Abstract: A shut-off having a flexible diaphragm valve resting on a valve seat. The force of the pressurized liquid presented to the valve lifts the diaphragm valve and opens the shut-off, when a plunger biased to hold the valve against the valve seat is lifted by movement of a handle attached to the plunger. A mechanism is provided to assist the lift-off of the diaphragm valve to provide a positive mechanical lift-off force. Such mechanism may include a projection on the diaphragm valve which is captured in the plunger, or a spring captured in an opening of the valve seat via which pressurized liquid is presented to the diaphragm valve.

Abstract: A manually operable spray gun which provides a variable spray pattern of liquid passing through the gun from a source of pressurized liquid. A valve spool is reciprocally movable in opposite directions by a pivotally mounted trigger. One spool end has a valve which closes flow through the spool; the other spool end is a flow control element having a flow control surface. The spool can be moved from a position where the valve controlling the flow into the spool is closed to a position where the valve is open and the spacing between the flow control element and the nozzle is varied. By varying this spacing, liquid flow can be varied from flowing directly to a nozzle orifice to flowing along the interior conical surface of the nozzle. The diameter of the conical pattern may be varied by changing the spacing between the flow control element and the nozzle.

Abstract: Apparatus providing a tethered cap for a fill opening of a sprayer tank which is tethered inside, rather than outside the tank, via a tether line movably attached to a basket suspended in the tank, and having a gasket at an upper end of the basket which is engaged by the cap to seal the fill opening in the tank when the cap is closed. The tether line extends through the gasket so that the basket, the gasket, and the cap are tethered to each other. Since the tether line is inside the tank, catching or snagging of the line and the cap on obstacles, such as trees, or branches, is precluded. The cap remains connected to the sprayer tank when it is removed from the tank in order to fill the tank and misplacement of the cap is also precluded even though the cap is not held by the sprayer operator while the tank is being filled.

Abstract: The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a sprayer apparatus that includes a disengageable pressurized fluid source, a pressure chamber in fluid communication with the fluid source, a backflow valve, a sealed vessel, and a sprayer outlet. The backflow valve has two one-way valves separated by a weep mechanism and is positioned between the fluid source and the pressure chamber such that the two one-way valves allow fluid flow from the fluid source to the pressure chamber. The sealed vessel is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber. The sprayer outlet includes a shutoff valve in fluid communication with the pressure chamber. The shutoff valve normally prevents fluid flow from the pressure chamber to the sprayer outlet and is operable to allow fluid flow from the pressure tank to the sprayer outlet.

Abstract: The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a sprayer apparatus that includes a disengageable pressurized fluid source, a pressure chamber in fluid communication with the fluid source, a backflow valve, a sealed vessel, and a sprayer outlet. The backflow valve has two one-way valves separated by a weep mechanism and is positioned between the fluid source and the pressure chamber such that the two one-way valves allow fluid flow from the fluid source to the pressure chamber. The sealed vessel is in fluid communication with the pressure chamber. The sprayer outlet includes a shutoff valve in fluid communication with the pressure chamber. The shutoff valve normally prevents fluid flow from the pressure chamber to the sprayer outlet and is operable to allow fluid flow from the pressure tank to the sprayer outlet.

Abstract: The invention provides self-pressurizing sprayer assembly 10 with a single external bulkhead fitting 40. The invention includes hose 14 connected to bulkhead fitting 40 and T-type connector 16 connected to the other end of hose 14. T-type connector 16 couples hose 14 to hand operated discharge control valve 20 and quick-disconnect fitting 18. Alternatively, hose 114 is fitted with a female quick-disconnect connector and connects directly to discharge control valve 116 or quick-disconnect fitting 18. Quick-disconnect fitting 18 couples hose 14 or hose 114 to a source of domestic water supply, such as garden hose 89.

Abstract: A granular pump that includes a dispersion reservoir, a primary reservoir, a manual air pump, and a one-way valve. The user aims the granular pump in the direction of the area to be sprayed with the granular material contained in the granular pump and operates the manual air pump to force a pneumatic pulse through the one-way valve into the dispersion reservoir. The pneumatic pulse into the dispersion reservoir permeates the granular material in the dispersion reservoir and carries the granular material through the second open end of the dispersion reservoir. The velocity of the granular material causes it to spread out in a substantially constant pattern of application. The granular material is continually gravity fed into the dispersion reservoir from the primary reservoir as the user operates the manual air pump while aiming at different locations to be sprayed with granular material until the primary reservoir is empty.

Abstract: A granular pump that includes a dispersion reservoir, a primary reservoir, a manual air pump, and a one-way valve.

Abstract: The invention provides self-pressurizing sprayer assembly 10 with a single external bulkhead fitting 40. The invention includes hose 14 connected to bulkhead fitting 40 and T-type connector 16 connected to the other end of hose 14. T-type connector 16 couples hose 14 to hand operated discharge control valve 20 and quick-disconnect fitting 18. Alternatively, hose 114 is fitted with a female quick-disconnect connector and connects directly to discharge control valve 116 or quick-disconnect fitting 18. Quick-disconnect fitting 18 couples hose 14 or hose 114 to a source of domestic water supply, such as garden hose 89.

Abstract: A pump unit is adapted for attachment to a liquid container having a liquid discharge opening bounded by an annular rim formed with an external screw thread by providing the housing of the pump unit with an annular mounting flange and employing a two-part cap rotatably coupled to the mounting flange to threadably couple the pump unit to the screw thread of the container rim. The parts of the cap are hinge connected to allow for swinging movement of the parts between remote and adjacent positions as an incident to which the cap is coupled to the mounting flange and provided with a latch for retaining the parts in their adjacent position.