GB2318567A

GB2318567A - Fuel delivery control apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2318567A
Application number: GB9722163A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Richard Bray; Peter Nicholas Davies
Original assignee: Drum Engineering Co Ltd
Current assignee: Gardner Denver UK Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-22
Filing date: 1997-10-22
Publication date: 1998-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-22
Also published as: GB9722163D0; GB2318567B; GB9621945D0

Abstract

Control apparatus for the fluid delivery system of a tanker vehicle is provided, a control apparatus comprising means to check at least one part of the fluid delivery system and provide a clearly identifiable indication, for example on the screen, if that part has been tampered with. It is meant to take steps to try to reduce as much as possible an authorised tampering with tanker vehicles, but all anti-tamper devices can be defeated if sufficient time and ingenuity is available. The invention seeks to ensure that if tampering has been taking place, then this will be evident.

Description

CONTROL APPARATUS The invention relates to control apparatus, and particularly to control apparatus for use with tanker vehicles.

Tanker vehicles, for example for the transportation of fuel oil, are often provided with a so-called foot valve located in a lower region of the tanker through which fluid may be discharged from the tanker during certain unloading procedures and by means of which the tanker may be filled with fluid by bottom loading under pressure.

After bottom loading has been carried out, it is usual to connect the foot valve to a further adaptor valve via a conduit extending from the foot valve to an accessible position usually to one side of the tanker. In addition to being used for loading, the adaptor valve is adapted for coupling to a delivery hose leading, for example, to a static storage tank.

It is not unknown for unauthorised persons to endeavour to tamper with a tanker vehicle after it has been filled and before contents are delivered to the authorised delivery point, for example to remove some of the contents or replace the contents with inferior product.

It is known to take steps to try to reduce as much as possible unauthorised tampering with the vehicle, but all anti-tamper devices can be defeated if sufficient time and ingenuity is available.

The invention provides control apparatus for the fluid delivery system of a tanker vehicle, the control apparatus comprising means to check at least one part of the fluid delivery system and provide a clearly identifiable indication if that part has been tampered with.

The indication is preferably a visual indication on a control screen, read-out or other indicator.

The control apparatus may comprise a control switch to provide a signal when a foot valve of the delivery system is opened or closed.

The control switch may be such that if the switch is shorted out, or takes longer than a predetermined time to change positions, thus suggesting that the switch or connections thereto are being tampered with, a fault condition is indicated by the control apparatus.

The time interval may for example be from 0.2 to 0.5 seconds, and is preferably 0.25 seconds.

The control apparatus may comprise means to detect opening of an adaptor valve of the fluid delivery system.

The means to detect opening of the adaptor valve may comprise a proximity switch.

The control apparatus may comprise means to detect the presence of fluid in a conduit joining a foot valve and adaptor valve of the fluid delivery system.

Preferably a visual display of the control apparatus has a first indicator to show when a tanker has been filled and sealed such that if this first indicator is operating when a tanker vehicle arrives at its authorised destination, the recipient can be reasonably confident that the vehicle has not been tampered with between its filling point and its destination.

Preferably a visual display of the control apparatus has a second indicator which, if activated, provides the recipient with an indication that the tanker vehicle has been unsealed at some point after it was filled.

The control apparatus may have a third indicator to show when the tanker is empty.

The control apparatus may have a fourth indicator to show when the tanker is filling.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the type of vehicle with which this embodiment of control apparatus according to the invention is used; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a switch associated with a foot valve of the apparatus; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view through the adaptor valve area of the apparatus; Figure 4 is a view of a control screen of the apparatus; and Figure. 5 is a view of the logic sequence which controls the screen of Figure 4.

A vehicle with which the control apparatus according to this embodiment of this invention will be fitted will include the components shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, comprising a tank for fluid (e.g. fuel oil) 10, an outlet 11 to a foot valve 12 and a conduit 13 leading to an adaptor valve 14.

The tank 10 may be filled through the foot valve 12 in a known manner, by bottom loading under pressure, and subsequently fluid may be delivered to a delivery point, for example a static fuel tank, through the conduit 13 and adaptor valve 14.

According to this embodiment, control apparatus is provided with a view to ascertaining whether or not the tanker has been tampered with between its loading point and the authorised delivery point.

The control apparatus includes three monitoring components. In other embodiments, four or more may be provided.

Firstly, a switch 15, as shown in Figure 2, is associated with the foot valve 12. When the foot valve is open, a movable contact 16 of the switch connects with a first fixed contact 17, initiating a first control signal. When the foot valve is closed, the movable contact 16 switches over to make contact with a second fixed contact 18, initiating a second control signal. The movable contact 16 is shown as it changes position in Figure 2, and this change should take place in a time no greater than 0.25 seconds. If the change over takes longer than this, or the fixed contacts 17 and 18 are shorted together, indicating a fault condition, quite possibly caused by tampering, then the control system produces a warning signal, described later in connection with Figure 4.

