US1882154A - Storing and dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

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Patented Oct. 1l, 1932 UNITED STATES PA'IEN'I#v oFFlcE WILLIAM B. W. MANN AND FRANK A. TALBOT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND STORING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Application ledFebi-uary 4, 1930. Serial No. 425,860.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing apparatus, and more especially to novel means for use in dispensing liquldskfor example, lubricating oil, gasoline or the like.

In filling stations at the present time, 1t is customary to arrange the lubricating oil drums or cans either upright or on their sides, and to provide such containers with cap closed inlets, valves or pumps. Whenever it is desired to replenish the contents of such containers, this may readily be accomplished by pouringthe liquid through the filling aperture of the container. Such equipment permits unscrupulous filling station operators to add inferior oil to the contents of such drums or cans, or to even fill a container which was intended to contain a superior oil, with an inferior oil. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a container of this character which can only be refilled by the use of special dispensing equipment. In other Words, the vessel is of a non-refillable character, so that it cannot be refilled by a dishonest filling station operator employing ordinary filling means, but can only be replenished by special equipment controlled by the Wholesale dealer of the superior oil. V

Another object is to provide such a containcr with a valve structure having a valve which Will seat in case any effort is made by an unscrupulous filling station operator to introduce oil into the container by ordinary filling means. With this valve structure is combined a special filling nozzle having magnetically operated means or the like, which may be used in opening the valve When the container is to be refilled by an authorized person.

Filling stations and the like are supplied with gasoline at the present time, by means of tank Wagons from which the gasoline is fed through a hose into an underground tank. Before such a tank containing a superior gasoline is emptied, or even after it is emptied, unscrupulous dealers refill the tank With an inferior fuel and palm the same off to the public as the superior fuel. Another object of this invention is to prevent such fraud.

In accordance with one phase of the invention, a filling station operator is provided With a special device to be attached to a lubricating oil drum, so that a filling station attendant may readily dispense the oil, but will be preventedfrom refilling the drum With an inferior grade of oil. This dispensing device comprises a vent for the oil drum, as Well as an indicator, the latter not only indicating the height of the contents of the drum, but also furnishing visible means for demonstrating the appearance of the oil.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects of the invention in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an end portion of an oil drum and a nozzle and hose for use in filling the same, with parts shown in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a similar view With the nozzle and hose omitted, and the sectiontaken at right angles to the section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the oil drum provided with a modified form of magnetically operated valve.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a dispensing attachment which We have devised for use in` unloading an oil drum or the like.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

F ig. 6 is a similar vievv of the portion of the drum to which the dispensing device is attached.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of an underground gasoline tank fill boX provided with means to prevent refilling by an unauthorized person.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7.

In the embodiment of the invention as used for portable oil drums or the like, a container 10 is provided having a combined inlet and outlet tubular member 11 for the oil, the internal portion l2 of which is curved or of U-shape and merges into the external portion 13. The latter portion is preferably provided with internal screw threads 14 to receive the threads on a plug, (not shown) which is ordinarily used to close the tank.

In the portion 12, a disk valve 15 or the l1ke is arranged, and this valve opens outwardly so as to prevent any refilling of thetank without the employment of some special means to unseat the valve.

In accordance with the present invention, such special means may comprise a permanent magnet or an electromagnet 16, arranged on the nozzle 17 of the hose 18 of the supply container, (not shown), and if the magnet 1s of the electrical type, it may be supplied with current by means of wires 19 which extendV from the magnet to a suitable current supply.

For venting purposes, a restricted tube 20 may extend laterally from the member 11, as shown in Fig. 2, and this tube will permit air to discharge from the tank as the latter is being filled, but is of such size as to prevent the flow of oil therethrough into the drum.

A vent of the type shown,will allow the container to be equipped with only one Lopening (14), and the threaded plug heretofore mentioned, will therefore close both the vent and the filling opening, while the drum is in storage or in transit.

`Instead of using a disk valve for closing the ltubular member, we may employ a ball valve 21, as shown in Fig. 3, and this valve, like the valve 15, will be madeofsome suitable metal, so that it can readily be lifted olf its seat by some magnetic means. As shown in Fig. 3, the valve may be arranged inan offset vertical tube 22, positioned at one side of the filling opening 13a, whereby when the valve is lifted magnetically to the upper end of this tube, it will in no way obstruct the How of oil through the member 11a into the drum.

In practice, it is proposed that a dealer in a superior oil or the like, will supply his lilling station customers with lled drums having tubular units of the type shown in Figs. 1 or 3, and the wholesalers supply means will have a nozzle provided with the special magnetic means, so that the drums can only be filled by the wholesaler of that particular oil. In this way, an unscrupulous filling station operator will be prevented from refilling the container with an inferior oil.

