATING THREWITH; A ROTARY DRUM IN THE HOUSING HAVING A PLURALITY OF SEGMENTALLY SHAPED COMPARTMENTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE HOPPER ON ROTATION OF THE DRUM; A CONDUIT COMMUNICATING WITH AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE HOUSING INTO POSITION SUCH THAT SAID COMPARTMENTS ARE SUCCESSIVELY COMMUNICATED WITH THE CONDUIT ON ROTATION OF THE DRUM THROUGH SELECTED ANGULAR DISTANCES; VALVE MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE DRUM AND NORMALLY CLOSING THE LOWER END OF THE CONDUIT, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING UNSEATED RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF THE DRUM IN ONE DIRECTION; AND A MIXING CHAMBER CONNECTED WITH THE LOWER END OF THE CONDUIT TO RECEIVE THE MATERIALS DISPERSED THROUGH THE CONDUIT, SAID MIXING CHAMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF TUBULAR FITTINGS AT ONE END AND A SINGLE TUBULAR FITTING AT THE OTHER END, ONE OF THE FIRST TUBULAR FITTINGS COMPRISING A WATER INLET, THE OTHER OF SAID FIRST NAMED FITTINGS COMPRISING MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE MIXING CHAMBER WITH A PUMP OF A WASHING MACHINE, SAID FITTING AT THE OTHER END OF THE MIXING CHAMBER PROVIDING A CONNECTIN FOR A LINE EXTENDING FROM THE MIXING CHAMBER TO A WASHING MACHINE.