Retaining assembly for fluid dispensing nozzles

• US 5,236,023 A
• Filed: 11/21/1991
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert B. Mohr
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Mohr
• Inventors: Mohr, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/796,536
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 141/311 R, 141/312, 141/332, 141/340, 141/346, 141/363, 141/366-368, 141/382-386, 285/320, 285/420, 29/261, 29/262, 269/48.1, 606/198
• US Class Current: 141/312
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0288 Container connection means for dispensing beverages on draught B67D1/0829
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/42 Filling nozzles

Abstract

A collar attached around a nozzle has a pivot from which an arm extends. In a contracted position, the arm extends close along the nozzle toward the discharge end thereof to facilitate insertion of the nozzle into an opening of a tank. While in the opening, the arm is turned far enough, by an extension outside the opening, through an acute angle to contact the inside edge of the opening and therefore to force the nozzle in an opposite direction against the inside edge. A latch connected to the arm maintains, until the latch is released, the arm in an expanded or wedging position for retaining the nozzle in the opening. Another embodiment uses three arms evenly spaced for wedging the nozzle in a centered position in an opening.

Claims

1. A retaining assembly for a fluid dispensing nozzle to retain said nozzle within openings of different sizes, said nozzle having a cylindrical outer surface and a discharge end, means for attaching said retaining assembly around said nozzle such that said nozzle extends through said retaining assembly, a pivot within said retaining assembly located at a comparatively short distance radially outward from said outer surface of said nozzle, said retaining assembly being attached at a sufficient distance from said discharge end of said nozzle to position said discharge end inside any of said opening and to position said pivot outside any of said openings into which said nozzle is to be inserted, an arm pivotally attached to said pivot, said arm having a retaining portion, control means connected to said retaining portion and directed therefrom to be outside any of said openings during normal use of said nozzle, said retaining portion being pivoted on said pivot and being positioned to extend therefrom along said nozzle toward said discharge end thereof, said control means being operative to turn said retaining portion on said pivot through an angle between a contracted position close along said cylindrical outer surface of said nozzle and an expanded position away from said cylindrical outer surface and then to retain said retaining portion in said expanded position, said retaining portion having sufficient length to wedge said retaining portion and said nozzle within any of said openings while said retaining portion is in said expanded position, and said control means being operative subsequently to return said retaining portion to said contracted position.

2. A retaining assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pivoted arm has an operating portion extending rigidly at an angle from said retaining portion and wherein said control means comprises:

said operating portion, the junction of said portions being approximate said pivot, a catch assembly for retaining said retaining portion in said expanded position, said catch assembly comprising a holding arm with an angular tooth and a releasing handle extending at an angle from said holding arm, said holding arm being pivoted to said operating portion, a catch fixed on the assembly and positioned to be engaged by said angular tooth, a spring bearing between said operating portion and said releasing handle to urge engagement of said tooth with said catch, and said releasing handle being operative for releasing said holding arm to return said retaining portion to said contracted position.

3. A retaining assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said holding arm has a plurality of angled teeth, said control means being operative to turn said retaining portion through a different acute angle to a respective expanded position corresponding to a respective tooth of said teeth, and said respective tooth of said angled teeth engaging said catch to retain said retaining portion in said respective expanded position.

4. A retaining assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said retaining assembly has a plurality of said pivots like said pivot and a plurality of pivoted arms similar to said pivoted arm on respective ones of said pivots, said respective pivots being spaced circumferentially about said nozzle, each of said pivoted arms having an operating portion extending from said respective retaining portion, said portions of each respective pivoted arms extending in opposite directions from said respective pivots, a first collar having said means for attaching said retaining assembly and having an externally threaded, hollow shank extending coaxially toward said discharge end, a second collar positioned freely about said shank, the surface of said second collar facing said discharge end being a concave surface, a third collar containing said pivots connected to said pivoted arms, said third collar having an inside threaded bore for receiving said shank and being turned onto said shank to position said retaining portions toward said discharge end and to position respective distal ends of said operating portions in contact with said concave surface, and wherein manual rotation of said third collar in one direction turning said retaining portions simultaneously to respective ones of said contracted positions and in an opposite direction to respective ones of said expanded positions.

5. An adapter to fit over a tubular fluid dispensing nozzle for retaining said nozzle within an opening, said adapter comprising a tubular collar, means for fastening said collar around said nozzle, said collar having a pivot at a position spaced from an inside surface of said collar, an outwardly extending triangular catch on said collar, said catch and said pivot being spaced axially apart on said collar, an operating handle with an end connected to said pivot, a retaining arm extending from a point on said handle approximate said pivot in a direction away from said handle and substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis through said collar, said operating handle to be turned about said pivot through an acute angle for turning said retaining arm between a contracted position in which said arm is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said collar to an expanded position in which said retaining arm is directed outwardly from said axis at a selected acute angle to said axis, a holding arm having an angular tooth for engaging said catch, a releasing handle extending from said holding arm, said holding arm and said releasing handle being pivoted to said operating handle at a point spaced from said pivot of said operating handle, means connected between said handles to urge said holding arm to turn in a direction for engaging said angular tooth with said catch, said operating handle being operative to turn said retaining arm from said contracted position to said expanded position, said retaining arm being retained in said expanded position by said tooth engaging said catch, and said releasing handle being operative to disengage said tooth from said catch.

6. An adapter as claimed in claim 5 wherein said holding arm has a portion having a plurality of teeth including said tooth, said teeth corresponding to respective different expanded positions of said retaining arm, and said operating handle being operative through different acute angles for turning said retaining arm to said different expanded positions to be retained by respective ones of said teeth.