Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
An improved connection head for use on a device consuming pressurized gas from a removable cartridge having in a wall of the cartridge facing the head an inwardly displaceable check valve, said connection head comprising a casing opposite said cartridge, a sleeve reciprocable in said casing, a rod exteNding through the casing and having a finger disposed to displace said check valve, an annular packing fixed to the sleeve and the sleeve and packing coaxially surrounding the finger, spring means in the head and operative to urge the sleeve outwardly toward the wall of the cartridge to seal the packing thereagainst and to urge the rod outwardly toward the cartridge so that the finger displaces the check valve of the cartridge, said improvement comprising the connection head wherein said spring means is operative between the casing and the rod for urging the finger outwardly of the head, the yield limit of said spring means being further chosen so that the yieldable force of the spring means on said finger will be sufficient to displace and hold open said valve but will be insufficient to puncture the wall of the cartridge, said improvement comprising further, mutually abutting stops for imparting force from said rod to said sleeve in such an unidirectional manner as to shift said sleeve outwardly of the casing when the rod is urged outwardly by the spring means, the sleeve being released by the stops to retract inwardly into the casing at least for a part of its return travel when the rod is displaced inwardly of the casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
261 words
An improved connection head for use on a device consuming pressurized gas from a removable cartridge having in a wall of the cartridge facing the head an inwardly displaceable check valve, said connection head comprising a casing opposite said cartridge, a sleeve reciprocable in said casing, a rod exteNding through the casing and having a finger disposed to displace said check valve, an annular packing fixed to the sleeve and the sleeve and packing coaxially surrounding the finger, spring means in the head and operative to urge the sleeve outwardly toward the wall of the cartridge to seal the packing thereagainst and to urge the rod outwardly toward the cartridge so that the finger displaces the check valve of the cartridge, said improvement comprising the connection head wherein said spring means is operative between the casing and the rod for urging the finger outwardly of the head, the yield limit of said spring means being further chosen so that the yieldable force of the spring means on said finger will be sufficient to displace and hold open said valve but will be insufficient to puncture the wall of the cartridge, said improvement comprising further, mutually abutting stops for imparting force from said rod to said sleeve in such an unidirectional manner as to shift said sleeve outwardly of the casing when the rod is urged outwardly by the spring means, the sleeve being released by the stops to retract inwardly into the casing at least for a part of its return travel when the rod is displaced inwardly of the casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
The connection head as in claim 1, further comprising means for fully retracting the rod into the casing, coacting return stops carried by the rod and the sleeve and operative, when retracted, to retract for at least the most retracted part of the rods return travel said sleeve, said rod extending through the end of the casing opposite said cartridge and carrying on its end opposite said finger a knob, the pulling of which will retract against the force of the spring means said sleeve to release an empty cartridge from the connection head, so as to be exchanged for another filled one.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
114 words
The connection head as in claim 2, further comprising, in said casing a circular opening through which a portion of said rod and the knob pass, said portion having a radial extension and said opening in the casing having a radial slot of shape corresponding with the extension, so that said radial extension when brought in alignment with said slot by turning the knob can be retracted to pull the finger into the casing of the head and, after a subsequent partial turn of said knob, remain retracted in this position with said radial extension out of alignment with the slot, thereby retaining the finger and the sleeve in retracted position in the head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
140 words
The connection head as in claim 1, in which said rod extends through the casing away from the finger and carries a knob on its free end outside the casing, a piston attached to the rod and slidable inside the sleeve in fluid-tight engagement therewith, means to prevent rotation of the sleeve in the casing, said unidirectionally coacting thrust stops being carried by the rod and by the sleeve and one of the stops comprising an integral inclined peripheral surface and the other comprising an integral radial element contacting said surface and held thereon by force of the spring means in such a manner that when the knob is turned the finger will retract or advance with respect to said annular packing and check valve of the cartridge to control the gas flow from said valve into the connection head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The connection head as in claim 1, in which the rod above the finger has a tapered portion oriented to cooperate with the end of the annular packing where it is fixed to the sleeve to serve as a needle valve, so that, when the check valve of the cartridge is fully open, further advance of the finger into said check valve will insert said tapered portion deeper into said packing to reduce the gas flow.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The connection head as in claim 5, in which the end of the annular packing where it is fixed to the sleeve is made of a resilient, elastomeric material and has a non circular bore to cooperate as needle valve seat with the tapered portion of the finger.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
105 words
The connection head as in claim 1, for cOnnection with a cartridge in which the check valve is arranged on the bottom of a depression in the cartridge wall, said improvement comprising said annular packing extending from said sleeve as a resilient annulus depending from said head and disposed to be introduced into said depression to frictionally engage the latter with said check valve so as to ensure primary fluid tightness against the periphery of said depression, this tightness increasing when the annulus is inflated by the pressure of the gas entering the packing as soon as the check valve of the cartridge is opened.