Pump with floating valve element

Claim 2

A product dispensing pump comprising, in combination, an actuator, a floating valve element, and a housing, said housing being adapted to engage the opening of a container, means on the housing which engage means on the actuator, to restrain the upward movement of the actuator, the housing and actuator providing a chamber having input and output channels, the floating valve element being slidable in a restricted space within said chamber and having means to open and close an exhaust port in a wall of said chamber, frictional means on said floating valve element for engagement and disengagement with a plunger on said actuator which proceeds into but not through said floating valve element to slide the (entire) floating valve element (assembly in either direction) upwardly and downwardly, means on said valve element to open and close an input to said chamber, said exhaust port being closed when said input is open and open when said input is closed, said vlave element having (means) openings therethrough to provide for product flow between said input and said exhaust port, and means in the actuator to retract said valve element to a point where said exhaust port is closed when the system is at rest;

Claim 3

A floating valve element for a product dispensing pump, formed of a single piece of molded plast material, adapted to be used with a movable actuator and to be positioned within a cylinder of a housing, said valve element being slidable in two directions within a restricted space and having means to open and close an exhaust port in a wall of said cylinder, said valve element having frictional means for cooperative engagement and disengagement with a plunger on said actuator, means on said valve element coaxial with said plunger to open and close an input on said cylinder, said exhaust port being closed when said input is open and open when said input is closed; and openings through (means on) said valve element to provide for product flow between said input and said exhaust port;

Claim 4

A floating valve element for a product dispensing pump, formed of a single piece of molded plast material, adapted to be used with a movable actuator and to be positioned within a cylinder of a housing, said valve element being slidable in two directions within a restricted space and having means to open and close an exhaust port in a wall of said cylinder, said valve element having frictional means for cooperative engagement and disengagement with a plunger on said actuator, means on said valve element coaxial with said plunger to open and close an input on said cylinder, said exhaust port being closed when said input is open and open when said input is closed; and openings through (means on) said valve element to provide for product flow between said input and said exhaust port;

Claim 5

A product dispensing pump comprising, in combination, an actuator, a floating valve assembly, and a housing, said housing being adapted to engage the opening in a container, the actuator having a fixed portion engaging the housing and a flexible diaphragm portion provided with a plunger, the housing and actuator providing a chamber having input and output channels, a floating valve in said chamber slidable within a restricted space having a stem with an interior cylindrical portion forming a chamber, the plunger of the actuator and the cylinder of the valve stem being coaxial, the valve stem cylinder having a throat provided with bosses adapted to engagement with the surface of the plunger while the diaphragm of the actuator is depressed; the floating valve having a base, provided with a tapered cylindrical slide engaging the interior wall of the housing at a point below the actuator and being slidable downwardly when the plunger of the diaphragm on the actuator engages the bosses on the cylinder, to a point where the slide on the floating vale is moved below the exhaust port of the housing, ports in the floating valve to permit product to move from the input to the output, and a stop on the actuator to limit upward movement of the floating valve when pressure on the diaphragm of the actuator is released.

Claim 6

A product dispensing pump comprising, in combination, an actuator, a floating valve assembly, and a housing, said housing being adapted to engage the opening in a container, the actuator having a fixed portion engaging the housing and a flexible diaphragm portion provided with a plunger, the housing and actuator providing a chamber having input and output channels, a floating valve in said chamber slidable within a restricted space having a stem with an interior cylindrical portion forming a chamber, the plunger of the actuator and the cylinder of the valve stem being coaxial, the valve stem cylinder having a throat provided with bosses adapted to engagement with the surface of the plunger while the diaphragm of the actuator is depressed; the floating valve having a base, provided with a tapered cylindrical slide engaging the interior wall of the housing at a point below the actuator and being slidable downwardly when the plunger of the diaphragm on the actuator engages the bosses on the cylinder, to a point where the slide on the floating vale is moved below the exhaust port of the housing, ports in the floating valve to permit product to move from the input to the output, and a stop on the actuator to limit upward movement of the floating valve when pressure on the diaphragm of the actuator is released.

