Abstract: Simple apparatus permits material, such as a hand cleaner whose viscosity is too great to flow downward under the force of gravity, to be loaded by inverting a can of the material and pressing downward onto the top of a reservoir sleeve. For pumped dispensing, two rubber valves of the "duck-bill" type are provided in the flow line downward from the reservoir bottom wall. While their lips are so soft as to be unable to restrain the down flow of conventional liquid, this is no problem when used with the viscous material. The material is dispensed by pumping until its level in the reservor is so low that an air channel forms downward through the material to the valved flow line, preventing further dispensing. At this stage, inverting and pressing downward a second can of material drives air in the reservoir downward through the air channel so formed and out through the soft rubber valves, so that dispensing can recommence.

Abstract: A pump-type dispenser for liquids, such as liquid soap, operates with the pump mechanism horizontal, lifting liquid from a bracket-suspended vessel through a dip tube at the back end of the pump. The pump mechanism is compact, having two rubber valves of the type whose lips project along the line of flow. The first valve is mounted at the inlet of the pump cylinder, where it is retained by the dip tube. The second valve is mounted within the pump piston; it is there retained by the smaller end of the pump spring, a tapered wound wire spring whose larger end surrounds the lips of the first valve. The pump mechanism with tube attached is replaceably mounted by inserting the dip tube through the front end of the bracket which suspends the vessel and camming it downward.