U.S. patent number 3,917,124 [Application Number 05/395,620] was granted by the patent office on 1975-11-04 for follow plate for dispensing material.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Oatey Co.. Invention is credited to David E. Kifer.
United States Patent |
3,917,124 |
Kifer |
November 4, 1975 |
Follow plate for dispensing material
Abstract
The combination of a generally cylindrical receptacle for
flowable products and a follow plate disposed within the receptacle
for applying pressure on the flowable contents to force the
material through an outlet opening in the lower end of the
receptacle. The follow plate is made of a suitable flexible plastic
material and comprises a generally annular disc having a tapered
peripheral flange extending axially upwardly and radially outwardly
therefrom. The flange has a major diameter sufficiently greater
than the inner diameter of the receptacle to remain in sliding
sealed engagement with the inner wall of the receptacle during
axial movement of the follow plate toward the lower end of the
receptacle, and a minor diameter which is substantially less than
the major diameter to provide a clearance space at the minor flange
diameter for clearing any dents or bumps on the inner wall of the
receptacle. The flange also desirably has a taper in excess of
10.degree. to permit substantial cocking of the follow plate within
the receptacle while still maintaining line contact between the
flange at the major diameter thereof and the inner wall of the
receptacle to avoid wedging of the follow plate within the
receptacle.
Inventors: |
Kifer; David E. (Parma,
OH) |
Assignee: |
Oatey Co. (Cleveland,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
26935976 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/395,620 |
Filed: |
September 10, 1973 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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243616 |
Apr 13, 1972 |
3790038 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/386;
222/389 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67D
7/72 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B67D
5/54 (20060101); B67D 5/06 (20060101); B67D
005/42 () |
Field of
Search: |
;222/326,327,386-391
;184/39-42 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Tollberg; Stanley H.
Assistant Examiner: Martin; Larry H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Donnelly, Maky, Renner &
Otto
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of applicant's co-pending U.S.
application Ser. No. 243,616, filed Apr. 13, 1972. , now U.S. Pat.
No. 3,790,038, granted Feb. 5, 1974.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In combination, a generally cylindrical receptacle for flowable
products having upper and lower ends and a follow plate slidably
received within said receptacle, said follow plate comprising a
generally annular disc having a tapered peripheral flange extending
axially upwardly and radially outwardly therefrom, said flange
being made of a flexible plastic material and having a major
diameter sufficiently greater than the inner diameter of said
receptacle to remain in sliding sealed engagement with the inner
wall of the receptacle during axial movement of said follow plate
therewithin toward the lower end of said receptacle, and a minor
diameter which is at least one-half inch less than said major
diameter to provide a clearance space at the minor flange diameter
at least one-fourth inch all the way around said follow plate for
clearing any dents or bumps on such inner wall, said flange having
a taper in excess of 10.degree. to permit substantial cocking of
said follow plate within said receptacle while still maintaining
line contact between said flange at the major diameter thereof and
the inner wall of said receptacle to avoid wedging of said follow
plate within said receptacle.
2. The combination of claim I wherein said minor diameter is
approximately 11/8 inches less than said major diameter to provide
a clearance space at the minor flange diameter of approximately
nine-sixteenth inch all the way around said follow plate for
clearing any dents or bumps on said inner wall.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said flange has a taper of
approximately 21.degree..
4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the entire follow plate is
made of a flexible plastic material.
5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said receptacle contains a
flowable material such as plastic car body filler, and there are
dents or bumps in the inner wall of said receptacle, said flange at
said major diameter remaining in sliding sealed engagement with the
inner wall of said receptacle and said minor diameter providing a
clearance space of said dents during movement of said follow plate
past said dents as aforesaid.
6. The combination of claim 1 wherein there is a central outlet
opening in the lower end of said receptacle for discharge of
flowable material from said receptacle, and an inlet opening in the
upper end of said receptacle for supplying pressurized air to said
receptacle above said follow plate, such pressurized air acting on
the upper surface of said follow plate to resist cocking and right
said follow plate should cocking occur.
7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the clearance space between
said tapered peripheral flange on said follow plate and said inner
wall of said receptacle is filled with the flowable material in
said receptacle which tends to stabilize said follow plate and
resist cocking thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally as indicated to a follow
plate or piston for dispensing fluid products from a receptacle
such as a can or drum, and more particularly to certain
improvements in such a follow plate to prevent the follow plate
from hanging up within the can and obtain maximum removal of
material from the can.
The follow plate of the present invention is designed to be
disposed within the receptacle in pressure contact with the
material to be dispensed for forcing the material through an outlet
opening at one end of the receptacle. Conventional follow plates of
this general type are usually made of metal and oftentimes become
wedged against movement within the receptacle during tilting of the
container or because of a dent or other obstruction in the wall of
the container.
