Nozzle assembly

• US 6,123,272 A
• Filed: 07/13/1999
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GP Ltd
• Original Assignee: Coltec Industrial Products LLC (Enpro Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Reeves, Kim C., Havican, Todd Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, ROBIN OCTAVIA
• Application Number:
  US09/352,533
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 239/390, 239/391, 239/392, 239/393, 239/394, 239/397, 239/273, 239/275, 239/71
• US Class Current: 239/390
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1654 about an axis parallel to the liquid passage in the stationary valve element

Abstract

A nozzle assembly including a nozzle turret rotatably mounted on a body. The body has a face, an outlet in the face, and an annular seat in the face, surrounding the outlet. A relatively non-compressible strut extends from the face of the body, while a relatively non-compressible spacer abuts the face. A compressible sealing member is positioned in the seat and, when not compressed, extends out of the seat and further from the face of the body than the spacer. The turret has a bore rotatably received on the strut, and the turret abuts the spacer. Nozzles are arrayed in the turret such that the nozzles sequentially align with the outlet of the body as the turret is rotated on the strut. A fastener secures the turret to the strut such that the turret compresses the sealing member to provide a fluid-tight seal between the outlet and the nozzle aligned with the outlet. According to one embodiment, the nozzle assembly further includes structure for indexing the rotation of the turret with respect to the body. According to another embodiment, the nozzles are removably mounted within the turret.

Claims

1. A nozzle assembly comprising:

a) a body having a face, an outlet extending through the face, and a seat surrounding the outlet;

b) a strut extending from the face of the body;

c) a spacer extending radially from the strut and abutting the face of the body;

d) a sealing member positioned in the seat, the sealing member and the seat dimensioned and configured such that, in an uncompressed state, the sealing member extends from the seat;

e) a turret rotatably mounted by a bore defined therein to the strut, the turret in abutment with the spacer;

f) a plurality of nozzles operatively associated with the turret and positioned for selective alignment with the outlet of the body as the turret is rotated on the strut; and

g) a fastener securing the turret to the strut such that the sealing member is compressed between the seat and a selected nozzle aligned with the outlet.

2. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the sealing member comprises an o-ring.

3. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein a length of the strut between the spacer and an end of the strut received by the bore of the turret is at least equal to a length of the bore of the turret.

4. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the spacer and the strut are unitary and made from stainless steel.

5. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the strut is tubular; and

the fastener comprises a bolt extending through the tubular strut and secured with a nut.

6. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the strut is solid and includes a threaded extension at the end of the strut, the threaded extension having a diameter less than a diameter of the strut; and

the fastener comprises a nut threadedly received by the extension.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the body further includes a ring extending from the face around the outlet and the seat is located on the ring.

8. The nozzle assembly of claim 7 wherein the body further includes ribs extending from the face to a height substantially equal to a height of the ring.

9. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 wherein the turret includes receptacles and the nozzles are removably mounted within the receptacles.

10. The nozzle assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

notches in one of the turret and the body; and

resilient detents on the other of the turret and the body engaging the notches to index the rotation of the turret on the strut.

11. The nozzle assembly of claim 10 wherein the notches are in the body, and the resilient detents are on the turret.

12. The nozzle assembly of claim 9 further comprising a spring positioned in a spring bore defined by the body, and a button positioned on the spring and biased against a nozzle aligned therewith for urging the nozzle toward the turret.

13. The nozzle assembly of claim 9 wherein the nozzles are threadingly received within the receptacles.

14. The nozzle assembly of claim 9 wherein:

the receptacles each include inner and outer portions divided by a ledge; and

the nozzles each include a radially extending base positioned on the ledge of the receptacle, retaining the nozzle in the receptacle, the base shaped to pass through the outer portion of the receptacle when the nozzle is rotated within the receptacle to release the base of the ledge.

15. The nozzle assembly of claim 14 wherein, for each nozzle and each receptacle:

one of the base and the ledge have a notch and the other of the base and the ledge have a projection for being received in the notch to prevent the nozzle from being rotated within the receptacle,

whereby the nozzle must be pushed into the receptacle until the projection clears the notch before the nozzle can be rotated within the receptacle.

