US2143626A

US2143626A - Fill cap

Info

Publication number: US2143626A
Application number: US28093A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jones Edward Lyle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-06-24
Filing date: 1935-06-24
Publication date: 1939-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1956-01-10

Description

Jan.1o,f1939. EL'JONES L 2,143,626

FILL CAP Origirial Filed June 24, 1955 29 24 a3 33 E@ 5g Patented Jan. 10, 1939 PATENT OFFICE FILL CAP Edward Lyle Jones, Wilmette, Ill.

Application .l une 24',

1935, Serial No. 28,093

Renewed February 23,. 1938,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to safety closure `caps for the open ends of pipes and the like and while suitable for other and varied uses is particularly applicable to the filling or dispensing conduits'of gas and oil tanks whether located above or beneath the ground level and whether portable or stationary.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a guard cap to prevent the mischievous i or accidental introduction to the tank of foreign matter although when properly equipped with a sealing gasket it may be utilized as a closure to prevent leakage and consequent waste or the unauthorized drawing off of the fluid contents.

The caps of this type, usually called fill caps, have heretofore been screwed on or hinged to such pipes and in some instances have been associated with a removable padlock, but usually the attendant does not trouble to apply the padlock or the key becomes lost which permits children at play or vandals to ruin the contents by dropping foreign matter into the filling pipe or even to pour water therein.

The provision of such ll caps` with a separate independent padlock of efficient make adds considerable expense and it is not unusual to find the fill cap without lock if the locks or keys become mislaid.

Tank wagons for gasoline or fuel oil often have downwardly extending discharge pipes equipped with closure caps arranged to be screwed onto the open end. These being separate, the driver seldom screws them on after making a delivery, not appreciating the disadvantage of road dust accumulating in the open end of the pipe or the serious aggregate loss from a continual leakage however small in volume.

By my invention I safeguard the lling pipes against the introduction of foreign matter, the idischarge pipes against leakage and dust and both against theft of the contents; the lock is formed as an integral part of the cap, self-contained, and not susceptible to becoming misplaced or lost; the lock cannot be readily picked or forced; and the assembly is so arranged that it is substantially proof against being broken or forced off by a pry or other tool available to the trespasser. Moreover, the improved cap is readily applied to pipes already installed at filling stations and upon delivery trucks.

In order that the invention may be readily understood the same is hereinafter set forth in detail in connection with illustrative embodiments adapted to particular purposes although it is obvious that various modifications thereof fallwithin the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section throughl the delivery end of a dispensing pipe and applied cap, showing the lock inside elevation Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. l taken at right angles thereto;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the` line 3--3 of Fig. l, showing the lock in engaged position;

Fig. 4 is a similar section through the lock in' released position;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinalsecticn through a lock-equipped hinge cap;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section onthe linev 6--6 of' Fig. 5; and

Fig. '7 is a view similartoFig. 5 through a lockequipped swivel cap.

Having reference more in detail 'to` the illustrative views of the drawing, the dispensing capof Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive is shown as-applied tothe end of the delivery pipe I-I provided with an inwardly opening outwardly closing valve control I2 adjacent but spaced from itsend. A nipple I3 is screwed into the threaded lower end of the pipe II with an interposed gasket I4; This. nipple I3` is provided with a bifurcated` lug comprising spaced ears I 5, I5a between which is journaled` the upper end of' a lever lli-uponr a pin` I-'I having fixed relation to the lever I6 by being squared, as indicated at I8, or forcibly driven thereinto to prevent angular movement; This pin I'I is freely` rotatable within the ears I5, I5a and one end I'Ia is equipped with a spring I9V engaged therewith at I9a and engaging at I9b with the ear IIf whereby the lever I6 is spring-pressed into the position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 and may be swung into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 against the tension of the spring I9, whereV it will be held by the spring-pressed detent- I6c engaging the projection I 5c.

This lever I6 has projecting therefrom an operating handle IBa and extends as an arm in` a curved direction downwardly at IIib and has formed integral therewith or rigidly attached thereto a cup-shaped cap 20 which receives, asV shown at 20a, the lower end of the nipple I3. This cap contains a floating gasket 2| of suitable sealing materialwhich is pressed-against the lower end of the nipple by a compressionv spring 221 thus, under the combined influences of the springs I9and 22, eifectually sealing the nipple I 3` against the entrance of dust or theiescape.` of liquid which may by chance pass the valve. I2.

