AU598296B2 - A tanker pipe line system - Google Patents

Description

598296 S F Ref: 27040 FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION This document contains the amredments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

LODGED AT SUBOFFIC S9 SUEP 187 sv1

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: PI2065 22 May 1987 Accepted: Published: Priority: I TEN DOLLARS TWENTY DOLLARS OE H Rela::L Art: S Name and Address of Applicant: Hockney Pty Ltd 2-4 Dupas Street Smithfield New South Wales 2164

AUSTRALIA

TACHEO

V STA P TO VALUE OF MAIL OFFICER Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys, Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: A TANKER PI°E LINE SYSTEM The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5815/2 -2- The present invention relates to tankers having discharge pipe assemblies with one or more outlets and more particularly but not iexclusively to motor lorry tankers to transport flammable liquid such as petrol.

Known discharge pipe assemblies for motor lorry tankers have been generally complex and therefore costly. Still further, due to their construction they are generally heavy. For example, tankers are fitted with outlet elbows having tank flanges to which the outlet elbow must be bolted. These are generally costly and add considerably to the overall expense of the tanker. Still further, air operated valves have been mounted externally to the elbow joint and require a linkage system to operate the valve. This is generally complex and again adds to the cost of manufacture.

Tankers which operate in towns and cities must be fitted with vapour vents. The vapour vents are external of the tank and transfer vapours to a "roll over cowl" at the top of the tank by means of a connecting tube.

SSuch a construction requires several items and therefore unduly adds to the construction cost of the tanker.

I

O The mounting of the above pipe assemblies, and particularly the valves thereof has also been difficult since each valve mounting required i drilling of the tank body.

It is the object of the present Invention to overcome or substantially Sameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a valve assembly to close a valve opening,

S

said assembly including a movable valve member supported for movement i between an open and a closed position with respect to said opening, a hollow discharge base having its interior in fluid communication with said valve opening, a valve lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said base and adapted to cause movement of said valve member from the i closed position to the open position upon pivoting of the lever, and an actuator to cause pivoting of said lever, said actuator including a hollow housing, an actuator rod extending from within said housing and movable relative thereto to cause pivoting of said lever, a sealing means extending between said rod and housing, and co-operating with said housing to provide a closed chamber into which a fluid under pressure is delivered to move said rod to cause pivoting of said lever to thereby open said valve opening by moving said valve member.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by JLH/4640M lb :4640 (4 -1 way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 Is a schematic part sectioned perspective view of a lower portion of a tank and pipe system of a motor lorry tanker; and Figure 2 is a schematic part sectioned perspective view of a valve and roll over cowl of a motor vehicle tanker.

In Figure 1 there is schematically depicted a discharge pipe system for a motor lorry tanker. The system 10 is adapted to be attached to the underside of a tank 11 preferably formed of aluminium sheeting. An aluminium extrusion 12 forms part of the tank 11 and is provided with openings 13 which deliver petrol to a duct 14. The duct 14 extends from an elbow base 15. The base 15 being provided with an opening 17 aligned with the opening 13. The base 15 is provided with flanges 16 which are engaged by a series of clamps or clips which bias the extrusion 12 and base I 15 toward each other. A seal 18 sealingly connects the extrusion 12 and base An actuator 22 operates a valve 23 which selectively closes the i opening 13. The valve 23 has a stem 24 with a valve member 25 fixed thereto, which valve member 25 closes the opening 13. Extending from the i 20 valve member 25 is a projection 26 which is engaged by the actuator 22 to i lift the valve member 25 to a position opening the passage 13. The valve i member 25 is biased to a closed position by means of a spring 27.

The actuator 22 includes a housing 28 within which there is provided I a rod 29 with a flange 30 engaged by a diaphragm 19 which define a chamber 31 which receives air under pressure. When air under pressure is delivered i to the chamber 30, the rod 29 is moved to cause pivoting of an L-shaped lever 32 which raises the projection 26. The lever 32 is pivotally attached by means of a pin 33 to the housing 28. The housing 28 sealingly Sengages the base 15 so that the actuator 22 can be removed as a unit for repair and maintenance purposes.

I

JLH/4640M The base 15 provides a seat 20 to engage the seal 21 of the valve member 25. The base 15 Is also provided with an arm 22 which slidably guides the projection 26. The extremity of the lever 32 which engages the projection 26 is provided with a roller 34 mounted by means of a pin The base 15 is provided with an end base 36 which is engaged by a seal 37 mounted in the housing 28. The housing 28 being biased into contact the end face 36 by means of bolts .39. The housing 28 also includes a "frusto conical" end 70 which sealingly clamps the diaphragm 19 in position. More particularly, the diaphragm 19 has a bead edge 71 clamped in position by means of the frusto conical end 70. The frusto conical end is also provided with a pipe connection 72 enabling a pressure line 73 to deliver air to the chamber 31.

Also mounted on the rod 29 is a washer 74 engaged by a spring which biases the rod 29 to a position abutting the lever 32. The rod 29 exits from within the frusto conical end portion and terminates adjacent a pivoted lever 76. The lever 76 has a cam face 77 which enables an operator to pivot the lever 76 so as to move the rod 29 to a position causing the valve member 25 to move to its open positi,6n. Accordingly the discharge system 10 has a mechanical override provided by the pivoted lever 76.

The clamps or clips referred to above and which bring the base into sealing contact with the extrusion 12, engage within a channel 78 formed in the extrusion 12.

The upper ,end of the rod 24 is guided by means of a disc member 81 secured in position by means of bolts 82. The bolts 82 engage L-shaped brackets 83 engaged within a shaped channel 84 fo.rmed in the extrusion 12.