It will also be noted that the tortuous arrangement of the parts 12 and 13 will prevent the valve from being unseated by the use of a wire or the like.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that we have provided a vessel that can only be filled by the use of a special'nozzle, preferably including magnetic means, so that unauthorized persons cannot refill a branded container with an inferior liquid. Manifestly, the self-closing valve may be of many different forms, and the magnet may be of any desirable strength. A combination of a certain weight valve, (or a certain strength spring closed valve) with a magnet ofsuicient strength, will eectually prevent filling of a vessel without the uses of a magnet suited to the weight of the valve. v

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, the principle ofthe invention is applied to a drum for use in dispensing lubricating oil or the like, and with this structure, we `have combined novel means to be used in unloading the drum, or dispensing liquid from the drum.

The invention exemplified in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, comprises a metal drum having a head 31 to which a vent fitting 32 is secured by welding or the like. This fitting is preferably provided with internalthreads 33 to engage external threads o n a nipple 34 that projects from a tubular member 35 which is also provided with internal threads at its end portions, and between these threads, a valve chamber 36 is located. A threaded plu 37 closes the lower end of this valve cham er, and the upper end of said chamber terminates in a valve seat 38 which is positioned at the lower end of a vent tube 39 which has a threaded connection with vthe upper end of the member 35, and terminates at its upper end in close proximity to the cylindrical wall of the drum.

` Obviously, while the drum is discharging, air can pass through the parts 32, 35 and 39, into the drum, and on the other hand, when the drum is being filled through a separate opening, air may be discharged through the parts 39, 35 and 33, in the order named. Should anyA attempt, however, be made to refill the drum through, thesey tubes, a ball valve 40, arranged inthe chamber 36, will coact with the seat 38, and prevent any refilling through the vent means.

While the drum is being transported, a threaded plug (not shown) may be employed to close the tting 32.

The'liquid conduit of the drum is shown at 41, and it is preferably a tubular member that is secured to the head 31 by welding or the like. This tubular member has internal threads 42 which cooperate with a threaded plug, (not shown), to close the liquid vconduit while the drum is in transit, but which cooperate with special dispensing means hereinafter described, when the contents of the drum are discharged.

Arranged within the intermediate portion of the member 41, is a balile 43 which is provided at its inner end with a valve stem guide 44 that cooperates-with the sliding stem 45 of a poppet valve 46. The latter cooperates with a valve seat ring 47 which is preferably detachably connected to the inner end of the tubular member.

When the drum is upright, the valve 46 will seat by gravity, or may be closed by a suitable spring, not shown, but when the drum is placed on its side, with the member 41 at the lower portion thereof, the static head produced by the liquid within the drum will force the valve from its seat, so that the liquid may flow by gravity through the tube 41. In doing this, the liquid flows through a U-shaped passageway 48 that by-passes the baliie 43. Consequently, the baliies will n ot interfere with the discharging of the liquld or with the authorized filling of the drum, but this bafiie will prevent an unauthorized person from holding the valve olf its seat by means of a wire or the like.

The drum can be refilled by use of the fitting 41, providing a magnetic nozzle is employed to hold the valve 46 oif its seat while the liquid is flowing into the drum.

With a drum of this type, for dispensing Y purposes, we employ the special fitting shown in Fig. 5. This fitting preferably comprises a rigid metallic disk 49 of about the same diameter as the head of the drum, and provided at its central portion with an aperture through which a threaded nipple 50 on an elbow 51 extends. A nut 52 engages this nipple, and within the nut a packing ring is arranged which is adapted to abut against an annular surface 54 at the outer end of the fitting 32 shown in Fig. 6.

A hollow vent screw 55 extends through the elbow 51, and has threads at its inner end which are designed to screw into the threads 33 when the disk 49 is to be attached to the head of a drum. This may be accomplished by using a suitable tool on the head 56 of the hollow screw, and when the screw is turned to the maximum degree, the packing ring 53 will function to seal the joint, so that any air passing through the tube 39, will have to pass through the screw 55.

A transparent tube 57 of glass or the like, has its upper end fixed to the elbow 51 by any suitable means, such as a packing ring and gland 58, and a similar packing ring and gland 59 connects the lower end of the transparent tube to an upwardly extending nippley 60 on a dispensing valve casing 61. This casing has a rotatable threaded nipple 62 to engage the threads 42, and a packing ring 63 is provided to impinge against the outer end of the member 41 to seal the joint.

The bore of the casing 61 is tapered or of frusto-conical shape, so as to cooperate with a tapered plug valve 64, which, when the parts are assembled, is adapted to be forced outwardly by a coiled spring 65, one end of which bears against the valve, and the other against the baliie 43.

A handle 66 is fixedly secured to the valve by any suitable means, such as a thumb screw 67, and when the valve is closed, its handle may be locked in position by means of a bifurcated lever 68, which is pivotally mounted on the valve casing at the point 69, and is adapted to embrace the handle 66 when the lever is swung forwardly. In this position, a, padlock, not shown, may be passed about the arms of the lever, and be engaged with an aperture 70 on the valve casing. In this way, the dispensing means may be locked against unauthorized use.

