Position responsive two-way ball valve

Claim 2

A submersible, automatically functioning, pressure and position responsive air valve for a compressible container, comprising: a closure member for a compressible container; a first-U-shaped air inlet tube connected through said closure member to atmosphere, said air inlet tube depending from said closure and adapted to extend into the container; a tubular housing having an upper ball seat at one end and a lower ball seat at the other end, the lower ball seat being connected through said U-shaped air inlet tube to communicate with the atmosphere, and the upper ball seat being connected through a second air inlet tube to communicate with the interior air content of the container; and a ball valve located within said tubular housing and freely movable therein, the position and movement of the ball valve within said housing being directed by gravitation and air pressure so that the ball valve engages said lower ball seat to close said air inlet tube to flow due to compression of the container when the container is in an upright position, and so that the ball engages said upper ball seat upon inversion of the container to open said air inlet tube to flow due to compression of the container.

Claim 3

A submersible, automatically functioning, pressure and position responsive fluid valve for the fluid outlet of a compressible container, comprising: a closure member for a compressible container; fluid outlet means including an evacuation tube within the container and extending through said closure member for connection to a spout; a fluid filler tube within the container, said filler tube being adapted to the container; a tubular housing having an upper ball seat at one end and a lower ball seat at the other end, the upper ball seat being connected to said evacuation tube and the lower ball seat being connected to said filler tube; and a ball valve located within said tubular housing and freely movable therein, the position and movement of the ball valve within said tubular housing being directed by gravitation of the ball and by fluid pressure developed within the container so that the ball valve engages said lower seat when the container is in an upright position and is opened to permit fluid flow therethrough and thence through said evacuation tube upon compression of the container, and upon inversion of the container engages said upper ball seat to close said evacuation tube to fluid flow.

Claim 4

A submersible, automatically functioning, pressure and position responsive fluid valve for the fluid outlet of a compressible container, comprising: a closure member for a compressible container; fluid outlet means including an evacuation tube within the container and extending through said closure member for connection to a spout; a fluid filler tube within the container, said filler tube being adapted to the container; a tubular housing having an upper ball seat at one end and a lower ball seat at the other end, the upper ball seat being connected to said evacuation tube and the lower ball seat being connected to said filler tube; and a ball valve located within said tubular housing and freely movable therein, the position and movement of the ball valve within said tubular housing being directed by gravitation of the ball and by fluid pressure developed within the container so that the ball valve engages said lower seat when the container is in an upright position and is opened to permit fluid flow therethrough and thence through said evacuation tube upon compression of the container, and upon inversion of the container engages said upper ball seat to close said evacuation tube to fluid flow.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 2, further including an air inlet valve for the compressible container, the air inlet valve comprising: a first, U-shaped air inlet tube connected through said closure member to atmosphere, said air inlet tube depending from said closure member and extending into the container; a second tubular housing having an upper ball seat at one end and a lower ball seat at the other end, the lower ball seat being connected through said U-shaped inlet tube to communicate with the atmosphere, and the upper ball seat being connected through a second air inlet tube to communicate with the interior air content of the container; and a second ball valve located within said second tubular housing and freely movable therein, the position and movement of said second ball valve within said housing being directed gravitation and air pressure so that in the upright position of said container said second ball valve engages said lower ball valve seat of said second housing to close said inlet air tube to flow during compression of the container, and so that upon inversion of the container said second ball valve engages said upper ball valve seat of said second housing to open said air inlet tube to flow due to compression of the container.

Claim 6

A submersible, automatically functioning, pressure and position responsive valve assembly for dispensing fluids, comprising: a compressible container having a flexible body and an upwardly extending neck portion; a closure member in sealing engagement with said neck portion; air inlet means extending into said container, said air inlet means comprising a first tubular housing having upper and lower ball seats on the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively, a first ball valve freely movable within said first tubular housing between its upper and lower ball seats, U-shaped tube means connected between said lower ball seat and said closure member and communicating with atmosphere, and said upper ball seat communicating with the air content of said container, the position and movement of said first ball valve within said first housing being automatically directed by gravitation of the ball and by air pressure; fluid outlet means within said housing, said fluid outlet means comprising a second tubular housing having upper and lower ball seats on the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively, a second ball valve freely movable within said second tubular housing between its upper and lower ball seats, a fluid filler tube connected to said lower ball seat and extending downwardly into said container, an evacuation tube connected between said upper ball seat and said closure member and adapted for connection through said closure member to a spout for dispensing fluids, the position and movement of said second ball valve within said second housing being automatically directed by gravitation of the ball and by fluid pressure developed inside said container, whereby said container without applied compression is closed by ball valves in both its upright and inverted positions, in the upright position squeezing said flexible container body serving to dispense liquids through said fluid outlet means and releasing said flexible container body serving to draw air into said container through said air inlet means, and in the inverted position squeezing said flexible container body serving to transmit fluid out through said air inlet means.

Claim 7

A submersible, automatically functioning, pressure and position responsive valve assembly for dispensing fluids, comprising: a compressible container having a flexible body and an upwardly extending neck portion; a closure member in sealing engagement with said neck portion; air inlet means extending into said container, said air inlet means comprising a first tubular housing having upper and lower ball seats on the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively, a first ball valve freely movable within said first tubular housing between its upper and lower ball seats, U-shaped tube means connected between said lower ball seat and said closure member and communicating with atmosphere, and said upper ball seat communicating with the air content of said container, the position and movement of said first ball valve within said first housing being automatically directed by gravitation of the ball and by air pressure; fluid outlet means within said housing, said fluid outlet means comprising a second tubular housing having upper and lower ball seats on the upper and lower ends thereof, respectively, a second ball valve freely movable within said second tubular housing between its upper and lower ball seats, a fluid filler tube connected to said lower ball seat and extending downwardly into said container, an evacuation tube connected between said upper ball seat and said closure member and adapted for connection through said closure member to a spout for dispensing fluids, the position and movement of said second ball valve within said second housing being automatically directed by gravitation of the ball and by fluid pressure developed inside said container, whereby said container without applied compression is closed by ball valves in both its upright and inverted positions, in the upright position squeezing said flexible container body serving to dispense liquids through said fluid outlet means and releasing said flexible container body serving to draw air into said container through said air inlet means, and in the inverted position squeezing said flexible container body serving to transmit fluid out through said air inlet means.