US2148122A - Switch operator and control for dispensing pumps - Google Patents

Description

C S. HAZARD Feb. 21, 1939.

SWITCH OPERATOR AND CONTROL FOR DISFENING PUMPS Filed June 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR (fur/es 5 fizzazzi TTO R N EYS Feb. 21, 1939. c 5 HAZARD 2,148,122

SWITCH OPERATOR AND CONTROL FOR DISPENING PUMPS Filed June 24, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 J I". HUI z b 4 o T INVENITOR1 Z I gar/es .5. Hazard Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE swrrcn OPERATOR AND CONTROL FOR DISPENSING PUMPS Charles S, Hazard, New York, N. Y., assignor to Neptune Meter Company, a corporation of New Jersey The present invention relates to an operating and control device for the switch or other starting element of a machine in which is included a register as an element thereof, the operating and control device being so associated with the machine that the operation of the switch or other starting element is controlled by the register.

Many machines are provided with counters, indicators, or registers to show the amount of material operated upon or dispensed by the machine or to show the number of machine operations performed during a given period of time. In many instances it is desirable to count or record the operations during separate operating intervals and in order to insure accuracy it is desirable that the counter or indicator be reset to zero before the machine is subjected to the next operating interval.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a control device which will prevent the machine from being operated until after the register or counter has been reset to zero.

To afford an illustrative embodiment of the present invention its adaptation to a gasoline dispensing pump will be described herein. Gasoline dispensing pumps ordinarily have a meter-operated register which indicates the quantity of gasoline delivered to a customer and which is provided with a resetting mechanism operable to reset the indicating elements to their zero position so that registration starts from zero when gasoline is dispensed to the next customer.

In many dispensing pumps it is possible to start the pump for dispensing fluid to a customer without having previously cleared the registration eifected when dispensing gasoline to the previous customer. This failure to reset the register may occur due to the pump attendants carelessness or because of an actual fraudulent intention on his part. As a result, the later customer may be charged for a part or all of the quantity of gasoline delivered to the previous customer, as well as for that he actually receives.

Such incidents would clearly be a source of customer dissatisfaction, and accordingly, it is desirable that precautions be taken to insure against their occurrence whether as a result of inadvertence or of fraudulent intention.

Dispensing apparatus is often arranged so that when the delivery hose is removed from a hose supporting hook, a switch, controlling the pump operating motor, is actuated to start the motor to dispense gasoline, or the hose hook may be manually raised upwardl; to start the motor.

When the hose is replaced on the hook the switch is automatically operated to stop the motor.

A more particular object of the present invention is to provide such a dispensing pump with means for controlling the operation of the pump motor switch by means of the resetting mechanism of the register, so that the motor cannot be started until the register has been reset at zero.

It is often desirable to reset the register at zero at the end of a dispensing operation so that the register will indicate zero when the next customer arrives to purchase gasoline. It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide a device in which the above enumerated objects 5 can be accomplished and which also permits the register to be reset independently of the starting of the pump motor.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means for positively disconnecting the a resetting mechanism from the registering mech anism before the beginning of the registering operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon-consideration of the following description -and appended claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a liquid dispensing pump embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the control mechanism and resetting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the control mechanism showing the parts in a different position;

Figure 4 is a section on line IV-IV of Figure 2, showing an elevation of a portion of the reset-. ting mechanism;

Figure 5 is part section and part elevation showing the control mechanism and its operative connections with the hose hook and motor switch;

Figure 6 is a section on line VIVI of Figure 2, showing a detail of the resetting mechanism;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a detail of the resetting mechanism;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view 01 the control mechanism and illustrates a modification of its connections with the hose hook and motor switch.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly 'to "c Figure 1, the numeral l0 designates an electric motor for operating the pump II, to withdraw gasoline from a suitable storage tank and force it through a hose to an automobile tank or other point of delivery.

Interposed between the delivery side of the pump II and the hose connection l2 is a meter |3 having a shaft for operating a registering mechanism M to register the quantity of gasoline dispensed from the pump.

The motor I8 is controlled by a switch I5 having a switch arm I8 which in turn is operated by a link rod l1.