We prefer to provide each drum with a radially extending depression 71 which may register with a similar depression or channel 72 on the disk 49, for the purpose of bringing the parts in proper position to attach the dispensing means to the drum, and furthermore, the channel 72 being positioned rearwardly of the transparent tube 57, will function as a reflector or means to assist an observer to note the appearance of the oil or the like in the tube 57. i

Obviously, the face of the disk 49 may bear any suitable indicia regarding the liquid to be dispensed, such as the trade-mark, name of the producer, etc., and it is proposed that retailers be furnished with dispensing means of the type shown in Fig. 5, and then when they receive filled drums of the type shown in Fig. 6, they will attach the dispensing means to such drums for the purpose of dispensing the contents thereof. In dispensing, the liquid will pass through the tubular fitting 41, into the valve casing 61, and will rise in the transparent tube 57, so that the appearance of the liquid can not only be observed, but in this way the operator can gauge the level of the liquid in the drum, and in this way be informed when it is necessary to place the disk 49 on a filled drum.

When liquid is to be withdrawn from the drum, the operator will turn the handle 66 to permit the valve 64 to release the desired amount of the liquid, and when the desired amount has been withdrawn, the handle 66 can of course be employed to close the valve.

The non-refillable feature of the invention can also be applied to underground gasoline tanks or the like, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. In such case, the filling pipe 100 which extends upwardly from the underground tank, (not shown), may be provided at its upper end with a lill box casing 101, which is locked to the pipe by any suitable means, such as a screw 102. A collar 103 is arranged in the casing and has a threaded flange 104 which is locked in place, for example. by means of a screw 105. Screw threads at the upper end of the collar engage the threads of the conventional cap 106 that is usually employed to close such a fill box.

Arms 107 depend from the collar and are spaced apart to provide ports 108 through which the gasoline may How from a supply nozzle into the tank` and these arms support a stationary bell or inverted cup 109, which, in turn is joined by a threaded connection to the upper end of a narrow tube 110. This tube is so restricted as to prevent the ready 110, and when-the valve is seated, as shownv in full lines in Fig. 7, liquid can only be introduced into the tank through the tube 110, but as that tube is so restrlcted, an unscrupulous dealer would be required to fill the tank. so slowly that it would not pay him for his trouble.

A flange 112 at the lower end of the tube,

acts to prevent the valve from detaching from the tube.

The valve 111 is made of some suitable magnetic material, whereby when a nozzle of the type shown in Fig. 1 is used, the valve may be magnetically lifted from its seat to allow the tank to be filled by an authorized Wholesaler.

. In such case, the wholesalers tank wagon will be equipped with some special means for energizing the magnet and the weight of the valve will accord with such energizing means.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and it is apparent that changes may be made in the details disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressed in the claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided `with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible from the outer end of the conduit, a nozzle for use in iilling the vessel through said conduit, and magnetic means cooperatlng with the nozzle for holding the vallve off its seat during the filling of the vesse 2. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible from the outer end of the conduit, a nozzle for use in filling the vessel through said conduit, and magnetic means mounted on the nozzle for holding the valve ofl" its seat during the filling of the vessel.

3. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible from the outer end of the conduit, a nozzle for use in filling the vessel through said conduit, and electro-magnetic means cooperating with the nozzle for holding the valve off its seat during the filling of the vessel.

4. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible from the outer end of the conduit, a nozzle for use in filling the vessel through said conduit, and electro-magnetic means mounted on the nozzle and cooperating with the valve to hold the latter off its seat during the filling of the vessel. s

5. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible -from the outer end of the conduit, a nozzle for use in filling the vessel through said conduit, magnetic means cooperating with the nozzle for holding the valve ofi its s eat during the filling of the vessel, and means to permit air to enter or discharge from the vessel during the emptying or lilling of the latter, said last mentioned means preventing the filling of the vessel with liquid through the last mentioned means.

6. In combination, a closed liquid containing vessel having a conduit through which liquid may be placed in the Vessel, an inwardly closing valve arranged in the conduit, the interior of the conduit being shaped to, prevent the valve from being held oil its seat by any extraneous means threaded through the conduit, a hose provided with a nozzle through which liquid is adapted to be charged into the vessel through said conduit, and magnetic means on the nozzle adapted to lift the valve voli? its seat to permit the vessel to be filled through the medium of said nozzle.

7. In combination, a closed vessel having a tubular conduit provided with an inwardly closing valve, means in the conduit to render the valve inaccessible from the outer end of the conduit, means for use in filling thefvessel through said conduit, and magnetically operated means for holding the valve off its seat during the lling of the vessel.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification.

WILLIAM B. W. MANN. FRANK A. TALBOT.

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