Forming. a part. ofthe nipple, lever-v and cap.`

assembly is a lock of the plunger type disposed Within a lock barrel 23 cast integrally with the ear I5 or permanently assembled therewith and projecting to one side thereof. Within the barrel 23 is rigidly mounted as by welding a block 24 within which is guided a plunger bolt 25 of the lock, which bolt is arranged to reciprocate within the aperture 26 of the ear I5, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and when projected to extend into a recess 21 of the lever I6 when the parts are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 with the

recesses

26 and 21 in register, whereby to lock the lever with its cap against opening; whereas upon retraction of the plunger bolt 25 out of the recess 21 the parts are unlocked and the cap maybe swung from its closed position on the nipple I3 to an open position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, to enable the dispensing of liquid through the nipple when the control valve I2 is opened.

Providing for the operation of the lock, the bolt 25 is surrounded by `a coil spring 28 within the space between the block 24 and the ear I5, abutting at one end against the block and at the other end against a washer 29 which, in turn, is engaged by a stud 30 carried by the bolt 25. Thisspring normally presses the bolt into engagement with the recess 21, as shown in Fig. 3, while the same spring, upon the retraction of the bolt, as shown in Fig. 4, is nested within itself by reason of its formation as a truncated cone, thus conserving space.

The block 24 is formed upon its rear face as a cam at 3| upon which is adapted to ride a lug 32 projecting `rlaterally from the bolt 25 and the" bolt is rotated by the -means hereinafter described to effect the longitudinal reciprocation of the bolt to lock and unlock the cap.

The outer end o f the bolt 25 is provided with a head 33 bearing in relief upon its face a nonsymmetrical configuration or design 34 which is adapted to be received within the same design formed' in intaglio on the end of a key 35. This relief design 34 is but slightly spaced from the interior of the lock barrel 23 and the end of the key is provided with a marginal rim adapted to enter within said space for centering the proper key relative to the design and to prevent the engagement of the design conguration by a wrench, pliers or other tool for unauthorized operation of the lock. For the same purpose, the plunger head 334 and the design carried thereby are well Within the open end of the barrel 23 to render access thereto impossible other 'than by the authorize-d key.

It will be readily understood that when in lockedY position if the key be inserted, as shown in Fig. 3, and rotated in a clockwise direction, the lug 32 will ride upwardly on the cam face 3l of the block 2,4, thus retracting the bolt 25 from the recess 21 against tension of the spring 28; whereas when in the unlocked position, as shown in Fig. 4, the application of the key to the design 34 and turning of the same in a counterclockwise direction the lug 32 willbe released from its position at rest upon the high point of the cam 3| and the bolt will be shot into the recess 2l' by the reaction of the spring 28.

Having reference now to Figs. 5, 6 and '7 ofthe drawing, there are shown fill caps of usual types equipped with a lock. In Fig. 5 is shown a nipple 36 provided on one side with ears 31 and on the opposite side with ears 38. Between the ears 31 upon a pin 39 is journaled a cap 46 by a projecting arm 4|"while at the opposite side an arm 42 of the cap 4U is adapted to enter the space between the ears 38. The nipple 36 is adapted to be screwed upon or otherwise permanently secured to the pipe 43.

Formed integrally with or permanently secured to one of the ears 38 and projecting laterally therefrom is the lock barrel 23 containing the lock mechanism as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. l to 4 inclusive, which need not be here repeated. In this instance, the lock bolt represented at 25a is beveled at its end, as indicated at 25h, for engagement by the beveled extremity 42a, of the cap arm 42, which arm is apertured at 42h, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, for receiving the bolt 25a. It will be readily understood that the locking is here automatic upon the dropping of the cap arm 42 into the space between the ears 38, the r-etraction of the bolt 25a being accomplished by engagement of its beveled end 255 with the beveled end 42a of the arm 42. The unlocking is efected by the agency of the proper key in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. l to 4 inclusive.

The cap arm 4I may be provided with a lug 4Ia and the ears 31 with a lug 31a in order to prevent the cap from being swung beyond a dead center, whereby to insure that when the filling hose is removed from the entrance to the pipe 43 the cap will drop automatically to a closed locked position, thus preventing the same being inadvertently left open.