Attached to the pump housing is a hose hook l8 (Figures 5 and 8) which is pivotally mounted at l9. When the hose is removed from the hook, the latter may be moved upwardly for the purpose of starting the pump motor. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, when the hose hook is moved upwardly and pivoted about the point 9, the link rod 28 will be pulled down. The

upper end of the link rod 20 is attached to a lever 2|, which is fixed to the shaft 43 by means of pins 44. The lever 2| is a part of the control mechanism which permits or prevents the operation of the switch and will be described in more detail hereinafter. The shaft 43 is mounted in a supporting frame by means of bearings 46 and 41 (Figure 2). Through the medium of the lever 2|, the link rod II will also be moved downward and will rotate the switch arm "5 to turn the motor switch to "on position. In the modification shown in Figure 8, the link rod I1 is connected directly between the hose hook l8 and the switch arm I6 and upon upward movement of the hose hook to pivot the same about the point l9, the link rod will be moved downwardly to rotate the switch arm I6 to on position.

As soon as the pump motor has started to operate, gasoline can be delivered by opening the valve 22 in the hose l2b. When the hose is re-.

placed on the hook l8, the link rod H is raised, and the switch arm I8 is rotated upwardly to ofi position. When the hose nozzle |2a is hung on the hose hook I8 with the-end portion of the nozzle extending into an opening or hood 23 in the pump casing, as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 5,-the counterclockwise movement of the hose hook is prevented and the switch arm I8 is locked against movement to its on position. v r

The register mechanism |4 may be of any suitable co'nstruction, such as for example that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,563,770, dated December l, 1925, and need not be either shown or described in detail here since the present invention is not concerned with its particular structure. It may include a shaft 24 (Figures 2 and 4) which bears at its forward end one or more indi catlng hands 25 that sweep over the face of an indicating dial. A stop pawl 28 engageable with the shoulder 21a. of a cam 21 on shaft 24 is provided to stop the resetting movement of the hands at the zero point on the dial.

Pivoted on a shaft 29 is a swinging arm 30 on which are rotatably mounted gears 3| and 32. On the rearward end of the shaft 24 of the register is mounted a gear 28 which meshes with the gear 32. A gear 33 is mounted for rotation on shaft 29 and meshes with gear 3|. A gear 34 is secured to shaft 35 and meshes with geari33; It

is therefore apparent that any rotation of shaft 35 will be imparted to shaft 24 by means of the gear train to reset the register.

A handle 36 is mounted on a crank 31 secured to the shaft 39 which is rotatably mounted in the frame at 38. The rotation of the crank 31 and shaft 33 is transmitted to shaft 35 by means of a clutch generally indicated at A and described i'n detail hereinafter. The register, therefore,

may be reset to zero by turning the crank 31. During the resetting operation the gears 28 and 32 are held in mesh. The mechanism for accomplishing this includes the swinging arm 30 on which is mounted a pin 40 which extends through a slotted hole 4| in'an arm 42. fixed to the shaft 43 by means of pins 45. As described heretofore, the shaft 43 is free to turn in the bearings 46 and 41.

When the hose I2 is on the hose hook I8, the lever 2| is in raised position, as shown in full lines in Figure 5. The shaft 43 to which the lever 2| is secured by means of pins 44 is then in such a position that the arm 42 holds the swinging arm 38 in an upward position and re- .'tains the gears 28 and 32 in mesh.

In order to move the switch arm IE to on position to start the pump motor the lever 2| must be moved downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. The rotation of shaft 43, caused by the lowering of lever 2|, will cause arm 42 to be lowered and move the swinging arm 38 downwardly to disengage the gears 28 and 32. In this position the shaft 24 is free to be rotated by the meter to register the gasoline being dispensed. At the conclusion of the dispensing operation when the motor is turned to "ofi position, the lever 2| will be raised which will raise arms 42 and 38 and cause the gears 28 and 32 to engage for the subsequent resetting operation.

In Figure 8 an alternative construction is shown. To the swinging arm 38, to which is attached the train of gears 33, 3| and 32, a link rod 48 is pivoted at 49. The other end of .the link rod 48 is secured at 58 to a lever 58a pivoted on one end at 5|, and secured on the other end at 52 to the switch arm I 6. When the switch arm is rotated downwardly to on" position the link rod 48 will move the swinging .arm 38 to disengage the gear 32 from the gear 28, not shown in Figure 8. When the switch arm I6 is rotated upwardly into "ofi position the link rod 48 will The arm 42 is,

raise swinging arm 30 upwardly to ree ngage gear 32 with the gear 28.

It will be apparent from the above description that the pump motor cannot be started until the lever 2| is rotated to its lowered position, and

that if the lever 2| is prevented from being so,

A clutch member 53 is slidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft 33 to cooperate with the clutch member. 54 fixedly secured to shaft 35.