In Figure 2 there is schematically depicted a "roll over" cowl 40 of dls ce- e .t se a motor lorry tanker. The cowl 40 includes a hollow bod41 pfbviding a chamber 42 into which vapour is delivered. Connecting the chamber 42 with the interior of the tank 43 is a valve 44 including a valve stem terminating at its lower end by a valve member 46 which selectively closes the valve opening 47. The stem 45 has a flange 48 engaged by a spring 49 which biases the valve member 46 to the closed position.

The body 41 is provided with an open'r,,g 50 which is sealingly closed by means of an actuator 51. The actuator 51 has a housing 52 which slidably guides a rod 53 which engages a pivot lever 54. The lever 54 has one end which engages the flange 48 to cause depression of the rod 45. The rod 43 has at its extremity a pin 55 which, is slidably received within a slot 56 formed in the lever 54. The lever 54 is pivoted by means of a pin 57 extending through a .projection 58 of the housing 52. The housing 52 DG/0659t -4- ~1 includes an end portion 59 which provides a cylindrical surface 60 which co-operates with a sequencing piston 61 to.provide a chamber 62. The piston 61 has a seal 63 which sealingly engages the cylindrical surface and has a central passage 85. The piston 61 abuts a diaphragm 64 having its beaded edge 65 sealingly clamped in position in the housing 52. The end portion 59 being bolted in position by means of bolts 66. The end portion 59 is also provided with a seal 67 which co-operates with the piston 61 to provide a further chamber 68.

I The diaphragm 64 bears against a flange 69 fixed to or abutting the i 10 rod 53. Accordingly deflection of the diaphragm 65 as a result of air under pressure being delivered to the chamber 61 results in movement of the rod 53. Extending between-the flange 69 and a portion of the housing 52 is a spring 79 which biases the rod 53 to a position allowing the valve member 46 to move to its closed position.

The chambers 61 and 68 are provided with an inlet 80 and an outlet 81 which enable air under pressure to be delivered to the chamber 61 and then to a further valve assembly and actuator by the outlet 81 being exposed by movement of the piston 62.

I

DG/0659t 5

A

Claims (19)

1. A valve assembly to close a valve opening, said assembly including a movable valve member supported for movement between an open and a closed position with respect to said opening, a hollow discharge base having its interior in fluid communication with said valve opening, a valve lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said base and adapted to cause movement of said valve member from the closed position to the open position upon pivoting of the lever, and an actuator to cause pivoting of said lever, said actuator including a hollow housing, an actuator rod extending from within said housing and movable relative thereto to cause pivoting of said lever, a sealing means extending between said rod and housing, and co.operating with said housing to provide a closed chamber into which a fluid under pressure is delivered to move said rod to cause pivoting of said lever to thereby open said valve opening by moving said valve member.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1 wherein said base has an inlet opening aligned with said valve opening, and said valve opening is provided ,lift[ 9 by said discharge base.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1 or 2 wherein said sealing means is fixed to said rod so as to move therewith.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said rod has one end exiting from said housing to engage said lever, and has a second end also exiting from within said housing, and said assembly further includes an operator manipulable lever pivotally mounted on said housing and adapted to cause movement of said rod by engagement with said second end upon pivoting movement of said operator manipulable lever to thereby open said valve member.

The valve assembly of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said sealing means is a diaphragm sealingly mounted on said rod and sealingly mounted in said housing so as to extend therebetween.

6. The valve assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said base provides a valve seat surrounding said valve opening, which seat is engaged by said valve member.

7. The valve assembly of any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said housing is removably sealingly connected to said base.

8. The valve assembly of any one of claims 1 to 7 further including a valve stem fixed to and extending generally normal to said valve member, said stem extending away from said opening, a support member slidably rR JLH/4640 ~JL/464M 1 7 supporting said stem, a projection extending from said valve member in the opposite direction to said stem and which is engaged by said valve lever.

9. The valve of claim 7 wherein said valve stem is generally perpendicular to said rod, and said valve further including a spring extending between said valve member and support member to move said valve member into contact with a valve seat surrounding the valve opening.

In combination an extrusion member to form part of a tank, and the valve of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein said extrusion member has a discharge opening aligned with the valve opening.

11. The ve.lve assembly of claim 1 wherein said discharge base I provides said valve opening and said valve member is pivotally mounted on said base by being pivotally mounted on said housing.

I12. The valve assembly of claim 11 wherein said sealing means is fixed to said rod so as to move therewith.

13. The valve assembly of claim 12 wherein said sealing means is a diaphragm sealingly mounted on said rod and sealingly mounted in said housing so as to extend therebetween.

14. The valve assembly of any one of claims 1 to 13 further !I including a spring operatively extending between said housing and said rod $a so as to bias said rod to a position permitting said valve member to close the valve opening.

The valve assembly of claim 1, or any one of claims 11, 12 or 13 i further including a piston slidably sealingly located in said chamber so as to divide said chamber, an outlet which is exposed by movement of said piston to allow the fluid under pressure to be delivered to subsequent valve assemblies. i

16. The valve assembly of claim 14 wherein said piston has a passage to permit fluid under pressure to flow through the piston to cause movement of said rod.

17. In combination an extrusion member to form part of a tank, which extrusion member provides said discharge base, and the valve assembly of claim 1 or any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein said extrusion provides said valve opening.

18. A valve assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A tank and valve assembly substantially as hereinbefore described JLH/4640M -8- with reference to Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings. DATED this FIFTEENTH day of JANUARY 1990 Hockney Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON I ij j .1 i JLH/4640M