In Fig. 7 is shown the application of the present invention to a fill cap of the swivel type applied to the pipe 44. A nipple 45 is permanently secured to the pipe and is provided on opposite sides with the ears 46 and 41. The cap in this case is in the form of a nut 48 having a wrench-engaging portion 49 and adapted to be screwed into the open end of the pipe 44. This cap has spaced collars 56 and 5I in the annular space between which is received a circular connection 52 connecting the

arms

53 and 54. The arm 54 of the cap is formed similarly to the arm 42 of Figs. 5 and 6 for locking engagement by the lock bolt. In this instance the annular space between the collars 5D and 5I and the play in the lock mechanism is suicient to permit of the disengagement of the cap 48 from the threads of the pipe 44 by a wrench applied to the portion 49 but the disengaged cap cannot be removed from the open end of the pipe until the lock is operated to release the arm 54 whereupon the cap can be swung upwardly upon its hinge pivot 55. Obviously the wrench-engaging portion 49 may be omitted and the lower face of the cap may rest loosely upon the pipe end or may be provided with a skirt taking within or without the pipe end, as is illustrated in Fig. 5.

Obviously also the lugs 31a and 4Ia of Fig. 5 may be omitted or similar lugs may be applied to the ears 46 and the arm 53 of Fig. 7.

I claim:

1. In a closure for illing and dispensing pipes the combination With an inwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipe adjacent its mouth, of a nipple connected to the pipe end outwardly of the Valve and having a laterally projecting lug, a curved arm pivoted to the lug, a cup-shaped cap xedly secured to the free end of the arm to swing to and from closing relation to the nipple, a rockingly supported gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple in the closed position of the cap, means pressing the arm and cap towards its closed position upon the nipple, and means yield- 75y ingly holding the arm and cap in open position free of the nipple end.

2. In a closure for filling and dispensing pipes, the combination with an inwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipe adjacent its mouth, of a nipple screw connected to the pipe end outwardly beyond the valve and having an exterior laterally projecting lug, a curved arm pivoted to the lug, a cup-shaped cap lxedly secured to the free end of the arm to swing in an arc to and from enveloping relation to the nipple end, a floating spring-supported gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple in the closed position of the cap, a spring pressing the arm and cap to wards its closed position about the nipple, and a spring detent yieldingly engaging the lug to hold the arm and cap when swung to open position free of the nipple end.

3. In a closure for filling and dispensing pipes, the combination with an inwardly opening outwardly closing valve disposed within the pipe adjacent its mouth, of a nipple connected to the pipe end outwardly of the valve and having a laterally projecting lug, a curved arm pivoted to the lug, a cup-shaped cap xedly secured to the free end of the arm to swing to and from closing relation to the nipple, a rockingly supported gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the nipple in the closed position of the cap, spring means pressing the arm and cap towards its closed position upon the nipple, and means releasably engaging the lug to hold the arm and cap in open position free of the nipple end in opposition to the spring closing means.

4. In a closure for lling and dispensing pipes, a bifurcated lug laterally projecting from the pipe end, a curved arm pivoted between the bifurcations of the` lug, aV cup-shaped cap secured to the free end of the arm to swing to and from enveloping relation to the open pipe end., a oating gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the pipe in the closed posi tion of the cap, the pivot connection between the arm and the lug comprising a transxing pin fixed against rotation in the arm and freely rotatable within the lug bifurcations as bearings, a spring coiled about one end of the pin with one end secured to the pin and the other end to the lug whereby the arm and cap are pressed towards the closed position, a spring-pressed detent upon the arm adjacent the lug, said detent arranged when the arm is swung to snap behind a portion of the lug whereby to hold the arm and cap in open position against its tendency to close under spring pressure.

5. In a closure for dispensing pipes, the cornbination with a primary valve therein spaced from the open end of the pipe, of an arm pivoted in iixed relation to said pipe, a cup-shaped cap carried by the free end of the arm to swing about the pivot as a center to and from enveloping relation to the pipe end, a rockingly supported gasket within the cap arranged to bear against the end of the pipe, means acting upon the arm to pressY the cap and gasket against the pipe end, and means for yieldingly holding the arm and cap with the gasket in open position free of the pipe end.

6. In a closure for dispensing pipes, the cornbination with an inwardly opening outwardly closing primary valve therein spaced from the open end of the pipe, of a` bent arm pivoted in lateral iixed relation to said pipe, a cup-shaped cap carried by the free end of the arm to swing about the pivot as a center to and from closing relation to the pipe end, a gasket within the cap arranged to bear yieldingly against the end of the pipe, means acting upon the arm to hold the cap and gasket in closed relationship to the pipe end, and means for holding the arm and cap with the gasket in open position free of the pipe end.

EDWARD LYLE JONES.