Abstract: A valve assembly for a small hand-held pressurized dispenser, such as an aerosol can, comprising the known form of valve mounting cup provided with a boss having a top wall and a peripheral side wall, a valve housing located at least partially in the boss and carrying a spring-loaded valve member, and a gasket of a flexible, resilient material trapped between and forming a seal between a rim on the housing and the top wall. The assembly is distinguished by the feature of an annular step in the boss facing away from the top wall and a flange on the valve housing which engages against the step to define the distance between the rim and the top wall and thereby limit the sealing pressure applied to the gasket. The flange may be integral with the rim in which interruptions in the step form gassing paths for filling the dispenser, or alternatively the flange and rim are separate in which case discontinuities such as notches and perforations in the rim and flange form a gassing path.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for the pumps or valves of small hand-held dispensers, especially aerosol containers, which are actuated by depression of an actuator member such as a button, includes a stationary component adapted to be mounted on a pressurized dispenser and a collar in screw-threaded engagement with the stationary component and surrounding an actuator member, which collar when tightened down on its screw prevents depression of the actuator member but when turned to slacken it back allows such movement. Preferably the collar moves downwards to tighten it and this movement may be translated into upward movement in opposition to depression of the actuator member by an arrangement of rocking levers.