US1582627A - Gas-tank-locking device - Google Patents

Description

-April 27', 1926. I 1,582,627

J. s. BIDDLE GAS TANK LOCKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 7. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jihad/e.

F dmum w April 27 1926. 1,582,627

J. s. BIDDLE GAS TANK LOCKING DEVICE 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 7, 1923 Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB S. BIDDLE, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

GAS-TANK-LOCKING DEVICE.

Application filed November lock for tanks used. for other fluids.

. The main object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means to protect automobiles against the theft of gasoline which frequently occurs on the street and in public garages.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device for the plug or drain at the bottom of the gas tank and one for the filling plug both being controlled by a single key so that unauthorized access to the tank may not be had and which cuts off the gas from the carbureter thereby preventing unauthorized starting of the engine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

s Figure 1 represents a vertical section through the filling plug of a gasoline tank shown applied and with the lock constituting this invention in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a section through the bottom of an'automobile gas tank showing the valve which controls the fluid outlet in elevation and the means for opening and closing the valve, parts being broken off for convenience in illustration;

- Fig. 3 is a plan view of the wheel which controlsthe opening and closing of the valve shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of the filler cap shown in Figure 1, viewed at right jangles to'the showing in Figure 1.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly different form of the invention;

7, 1923. Serial No. 673,348.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of the spring supported key depressible member;

Fig. 7 IS a similar view of the upper end of the valve actuating rod shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a vertical section partly in elevai on, of still a different form of the invenion;

Fig.- 9 is a' plan view of the spur wheel shown in Fig. 8; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken on line 10-10 of Figure 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1

to 4 a gas tank is shown at T the upper wall thereof being illustrated in Fig. 1 and its bottom in Fig. 2. A filling plug is mounted in the top wall of the tank as shown in Fig. 1 and comprises a sleeve 1 having vert-ically spaced annular flanges 2 and 3 designed to straddle the top wall of the tank T around the opening therein in which the plug is mounted. This sleeve 1 projects above the top of the tank T and is internally threaded on said projecting portion to receive the closure cap 5. This cap 5 has a Yale lock 6 built therein and adapted to be opened by a key 7. This lock includes bars 8 and 9 designed to enter notches in the walls of the sleeve 1 whereby the cap 5 is locked to said sleeve. This cap 5 has an annular groove 10 on its inner face or edge the inner wall of which is threaded for engagement with the threads of sleeve 1 and the outer wall, which is designed to snugly fit the outer face of the projecting portion of sleeve 1, constitutes a flange 11 which when the cap is screwed on rests on the flange 2 of the sleeve.

A guide 12 in which a rod 13 is threaded extends transversely across the lower portion of sleeve 1. This rod 18 is equipped with an operating wheel 14 at its upper end located in convenient position for actuation on the removal of cap. 5. The lower end of 95 rod 13 has a ball and socket connection 15 with a rod 16. This rod 16 extends to the bottom of tank 2 or nearly so and has a ball and socket connection shown at 17 with a valve stem 18 carrying at its lower end a disk valve 19 for closing the gas outlet pipe 20. This disk valve 19 'is beveled and adapted to seat when closed in a correspondingly shaped recess 21 formed in the bottom of the tank. The valve stem 18 is threaded in a bracket 22 rising from the tank bottom and said stem is equipped at its upper end with one member of the ball and socket joint 17 so that on the turnlng of rod 16 by means of the wheel 14 the valve 19 may be either opened or closed as desired.

The arrangement herein shown is intended for use on all underfed cars except the Ford which has a gravity feed and when used in connection with such a feed the ball and socket connections with rod 13 and valve stem 18 are dispensed with and the rod 13 extended straight down and connected with the valve at the bottom of the tank which controls the outlet as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

\Vhen it is desired to lock the gas tank the cap 5 is removed and the wheel 14 turned to close valve 19. The cap 5 is then replaced and locked as shown in Fig. 1 and the key 7 removed so that it will be impossible for anyone to siphon or drain gas from a car equipped with this improved lock, or to drive the car since the gas will be cut oif from the engine.

