US1698404A - Ultiple-compartment collapsible tube - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,404 N. M. HOPKINS MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed Oct. 16, 1923 Patented ilan, 8, 1929.

. UNITED STATES PATIENTFOHFFICEI NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO GILMONT PRODUCTS CORPORATION.

. .ULTIPLE-COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBE.

' Application filed October 16, 1923. Serial No. 668,829.

This invention relates to multiple compartment collapsible tubes adapted to containreacting liquids, and has for its object to 1mprovement the constructions heretofore proosed.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts constituting the tube, and in the novel package constituting an article ofmanufacture, all as will be more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification 1n which like numerals designate like parts in all the views Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper portion of a double compartment tube and capclosure made in accordance with this 1nvention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a modlfied form of the inner tube removed from the outer tube;

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the upper portion of the modified inner tube shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the parts shown 1n Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic sectional vlew of the completed double compartment tube provided with two photographic developing solutions having diiferent properties and compositions; and

Figure 7 is a still further modified form of the invention provided with a straight 0on1- cal neck on the tube 2.

1 indicates an outer collapsible tube preferably made of the usual pliable metal alloy, 2 a similar inner collapsible tube, 3 a screw threaded neck on the tube 1,- 4 a suitable neck on the tube 2 adapted to fit liquid tight the opening 5 with which the neck 3 is provided as best indicated in Figures 4 and 5. The neck 3 is provided with one or more capillary grooves 6 whose dimensions are too small to permit liquid to pass when the other end 7 of the tube 1 is closed and no pressure is exerted on said tube, but said dimensions are sufficiently large to permit liquid to freely pass through the exits 6 when pressure is exerted on said tube 1 as by rolling up said end 7 or byotherwise compressing said tube. It is found in practice that if these exits 6 are of a V-shape and are say in depth between 1/64 and 1/32 of an inch, whilethey are say about 1/16 to 1/32 of an inch in width, they will prevent the liquid 8 in the outer tube from escaping except when pressure is applied. The neck 4 of the inner tube is preferably provided with the chamber 9 as shown, and with the capillary orifice 10, which like the exits 6, is of such dimensions as will prevent the liquid 11 contained by'the inner tube from escaplng, except when pressure is applied to said inner tube. It isfound in practice that v a diameter of about 1/32 of an inch for the exit 10 gives satisfactory results. The extreme end 13 of the neck 4 is or may be slightly extended beyond the plane or surface 14 of the neck 3 as best shown in Figure 1, or it maybe in the same plane as said surface 14, as mdicated in Fig. 7. When said extreme end does extend beyond said surface 14, it contacts with the resilient or cork material 15 in the cap 16 when the latter is in its closing position as will be readily understood.

17 represents any suitable linings or coatings for the tubes 1 and 2, to protect the metal from the action of the liquids 8 and 11. These l n ngs or coatings may be varied, in compos1t1on, to suit the chemical natures of the liquids 8 and 11 but ordinarily parafline will be found satisfactory.

From the foregoing it will be clear that one may place in the outer tube 1 aliquid 8 and in the inn *5 tube 2 a liquid 11 which would react with said liquid 8 and store these "two liquids without suflering the deteriorations which would result if they were stored in a mixed condition.

In other words, it is well known, for example, that one of the present developers for photographic dry plates consists of two powders of different chemical compositions. One of these powders is usually dissolved in a certain volume of water to form what I may call solution A. The other powder is likewise usually dissolved in a certain volume of water to form what I may call solution B. These two solutions A and B are next usually mixed in a receptacle in the proportions of 1 part of solution A to 2 parts of solution B, and to the mmixture is next added another volume of a considerable annoyance in preparing his solutions A and B, and his final solution, but

he must throw away and lose what is left over of his said final solution.

With the aid of this invention, on'the other hand, these objections are avoided, for I make up solution A of the proper strength and store it in the outer tube 1, where it becomes liquid 8 and will keep indefinitely. I also make up solution B of the proper strength and store it in tube 2 where it becomes liquid 11 isolated from li uid 8, where it likewise will keep indefinite y. The capillary exits 6 and 10 prevent these liquids 8 and 11 from accidentally leaving their light tight containers, when the cap 16 is removed, and said ea keeps them hermetically sealed when the lig t tight package is stored or shipped.

On the other hand, when one wishes to develop a hotographic plate, he has only to remove t 0 cap 16 and to exert pressure on the outer tube which will also compress the inner tube, or to roll up the end 7 of the two tubes, whereupon the two solutions 8 and 11 will at once be available for use. In order to deliver from the double tube container the two liquids 8 and 11 in the ri ht proportions, I prefer to make the exit ori ces 6 and 10 of the same ca acity, and to so var the strengths of the so utions as to cause sai exits to deliver the desired proportions of the chemicals contained in the tubes 1 and 2. But, of course, the same results may be otherwise obtained, as by varying and properly proportioning the capacities of the two tubes.

In the some hat modifiedform of the invention shown i Figures 2 and 3, the exit orifices 20 corresponding to the orifices 6 instead of being located in the neck 3 are located in the neck4, otherwise the construction is or may be the same as in Figures 1 and 6..

In the still further modified form of the invention shown in Figure 7, the neck 21 corresponding to the neck 4 instead of being curved, is made cone shaped as illustrated, its coacting orifices 22 are accordingly made straight instead of curved, and its extreme end 13 terminates in or near the plane 14 of the neck 3 as shown.

It will now be clear that in all the forms of the invention I have provided a double compartment collapsible tube with ca illary exits adapted to contain and isolate uring shipment and storage, a wide range of liquids of diflerent compositions or properties, and to keep them in a fresh condition ready for instant use in the form of a mixture. It will 1. A multiple compartment collapsible.

container closed at oneend and provided at its other end with a capillary exit in communication with the interior of one compartment and being of dimensions too small to permit a liquid to passwhen not under res sure but of a suflicicut size to pass said liquid when pressure is applied thereto, said multiple compartment container having also an exit in communication with the interior of also provided with an exit in communication with another compartment, the neck portion of the inner tube extending beyond the lane of the neck ortion of the outer tube; an said tubes provi ed with a common closure.

3. A multiple compartment collapsible container consisting of a air of concentrical- 1y disposed collapsible tu s provided with a hning and having neck portions fitting liquid tight the one within the other when not under pressure and said neck portions also provided with capillary exits adapted to pass liquid when pressure is applied, the neck por-' tion of the inner tube extending beyondthe plane of the neck portion of the outer tube; and said tubes provided with a common closure.

4. A multiple compartment collapsible container havin inner and outer compartments andclosef at one end,'having a pair of inner and outer relatively disposed neck members, said outer neck member beingprovided with'an outwardly tapering or converging opening extending longitudinally therethrough, and the inner neck member being formed with a smooth tapered outer surfaceformed to fit within said tapered opening of the outer neck member to provide a liquid tight joint between said neck members, one of said ta ered surfaces having one or more grooves ormed longitudinally. thereof and providing an exit orifice in communication with the outer compartment so small as to prevent passage of liquid except under pressure, and the inner neck member also being provided with an exit orifice in communication with the inner compartmen 5. The herein described article of manufacture comprising a plurality of collapsible 5 tubes disposed one within another so as to provide separate compartments for the reception and isolation of different liquids, said article having adjacent capillary exits in communication with the respective compartments and being. too small to permit liquid to 10 pass except under pressure. I

In testimony whereof I aflixby signature.

NEVIL MONROE HOPKINS.

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