Float controlled dispensers

Claim 1

A float controlled dispenser for use in dispensing the contents of a container into a body of a liquid the level of which periodically raises and lowers, which dispenser comprises: a closure for use on a container for the composition to be dispensed, said closure including a closure body, means for attaching said closure to said container and a spout rotatably mounted on said closure body so as to be capable of being rotated between a closed position and an open position, said spout having a discharge passage extending therethrough, said passage having an inlet adapted to lead from the interior of said container when said spout is in said open position and an outlet which is remote from said closure body when said spout is in said open position, said passage including a double acting valve seat having an opening extending therethrough, which opening is of smaller dimension than the remainder of the interior of said passage, said valve seat being located adjacent to said outlet, a control member including a float structure, a stem extending from said float structure, a head member located on the extremity of said valve stem remote from said float structure and a valve member located around said stem adjacent to said float structure, said valve stem being of smaller dimension than said opening, said head being of smaller diameter than said passage and of largeR dimension than said opening, said closure and said control member formed so that said head may be snapped through said opening so as to be positioned within said passage as a result of temporary material deformation, said float structure has the shape of an open ended container and wherein, said float structure being capable of fitting around the exterior of said closure body and said means for attaching said closure to said container prior to the use of said dispenser, said closure and said control member being adapted to be located so that said inlet is above said outlet with said head within said passage and said stem extending through said opening, said float structure being adapted to raise and lower said valve stem and said valve member relative to said passage between an uppermost position in which said valve member fits against said valve seat so as to close off said passage and a lowermost position in which said head member fits against said valve seat so as to close off said passage, said passage being open around said stem in other positions of said float structure other than said uppermost and said lowermost positions so that the contents of said container can move through said passage in accordance with the level of said liquid in said body, the portion of said control member around said stem on the side of said float member adjacent to said serving to distribute the contents of said container exteriorly of said dispenser wherever said valve member is not seated against said seat.