16. A nozzle assembly comprising:

a) a body having a face and an outlet in the face;

b) a strut extending from the face of the body;

c) a button biased outwardly from the face of the body;

d) a turret rotatably mounted on the strut, the turret including at least one receptacle for sequential alignment with the outlet of the body and the button when the turret is rotated with respect to the body, the receptacle including inner and outer portions divided by a ledge; and

e) at least one nozzle, the nozzle received in the receptacle of the turret and including,

a radially extending base caught on the ledge, retaining the nozzle in the receptacle, the base shaped to pass through the outer portion of the receptacle when the nozzle is rotated within the receptacle to free the base of the ledge,

one of the base and the ledge having a notch and the other of the base and the ledge having a projection for being received in the notch to prevent the nozzle from being rotated within the receptacle,

whereby the nozzle must be pushed into the receptacle against the biased button until the projection clears the notch before the nozzle can be rotated within the receptacle.

17. The nozzle assembly of claim 16 wherein the sealing member comprises an o-ring.

18. The nozzle assembly of claim 16 wherein:

the body further includes,

a ring extending from the face around the outlet,

ribs extending from the face to a height substantially equal to a height of the ring,

a recess in the face for alignment with the receptacles of the turret,

a spring positioned in the recess, and

the button is positioned on the spring and biased outwardly from the face to a height substantially equal to the height of the ring.

19. The nozzle assembly of claim 16 further comprising means for indexing the rotation of the turret with respect to the body.

20. The nozzle assembly of claim 19 wherein the means for indexing comprises:

notches in one of the turret and the body; and

resilient detents on the other of the turret and the body engaging the notches to index the rotation of the turret on the strut.

21. The nozzle assembly of claim 20 wherein the notches are in the body, and the resilient detents are on the turret.

22. A nozzle assembly comprising:

a) a body having,

a face,

a bore extending through the body, perpendicular with the face,

an outlet in the face, the outlet for communication with a source of pressurized fluid, and

an annular seat in the face, surrounding the outlet;

b) a relatively non-compressible strut having a second end received in the bore of the body and an opposing first end extending from the face of the body;

c) a relatively non-compressible annular spacer extending radially outwardly from the strut and abutting the face of the body, wherein a length of the strut between the spacer and the second end of the strut is at least equal to a length of the bore of the body;

d) a compressible sealing member seated in the seat, the uncompressed sealing member extending out of the seat and a distance further from the face of the body than the spacer;

e) a turret having a bore rotatably received on the first end of the strut, with the turret abutting the spacer, wherein a length of the strut between the spacer and the first end of the strut is at least equal to a length of the bore of the turret;

f) nozzles removably arrayed in the turret such that the nozzles sequentially align with the outlet of the body as the turret is rotated on the strut;

g) fasteners securing the turret and the body to the strut such that the sealing member is compressed to provide a fluid-tight seal between the outlet and the nozzle aligned with the outlet; and

h) means for indexing the rotation of the turret with respect to the body.

23. The nozzle assembly of claim 22 wherein the spacer and the strut are unitary and made from stainless steel.

24. The nozzle assembly of claim 23 wherein:

the strut is tubular; and

the fasteners comprise a stud extending through the tubular strut and secured with a nut.

25. The nozzle assembly of claim 23 wherein:

the strut is solid and includes threaded extensions at the first and the second ends, the threaded extension having a diameter less than a diameter of the strut; and

the fasteners comprise nuts threadedly received by the extensions.

26. The nozzle assembly of claim 22 wherein the body further includes a ring extending from the face around the outlet to a height substantially equal to a height of the spacer, the annular seat located on the ring.

27. The nozzle assembly of claim 26 wherein the body further includes ribs extending from the face to a height substantially equal to a height of the spacer.

28. The nozzle assembly of claim 22 wherein the means for indexing comprises:

notches in one of the turret and the body; and

resilient detents on the other of the turret and the body engaging the notches to index the rotation of the turret on the strut.

