Bellows pump having adjustable stop cam for varying the stroke

Claim 1

In a mechanically operated bellows pump having a pump body with intake and exit conduits and a flowingly connected central conduit, a bellows circular in cross-section and operatively connected to said central conduit, means for expanding and compressing said bellows, means for connectively positioning one end of said bellows above said central conduit, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluids entering said intake conduit and leaving said exit conduit, so that when said bellows is expanded it sucks fluid in through said intake conduit and holds said fluid within the bellows itself and when said bellows is compressed it forces said fluid out of said exit conduit, the improvement comprising means for uniformly controlling the amount of fluid displaced by said pump in each expansion and compression cycle, said means comprising at least one adjustable stop cam mounted on said pump body and at least one associated counter-cam connected to the moveable end of said bellows, so that the length of the compression stroke of said bellows is determined by the point at which each said stop cam and counter-cam interacts; said stop cams being an index means comprising at least two sets of ascending steps positioned on said pump body in a concentric notional circle lying outside the periphery of said bellows, each said set being equidistantly spaced from each other about said notional circle, so that each said counter-cam can always interact with only one said step at a time; the moveable end of said bellows being surmounted by an actuation cap which fixedly connects said at least one counter-cam with said moveable end; and wherein a turning lock in the form of a casing is associated with said actuation cap and can only be released by complete removal.

Claim 10

A method for metering liquid chemical preparations employing a mechanically operated bellows pump having a pump body with intake and exit conduits and a flowingly connected central conduit, a bellows circular in cross-section and operatively connected to said central conduit, means for expanding and compressing said bellows, means for connectively positioning one end of said bellows above said central conduit, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluids entering said intake conduit and leaving said exit conduit, so that when said bellows is expanded it sucks fluid in through said intake conduit and holds said fluid within the bellows itself and when said bellows is compressed it forces said fluid out of said exit conduit, means for uniformly controlling the amount of fluid displaced by said pump in each expansion and compression cycle, said means comprising at least one adjustable stop cam mounted on said pump body and at least one associated counter-cam connected to the moveable end of said bellows, so that the length of the compression stroke of said bellows is determined by the point at which each said stop cam and counter-cam interacts; said stop cams being an index means comprising at least two sets of ascending steps positioned on said pump body in a concentric notional circle lying outside the periphery of said bellows, each said set being equidistantly spaced from each other about said notional circle, so that each said counter-cam can always interact with only one said step at a time; the moveable end of said bellows being surmounted by an actuation cap which fixedly connects said at least one counter-cam with said moveable end; and wherein a turning lock in the form of a casing is associated with said actuation cap and can only be released by complete removal, said method comprising: setting said index means to a desired volume to be metered; locking said turning lock so that said volume cannot be altered without releasing said turning lock; and compressing and releasing said bellows to discharge and meter said liquid chemical.

Claim 11

A method for metering liquid chemical preparations employing a mechanically operated bellows pump having a pump body with intake and exit conduits and a flowingly connected central conduit, a bellows circular in cross-section and operatively connected to said central conduit, means for expanding and compressing said bellows, means for connectively positioning one end of said bellows above said central conduit, and valve means for controlling the flow of fluids entering said intake conduit and leaving said exit conduit, so that when said bellows is expanded it sucks fluid in through said intake conduit and holds said fluid within the bellows itself and when said bellows is compressed it forces said fluid out of said exit conduit, means for uniformly controlling the amount of fluid displaced by said pump in each expansion and compression cycle, said means comprising at least one adjustable stop cam mounted on said pump body and at least one associated counter-cam connected to the moveable end of said bellows, so that the length of the compression stroke of said bellows is determined by the point at which each said stop cam and counter-cam interacts; said stop cams being an index means comprising at least two sets of ascending steps positioned on said pump body in a concentric notional circle lying outside the periphery of said bellows, each said set being equidistantly spaced from each other about said notional circle, so that each said counter-cam can always interact with only one said step at a time; the moveable end of said bellows being surmounted by an actuation cap which fixedly connects said at least one counter-cam with said moveable end; and wherein a turning lock in the form of a casing is associated with said actuation cap and can only be released by complete removal, said method comprising: setting said index means to a desired volume to be metered; locking said turning lock so that said volume cannot be altered without releasing said turning lock; and compressing and releasing said bellows to discharge and meter said liquid chemical.