US2169312A

US2169312A - Cap for fill pipes

Info

Publication number: US2169312A
Application number: US102309A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry P Wilking
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-09-24
Filing date: 1936-09-24
Publication date: 1939-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 1956-08-15

Description

Au 15, 1939. H. P. WILKING CAP FOR FILL PIPES Filed Sept. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN T OR 9- H. P. WILKING 2,169,312

cA FORFILL' PIPES Filed Sept. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Shet 2 11&

I; w H105 j INVENTOR Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNITED. STATES i ATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a filling cap for gasoline tanks located below the ground as is common in filling stations, the cap being used for refilling the tank from tank wagons or cars, and

5 has for its object to provide a cap which will readily disclose whether or not it has been tam- Dered with.

Experience has shown there is danger of theft of gasoline from the storage tank, especially at 10 night when the filling station is closed, by means of the cap on the supply tank being removed and a suction pipe placed down in the tank through the filling pipe. Suggestions have been made for locking the cap but such have often involved l5 constructions which are bulky and rise too high above the ground, getting in the way of vehicles. Without a lock to reveal the fact that the device has been tampered with, the local law enforcement oflicer or ofiicers may discount the loss in 20 gasoline as having been due to a leak in the tank.

According to this invention, a lock is provided which does not cause any extension to rise an objectionable amount above the ground, and which offers a minimum danger of melting snow 25- or ice getting into the gasoline tank. Specifically,

the cap threaded on the upper portion of the filling pipe, has an integral extension rising above the top of the cap body and to which is pivoted a securing member for movement in a vertical 30, plane to be raised from or lowered over said cap. There is also provided some locking means for holding the securing member down to prevent removal of a plug which is threaded into the cap.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan 5 view of one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of another embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of a further embodi- 40 ment of this invention.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the usual filling pipe l extends from the gasoline storage tank to adjacent the level of the ground, and is provided on top with a cap I I secured to the pipe Ill by the screw threads l3 illustrated, The cap ll is internally threaded at M for reception of a closure or plug [2. A projection IS on the cap extends above the top of the cap on one side, being provided with a 50 pintle Hi, to which is pivoted a securing member l1 adapted to be swung in a vertical plane. Within the securing member I! is a recess l8 shaped as illustrated for cooperation with a projection IS on the plug i2. A recess 28 is placed in the 55 projection l9 at such a height that a padlock may be passed through this recess when the securing member I I is lowered over the projection IS, with the result that said securing member ll can be held against being raised. The shape of the projection and recess is such that the plug l2 5 cannot be rotated while the securing member extends over its projection. The mouldable or cementitious material 2!, such as the usual concrete sets around the cap I I and prevents the cap from being unscrewed from the pipe l0. Around 10 the peripheral top. portion of the plug I2 is a flange illustrated beneath which may be placed suitable packing 22, to prevent melted snow or ice from getting to the screw threads I4 and leaking into the tank. Instead of the usual compressible packing, a substantially non-compressible material like ordinary cup grease has been found satisfactory, since it is adapted to flow or to be squeezed out when the plug is screwed down a half turn or more than is necessary to have the top of the plug substantially flush with the top of the cap.

In Fig. 3 the cap Ila is internallythreaded as before to receive the plug 12a. The hinged support I5a for the securing member Ila may be held in position by the plate 23 which is held in position by means of a plurality of headed securing means 24 passing into the concrete Zia. As before, the securing member Ila is provided with a recess l8a fitting over a projection I911 on the plug l2a. Packing 22a of the same type as has previously been mentioned is used. Since in Fig.

3 the cap ll does not have any integral projections, ribs 25 may be integrally formed on the outside of the cap Ila.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 a second projection 28 is formed integrally on the cap llb substantially diametrically opposite to the projection I517. The securing member llb is hinged at 5b in the projection I51) and is provided with the necessary recess I8b fitting over the second projection 28 so that a padlock shown in dotted lines may be passed through the recess 26 in the projection 28 for holding the securing member down over the plug or closure l2b. Spanner holes 21 in the top of the plug [21) provide a suitable means for applying a wrench to open or unscrew this plug [2b.

