Coalescing nozzle

Claim 2

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, and a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere, at least a portion of the walls of said circuitous path being formed of a material of a surface tension less than the surface tension of the liquid of said aerosol.

Claim 3

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 1, wherein said portion of the wall of said circuitous path of lessor surface tension is positioned so that coalesced oil is transported therealong in the region of said outlet opening.

Claim 4

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the wall of the circuitous path of lesser surface tension defines the outer peripheral wall of said circuitous path in said second region in which angular momentum is imparted to said fluid.

Claim 5

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 1, wherein said circuitous path includes a series of regions at which said aerosol impacts against the wall of said path.

Claim 6

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, said wall of said path against which said aerosol impacts being aligned substantially normally to the direction of aerosol flow at said region of impact, and a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 7

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, said wall of said path against which said aerosol impacts being aligned substantially normally to the direction of aerosol flow at said region of impact, and a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 8

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, and a third region defining a diverging nozzle terminating at said outlet opening, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 9

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, and a third region defining a diverging nozzle terminating at said outlet opening, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 10

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 6, wherein said second region in which angular momentum is imparted to said fluid is positioned relative to said outlet opening so that the coalesced liquid maintains a velocity having a tangential component at said outlet opening.

Claim 11

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere, and an end surface through which said outlet opening extends, said end surface being provided with an annular groove substantially concentric with said outlet opening for providing a lead-in path for the ambient atmosphere to join the liquid spray at said outlet opening.

Claim 12

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles, a second region intermediate said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid in said path to produce a liquid spray at said outlet, so that said liquid spray consists substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere, and an end surface through which said outlet opening extends, said end surface being provided with an annular groove substantially concentric with said outlet opening for providing a lead-in path for the ambient atmosphere to join the liquid spray at said outlet opening.

Claim 13

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuitous path includes a final chamber having an end wall, said region of said circuitous path in which angular momentum is imparted to said fluid being positioned to empty into the periphery of said final chamber so that the aerosol will impact against the end wall of said chamber, said end wall being formed with a central exit opening therethrough for the flow of fluid out of said chamber, said diverging nozzle extending between said exit opening and said outlet opening.

Claim 14

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 9, wherein said final chamber and region for imparting angular momentum to said fluid is adapted so that the coalesced liquid leaving said final chamber to said exit opening has a velocity having a tangential component.

Claim 15

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 10, wherein said final chamber end wall is formed in the shape of a truncated cone projecting into saId final chamber.

Claim 16

A coalescing nozzle for an aerosol comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member in sealing engagement and formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path means therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member for coalescing aerosol liquid particles, at least a portion of said circuitous path means being defined between the walls of said axial bore in said sleeve member and the periphery of said portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore, said sleeve and body members being formed so that said circuitous path means includes at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening.

Claim 17

A coalescing nozzle for an aerosol comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member in sealing engagement and formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path means therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member for coalescing aerosol liquid particles, at least a portion of said circuitous path means being defined between the walls of said axial bore in said sleeve member and the periphery of said portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore, said sleeve and body members being formed so that said circuitous path means includes at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening.

Claim 18

A coalescing nozzle for an aerosol comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member in sealing engagement, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path means therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member for coalescing aerosol liquid particles, at least a portion of said circuitous path means being defined between the walls of said axial bore in said sleeve member and the periphery of said portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore, said sleeve and body members being formed so that said circuitous path means includes at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which an angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening, said portion of said body member received within said axial bore of said sleeve member and said axial bore having respective facing spaced end walls and respective side walls at least portions of which are in sealing engagement, at least a portion of said circuitous path being formed intermediate portions of the respective side walls of said body member portion and the associated sleeve member axial bore, said body member being formed with a further portion of said circuitous path extending therethrough from said inlet opening to the side wall of said portion of said body member received within said axial bore for communication to said first-mentioned portion of said circuitous path.

