Abstract: A differential pressure sensor apparatus for use in a fuel delivery system measures the differential pressure of the fuel between a point immediately upstream and a point immediately downstream of a fuel monitor element. The differential pressure sensor apparatus uses an electronic transducer to monitor differential pressure and may be used with interlocks to shutdown fuel delivery if the measured value of the differential pressure is above a predetermined threshold value and to notify an operator of the fuel delivery system of such an increase in the differential pressure.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling the nucleation level of a stream of material such as a polyol resin for forming a polyurethane foam. Temperature and pressure control devices communicate with a stream of nucleated material flowing in a recirculation loop from and into a supply of nucleated material. Continuous density measurements are made of the nucleated material in the recirculation loop and are fed to a controller which regulates the amount of a gas injected into the recirculation loop. A material feed line extends from the recirculation loop to a material dispenser. A material bypass line extends from the dispenser back to the recirculation loop for returning unused nucleated material.

Abstract: A dispensing tool according to the present invention includes a dispensing outlet and at least a first material storage tube having a material storage chamber and an outlet. The tool also includes a drive assembly that is at least partially disposed within the first material storage tube and adapted to dispense material from the first material storage tube through the dispensing outlet. A valve assembly allows the material storage tube to be automatically reloaded when the tool is placed in a reloading station. A clamp may be used to hold the tool at the station.

Abstract: The high pressure cartridge feed system of the invention includes a cradle that supports the material cartridge so that the cartridge will not fail at the high dispensing pressures. A powered ram assembly drives a ram head into the cartridge to create the high dispensing pressure. The cartridge is supported on all sides to prevent failure. A smooth connection fitting is provided to allow cartridges to be quick changed. The cradle is pivotably mounted to allow the cartridge to be loaded in a substantially horizontal position. In one embodiment, the cradle is removable.

Abstract: A dispensing tool according to the present invention includes a dispensing outlet and at least a first material storage tube having a material storage chamber and an outlet. The tool also includes a drive assembly that is at least partially disposed within the first material storage tube and adapted to dispense material from the first material storage tube through the dispensing outlet. A valve assembly selectively controls the flow of material from the material storage tube to the dispensing outlet. The valve assembly and the drive assembly are linked such that activation of the drive assembly causes the valve to open allowing material to be dispensed. When the drive assembly is stopped, the valve is automatically closed. Material may be reloaded into the material storage tube through an inlet that is selectively connected to a source of bulk material. The selective connection may be provided by a controllable valve, or a selective connection between a pair of coupling elements.

Abstract: A device for mixing and dispensing a pair of flowable materials includes a housing containing a pair of control valves for controlling the flow of the two materials into a mixer tube mounted on an outlet end of the housing. The mixer tube contains a mixing element within the bore of the tube. A control device such as a pneumatic piston, moves a shaft which is connected to the mixing element, to move the mixing element linearly axially within the tube to prevent the leakage of materials from within the tube after the control valves on the housing are moved to a closed position. An air motor may be connected to the shaft for rotating the mixing element within the tube to enhance the mixing of the materials moving therethrough.

Abstract: An add-on valve assembly for dual-component cartridge has a valve member and a retainer nut which secures the valve member to a dual-component material cartridge. The valve member includes a body having a forwardly extending threaded nozzle and rearwardly extending top and bottom tubes. First and second passageways are formed in the top and bottom tubes, respectively, and extend through the body and nozzle. A valve stem extends generally vertically within the body and is rotatably mounted therein. The valve stem is formed with top and bottom holes which align with the first and second passageways, respectively, when the add-on valve assembly is rotated to an open position and which extend perpendicular to the first and second passageways, respectively, when the add-on valve assembly is rotated to a closed position. The tubes are adapted to extend within respective passageways of the material cartridge and communicate with a pair of chambers formed within the material cartridge.

Abstract: A foam-dispensing device includes a main tubular housing which houses a material cartridge. Several chambers are formed within the material cartridge with each chamber containing a separate material. A motionless mixer is attached to the dispensing end of the cartridge. The motionless mixer includes a tapered rear end into which the materials flow exposing the materials to one another, and a front end containing a helical mixing element. A hole is formed transversely in the motionless mixer between the rear end of the mixer and the helical mixing element for receiving a supply of pressurized gas therethrough. The materials flow out of the cartridge and into the rear end of the motionless mixer. After the materials have been exposed to one another, the materials pass by the hole and are injected with the supply of pressurized gas. The pressurized gas is injected into all of the materials after the materials have contacted one another but before the materials are mixed together by the helical mixing element.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing flowable materials and in particular anaerobic materials. This dispenser has a material inlet which allows the flowable material to flow into a pump cylinder, and a material passage through which the flowable material exits the pump cylinder. The material is positively displaced from the pump cylinder by a material displacement assembly of the ball-nut follower-type. A flexible plastic diaphragm which has sufficient porosity to permit oxygen to flow therethrough is biased toward a closed position by a pressurized air supply which applies pressurized air against an outside surface of the diaphragm, enabling the diaphragm to function as a one-way shut-off valve. The diaphragm extends across the material passage formed in the pump cylinder and a material outlet through which the material exits the dispenser.

Abstract: A cartridge for use in a dispensing gun for simultaneously dispensing and mixing a pair of chemically reactive fluid components maintained in separate chambers in the cartridge. One of the fluid components is contained in an elongated tube formed of a thin flexible film which is placed within a first chamber located either coaxially within an outer annular second chamber containing the other fluid component, or in a side-by-side relationship to the second chamber. Pistons are slidably mounted within the two chambers for simultaneously dispensing the fluid components therefrom when moved forward by plungers of the dispensing gun. In a first embodiment, the front end surface of one of the pistons is recessed from an outer end surface of the other piston to form a void space for collecting the collapsed flexible film therein to permit the outer piston to reach the full extent of its stroke and expel all of the fluid components from both the chambers.

