Liquid flow control device in bowling lane maintenance system

Claim 1

A system for applying liquid to a substantially flat surface, comprising: a rotatable roller engageable with said surface; means for moving said roller on said surface; and means for supplying liquid directly onto a surface of said roller for application to said substantialy flat surface by said roller, comprising: a source of pressurized air; an enclosed tank containing a predetermined amount of liquid and connecting with said source of pressurized air through an air line, said tank including a liquid outlet; a pressure reducing valve arranged in said air line and being adapted to control the pressure of air to be fed into said enclosed tank through said air line; a liquid supplying unit interconnected with the liquid outlet or said tank, said liquid supplying unit being disposed adjacent said roller and comprising a plurality of adjacent side-by-side blocks arranged along a longitudinal axis, with each block supplying liquid to a portion of said roller, said blocks being contiguous to each other and extending throughout the entire length of said roller; nozzle outlet means interconnected with the liquid outlet of said tank by means of a plurality of liquid supply lines, each supply line communicating with one of said blocks for supplying liquid to said plurality of blocks, said nozzle outlet means providing a first resistance to fluid flow from said tank; restricting means disposed in each said liquid supply line, said rstricting means providing a second resistance to fluid flow from said tank higher than said first resistance; a selectively actuable two-way valve disposed upstream of said plurality of liquid supply lines between said nozzle outlet means and said enclosed tank; and a controller for automaticaly intermittently actuating said two-way valve to control the period of opening of said two-way valve to selectively intermittently provide flow of liquid through said one or more liquid supply lines to said nozzle outlet means.

Claim 2

A system for applying liquid to a substantially flat surface, comprising: a rotatable roller engageable with said surface; means for moving said roller on said surface; and means for supplying liquid directly onto a surface of said roller for application to said substantialy flat surface by said roller, comprising: a source of pressurized air; an enclosed tank containing a predetermined amount of liquid and connecting with said source of pressurized air through an air line, said tank including a liquid outlet; a pressure reducing valve arranged in said air line and being adapted to control the pressure of air to be fed into said enclosed tank through said air line; a liquid supplying unit interconnected with the liquid outlet or said tank, said liquid supplying unit being disposed adjacent said roller and comprising a plurality of adjacent side-by-side blocks arranged along a longitudinal axis, with each block supplying liquid to a portion of said roller, said blocks being contiguous to each other and extending throughout the entire length of said roller; nozzle outlet means interconnected with the liquid outlet of said tank by means of a plurality of liquid supply lines, each supply line communicating with one of said blocks for supplying liquid to said plurality of blocks, said nozzle outlet means providing a first resistance to fluid flow from said tank; restricting means disposed in each said liquid supply line, said rstricting means providing a second resistance to fluid flow from said tank higher than said first resistance; a selectively actuable two-way valve disposed upstream of said plurality of liquid supply lines between said nozzle outlet means and said enclosed tank; and a controller for automaticaly intermittently actuating said two-way valve to control the period of opening of said two-way valve to selectively intermittently provide flow of liquid through said one or more liquid supply lines to said nozzle outlet means.