Liquid Wax Dispenser

Abstract

A liquid wax dispenser adapted to be mounted upon a floor type wax applicator. A cylindrical supply tank is rotatively supported on a frame mounted on the applicator pad assembly in a horizontal position above and behind the applicator pad. An axially extending housing or manifold is mounted on the exterior of the tank and provided with a row of wax discharge openings, the interior of the housing or manifold communicating with the interior of the tank through offset bores in the tank wall to minimize splashing and achieve a steady flow of wax during the dispensing operation. The supply tank is rotatable about its axis between a non-operative position in which the housing or manifold is located above the tank axis and a gravity feed dispensing position in which the manifold is located below the tank axis. A vent system is provided for venting the head space in the tank during a dispensing operation. Both the vent system and the wax dispensing openings are sealed by a frame mounted resilient web type seal when the tank is in its non-dispensing position. Positioning of the tank is accomplished by a control system which includes a sleeve slidably mounted upon the applicator handle.

Parent Case Text

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is directed to modifications and improvements on the wax dispenser shown in my copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 218,181 filed Jan. 17, 1972, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,268 issued Apr. 24, 1973.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is especialy directed toward the provision of a wax applicator unit which can be marketed as an accessory for a conventional floor wax applicator of the type similar to a conventional push broom but employing an applicator pad at the lower end of the handle instead of the conventional brush head. Applicators of this type are conventionally employed to spread a coating of liquid wax over a wooden or tile floor surface, usually by dumping a small amount of liquid wax from a can onto the floor and then spreading it out into a reasonably even coating by use of the applicator. This type of procedure is usually inefficient in that is is difficult to spread the wax into a layer of uniform thickness and the operator must alternate between using the manipulator and the supply can. The present invention employs a supply tank mounted on the applicator itself which may, at the option of the operator, be set to dispense a uniformly regulated supply of liquid wax in the path of movement of the applicator or alternatively may be shifted to a non-dispensing position.

The dispenser of the present invention is constructed with a pair of side frame members interconnected at their upper end by a generally horizontally extending cross frame member and formed with mounting flanges at their lower ends which may be bolted directly to the top surface of the applicator pad assembly. A cylindrical supply tank for liquid wax is mounted for rotation between the side frame members with its axis extending horizontally and located somewhat above and behind the pad assembly. An axially aligned row of outlet bores pass through the wall of the supply tank. An elongate housing or manifold is sealingly mounted on the exterior of the tank in overlying relationship to the outlet bores to form a chamber into which wax flowing through the outlet bores is discharged. An axially extending row of wax discharge openings passes through the wall of the housing, the discharge bores being offset from and of substantially smaller diameter than the bores in the supply tank wall so that when the manifold is located vertically below the housing axis, wax flowing by gravity from the tank into the housing is discharged at a substantially constant rate from the outlet discharge openings.

Rotatable movement of the supply tank on the supporting frame is confined to movement between a wax dispensing position, in which the manifold is vertically beneath the tank axis, and a non-dispensing position in which the housing is located above the tank axis. When in the non-dispensing position, the housing is engaged with a resilient sealing web mounted upon the cross frame member of the dispenser assembly so that the wax discharge openings are sealed to thereby prevent air drying of the liquid wax in the tank during periods of non-operation. Venting means in the form of a tube opening at one end through a port in the housing and openings at its opposite end into the tank diametrically opposite the discharge openings is employed to vent the head space in the tank during dispensing. The vent ports are axially aligned with the wax discharge openings and likewise sealed by the resilient web when the tank is in its non-dispensing position.

A spring interconnected between the tank and the pad assembly resiliently biases the tank rotatively toward its non-dispensing position. A cable coupled to the tank and extending up the handle of the applicator is attached at its upper end to a sleeve slidable on the applicator handle to rotate the tank to its dispensing position against the action of the spring. A stop on the handle engageable with the sleeve establishes the non-dispensing position of the tank.

Various objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following specification and to the drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view looking downwardly from one side toward the front of a wax applicator employing a dispenser embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the lower portion of the applicator and dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on a vertical plane of the dispenser of FIG. 1 showing the control spring;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the applicator and dispenser of FIG. 1 showing the supply tank at a location midway between its non-operative and dispensing positions;

FIG. 5 is a detail cross sectional view slightly horizontally offset from that of FIG. 3 showing the supply tank in its non-operative position;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5 showing the supply tank in its wax dispensing position;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the dispenser and applicator showing the supply tank in its nondispensing position; and

FIG. 8 is a detail side elevational view of the supply tank with the manifold partially broken away to show the relationshp between the outlet bores of the supply tank and the discharge openings in the housing or manifold.

