SPRAY NOZZLE

• US 3,801,019 A
• Filed: 09/04/1973
• Issued: 04/02/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David Bartholomew Smith, John M. Trenary
• Original Assignee: David Bartholomew Smith, John M. Trenary
• Inventors: Trenary, John M., Smith, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mar, Michael Y.
• Application Number:
  US05/393,953
• Time in Patent Office: 210 Days
• Field of Search: 239/101,102,380,381,383,443,444
• US Class Current: 239/381
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1636 by relative rotative movement of the valve elements B05B1/1672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/04 driven by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid actuating a motor before passing to the outlet B05B3/023 takes precedence

Abstract

A spray nozzle or showerhead is operable to selectively discharge a continuous spray, a cyclically interrupted pulsating spray of adjustable frequency of pulsation or a combination of the two sprays in which the proportion of the pulsating spray to continuous spray may be controllably varied. The nozzle housing is formed with two separate groups of discharge orifices. First and second flow passages extend through the housing between the housing inlet and one group of orifices via a rotary valve, while a third flow passage bypasses the rotary valve and extends from the housing inlet to the other of the two groups of orifices. Flow through the first flow passage impinges on blades mounted on the rotary valve to drive this valve in rotation at speeds dependent on the magnitude of flow through the first passage. Rotation of the rotary valve cylically interrupts flow to the first group of orifices to cause a pulsating spray to be discharged from the first group of orifices at a frequency of pulsation dependent upon the rotary speed of the rotary valve member. A shutter type valve operable from the exterior of the housing can be positioned to permit flow only through the first passage to discharge an all-pulsating spray of maximum frequency or to permit flow only through the third passage to discharge an all-continuous or nonpulsating spray. The shutter valve further is movable over a first range of movement through which the third passage is progressively closed as the first passage is progressively opened to vary the proportion of pulsating to nonpulsating spray discharge and to increase the pulsation frequency as the pulsating portion of the spray is increased. Over a second range of movement of the shutter valve, the first passage remains fully open while the second passage opening is varied between a fully closed and fully open position. Over this second range of movement of the shutter valve, the third passage is blocked at all times so that an all-pulsating spray is discharged and the frequency of pulsation of this latter spray is varied in accordance with the amount by which the second passage is opened.

Claims

1. A spray nozzle comprising:

a hollow housing having a fluid inlet and a first and a second group of fluid spray discharge outlets;

means in said housing defining first and second flow passages in said housing extending from said inlet respectively to said first and said second groups of discharge outlets;

a rotary valve member mounted for rotation in said first flow passage operable when rotated to cyclically interrupt flow from said inlet to said first group of outlets and cause a pulsating fluid spray to be discharged therefrom;

blade means on said valve member for drIving said valve member in rotation at a rate proportional to the rate of flow of fluid through said first flow passage;

said second flow passage bypassing said valve member and communicating directly with said second group of outlets whereby fluid flowing through said second flow passage is discharged from said second group of outlets in continuous streams; and

control means for adjustably dividing flow from said inlet between said first and said second passages.

2. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means includes:

a plate mounted in said housing between said inlet and said outlets and having spaced first and second openings therethrough respectively establishing communication between said inlet and said first and said second flow passages; and

shutter means slidably mounted on said plate for coordinated movement into and out of overlying flow blocking relationship with said openings between a first position wherein said second opening is blocked and all flow from said inlet is directed through said first opening and a second position wherein said first opening is blocked and all flow from said inlet passes through said second opening, movement of said shutter means from one of said positions toward the other progressively decreasing the flow through one of said openings while increasing the flow through the other of said openings.

3. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 2 which further includes means defining a third flow passage extending from a third opening in said plate to said valve member independently of said first passage, said shutter means being movable to a third position located on the opposite side of said second position from said first position, said shutter means blocking said third opening when in said second position and progressively uncovering said third opening upon movement from said second position toward said third position to adjustably divide flow from said inlet between said first and third passages while maintaining said second opening blocked.

4. A spray nozzle comprising:

a housing having a fluid inlet and a first and a second group of fluid spray discharge outlets;

means in said housing defining a first flow path from said inlet to said first group of outlets and a second flow path from said inlet to said second group of outlets;

pulsation means in said first flow path for cyclically interrupting the flow of fluid from said inlet to said first group of outlets and cause a pulsating spray to be discharged therefrom;

said second flow path bypassing said pulsation means to cause a continuous nonpulsating spray to be discharged from said second group of outlets; and

control means movably mounted on said housing and selectively positionable to variably apportion flow from said inlet between said first and said second flow paths to cause said nozzle to selectively discharge an all-pulsating spray, an all-continuous spray or a combined spray consisting of both pulsating and continuous spray components.

5. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 4 which further includes frequency adjusting means in said control means operable, when said control means is positioned to discharge an all-pulsating spray, to vary the frequency of pulsation of said spray while maintaining a constant flow through said nozzle.

6. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 5 wherein said frequency adjusting means includes:

first and second branch passage means in said first flow path;

drive means on said pulsation means for driving said pulsation means at a rate variable with the flow of fluid through said first banch passage; and

valve means in said control means for adjustably dividing the flow from said inlet between said first and said second branch passages.

7. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 4 wherein said control means is movable between opposite end limits, first means in said control means operates at one of said end limits to direct all flow from said inlet througH said second flow path and cause an all-continuous spray to be discharged from said nozzle, and second means in said control means operates during movement of said control means from said one end limit toward a centered position midway between said end limits for progressively restricting said second flow path while simultaneously progressively opening said first flow path to flow from said inlet and causing said nozzle to discharge a combined spray having pulsating and continuous components of selected relative magnitude determined by the position of said control means between said one end limit and said centered position.

8. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 7 wherein said second means in said control means completely blocks flow through said second flow path at all positions of said control means between and including said centered position and the other of said end limits.

9. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 8 including third means on said control means operable during movement of said control means from said centered position toward said other end limit to progressively reduce the frequency of the pulsating spray discharged from said nozzle.

10. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 4 which further includes:

an end wall on said housing, said first group of outlets passing through said end wall and being located within an annular band concentric with a first axis;

said pulsation means including a valve member mounted for rotation about said first axis at the inner side of said end wall and having a valve port in overlying alignment with a segment of said annular band and a plate portion overlying the remainder of said annular band; and

drive means on said valve member for driving said valve member in rotation in response to flow of fluid through said first flow path.

11. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 10 wherein said drive means includes a plurality of blades on said valve member extending radially of said first axis, said first flow path having a plurality of first branch passages for discharging fluid tangentially of said first axis against said blades to drive said valve member in rotation.

12. A spray nozzle as defined in claim 11 wherein said first flow path further includes a second branch passage for discharging fluid axially into the path of said blades, and said control means includes means for adjustably dividing flow through said first flow path between said first and second branch passages to thereby vary the rate of rotation of said valve member while maintaining a constant flow through said first flow path.