Claim 19

A coalescing nozzle for an aerosol comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member in sealing engagement, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path means therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member for coalescing aerosol liquid particles, at least a portion of said circuitous path means being defined between the walls of said axial bore in said sleeve member and the periphery of said portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore, said sleeve and body members being formed so that said circuitous path means includes at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said liquid particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which an angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening, said portion of said body member received within said axial bore of said sleeve member and said axial bore having respective facing spaced end walls and respective side walls at least portions of which are in sealing engagement, at least a portion of said circuitous path being formed intermediate portions of the respective side walls of said body member portion and the associated sleeve member axial bore, said body member being formed with a further portion of said circuitous path extending therethrough from said inlet opening to the side wall of said portion of said body member received within said axial bore for communication to said first-mentioned portion of said circuitous path.

Claim 20

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 13, wherein the respective side walls of said sleeve member axial bore and said body member portion received therein are formed with a helical channel therebetween defining the region of said circuitous path in which angular momentum is imparted to said fluid, said helical channel emptying into a final chamber defined between the respective end walls of said sleeve member axial bore and said body member portion received therein.

Claim 21

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 14, wherein said helical channel is defined by a helical groove formed in the side wall of the portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore.

Claim 22

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 14, wherein the respective side walls of the sleeve member axial bore and the portion of said body member received therein are formed with an annular chamber providing communication between the entrance of said helical channel and said further portion of said circuitous path in said body member provIding communication with said inlet opening.

Claim 23

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 16, wherein said portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore is formed with a region of reduced diameter defining said annular chamber.

Claim 24

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 16, wherein said body is formed so that the aerosol stream leaving said further portion of said circuitous path within said body portion impacts against said side wall of said sleeve portion axial bore to effect coalescence.

Claim 25

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 13, wherein said further portion of said circuitous path in said body member includes an axial bore extending from said inlet opening to an end wall, and a transverse bore passing through said body member axial bore and interconnecting said body member axial bore with said first-mentioned portion of said circuitous path intermediate the respective side walls of said sleeve member axial bore and the portion of said body member received therein.

Claim 26

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 13, wherein said sleeve member is formed with an axial diverging nozzle bore between the end wall of said axial bore of said sleeve member and said outlet opening, the diameter of said nozzle bore at said sleeve member axial bore end wall being less than the diameter of said final chamber.

Claim 27

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 19, wherein the portion of said body member including said inlet opening is dimensioned for receipt within an aerosol transporting tube, the diameter of the axial bore extending from said inlet opening into said body member being of a diameter less than the inner diameter of said aerosol transporting tube.

Claim 28

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 13, wherein said sleeve member is formed with an annular groove in the end wall thereof substantially concentric with said outlet opening for providing a lead in for the ambient atmosphere into said oil spray.

Claim 29

A coalescing nozzle for use in an oil aerosol lubrication system comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol oil particles as said aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said oil particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce an oil spray at said outlet, at least a portion of said circuitous path in the region of said outlet opening and along which coalesced oil is transported being formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of oil.

Claim 30

A coalescing nozzle for use in an oil aerosol lubrication system comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet and outlet openings for the coalescing of aerosol oil particles as said aerosol passes therethrough, said circuitous path including at least a first region at which said aerosol impacts against a wall of said path to substantially change the direction of flow thereof and substantially coalesce said oil particles and a second region between said first region and said outlet opening in which angular momentum is imparted to the fluid to produce an oil spray at said outlet, at least a portion of said circuitous path in the region of said outlet opening and along which coalesced oil is transported being formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of oil.

Claim 31

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 23, wherein said portion of the wall of said circuitous path of lessor surface tension is formed of polypropylene.