The member 53 has a collar 53b fixed thereto which presents a cam surface 53a surrounded by an annular bearing surface 53c, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The cam surface 53a consists of a pair of diametrically opposed cam lobes with interposed cam valleys. The clutch member 54 is provided with a collar 541) which is fixed thereto and presents a bearing surface 54a which is plane throughout. The clutch members 53 and 54 and their respective collars 53b and 54b are urged together by springs 55 upon rods 56 carried by the member 54 and slidably engaging the member 53. One end of each spring bears against a nut 51 on the end of the rod while the other end bears against the exposed face of the slidable clutch member 53. Between the collars 53b and 54b are located two pairs of rollers 58 and 59 which are freely rotatable on a pin 68 passing through and securedto the shaft 39. The inner rollers 59 are smaller than the outer rollers 58 and bear against the cam surface 53a on the collar. 53b, whereas the outer and larger rollers 58 bear against the plane surface 54a on the collar 54b. The action of springs 55 urging the clutch members toward each other retains the rollers 59 in the valleys between thecam lobes on the surface 53a during the resetting operation. When the resetting operation is to be effected the crank 31 is rotated, thereby turning shaft 39, pin 60, and rollers 58 and 59. The rollers 59 are held in the valleys of the cam face 53a by the pressure of springs 55. The pressure of springs 55 is sufiiciently great to hold the members 53 and 54 in engagement during the resetting operation. The turning resistance offered by the shaft 35 due to the friction of the gear train 34, 33, 3|, 32, 28 and the indicator is insufficient to cause the rollers 59 to ride up on the cam surface 53a and displace the member 53 axially of the shaft 39 against the action of the springs 55 and as a result, therollers 59 push against the lobes on cam surface 53a and rotate member 53 and member 54 through rods 56, and shaft 35. The shaft 24 will, therefore, be rotated by means of the gear train until the indicating hand or hands 25 register zero. When the indicator is reset, the cam stop 21a engages the pawl 26 and prevents further rotation of the shaft 24. By means of the connection through the geor train, the further rotation of shaft 35 is also prevented.

Upon further rotation of the crank 31 after the register has been reset to zero, the shaft 39 and pin 68 are turned while the members 53 and 54 are held against rotation. The rollers 59 there-- fore ride up and may even pass over the earn lobes on the cam surface 53a. While the collar 53b is held against rotation by the rods 56 secured to the member 54 and engaging clutch member 53, it is slidable with the clutch member 53 lengthwise of the rods and along the shaft 39 so that in riding up the cam lobes the rollers 58 force the clutch member 53 away from the clutch member 54 against the action of the springs 55.

The rollers 58 in engaging the surface 53a are rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3 while the annular surface 530 is moved away from rollers 59.

However, the rollers 58 engage the surface 54a on the collar 54b and are rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 3. The rollers 58 being larger than rollers 59 hold the latter in spaced relation with respect to surface 54a. It will be evident, therefore, that the separation and release of the reset mechanism from the shaft 39 cannot take place until the resetting mechanism has been returned to zero and further rotation of shaft 35 prevented by the action of pawl 26 and cam stop 21a.

Pivoted at 6| to a bracket 62 mounted on the frame by a bolt 63 is a control lever 64, which I is provided with an end 65a, adapted to be engaged by a rim 66 of the member 53.

The control lever 64 is held in one of the two alternative positions, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, by means of a spring urged roller 61 seating in one of the notches 68 or 69. At the beginning of the resetting operation the control lever 64 will be in the position shown in Figure 2 and the roller 6'! will be seated in notch 68. After the resetting operation is completed and the crank 3! is given additional rotation to separate the members 53 and 54, the rim 66 acting against the end 65a of the control lever 64 will move the latter to the position shown in Figure 3 and the roller 61 will beseated in the notch 69.

Pivoted at 10 on the lever 2| is a latch II. The latch is held in'a vertical position by means of a spring I2 retained in a housing 13 When the control lever is in the position shown in Figure 2, before the resetting operation is complete, the latch 1| engages the end 65b of the control lever 64 and prevents the lever 2| from being lowered. It is therefore apparent that when the parts are in this position the pump motor cannot be started.

When the register has been reset to zero and the further rotation of the crank handle .31 has separated the members 53 and 54, the control lever 64 will have been moved to the position shown in Figure 3. The lever 2| is then free'to be moved downwardly inasmuch as the end 65b will have been moved away from under the latch H, and the pump motor may be started.

