Chemical dispensing system

Claim 1

A system for mixing chemical solutions comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of inlet ports connected to said passage; an outlet connected to said passage; and a flush port, said flush port being operatively connected to a supply of flush fluid; a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solutions through said manifold and said pump; selectively controllable valve means associated with at least one of said ports; and an outlet manifold comprising an inlet connected to a source of pressurized flush fluid, a flush outlet from said manifold connected in fluid flow communication to said flush port, a dispensing outlet, and a fluid inlet connected to said pump outlet to receive fluid discharged by said pump.

Claim 2

A system for mixing chemical solutions comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of inlet ports connected to said passage; an outlet connected to said passage; and a flush port, said flush port being operatively connected to a supply of flush fluid; a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solutions through said manifold and said pump; selectively controllable valve means associated with at least one of said ports; and an outlet manifold comprising an inlet connected to a source of pressurized flush fluid, a flush outlet from said manifold connected in fluid flow communication to said flush port, a dispensing outlet, and a fluid inlet connected to said pump outlet to receive fluid discharged by said pump.

Claim 10

The system of calim 1 wherein: a reservoir of concentrated liquid chemical is connected by a fluid supply line to each of said inlet ports.

Claim 11

The system of calim 1 wherein: a reservoir of concentrated liquid chemical is connected by a fluid supply line to each of said inlet ports.

Claim 12

A system for mixing chemicals comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of chemical fluid inlet ports connected to said passage; and an outlet connected to said passage; a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solution through said manifold and said pump; selectively controllable valve means associated with each of said ports; a source of diluting flush fluid; fluid passage means placing said source of diluting flush fluid flow communication with chemical fluids discharged from said pump for the dilution of such fluids at a location downstream from said pump outlet, said fluid passage means having a dispensing outlet; an automatically operable flush fluid control valve in said fluid passage means regulating the input flow of flush from said source thereof; control means operatively associated with said pump, said selectively controllable valve means and said flush fluid control valve to operate same automatically in response to a preselected volume, sequential combination and concentration of chemical fluids to discharge the desired volume and combination of chemical fluids by said pump into said fluid passage means and to dilute said chemical fluids to the preselected concentration by providing a predetermined volume flow of flush fluid into admixture therewith through said flush fluid control valve.

Claim 13

A system for mixing chemicals comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of chemical fluid inlet ports connected to said passage; and an outlet connected to said passage; a pump having an inlet and an outlet, said pump inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solution through said manifold and said pump; selectively controllable valve means associated with each of said ports; a source of diluting flush fluid; fluid passage means placing said source of diluting flush fluid flow communication with chemical fluids discharged from said pump for the dilution of such fluids at a location downstream from said pump outlet, said fluid passage means having a dispensing outlet; an automatically operable flush fluid control valve in said fluid passage means regulating the input flow of flush from said source thereof; control means operatively associated with said pump, said selectively controllable valve means and said flush fluid control valve to operate same automatically in response to a preselected volume, sequential combination and concentration of chemical fluids to discharge the desired volume and combination of chemical fluids by said pump into said fluid passage means and to dilute said chemical fluids to the preselected concentration by providing a predetermined volume flow of flush fluid into admixture therewith through said flush fluid control valve.

Claim 18

A system for mixing and dispensing chemical solutions comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of inlet ports connected to said passage for the selective flow of chemical fluids into said passage; an outlet connected to said passage; and a flush port, said flush port being operatively connected to a pressurized supply of diluting flush fluid; pump means having an inlet and an outlet, said pump means inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solutions through said manifold, and said pump means outlet being connected to a dispensing outlet; selectively controllable valve means operatively associated with each of said inlet ports and said flush port; control means, said control means operating said valve means in a predetermined sequence, and said control means being operatively associated with said valve means associated with said flush port to open said flush port for a period following each opening of one of the other said valve means associated with said chemical fluid inlet ports; fluid passage means placing said supply of flush fluid in fluid flow communication with chemical fluids discharged from said pump means for the dilution of chemical fluids at a location downstream from said pump means outlet; and a main diluting flush fluid control valve in said fluid passage means, and said control means being operatively associated with said main flush fluid control valve to provide a predetermined volume of flush fluid through said fluid passage means to achieve a desired dilution of chemical fluids discharging from said pump means.

Claim 19

A system for mixing and dispensing chemical solutions comprising: a distribution manifold comprising: a main passage; a plurality of inlet ports connected to said passage for the selective flow of chemical fluids into said passage; an outlet connected to said passage; and a flush port, said flush port being operatively connected to a pressurized supply of diluting flush fluid; pump means having an inlet and an outlet, said pump means inlet being connected to said manifold outlet to draw solutions through said manifold, and said pump means outlet being connected to a dispensing outlet; selectively controllable valve means operatively associated with each of said inlet ports and said flush port; control means, said control means operating said valve means in a predetermined sequence, and said control means being operatively associated with said valve means associated with said flush port to open said flush port for a period following each opening of one of the other said valve means associated with said chemical fluid inlet ports; fluid passage means placing said supply of flush fluid in fluid flow communication with chemical fluids discharged from said pump means for the dilution of chemical fluids at a location downstream from said pump means outlet; and a main diluting flush fluid control valve in said fluid passage means, and said control means being operatively associated with said main flush fluid control valve to provide a predetermined volume of flush fluid through said fluid passage means to achieve a desired dilution of chemical fluids discharging from said pump means.

Claim 24

A method of mixing and diluting concentrated chemicals in a dispensing cycle comprising the sequential dispensing steps of: drawing a predetermined amount of a first concentrated chemical from a supply container thereof through a selectively controllable valve means and thence through a distribution manifold by pump means connected to an outlet of said manifold and into outlet passage means; simultaneously metering a measured amount of a diluting fluid through fluid passage means into fluid flow communication with said first concentrated chemical in said outlet passage means for the dilution of said first concentrated chemical to a desired concentration, said diluting fluid being introduced through an automatically operable diluting fluid control valve regulating the input flow of said diluting fluid from a supply source thereof; automatically controlling said pump means said diluting fluid control valve and said selectively controllable valve means by electronic control means in response to a preselected volume and concentration of chemical fluid to discharge the total desired volume of said chemical and diluting fluid at a preselected concentration by providing a predetermined volume flow of said diluting fluid into admixture with said concentrated chemical through said diluting fluid control valve.

Claim 25

A method of mixing and diluting concentrated chemicals in a dispensing cycle comprising the sequential dispensing steps of: drawing a predetermined amount of a first concentrated chemical from a supply container thereof through a selectively controllable valve means and thence through a distribution manifold by pump means connected to an outlet of said manifold and into outlet passage means; simultaneously metering a measured amount of a diluting fluid through fluid passage means into fluid flow communication with said first concentrated chemical in said outlet passage means for the dilution of said first concentrated chemical to a desired concentration, said diluting fluid being introduced through an automatically operable diluting fluid control valve regulating the input flow of said diluting fluid from a supply source thereof; automatically controlling said pump means said diluting fluid control valve and said selectively controllable valve means by electronic control means in response to a preselected volume and concentration of chemical fluid to discharge the total desired volume of said chemical and diluting fluid at a preselected concentration by providing a predetermined volume flow of said diluting fluid into admixture with said concentrated chemical through said diluting fluid control valve.