Actuator for aerosol can valve

Claim 1

An actuating apparatus for an aerosol can comprising a frame, an aerosol can containing material to be sprayed mounted on the frame and having a valve for releasing the material to be sprayed, the valve including an elongated laterally movable stem extendIng from a valve base, the valve base including a generally flat surface extending generally perpendicularly to the stem, an actuating bar mounted on the frame for movement laterally with respect to the aerosol can, and an actuating cap rotatably mounted on the valve stem, the actuating cap being provided with a central bore receiving the valve stem and terminating in an elongated slot for spraying the material within the can, the actuating cap having a flat aligning surface extending parallel to the longitudinal dimension of the slot and a valve-attaching portion terminating in a valve-engaging end having a planar beveled surface extending angularly with respect to the flat surface of the valve base and generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slot, the aligning surface of the actuating cap being engageable by the actuating bar when the actuating bar is moved laterally with respect to the can whereby the actuating cap and the valve stem may be moved laterally, the planar beveled surface of the actuating cap being engageable with the flat surface of the valve base as the actuating bar moves the actuating cap and the valve stem laterally engagement of the actuating bar with the aligning surface and engagement of the planar beveled surface with the flat surface of the valve base causing rotation of the actuating cap on the valve stem into a position in which the longitudinal dimension of the slot thereof is aligned with the actuating bar and the axis of the central bore lies in a plane extending through the axis of the can and perpendicular to the aligning surface of the actuating cap.