Attached to or formed integrally with the lever 2| is a cam 14 (Figures and 8). After the lever 2| has been lowered sufficiently so that the latch H is below the level of the control lever 64, the cam 14 engages the end 65b of the control lever, and moves it back to its original position as shown in Figure 2. When the dispensing operation is completed and the hose l2 replaced on the hose hook l8, the lever 2| will be raised. The cam face 15 of the latch II will engage the lower edge of the end 65b of the control lever 64, and the latch will be pivoted against the action of the spring 12 until the latch is raised above the control lever 64. The spring 12 then urges the latch so as to extend over the end 65b.

The switch I5 is so arranged that it will not turn on the motor until the lever 2| has been lowered sufficiently to permit the cam 14 to restore the control lever 64 to its initial position. The switch is also arranged so that it will not turn the motor off until the lever 2| has been raised sufficiently to bring the latch 1| above the end 651). This insures that once the motor has been operated for a dispensing operation it cannot be subsequently started until after the register has been reset to zero.

After a dispensing operation is completed and the pump motor has been stopped by replacing the hose on the hook, the pump may be left in this condition if desired. When the next customer arrives the register may then be reset and the pump motor started.

In many instances it is desirable, however, to reset the register at the completion of the dispensing operation so that the register will indicate zero when the next customer arrives. This can be done by turning the resetting crank to reset the register and to move the control lever 64 to the position shown in Figure 3. When the next customer arrives it is only necessary to raise the hose hook to start the motor. The customer, nevertheless, is assured that the register has been reset to zero.

It will be apparent that many modifications may be made in the arrangement and location of the several elements besides those illustrated in the drawings and that many of the individual elements performing the equivalent functions illustrated may be replaced. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of theinvention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device which includes an operating means and a register, means to start said operating means, means to reset said register, a control element, latchmeans carried by said starting means and normally engageable with said control element to prevent starting of said operating means, means operable by said resetting means after the register is reset to move said control element to non-latching position and thereby permit starting of said operating means, and means responsive to actuation of said starting means in starting said operating means to return said control element to latch engaging position.

2. In a device which includes an operating means and a register, means to start said operating means, means to reset said register, a control element, a latch means normally engageable with said control element to prevent starting said operating means, means operable by said resetting means after the register is reset to move said control element to non-latching position and thereby permit operation of said operating means,

and means associated with said latch means to restore said control element to its original latching position. i

3. In a device which includes an operating means, means for starting and stopping said operating means and a register adapted to be reset to initial position, a stop to prevent rotation of the register in the resetting operation after it has been reset to initial position, rotatable mans to reset said register, a clutch to transmit the movement of said rotatable means to said register, said clutch being so constructed that upon further rotation of said resetting means after the register has been stopped at its initial position a portion of said clutch is displaced, and means associated with said clutch portion and said starting and stopping means and shiftable by the displacement of said clutch portion to permit starting of said operating means, the actuation of said starting means operating to return said associated means, whereby it will prevent restarting of said operating means once said operating means is stopped.

4. In a device which includes an operating means and a register adapted to be reset to initial, position, means to start said operating means, means to reset said register and including a movable element adapted to be operated only after the register-has reached initial position, a pivoted member operatively connected to said, starting means, a spring urged latch on ment to unlatching position, a cam on said pivoted member adapted to move said pivoted. control lever to normal positionbefore the starting of said operating means.

5. In a device which includes an operating means and a register adapted to be reset to initial position, means to start said operating means, a stop to prevent further backward rotation of said register after it reaches initial position, rotatable means to reset said register, a

clutch adapted to transmit the movement of said rotatable means to said register, said clutch inafter the register has reached initial position, a pivoted latching means operatively connected to said starting means, a pivoted control lever normally positioned so as to be engaged by said latching means, said clutch member being adapted to move said pivoted control lever so as to release the latching means and permit the operation of said starting means.

6. In a device which includes an operating means and a register adapted to be reset to initial position, means to start said operating means, a stop to prevent further rotation of the register after it reaches initial position, a shaft connected to said register by means of a gear train, a rotatable member including a crank, a

of said starting means, said pivoted control lever being adapted to be positioned by the movement of said clutch member to unlatching position, a

cam on said pivoted member adapted to move said pivoted control lever to normal position be-- fore the starting of said operating means.

