Rotatable Nozzle Assembly for Sprayers

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in or relating to sprayers, particularly for spraying plant-protective liquids, and it concerns more particularly sprayers which may be held in the hand and which have adjustable nozzles to permit selective spray patterns.

2. Description of the Related Art

Correct spraying must comply with two principal conditions: first, the spray jet must be perfectly adapted to the treatment or application required and second, the spray must be consistant. Therefore, it is preferable to use a sprayer with a maintained or constant pressure accumulator.

Most apparatus which function in the above manner are well known in practice as "back" apparatus, i.e. those borne on the shoulder or on the back. On the other hand, such spraying capabilities are not encountered in small sprayers held in the user's hand.

It is an object of the improvements according to the present invention to enable a sprayer to be produced comprising a plurality of outlet nozzles which are associated with a barrel which the user can easily rotate in order to select the desired spray pattern.

To that end, the sprayer according to the invention is provided with a selectively rotatable barrel forming a spray nozzle having a plurality of orifices formed therein. The barrel is mounted within a tube around a geometrical axis eccentric with respect to the elongated axis of the tube. The barrel is surrounded by a cap having a central hole through which the sprayed liquid may pass when one of the orifices of the spray nozzle is in alignment with the geometrical axis of the tube. A lateral channel conducts the liquid under pressure to that orifice which has been selectively aligned opposite the central hole of the cap.

According to a preferred embodiment, a pressurized liquid retention chamber is in communication with one of the spray orifices by way of an opening valve, the liquid being sent into this chamber by a lifting and forcing pump from a fluid reservoir, with the result that the chamber constitutes a pressure accumulator maintaining a pressure on the liquid therein.

The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a hand sprayer improved in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in detail illustrating ion particular the barrel forming the multiple spray nozzle.

FIG. 3 is a section along III--III (FIG. 2).

FIGS. 4 and 5 are longitudinal sections of the pump for operating the sprayer according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the spray appliance illustrated in FIG. 1 essentially comprises a spray head 1 associated with a reservoir 2. The reservoir is secured at its upper end to a wide opening at the base of the head 1 which is generally in the form of an elbow. The first portion of this elbow, which is oriented vertically is in the form of a tubular outer sleeve 3 in which is disposed an inner sleeve 4a having a bottom 4 intended to seal against the outer sleeve to thereby define a closed chamber 5 intermediate the inner and outer sleeves. The inner sleeve 4a which passes vertically through the chamber 5 is fixed by any appropriate means to the upper end of the sleeve 3 which is associated with a tube 6 which constitutes the second portion of the head 1. Inside the inner sleeve 4a is disposed a tube 7 which forms the cylinder of a lifting and forcing pump of which the piston 8 is located at the end of a rod 9 passing through the inner sleeve 4a and emerging from the tube 6 where an actuating handle 10 is mounted.

The bottom of the tube 7 is provided with a non-return valve 11, while the space included between the tube and the rod 9 communicates with the chamber 5 by a radial hole 4b opening out on the periphery of an end bearing surface of the inner sleeve 4a and which hole is surrounded by an elastic ring 13 which forms the delivery valve of the pump.

Inside the chamber 5 is a perforated plunger 14 above which is located a valve 15 loaded by a spring 16 and which closes the outlet orifice 17 of the chamber 5. A trigger 18 makes it possible to lower the valve 15 against the spring when desired to effect spraying.

The orifice 17 of chamber 5 lies in a perforation or channel 19 in the sleeve 3 made longitudinally therein and which opens out into a lateral channel 20 made in tube 6. In this channel is mounted an added piece or support shoe 21 which includes a longitudinal perforation 21a which communicates with the channel 20 and terminates in opening 21b oriented radially in the direction of the center axis of the tube 6 (FIG. 2). The support shoe 21 is provded with a dove-tailed heel or base 21c which engages in a groove of the same shape made in the tube 6. A part of the shoe 21 projects beyond the tube 6 and is provided with a concave face 21d. Inside the tube 6 is a tubular partition 6a which is hollowed, like the corresponding part of the tube 6, to form a bearing surface 6b in which is engaged a barrel 22 of which the front part is cooperatively seated on the face 21d of the show 21. The geometrical elongated axis of the barrel is thus offset or eccentric with respect to the axis of the tube. Four identical depressions 22a are hollowed out in the peripheral part of the barrel 22 located opposite the face 21d and the center of each of these depressions is provided with a hole 22b. As illustrated in the drawing, when liquid arrives via channel 21a and radial openings 21b, it passes into one of the depressions 22a and leaves through its hole 22b. A washer 23 is assembled at the front of the barrel 22 and includes four openings 23a located opposite each of the holes 22b in the barrel 22. The washer 23 is held on the barrel 22 so that the liquid leaving any opening of the latter passes entirely through the corresponding openings 23a in the washer. The openings 23a are arranged so that they are all different and make it possible to produce a non-wetting hollow conical jet (mist), a wetting hollow conical jet, a conical jet for remote treatment and a straight jet. The geometrical axis of the tube 6 is arranged to pass through the opening 23a of the washer 23 when such opening lies opposite the hole 24a made at the center of the transverse end wall 24b of a cap 24 surrounding the end of tube 6. The cap is located on the geometrical axis of the tube. The interior of this cap is provided with inner teeth 24c which cooperate with the teeth of a ring 22c made on the periphery of the barrel 22. In this way, by rotating the cap 24, the barrel is rotated in order to bring the desired orifice or hole 22b opposite spray hole 24a. Indications are given on the cap so that the user can place opposite the hole 24a the desired nozzle with each nozzle being defined by the combination of an opening 23a and a hole 22b.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the piston 8 disposed at the base of the rod 9 comprises two transverse holes 8a, 8b of which hole 8b opens out via its two ends into a groove 8c. The two holes 8a and 8b communicate via an axial conduit 8d. An O-ring 25 is engaged in the groove 8c of the piston whose width is very clearly greater than the diameter of the seal. In this way, when the rod 9 is moved in the direction of arrow F1 in FIG. 4, a seal is created between the piston 8 and the tube 7 at the bottom of the groove and the liquid located in the reservoir 2 is sucked upwardly as the ball 11a of the valve 11 lifts from its seat 11b. The interior of the tube 7 is thus filled with liquid when the piston arrives at its top dead center.

On the contrary, when the rod is descended, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in the direction of arrow F2, the seal moves in the groove 8c with the result that it is placed so that the hole 8b is in communication with the compartment of the cylinder located below the piston. The downward displacement causes passage of the liquid through the hole 8b then into conduit 8c and finally through hole 8a, with the result that the liquid rises above the piston in the annular space between the rod 9 and the tube 7. In the subsequent operation of raising the piston, a seal is effected between the piston and the compartment of the cylinder located below this piston as described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 4, with the result that, in addition to the operation of suction, the liquid is delivered into chamber 5, passing through orifice 4b as the ring 13 is forced outwardly. The chamber 5 performs the role of accumulator in which the liquid accumulates under pressure, with the result that it suffices to press on the trigger 18 to initiate spraying. The dimensions of the different elements composing the sprayer according to the invention have been calculated so that it is ready to operate with two pumpings of the rod 9 by way of handle 10, regardless of the quantity of liquid present in the reservoir. It should be emphasized that this sprayer may also be used with maintained pressure without the pressure accumulator by pumping constantly while maintining the outlet valve open by manipulation of trigger 18.

It must, moreover, be understood that the foregoing description has been given only by way of example and that it in no way limits the domain of the invention which would not be exceeded by replacing the details of execution described by any other equivalents.