A typical wax applicator with which the present invention is to be used is shown most clearly in FIGS. 1, 4 and 7 as including a wax applicator pad assembly designated generally 10 which includes a backing plate 12 upon which is detachably mounted a lamb's wool or fibrous pad 14. A coupling bracket 16 integrally formed upon or fixedly secured to backing plate 12 is located midway between the ends of pad assembly 20 and employed to attach the pad assembly to the lower end of an elongate broomstick like handle 18. In the larger sized applicators of the type used in commerical operations, the pad assembly may be further braced from the handle as by struts 20.

The wax dispenser of the present invention includes a pair of side frame members 22 and 24 which differ from each other only in being right or left handed in accordance with the direction in which mounting flanges 26 and 28 at the lower end of each side frame member are bent from the body of the member. A rigid cross frame member 30 is fixedly secured as by bolts 32 to the upper end of each of side frame members 22 and 24, the side frame members being interconnected at their lower end by backing plate 12 to which the side frame members are secured by bolts 34 which pass through the respective mounting flanges 26 and 28.

A cylindrical supply tank 36 is mounted for rotation about its axis upon side frame members 22 and 24 by pivot assemblies 38. Tank 36 is employed to contain a supply of liquid wax which is introduced into the interior of tank 36 through an inlet normally closed by a filler plug 40. (FIG. 1).

An axially extending row of discharge bores 42 pass through the wall of tank 36 to serve as gravity feed outlets for liquid wax contained in the tank. Bores 42 place the interior of tank 36 in communication with the interior of an axially elongate housing or manifold 44 which is mounted on the exterior of the tank to form a discharge chamber. Manifold 44 is of semicylindrical cross section and may be conveniently constructed by axially splitting a length of plastic or metal pipe and closing the opposite ends as by end walls 46. An axially aligned series of discharge openings 48 pass through the wall of manifold housing 44 to accommodate gravitational discharge of liquid wax from the interior of the manifold. It will be noted that bores 42 through the wall of tank 36 are of substantially greater diameter than discharge openings 48 and further that bores 42 are offset circumferentially of the tank from discharge openings 48. This arrangement permits manifold 44 to fill completely with liquid wax when the tank is located in the wax dispensing position of FIG. 6 and also prevents the initial stream of wax passing through bores 42 from directly impinging on openings 48. This arrangement results in the dispensing of wax in steady stream while avoiding an overlarge surge or splash when the tank is actually moved to its dispensing position.

In order to vent the head space within tank 36 during the wax dispensing operation, vent tubes 50 communicate at one end with vent ports 52, located at opposite ends of manifold 44, and pass into the interior of tank 36 to have their opposite ends located diametrically opposite manifold 44, to thereby be at the uppermost portion of the tank interior when the tank is in the dispensing position shown in FIG. 6. The vent tubes are positioned adjacent the ends of the tank 36 and are conveniently assembled into place before the tank end plates are mounted on the tank body.

Liquid wax of the type usually employed in conjunction with the present invention will dry or harden upon exposure to air, and hence it is desirable that a dispenser of the type under consideration includes a means for sealing the tank when the dispenser is not in use. Referring particularly to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, it is seen that cross frame member 30 is formed with a recess 56 on that side of member 30 which faces tank 36. A tube of rubber or other resilient material is fitted over cross frame member 30 in a stretched condition to provide a resilient web seal 58 which will tangentially contact the radially outermost portion of manifold 44 to be sealingly streteched across discharge openings 44 and vent ports 52 when tank 36 is located to its nondispensing position of FIGS. 3 and 5.

Rotative positioning of tank 36 is accomplished by manually shifting a sleeve 60 slidably mounted upon handle 18. A cable 62 is attached to one end to sleeve 60, extending downwardly along the underside of handle 18, and wrapped partially around the circumference of tank 36 and attached to the tank as by a hook 64. A tension spring 66 is coupled at one end to a hook 68 on backing plate 12 and connected at its other end to a second hook 70 on tank 36 to resiliently bias tank 36 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. Spring 66 thus resiliently urges tank 36 toward its nondispensing or sealed position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, while movement of sleeve 60 upwardly along handle 18 applies tension to cable 62 to rotate sleeve 36 in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6. A first stop collar 72 mounted on handle 18 establishes a limit of downward movement of sleeve 60 on the handle to thereby establish the nondispensing position of tank 36 with sealing web 58 in sealing engagement with openings 44 and-vent ports 52 of the manifold. To shift the tank from the nondispensing position of FIGS. 3 and 5 into the wax dispensing position of FIG. 6, the operator slides sleeve 60 upwardly along the handle. If desired, a second stop collar 74 may be mounted upon handle 18 to establish the FIG. 6 position of tank 36. When the operator wishes to stop dispensing wax, he merely releases sleeve 60 and spring 66 automatically returns the dispenser to the sealed nondispensing position of FIGS. 3 and 5.