Secondly, as indicated diagrammatically in Figure 3, the control apparatus includes a probe 19 extending into the conduit 13 to detect the presence of fluid in the conduit. The probe 19 has a sensor 20 which emits one signal when the sensor is wet and a change of signal when the sensor is dry.

Thirdly, also as shown in Figure 3, a switch, for example a proximity device 21, is positioned adjacent to a poppet 22 of the adaptor valve 14, to produce a signal when the poppet valve opens.

The switch 15, sensor 20 and proximity device 21 are connected to a control unit 23 which has a display screen 24.

Adjacent to the screen 24 are legends for four conditions, namely EMPTY, FILLING, SEALED and UNSEALED.

When the tank is initially empty, a prominent display indicator will appear at the point indicated by dotted lines 25 adjacent the legend EMPTY.

To fill the tank, the fluid sensor 20 must be registering dry. The foot valve 12 and the adaptor valve 14 are then opened to receive fluid from a mating coupler (not shown). In this condition, signals from the control apparatus cause the display indicator to move from the position 25 to position 26, adjacent the FILLING legend.

When filling has been completed, the conduit 13 is full of liquid, the sensor 20 is indicating a wet condition, the adaptor valve 14 is closed and this combination of signals causes the black display indicator to appear adjacent to the SEALED legend as shown at 27 in Figure 4. Using a black display indicator is of course only one example of an indicator that may be used.

Any subsequent interference with adaptor valve 14, will result in a fault condition being indicated, by the appearance of a clearly visible signal at the point 28, adjacent the UNSEALED legend.

For additional security, the UNSEALED legend will flash on and off until foot valve position detection proves that the sequence is complete. The UNSEALED legend indicator will then change from flashing to solid.

After the proving of the foot valve position detection switching, if the sensor 20 indicates DRY, and the foot valve 12 is open, for a period of time as noted below, the display will then indicate EMPTY.

Figure 5 shows the sequence of displayed status for the system. An example of the input conditions necessary or used for the displayed state to change is shown. The status can only change in the cyclic sequence shown.

That is each state has only one next logical state to progress.

The tank 10 shown in Figure 1 is illustrated as being a single compartment, but it will be understood that the figures are diagrammatic only to illustrate the principles of this embodiment of the invention. In practice, the tank 10 may be divided into a number of different compartments, each being connected by its own foot valve via a conduit to an adaptor valve.

The duration of a signal may be varied to reduce the likelihood of fraudulent interference with the system.

The switch shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 may be achieved by providing two or more switches interfacing with the foot valve movement to provide greater security and determination of the foot valve position. The change over time and sequencing may be different for these configurations.

In other embodiments, the probe 19 may extend into the adaptor valve 14 rather than the conduit 13.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the, same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. Control apparatus for the fluid delivery system of a tanker vehicle, the control apparatus comprising means to check at least one part of the fluid delivery system and provide a clearly identifiable indication if that part has been tampered with.

2. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, in which the indicator is a visual indication on a control screen, read-out or other indicator.

3. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, comprising a control switch to provide a signal when a foot valve of the delivery system is opened or closed.

4. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, in which the control switch is such that if the switch is shorted out, or takes longer than a predetermined time to change positions, thus suggesting that the switch or connections thereto are being tampered with, a fault condition is indicated by the control apparatus.

5. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, in which the time interval is from 0.2 to 0.5 seconds.

6. Control apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5, comprising means to detect opening of an adaptor valve of the fluid delivery system.

7. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 6, in which the means to detect opening of the adaptor valve comprising a proximity switch.

8. Control apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, comprising means to detect the presence of fluid in a conduit joining a foot valve and adaptor valve of the fluid delivery system.

9. Control apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, in which a visual display of the control apparatus has a first indicator to show when a tanker has been filled and sealed such that if this first indicator is operating when a tanker vehicle arrives at its authorised destination, the recipient can be reasonably confident that the vehicle has not been tampered with between its filling point and its destination.

10. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, in which a visual display of the control apparatus has a second indicator which, if activated, provides the recipient with an indication that the tanker vehicle has been unsealed at some point after it was filled.

11. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, in which the control apparatus has a third indicator to show when the tanker is empty.

12. Control apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 in which the control apparatus has a further indicator to show when the tanker is filling.

13. Control apparatus constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A tanker vehicle when fitted with control apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.