Liquid proportioning device with insufficient supply and flow valves

Claim 2

A liquid proportioning apparatus for dispensing a liquid concentrate diluted with a liquid diluent comprising a diluent reservoir for a supply of diluent, a concentrate reservoir for a supply of concentrate in fluid pressure communication with said diluent, and metering means for receiving diluent from said diluent reservoir and concentrate from said concentrate reservoir and for mixing them in desired porportions, and control means in response to sufficient levels of one of said liquids in said reservoirs to allow continuous dispensing of said liquid concentrate diluted with said liquid diluent in said desired proportions and operable in response to an insufficient level of said one of said liquids within its reservoir to terminate flow of the other of said liquids, said reservoir which contains said other liquid being a flexible container located within the reservoir which contains said one liquid, said metering means includes an orifice open to said other liquid, a filler tube is provided to supply said other liquid to said flexible container, and the lower end of said filler tube operates to engage and close said orifice when said control means responds to an insufficient supply of said one liquid.

Claim 3

A liquid porportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means includes a float in the reservoir containing said one liquid operably connected to terminate the flow of said other liquid when the level of said one liquid drops to a predetermined level.

Claim 4

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said one liquid is said diluent and said other liquid is said concentrate.

Claim 5

A liquid porportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control means includes float means connected to lift said filler tube and maintain said orifice open when a predetermined level of said one liquid is present.

Claim 6

A liquid porportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said diluent is supplied to said diluent reservoir through an inlet from a source of diluent under pressure, and said inlet is separated from the diluent in said diluent reservoir by an air filled zone.

Claim 7

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein a diluent level control valve maintains a substantially predetermined level of diluent in said diluent reservoir.

Claim 8

A liquid porportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said diluent is supplied to said diluent reservoir through an inlet from a source of diluent under pressure and said inlet is separated from the diluent in said diluent reservoir by an air filled zone.

Claim 9

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein means are provided to prevent leakage from said air filled zone.

Claim 10

A liquid proportioning apparatus for dispensing liquid concentrate diluted with a liquid diluent comprising a diluent reservoir adapted to be connected to a source of diluent under pressure, a flexible concentrate reservoir within said diluent reservoir, metering means for receiving liquids from said reservoirs and mixing them in desired porportions, closable filler means through which concentrate is added to said concentrate reservoir, said filler means being operable to lower the level of said diluent and allow air to enter an upper air zone within said diluent reservoir when said filler means are open, and isolation means open to said filler means operable to prevent air from escaping from said air zone in the event of leakage of said filler means.

Claim 11

A liquid proportioning apparatus for dispensing liquid concentrate diluted with a liquid diluent comprising a diluent reservoir adapted to be connected to a source of diluent under pressure, a flexible concentrate reservoir within said diluent reservoir, metering means for receiving liquids from said reservoirs and mixing them in desired porportions, closable filler means through which concentrate is added to said concentrate reservoir, said filler means being operable to lower the level of said diluent and allow air to enter an upper air zone within said diluent reservoir when said filler means are open, and isolation means open to said filler means operable to prevent air from escaping from said air zone in the event of leakage of said filler means.

Claim 12

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said filler means includes a removable cap and said isolation means includes a conduit opened to said removable cap and extending downwardly therefrom to a location spaced from said removable cap, said conduit isolating said air zone from said removable cap.

Claim 13

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein a filler tube extends from said concentrate reservoir through said conduit to said removable cap whereby concentrate may be supplied through said filler tube to said concentrate reservoir when said removable cap is removed.

Claim 14

A liquid proportioning apparatus for dispensing a liquid concentrate diluted with a liquid diluent comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining at least a portion of a first reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining at least a portion of a second reservoir, a liquid concentrate in said first reservoir, a liquid diluent in said second reservoir, said flexible bladder operating to maintain said diluent and said concentrate at substantially the same pressure, a mixing chamber separate from said reservoirs, metering means for receiving diluent from said first reservoir and concentrate from said second reservoir and for delivering them to said mixing chamber and mixing them in desired proportions, and control valve means including a float sensitive to the level of said diluent and operable in response to levels of said diluent higher than a predetermined level of said diluent in its reservoir to maintain said valve means open and to allow continuous dispensing of said liquid concentrate diluted with said liquid diluent in said desired proportions, said float being operable in response to levels of said diluent in its reservoir lower than said predetermined level to terminate flow of said concentrate through said valve means.