The type of receptacle with which the present invention is
primarily designed to be used is a metal can or drum whose inner
diameter is usually not very uniform throughout its length, and the
drum can also be fairly easily dented. The outlet opening for the
material also usually has a threaded coupling which is recessed
within the lower end of the can to permit stacking of the cans one
on top of the other. A typical receptacle might be a 5 gallon can
containing a flowable material such as a plastic car body filler
material.
Because the outlet connection for the receptacles are usually
recessed within an end of the receptacles to permit stacking, it is
a problem to obtain complete removal of the material being
dispensed, particularly the material surrounding the recessed
outlet connection. In addition, whenever the container is tilted as
when attaching a valved conduit to the outlet connection, the
resulting flow of material within the can may cause the follow
plate to become wedged against movement within the can. This is
especially possible when using a conventional metal follow plate
having a cylindrical or nearly cylindrical flange portion which is
substantially inflexible and easily jams against movement with only
slight cocking.
Another drawback of conventional metal follow plates is that they
do not readily ride over bumps or dents in the side walls of the
cans, and thus are apt to get hung up in the cans. Most internal
can diameters are also not ordinarily uniform throughout their
lengths, and accordingly a metal follow plate which may have a
proper close sliding fit in one portion of the can is not likely to
have a proper sliding fit in all portions thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, it is a principal object of this
invention to provide an improved follow plate for dispensing
material from a can or other receptacle.
Another object is to provide such a follow plate which is
especially suitable for use with metal cans or drums having
recessed outlet connections in the lower end thereof to facilitate
stacking.
A further object is to provide such a follow plate which is less
susceptible to jamming within the can or drum and does not become
wedged in place when the can or drum is tilted.
A still further object is to provide a follow plate which insures
more complete removal of the material from the can or drum.
These and other objects of the present invention are obtained by
making the follow plate of a suitable flexible plastic material
having a generally annular face and a tapered projecting flange
portion attached to the periphery of the face. The tapered flange
has a major diameter defining a free edge for engagement with the
inner wall of a container and a sufficiently smaller minor diameter
to clear any bumps or dents on such inner wall. The taper of the
flange is also desirably sufficient to permit substantial tilting
of the can and cocking of the follow plate while still maintaining
line contact between the free edge of the flange and the inner wall
of the can, thereby preventing wedging of the follow plate against
the inner wall of the can.
The face of the follow plate may also be provided with a central
hollowed indentation of sufficient depth to permit it to fit over
the can outlet connection when the follow plate comes to rest
against the lower end wall of the can. The face of the follow plate
may also be made slightly conical whereby continued pressure
against the follow plate will cause the conical face to deform
squeezing the material therebeneath toward the center of the can
for discharge through the outlet opening resulting in maximum
removal of material from the can.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the
invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described
and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following
description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail a
certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being
indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the
principles of the invention may be employed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the annexed drawing:
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a preferred form of follow
plate constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the follow plate of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a receptacle containing
such follow plate, showing the location of the follow plate at
several elevations within the receptacle as the material is
dispensed from the receptacle;
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section showing the operation of the
follow plate when the can or drum is tilted; and
FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial longitudinal sections showing the follow
plate within the receptacle to illustrate how the follow plate
obtains substantially complete removal of the material from the
receptacle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in detail to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1
and 2 thereof, there is shown a follow plate 10 in accordance with
this invention which is generally in the form of an annular disc 12
having a peripheral flange 14. The disc 12 preferably has a
slightly conical face 16 which seats against the material to be
dispensed when disposed within a receptacle in a manner to be
subsequently described.
The flange 14 extends around the entire outer periphery 20 of the
disc 12 and is tapered outwardly to a substantial extent
terminating in a free edge 22 at the major diameter of the flange
which is substantially greater than the minor diameter of the
flange. In the embodiment illustrated, the flange is tapered at an
acute angle a of approximately 21.degree..
The slightly conical face 16 of the disc, in about the center
thereof, is desirably provided with a hollowed indentation or
recess 24 which extends rearwardly in the same direction as the
flange 14. The bottom surface 26 of the indentation is desirably
generally flat and is joined with the face 16 by a frusto-conical
flange 28 having an inner edge 30 integral with the surface 26 and
an outer edge 32 integral with the face 16.
In the particular embodiment illustrated, the angle b of the
conical face 16 is about 4.degree. from the horizontal, and the
flange 28 extends at an angle c of about 45.degree. relative to the
horizontal. The dimensions of the follow plate may vary
substantially, and are dependent upon such factors as the size and
shape of the can or drum with which the follow plate is employed.