Claim 32

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet opening and outlet opening for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, at least a portion of said circuitous path in the region of said outlet opening and along which coalesced liquid is transported being formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid to assist in the maintenance of the liquid in the coalesced state for discharge as a spray consisting substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 33

A coalescing nozzle comprising an inlet opening, an outlet opening, and means providing a circuitous path between said inlet opening and outlet opening for the coalescing of aerosol liquid particles as an aerosol passes therethrough, at least a portion of said circuitous path in the region of said outlet opening and along which coalesced liquid is transported being formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid to assist in the maintenance of the liquid in the coalesced state for discharge as a spray consisting substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 34

A coalescing nozzle comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member adapted to coalesce liquid paRticles in said aerosol and to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening, said sleeve member axial bore and the portion of said body member received therein having respective facing spaced end walls and respective side walls at least portions of which are in sealing engagement, said circuitous path including an axial bore formed in said body member and extending from said inlet opening to an end wall; a transverse bore in the portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore and passing through said body member axial bore to the side wall of said body member portion; a region of said body member portion including the openings of said transverse bore in said side wall being of reduced diameter to define an annular chamber between the respective side walls of said body member portion; said body member portion side wall being formed with a helical groove defining with the corresponding side wall of said sleeve member axial bore a helical channel communicating between said annular chamber and a final chamber defined between the respective end walls of said sleeve member axial bore and said body member portion; and said sleeve member being formed with a diverging nozzle bore extending between the end wall of said sleeve member axial bore and said outlet opening, the opening into said nozzle bore in said sleeve member axial bore end wall being of a diameter less than the diameter of said final chamber.

Claim 35

A coalescing nozzle comprising a body member; and a sleeve member formed with an axial bore therein for receiving a portion of said body member, said body and sleeve members being formed to define a circuitous path therein between an inlet opening in an end wall of said body member and an outlet opening in an end wall of said sleeve member adapted to coalesce liquid paRticles in said aerosol and to produce a liquid spray at said outlet opening, said sleeve member axial bore and the portion of said body member received therein having respective facing spaced end walls and respective side walls at least portions of which are in sealing engagement, said circuitous path including an axial bore formed in said body member and extending from said inlet opening to an end wall; a transverse bore in the portion of said body member received within said sleeve member axial bore and passing through said body member axial bore to the side wall of said body member portion; a region of said body member portion including the openings of said transverse bore in said side wall being of reduced diameter to define an annular chamber between the respective side walls of said body member portion; said body member portion side wall being formed with a helical groove defining with the corresponding side wall of said sleeve member axial bore a helical channel communicating between said annular chamber and a final chamber defined between the respective end walls of said sleeve member axial bore and said body member portion; and said sleeve member being formed with a diverging nozzle bore extending between the end wall of said sleeve member axial bore and said outlet opening, the opening into said nozzle bore in said sleeve member axial bore end wall being of a diameter less than the diameter of said final chamber.

Claim 36

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 26, wherein said sleeve member end wall is formed with an annular groove substantially concentric with said outlet opening for providing an intake path for the ambient atmosphere to join the liquid stream.

Claim 37

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 26, wherein said sleeve member is formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid.

Claim 38

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 26, wherein the end of said body member including said inlet opening is dimensioned for receipt within an aerosol transmitting tube, said inlet opening being of a diameter less than the inner diameter of said tube.

Claim 39

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 26, and adapted for connection to an oil aerosol lubrication system, said sleeve member being formed of a material having a surface tension less than that of oil, said circuitous path being adapted to produce at said outlet an oil spray consisting substantially of droplets of a size tending not to remain in suspension in the ambient atmosphere.

Claim 40

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 26, wherein said sleeve member end wall is formed with an annular groove substantially concentric with said outlet opening for providing an intake path for the ambient atmosphere to join the liquid stream, and wherein said sleeve member axial bore end wall is formed at least in part in the shape of a truncated cone projecting into said final chamber and having said nozzle bore axially aligned therein.

Claim 41

A coalescing nozzle as recited in claim 31, wherein said sleeve member is formed of a material having a surface tension less than the surface tension of said liquid.