If the device is applied to a car which obtains its gas feed from underneath the tank to the vacuum tank, this locking device would only permit the car to run the dis tance that the gas in the vacuum tank and the carbureter would ermit. If the car is an over feed or. obtains its feed from the top of the tank the, device will only permit the car to run as long as there is gas in the tank, which of course is only a limited number of miles since no more gas can be put in the tank. Ears 5 are provided on cap 5 to facilitate turning of the cap.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 to 7 a slightly different form of the invention is illustrated in which the rod 13 has its upper end reduced as shown at 22 with a shoulder 23 at the base of said reduced portion and a key way or seat 24 extending longitudinally thereof while a socket 25 is formed in the outer end of the rod. An annular plate 26 is mounted on the reduced end 22 of the rod and has an inwardly ofiset upstanding bar 27 carried by its inner edge which is designed to be mounted in the seat- 2-t for longitudinal sliding movement and held against turning by said seat. A cap plate 28 is carried by the bar 27 and has an aperture 29 therein designed to register with the socket 25 when the parts are assembled. A coiled spring 30 is mounted on the rod 13 between a collar 31 formed on said rod and the lower face of the ring 26 and exerts its tension to normally hold plate 28 spaced from the end of the rod as is shown clearly in Fig. 5.

The guide or spider 12 is apertured to receive the reduced end 22 of rod 13* and the plate 28 carried thereby which parts are held in position to receive the key 7 which has its end shaped to enter slot 29 and socket 25 said end being shouldered at its base to limit its insertion. \Vhen this key is entered as shown in Fig. 5 and moved downwardly into engagement with rod 13 the plate 28 is moved with it against the tension of the spring 30 so that after the rod has been turned and pressure released on the key said spring will elevate plate 28 and release the key from the rod.

From the above description it will be seen that the key 7 may be used to unlock the cap 5 independently of the rod 13 which controls the valve 19 or when desired it may be moved inwardly and the rod turned simultaneously with the unlocking of the cap, or the cap may be unlocked and removed and the key used afterwards for turning the rod for controlling the valve.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the rod 13 corresponds to the rods 13 and 13 of the other figures and is designed to be connected with the valve 19 in a manner similar to the other rods for controlling. said valve. This rod 13 extends upwardly through the spider 12 at one side of the center thereof and carries a spur gear 32 which meshes with a larger gear 33 mounted to rotate in the spider 12 and which has a kerf or socket 34 positioned to register with the key hole in cap 5 so that the key 7 may be entered in said kerf and on the turning thereof will rotate gear 33. This turning of gear '33 will through its intermeshing engagement with spur gear 32 rotate rod 13 and actuate the valve 19.

Various changes in the form, shape, proportion and other minor details of construction may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing any advantages of the claimed invention.

I claim 1. In combination with a sleeve-like filling plug having means for fixing it in an aperture in a container, a cap having an annular peripheral groove in its edge to straddle the outer end of said sleeve, said sleeve having notches in its inner face, and a lock carried by said cap including key controlled projectible and retractible bars to enter said notches and lock the cap to the sleeve.

2. In combination with a filling plug having means for fixing it in an aperture in a container, a cap to close the outer end of said plug, key controlled means for locking said cap on said plug, a cross bar mounted in said plug below said locking means and having a central aperture therein, a rod for connection with a valve to be controlled having a reduced end fitting in the aperture of said cross bar, said rod end having a groove in its reduced portion extending into the body portion thereof, a ring adapted to be mounted on said reduced end and having an over the end of said rod, said disk and en inwardly ofi'set arm to be located in said apertures in said disk and rod end against by the rod may be'turned by said key.

I oove a disk carried by said arm fittin v the tension of the sprin on said rod where- 1 gr g g .Zhaving registering apertures therein,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing coiled spring mounted on said rod and noras my own, I have hereto aflixed my signamally forcing said disk away from said rod ture.

end, and a key for controlling the locking means of said cap and adapted to enter the JACOB S. BIDDLE.

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