However, a typical follow plate 10 constructed in accordance with
this invention may have a minor flange diameter of approximately
101/4 inches and a major flange diameter of approximately 113/8
inches, providing a clearance space at the minor flange diameter of
approximately nine-sixteenth inches all the way around the follow
plate for clearing any dents or bumps on the inner wall of the
container. Moreover, the follow plate may be made of any suitable
flexible plastic material such as polyethylene or
polypropylene.
In FIG. 3 there is illustrated a can or drum 34 with which the
follow plate 10 of the present invention may be employed. The drum
34 is generally cylindrical in shape and includes upper and lower
ends 36 and 38. Because the drum is usually made of metal, it is
capable of being easily dented, as shown by dent 40 in the side
wall or body 42 of the drum, and the inner diameter of the drum is
usually not uniform throughout its length.
The ends 36 and 38 of the drum 34 may be seal-connected with the
body 42 either by welding, brazing, or a conventional double seam
construction as shown at 44. An inlet opening 46 in the upper end
of the drum permits an air line to be connected to the drum for
pressurizing the drum as schematically shown in FIGS. 3 through
6.
The drum 34 is of course filled with the material 48 to be
dispensed, for example, plastic car body filler or other flowable
material. Within the drum 34 is the follow plate 10 which seats
against the upper surface of the material to be dispensed, with the
conical face 16 against the material. The opposite side 18 of the
face 16 is exposed to the pressurized air introduced into the
container through the inlet opening 46 previously described.
The lower end 38 of the can or drum 34 is substantially flat as
shown except for the outlet connection 50 which is desirably
recessed within such lower end 38 to permit stacking of the cans or
drums with the ends of the cans in full contact. In the example
illustrated in FIG. 3, the recessed portion 52 of the can is
sufficiently depressed with respect to the end of the can to
accommodate a nipple 54 having internal threads for engagement by a
suitable plug and external threads for attachment of a cock valve
or the like to control the flow of material from the can.
The dimensions of the follow plate 10 are such that the major
diameter at the free edge 22 of the tapered flange 14 is in sliding
sealed engagement or contact with the inner surface of the side
wall or body 42 of the can and the minor diameter freely clears any
internal dents or bumps in the can body, such as dent 40. The
flange 14 is also sufficiently flexible that the free edge 22
readily slides over the dents and still provides the desired wiping
action along the inner surface of the can. The same sealing contact
is maintained between the free edge of the follow plate and the
inner surface of the drum even though its dimensions may vary
somewhat over the length of the drum. Because of the flexibility
and shape of the flange, the follow plate will not hang up during
movement within the drum, and the flange will also readily recover
after flexing to maintain the desired sealing contact or close fit
with the inner surface of the can.
FIG. 4 illustrates a position assumed by the follow plate 10 when
the can 34 is tilted as it might be to facilitate attachment of a
suitable conduit 56 to the lower outlet connection 50 of the can.
As shown, substantial tilting of the can and cocking of the follow
plate can occur. Despite such cocking of the follow plate within
the can, the substantial taper of the flange will cause the free
edge of the flange to remain in line contact with the inner surface
of the can body and maintain the minor diameter of the flange out
of contact with such inner surface, thereby preventing wedging
contact between the flange and can body. Accordingly, when the can
is righted once again the air pressure acting on the upper surface
of the follow plate will also right the follow plate. Moreover,
because the follow plate is made of a flexible plastic, it will
readily give when pressure is exerted on it tending to straighten
the follow plate out thus resisting cocking.
Another advantage of the substantial taper of the flange 14 is that
the material which fills the clearance space between the flange and
inner surface of the can during operation as shown in FIG. 3 also
tends to stabilize the follow plate, and resist cocking
thereof.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the functioning of the follow plate 10
after engagement of the plate with the lower end 38 of the can. In
FIG. 5, the outer periphery 20 of the face 16 is shown at rest
against the end 38, with material still trapped between the can end
38 and conical face 16. However, as continued pressure is exerted
on the follow plate 10, the follow plate deforms, flattening the
conical face 16 against the can end and causing the material to
flow toward the center of the can for discharge through the central
outlet connection 50 as shown in FIG. 6. The depth of the
indentation 24 is sufficient to provide a slight clearance between
the follow plate and the recessed portion 52 of the can when the
conical face of the follow plate is flattened against the lower end
of the can as shown.
From the foregoing, it will now be apparent that the follow plate
of the present invention insures against the follow plate becoming
wedged or hung up within the container despite dents or bumps or
variations in the inner diameter of the container. The shape of the
follow plate also aids in discharging the last of the material from
containers provided with recessed discharge openings in the lower
end thereof.
* * * * *