Abstract: An improved industrial meter housing assembly includes a compactly designed metal housing having a central trefoil shaped chamber and minimal length inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with the chamber with the ports ending at inlet and outlet port faces on the housing outer surface oriented 90.degree.degrees from each other and 45.degree.degrees to the vertical with the housing in its upright position. The housing may be installed as original equipment in an industrial environment having upstream pipe connections provided to match those input and output port faces. However, the compactness of the housing may be utilized together with a pair of installations-specific inlet and outlet runner pipes to enable the combination meter housing/runners to be substituted for any existing original equipment industrial meter.

Abstract: A device which positively dispenses small, accurately measured, amounts of a flowable material, such as a resin, epoxy, etc. A pair of reciprocal pistons are movably mounted, each in a respective fluid pressure chamber, formed in a main body of a housing. One of the pistons moves a material dispense rod within a first section of a bore formed in a tubular portion of the housing. The second piston moves a sleeve which is telescopically mounted on the tubular housing between a material load position wherein flowable material is admitted into the first bore section, and a material discharge position wherein the first bore section is in communication with the second bore section.

Abstract: A hand-held dispensing device for dispensing small shots of a semi-solid material from a remote supply of such material which is connected to the device. A housing is formed with upper and lower pressure chambers. An upper piston is reciprocally movable within the housing for moving a connected dispensing tube between open and closed positions with a material outlet opening in a lower end of the device. A lower piston is reciprocally movable within the housing for moving a hollow stem of the piston within an annular dispense chamber located about a closed end of the dispensing tube. Downward movement of the lower piston stem in coordination with upward movement of the upper piston opens and closes a material outlet port formed in the dispensing tube to block further flow of material into the dispense chamber generally simultaneously with the forced discharge of the material from the dispense chamber by a lower end of the lower piston stem.

Abstract: A motionless mixer tube for mounting on the end of a discharge nozzle of a dispensing device for mixing and dispensing extremely small volumes of a pair of liquid materials, such as chemical reacting resins. The mixer tube has an elongated housing with a female luer lock at one end for mounting the tube on the dispensing device, and a male luer lock on the other end for easily mounting a dispensing needle on the outlet end of the housing. A helical motionless mixer element is mounted in a bore of the tube housing and extends from immediately adjacent the outlet end of an inlet socket of the female luer lock to immediately adjacent the outlet end of a discharge nozzle of the male luer lock. The dispensing needle is mounted immediately adjacent the outlet end of the discharge nozzle and mixer element. This arrangement avoids dead spaces within the mixer tube to prevent the formation of disruptive air bubbles therein and enables secure and rapid attachments at both ends of the tube.

Abstract: A positive displacement material mixing, metering and dispensing device having a housing with a pair of material inlet ports, and a pair of material outlet ports which are in communication with a pair of holding cavities, and a pair of valve chambers. A spool is slidably mounted in each of said valve chambers. An air actuated piston is in contact with opposite ends of the spools. Each spool has a reduced diameter central portion which communicates with a respective one of the material holding cavities at all times, but is in communication with the inlet and outlet ports only at discrete positions in the operating cycle and is never in communication with both the inlet and outlet ports simultaneously. One end of a pair of push rods moves into and out of the material holding cavities, with the other ends of the push rods being simultaneously actuated by an air piston.

Abstract: A gun for metering, mixing and dispensing the components of a two-component liquid material. A pair of chambers each having front and rear compartments, communicate with the liquid materials contained in pressurized portable cartridges through liquid material inlet openings formed in the rear compartment of the chambers. A material passage opening allows for communication between the front and rear compartments of the chamber, and an aligned material outlet opening formed in the front compartment allows for passage of the material out of the gun. A pair of independently adjustable rods are slidably mounted in the rear compartment of their respective chambers. Pump means drive the rods between a positive displacement position wherein front ends of the rods are sealingly engaged with the material passage openings and extend into the front compartments of the chambers, and a retracted position wherein the front and rear compartments are allowed to communicate through the material passage opening.

Abstract: A self-contained self-muffled pneumatic gun for dispensing one or two combinable flowable materials from a prefilled package or cartridge. The gun has a first hollow chamber for retaining the package in fixed relation, the package containing the materials to be dispensed and either having a dispensing valve thereon or not as known in the art. A second hollow chamber of the gun retains an axially-movable hollow tubular piston for pneumatically forcing discharge from the gun and through a metering, mixing and/or dispensing nozzle. The hollow piston has a quick-release valve mounted internally in its head portion for rapid release of pressurized gas internally of the gun body for its relatively quiet operation. Internal release of the gas pressure within the head portion serves to prevent noisy operation of the gun. The gun is capable of economical manufacture with the valve components being formed from essentially non-machined moldable components.

Abstract: A planetary friction drive includes a plurality of balls which are driven about a frusto-conical outer race by an inner driving surface made up of a pair of jaws which are spring biased toward one another into frictional engagement with the balls, and the drive ratio is adjusted by axially moving the inner driving surface relative to the outer race.

Abstract: A non-rotating sleeve type bushing in which an eccentric flange integral with the bushing and projecting radially outwardly therefrom is so formed as to be received in a complementarily contoured flange recess in a bearing housing whereby rotation of the bushing with respect to the bearing housing is precluded by a positive mechanical locking action provided by the shear resistance of the flange member.

Abstract: A metering device carried by and housed within a two part housing, said housing being composed of two matching hemispherical portions, one of which hemispherical portions contains both an inlet and an outlet for the fluid to be metered, whereby the meter assembly may be disassembled for inspection and repair without disturbing any fluid piping, joints or connections, and reassembled and sealed in the shortest possible time.