Claim 15

A liquid proportioning apparatus for dispensing a liquid concentrate diluted with a liquid diluent comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining at least a portion of a first reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining at least a portion of a second reservoir, a liquid concentrate in said first reservoir, a liquid diluent in said second reservoir, said flexible bladder operating to maintain said diluent and said concentrate at substantially the same pressure, a mixing chamber separate from said reservoirs, metering means for receiving diluent from said first reservoir and concentrate from said second reservoir and for delivering them to said mixing chamber and mixing them in desired proportions, and control valve means including a float sensitive to the level of said diluent and operable in response to levels of said diluent higher than a predetermined level of said diluent in its reservoir to maintain said valve means open and to allow continuous dispensing of said liquid concentrate diluted with said liquid diluent in said desired proportions, said float being operable in response to levels of said diluent in its reservoir lower than said predetermined level to terminate flow of said concentrate through said valve means.

Claim 16

A liquid proportioning apparatus comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining a concentrate reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining a diluent reservoir exterior of said bladder, a mixing chamber, first orifice means connecting said concentrate reservoir and said mixing chamber, second orifice means connecting said diluent reservoir and said mixing chamber, said first and second orifice means operating when the pressure differential across each of them is substantially equal to deliver a predetermined ratio of concentrate and diluent to said mixing chamber, and valve means operable to terminate flow through at least one of said orifice means when the pressure differential across both of said orifice means is sufficiently unequal to cause inaccurate proportioning.

Claim 17

A liquid proportioning apparatus comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining a concentrate reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining a diluent reservoir exterior of said bladder, a mixing chamber, first orifice means connecting said concentrate reservoir and said mixing chamber, second orifice means connecting said diluent reservoir and said mixing chamber, said first and second orifice means operating when the pressure differential across each of them is substantially equal to deliver a predetermined ratio of concentrate and diluent to said mixing chamber, and valve means operable to terminate flow through at least one of said orifice means when the pressure differential across both of said orifice means is sufficiently unequal to cause inaccurate proportioning.

Claim 18

A liquid proportioner as set forth in claim 13 wherein said valve means controls the flow through said first orifice means, and said valve means is maintained opened to allow flow through said first orifice means when the level of liquid in said diluent reservoir is above a predetermined level and to cause said valve means to close and prevent flow through said first orifice means when the level of said diluent is below said predetermined level.

Claim 19

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein float means are connected to open and close said valve means, said float means including a volume of gas in the top of said bladder.

Claim 20

A liquid proportioner as set forth in claim 13 wherein said bladder is sized to expand into contact with the walls of said tank, and a conduit is provided connecting an upper portion of said diluent reservoir above said bladder to a lower portion of said diluent reservoir below said bladder and adjacent to said second orifice means.

Claim 21

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said orifice means includes an orifice separating said reservoirs from said mixing chamber, and a second conduit is provided to connect said mixing chamber adjacent to said orifice plate to the upper portions of said tank for conducting air out of said mixing chamber.

Claim 22

A liquid proportioning apparatus comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining a concentrate reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining a diluent reservoir exterior of said bladder, a mixing chamber, first orifice means connecting said concentrate reservoir and said mixing chamber, second orifice means connecting said diluent reservoir and said mixing chamber, said first and second orifice means operating to deliver a predetermined ratio of concentrate and diluent to said mixing chamber, a concentrate filler tube extending through said diluent reservoir into said concentrate reservoir through which concentrate is supplied to said concentrate reservoir, the lower end of said filler tube being provided with valve means operable to close said first orifice means, and float means connected to said filler tube operable to maintain said valve means open to allow continuous flow through said first orifice means when the level of liquid in said diluent reservoir is above a predetermined level and to cause said valve means to close and prevent flow through said first orifice means when the level of diluent is below said predetermined level.

Claim 23

A liquid proportioning apparatus comprising a tank, a flexible bladder within said tank defining a concentrate reservoir, said tank in cooperation with said bladder defining a diluent reservoir exterior of said bladder, a mixing chamber, first orifice means connecting said concentrate reservoir and said mixing chamber, second orifice means connecting said diluent reservoir and said mixing chamber, said first and second orifice means operating to deliver a predetermined ratio of concentrate and diluent to said mixing chamber, a concentrate filler tube extending through said diluent reservoir into said concentrate reservoir through which concentrate is supplied to said concentrate reservoir, the lower end of said filler tube being provided with valve means operable to close said first orifice means, and float means connected to said filler tube operable to maintain said valve means open to allow continuous flow through said first orifice means when the level of liquid in said diluent reservoir is above a predetermined level and to cause said valve means to close and prevent flow through said first orifice means when the level of diluent is below said predetermined level.

Claim 24

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 18 wherein said float means includes air entrapped within the upper portion of said bladder and located below said predetermined level.

Claim 25

A liquid proportioning apparatus as set forth in claim 19 wherein means are provided to extend said bladder adjacent the upper end thereof during the filling of said concentrate reservoir, and said filler tube is imperforate for a distance below the upper end of said bladder to insure entrapment of a substantially constant predetermined volume of air within said bladder each time concentrate is added to said concentrate reservoir.