Dispensing of fluent materials

Claim 1

A dispensing device for use in dispensing measured quantities of fluent material through a resilient, compressible dispensing tube, the device comprising: a housing having a generally cylindrical recess therein, said recess having an open top and said recess having a base defined by a base wall, and said recess having a side defined by a peripheral wall extending from said base; a cover for said recess including a peripheral flange extending into said recess in confronting relationship to said base wall and spaced apart therefrom; a rotatable member having an annular section and a bearing section, said bearing section rollably engaging said housing and supporting said annular section for rotation in said recess; the circumferential portion of said annular section projecting into the space between the confronting surface of said cover flange and said base wall and spaced radially apart from the peripheral wall to define a compression zone; an inlet passage to said recess through said housing and said peripheral wall; an outlet from said recess through said housing and said peripheral wall; a compression member projecting from said annular section into said compression zone toward said housing peripheral wall; and, adjustment means to adjust the effective length of a tube presented to the compression member in said compression zone.