While one emobdiemnt of the invention has been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiment may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

Claims

I claim:

1. For use in combination with a wax applicator having an elongate applicator pad assembly coupled at its midpoint to the lower end of an elongate handle;

a liquid wax dispenser comprising a pair spaced side frame members, having means at the lower ends thereof for mounting said members upon said pad assembly;

a rigid cross frame member extending horizontally between and fixedly secured at its opposte ends to the upper ends of said side frame members;

an elongate cylindrical liquid wax supply tank supported by and between said side frame members for rotation about its axis with said axis extending parallel to and below said cross frame member;

means defining an axially aligned row of bores through the wall of said tank;

an axially elongate manifold housing sealingly mounted on and projecting outwardly from the exterior of said tank in overlying relationship to said row of bores;

means defining a plurality of discharge openings through said housing extending in a row parallel to said row of bores, said openings having a smaller diameter than said bores;

an elongate sealing member mounted on the side of said cross frame adjacent said tank;

and control means adapted to be mounted on said handle for rotatively positioning said tank in either of an inoperative position wherein said sealing member is engaged with said housing in overlying sealing relationship with said openings and a dispensing position wherein said housing is located vertically beneath said axis of rotation of said tank.

2. A dispenser as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for venting the interior of said tank to atmosphere when said tank is in said dispensing position.

3. A dispenser as defined in claim 2 wherein said venting means comprises means defining a vent port in said housing;

and a tube connected at one end to said vent port and having its opposite end opening into said tank at a location diametrically opposite said housing;

said vent port being engageable with said sealing means when said tank is in said inoperative position to thereby seal said tank.

4. A dispenser as defined in claim 1 wherein said cross frame member has an elongate recess therein extending along the side of said cross frame member facing said housing, said sealing means comprising a resilient web stretched across said recess and located to be resiliently deformed inwardly of said recess by said housing when said tank is in said inoperative position.

5. A dispenser as defined in claim 4 wherein said housing is of semicircular transverse cross-sectional configuration.

6. A dispenser as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means comprises spring means for rotatively biasing said tank away from said dispensing position;

stop means for blocking rotary movement of said tank beyond said inoperative position under the action of said spring means;

and means for rotating said tank from said inoperative position to said dispensing position against the action of said spring means.

7. For use in combination with a wax applicator having an elongate applicator pad assembly coupled to the lower end of an elongate handle;

a liquid wax dispenser comprising a pair of spaced side frame members having means at the lower ends thereof for mounting said members upon said pad assembly;

an elongate cylindrical liquid wax supply tank supported by and between said side frame members for rotation about its axis with said axis extending parallel to and above said elongate applicator pad assembly;

means defining an axially aligned row of bores through the wall of said tank;

an axially elongate tubular manifold sealingly mounted on and projecting outwardly from the exterior of said tank in overlying relationship to said row of bores;

means defining a plurality of discrete discharge openings through said manifold extending in a row parallel to said row of bores, said manifold discharge openings having a smaller diameter than said bores;

and control means adapted to be mounted on said handle for rotatively positioning said tank in either of a inoperative position wherein said discharge openings are directed upwardly away from said elongate applicator pad assembly and a dispensing position wherein said manifold is located below said axis of rotation of said tank and said discharge openings are directed downwardly for discharging liquid wax for spreading application by said applicator pad assembly.

8. A liquid wax dispenser as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for venting the interior of said tank to atmosphere when said tank is in said dispensing position.

9. A liquid wax dispenser as defined in claim 8 wherein said venting means comprises means defining a vent port in said manifold;

and a tube connected at one end to said vent port and having its opposite end opening into said tank at a location diametrically opposite said manifold;

said vent port being engageable with said sealing means when said tank is in said inoperative position to thereby seal said tank.

10. A liquid wax dispenser as defined in claim 7 wherein said manifold is of semicircular transverse cross-sectional configuration and the discharge openings therein are circumferentially upwardly offset with respect to said bores in said tank wall.

11. A liquid wax dispenser as defined in claim 10 wherein the discharge openings are positioned equidistant from the longitudinal edges of the manifold, and said manifold is positioned on said tank with said bores adjacent the lower longitudinal edge of the manifuld so that said discharge openings are circumferentially offset with respect to said bores through the tank wall thereby to prevent splashing of liquid from said tank and manifold.