29. The nozzle assembly of claim 28 wherein the notches are in the body, and the resilient detents are on the turret.

30. A nozzle assembly comprising:

a) a body having a face, an outlet extending through the face, a ring surrounding the outlet and having a seat formed therein, the ring having a predefined height, and

one or more ribs extending from the face to a height substantially equal to the height of the ring;

b) a sealing member positioned in the seat;

c) a turret rotatably mounted to the body and including a plurality of receptacles for selective alignment with the outlet when the turret is rotated with respect to the body; and

d) a nozzle removeably received within each receptacle, each nozzle including a base configured for retainment between the turret and one of the ring and the one or more ribs, and wherein the base of the nozzle that is aligned with the outlet is spaced a sufficient distance from the ring such that the sealing member is at least partially compressed between the seat and the base of the nozzle.

31. The nozzle assembly of claim 30 further comprising notches in one of the turret and the body, and resilient detents on the other of the turret and the body engaging the notches to index the rotation of the turret on the strut.

32. The nozzle assembly of claim 31 wherein the notches are in the body and the resilient detents are on the turret.

33. The nozzle assembly of claim 30 further comprising a strut extending from the face of the body and a spacer extending radially from the strut and abutting the face, and wherein the turret has a bore that is rotatably received on the strut and the turret abuts the spacer.

34. The nozzle assembly of claim 33 wherein the spacer and the strut are unitary and made from stainless steel.

35. The nozzle assembly of claim 30 wherein the receptacles each include inner and outer portions divided by a ledge and the base of each nozzle is positioned on the ledge of the receptacle in which it is received and shaped to pass through the outer portion of the receptacle when the nozzle is rotated within the receptacle.

36. The nozzle assembly of claim 30 wherein each nozzle and each receptacle is configured so that one of the base and the ledge has a notch and the other of the base and the ledge has a projection for receiving the notch.

37. The nozzle assembly of claim 30 further comprising a spring positioned in a spring bore defined by the body, and a button positioned on the spring and biased against a nozzle aligned therewith for urging the nozzle toward the turret.

38. A nozzle assembly comprising:

a) a body having a face, an outlet extending through the face, and a seat surrounding the outlet;

b) a sealing member positioned in the seat;

c) a turret rotatably mounted on the body and including a plurality of receptacles positioned for selective alignment with the outlet when the turret is rotated with respect to the body;

d) a nozzle received within each receptacle, each nozzle including a base configured for retainment between the turret and the body, and wherein the base of the nozzle that is aligned with the outlet is spaced a sufficient distance from the body such that the sealing member is at least partially compressed between the seat and the base of the nozzle; and

e) a nozzle biasing mechanism including a spring positioned in a spring bore defined by the body, and a button positioned on the spring and biased against a nozzle aligned with the spring bore toward the turret.

39. The nozzle assembly of claim 38 wherein each receptacle includes an inner portion and an outer portion divided by a ledge, and the base of each nozzle is positioned on the ledge of the receptacle in which it is received and shaped to pass through the outer portion of the receptacle when the nozzle is rotated within the receptacle.

40. The nozzle assembly of claim 38 wherein each nozzle and each receptacle is configured such that one of the base and the ledge has a notch and the other of the base and the ledge has a projection for receiving the notch.

41. The nozzle assembly of claim 38 further comprising notches in one of the turret and the body, and resilient detents on the other of the turret and the body engaging the notches to index the rotation of the turret on the strut.

42. The nozzle assembly of claim 41 wherein the notches are in the body, and the resilient detents are on the turret.

43. The nozzle assembly of claim 38 wherein the body has a clearance region around the spring bore to receive the base of the nozzle aligned with the spring bore.

44. The nozzle assembly of claim 38 further comprising a strut extending from the face of the body and a spacer extending radially from the strut and abutting the face, and wherein the turret has a bore that is rotatably received on the strut and the turret abuts the spacer.

45. The nozzle assembly of claim 44 wherein the spacer and the strut are unitary and made from stainless steel.