Claim 7

A product dispensing pump comprising, in combination, an actuator, a floating valve element, and a housing, said housing being adapted to engage the opening in a container, the actuator being slidable within a turret on the housing between a stop on the housing and the floating valve element, flexible means between the actuator and the floating valve element to hold the actuator against the stop on eht turret of the housing when the combination is in a rest position, the housing and actuator forming a chamber having an input and an output, a floating valve element in said chamber, slidable within a cylinder in said housing when the actuator is depressed and movable in the opposite direction within said cylinder by the actuator when the actuator moves to a position at rest against the stop on the housing, said floating valve element having a base adapted to fit the input channel in the housing when the actuator is depressed ot provide a closure for the input of the housing, ports in the floating valve element to provide for product flow between the input on the housing and said chamber formed by the housing and the actuator, a port in the wall of the cylinder of said housing closable by movement of the floating valve element when the actuator moves to a rest position and open to provide for movement of product under pressure from the chamber formed by the housing and the actuator through the port in said wall to an output carried by the housing when the actuator is depressed, a bypass channel in the housing, one end of which terminates below the base of the housing at the interior of the container, the other end of which termiNates, above said base, in a wall of the chamber formed by the housing and the actuator, the latter terminus of the channel being open to the interior of the chamber when the actuator is at rest and being open to the atmosphere when the actuator is depressed.

Claim 8

A product dispensing pump comprising, in combination, an actuator, a floating valve element, and a housing, said housing being adapted to engage the opening in a container, the actuator being slidable within a turret on the housing between a stop on the housing and the floating valve element, flexible means between the actuator and the floating valve element to hold the actuator against the stop on eht turret of the housing when the combination is in a rest position, the housing and actuator forming a chamber having an input and an output, a floating valve element in said chamber, slidable within a cylinder in said housing when the actuator is depressed and movable in the opposite direction within said cylinder by the actuator when the actuator moves to a position at rest against the stop on the housing, said floating valve element having a base adapted to fit the input channel in the housing when the actuator is depressed ot provide a closure for the input of the housing, ports in the floating valve element to provide for product flow between the input on the housing and said chamber formed by the housing and the actuator, a port in the wall of the cylinder of said housing closable by movement of the floating valve element when the actuator moves to a rest position and open to provide for movement of product under pressure from the chamber formed by the housing and the actuator through the port in said wall to an output carried by the housing when the actuator is depressed, a bypass channel in the housing, one end of which terminates below the base of the housing at the interior of the container, the other end of which termiNates, above said base, in a wall of the chamber formed by the housing and the actuator, the latter terminus of the channel being open to the interior of the chamber when the actuator is at rest and being open to the atmosphere when the actuator is depressed.

Claim 9

A product dispensing pump in accordance with claim 3 in which the housing is provided with an outer mounting flange adapted to engage the rim of an unthreaded container and being movable downwardly aginst said rim when the actuator is depressed and upwardly against said rim when the actuator is released, a vent in the base of said housing connecting the interior of the container with the ambient atmosphere, venting ribs on said housing engaging the interior wall of said container, a sealing skirt in said housing in a peripheral sealing contact with the interior wall of the container when the housing and the actuator are in a rest position, said venting ribs being operable to disengage the sealing skirt from its sealing contact with the interior wall of the container when the actuator and the housing are depressed, said sealing skirt being returnable to its sealing contact with the interior wall of the container when the housing and the actuator return to a rest position.

Claim 10

A product dispensing pump in accordance with claim 1 which includes automatic venting means which is open only while the actuator is frictionally connected with the valve element. cm

Claim 11

A product dispensing pump in accordance with claim 1 including means to admit a measured amount of atmosphere to said chamber at the commencement of the intake stroke of the actuator.