7. In a device which includes an operating 1 means and a register, means engageable with said register for resetting same, a control element, control means movable to positions for starting and stopping said operating means, said control means being/provided with a latch normally engageable with said control element when said control means is moved to stopping position to prevent its return to starting position, means operatively connecting said control means to said resetting means to bring said resetting means into engagement with said register when said control means is moved to stopping position, and means actuatable by said resetting mea'ns after the register is reset to zero position to move said control element from latch engaging position to permit movement of said control means to starting position, the movement of said control means to starting position being operable to disengage said resetting means from said register.

8. In a fluid dispensing device having a meter driven register movable from zero position to indicate the amount of fluid dispensed, a pump, a motor adapted to operate said pump, a switch to control operation of said motor, a hose hook movable to actuate said switch, a control element, latching means operatively connected to said hose hook and normally engageable with said control element to prevent actuation of said switch a'fter the completion of a dispensing operation,

means to reset said register to zero position, means including a shiftable member operated by said resetting means to move said control element to non-latching position only when the register is in zero position, whereby operation of the motor may again be initiated, and means associated with said latch means and operative to return said control element to its normally engageable position when the hose hook is moved to close said switch.

9. In a fluid dispensing device having a dis pensing hose and a support therefor, a meter and a register actuated thereby to indicate the amount of fluid dispensed, means to reset the register to zero, means to connect and disconcluding a member adapted to be operated only nect the register and resetting means, means to supply fluid to the meter and dispensing hose and means actuatable on removal of said hose from and to said support for controlling operation of both said fluid supply means and said connecting and disconnecting means, the means actuatable on movement of said hose being operable to actuate said fluid supply means and said connecting and disconnecting means to disconnect the register and resetting means only when said register is in its zero position.

10. In a liquid dispensing device, the combination of a dispensing hose, means operable to supply liquid to said hose, means for starting and stopping operation of said liquid supplying means, a register displaceable away from an initial position in proportion to the quantity of liquid dispensed, means for resetting the register to initial position comprising means shiftable into and out of operative engagement with said register, a movable hose'support, means connecting the hose support to said starting and stopping means and to said shiftable means to shift said shiftable means out of engagement with said register when said liquid supplying means is operating and to shift said shiftable means into engagement with said register when said liquid supplying fmeans is not operating and movable control means actuated by said resetting means for holding said starting and stopping means in stopping position when said register is displaced from initial position.

11..The combination set forth in claim 10 in which the shiftable means comprises a train of gears.

register for resetting the same when the liquid supplying means is notoperating.

13. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which the resetting means includes a movable member engageable with said control means and means-actuated by continued operation of the resetting means after the register is returned to initial position to move the movable member and said control member to allow movement of the hose support to start operation of the liquid supply means.

14. In a liquid dispensing device having a pump, a motor, a switch for starting and stopping said motor and an indicator having stop means at zeroposition; the combination of resetting means comprising a drive shaft, a driven shaft, a clutch member connecting the shafts for movement together but allowing relative rotation therebetween upon stoppage of said driven shaft, an element of said clutchbeing shiftable axially of said shafts upon relative rotation therebetween and a gear train actuated by said driven shaft shiftable into and out of engagement with said indicator; a movable member operatively connected with said gear train and said switch for stopping said motor when the gear train engages said indicator and for starting said motor when said gear train is out of engagement with said indicator; and a movable control element for preventing movement of said movable memher from motor stopping to motor starting position when said indicator is displaced from zero position, and being movable to a position allowing starting of said motor by axial displacement of said clutch element when the drive shaft is rotated after the driven shaft is stopped by engagement of the indicator stop means.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 in which the movable member is a dispensing hose support.

16. In a device which includes an operating means and a register adapted to be reset to initial position, means to start said operating means, means to reset said register and including a movable member adapted to be operated only after the register has reached initial position, latch means associated with said starting means, a control element normally positioned so as to engage said latch means to prevent actuation of said starting means, said control element being shiftable by operation of said movable member to a non-engaging position with respect to said latch means,- said starting means including means for returning said control element to normal position during actuation of said starting means.

17. In a fluid dispensing device having a dispensing hose and a movable support therefor, a meter and a register actuated thereby to indicate the amount of fluid dispensed, means to reset the register to zero, means to connect and disconnect the register and resetting means, means to supply fluid to the meter and dispensing hose, and mechanism actuatable by movement of said support for controlling operation of both said fluid supply means and said connedting and disconnecting means in response to the removal and return of said hose from and to said support, said mechanism being actuat-' able to start said fluid supply means and actuate said connecting and disconnecting means to disconnect the register and resetting means only when said register is in its zero position.

' CHARLES S. HAZARD.

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