Under the peripheral flange of the plug in each embodiment illustrated may be used packing of any desired type, but preferably owing to the possibility that the securing member might be placed over the projection on the plug and rotated a half turn or more than was desired to bring the top of the plug and top of the cap substantially flush, some type of packing capable of flowing, is preferred. For this purpose ordinary grease of a convenient viscosity has been found appropriate. Whenever the plug is taken out it will only be necessary to apply the grease to the screw threads of the plug and then as the plug is screwed home the grease can flow into the packing space 221) illustrated.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the provision of ribs on the outside of the cap constituted by the integral projection or projections for cooperation with the securing member. The padlock, if tampered with, will readily show such to be the fact. The cap and plug do not extend an objectionable amount above the top of the concrete, yet the filling opening is protected against theft and the entry of water into the supply tank. The construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is the preferred embodiment of this invention, while that shown in Fig. 3 is the least desirable of the several forms shown.

I claim:

1. The combination with a pipe leading to a subsurface tank, of a cap threaded over the upper end portion of said pipe, a plug threaded into said cap with a thread diameter at least about as large as that of the pipe, provided with a flanged top and adapted to be screwed down to a position with its top substantially flush with the top of said cap, a lug projecting substantially radially outward and upward from a side of said cap to above the top thereof, cementitious material surrounding said pipe and cap and substantially flush with the top surface of said cap, a securing member pivotally attached to said lug above the top of said cap and oementitious material but substantially contiguous the top of the cap and plug, and locking means for holding said securing member in position to prevent removal of the plug, a substantial portion of said lug extending below the top of the cap as a radial rib of depth greater than that of the top of said plug and cementitious material cooperating with said rib or lug to prevent rotation of said cap, and said lug extending only a short distance above the top of said cap, said lug or rib being also integral with and contiguous the top of the peripheral portion of the cap.

2. The combination with a pipe leading to a subsurface tank, of a cap threaded over the upper end portion of said pipe, a plug threaded into said cap with a thread diameter at least about as large as that of thepipe, provided with a flanged top and adapted to be screwed down to a position with its top substantially flush with the top of said cap, a lug projecting substantially radially outward and upward from a side of said cap to above the top thereof, cementitious material sinrounding said pipe and cap and substantially flush with the top surface of said cap, a securing member pivotally attached to said lug above the top of said cap and cementitious material but substantially contiguous the top of the cap and plug, locking means for holding said securing member in position to prevent removal of the plug, a substantial portion of said lug extending below the top of the cap as a radial rib of depth greater than that of the top of said plug and eementitious material cooperating with said rib or lug to prevent rotation of said cap and said lug extending only a short distance above the top of said cap, and another lug substantially opposite the first and substantially similar thereto, said securing member being recessed to allow the second mentioned lug to extend through it with said second mentioned lug and securing member cooperating with said locking means, each of said lugs being integral with and contiguous the top of the peripheral portion of the cap.

3. The combination with a pipe leading to a sub-surface tank, of a cap threaded over the upper end portion of said pipe, a plug threaded into said cop, with the diameter of the received portion of said plug being at least about as large as that of the pipe, provided with flanged top and adapted to be screwed down to a position with its top substantially flush with the top of said cap, a. lug projecting substantially radially outward and upward from a side of said can to above the top thereof, a substantial. portion of said lug extending below the top of the cap and constituting a radial rib of greater depth than that the top of said cap and plug, cementitious material surrounding said pipe and cap and substantially flush with the top surface of said. cap, a securing member pivotally attached to said lug above the top of said cap but substantially contiguous the top of the cap and plug, locking means for holding said securing means in position to prevent removal of the plug, said lug extending only a short distance above the top of said cap, the top flange of said plug being laterally spaced, at least in part, from the recessed portion of said cap in which it is received, and fluid type packing under the top flange of the plug and within said cap, whereby said cap may always be screwed up to the desired amount flush with the top of said cap and a tight joint attained between it and the cap to keep out snow and ice forming therein, said lug or rib being also integral with and contiguous the top of the peripheral portion of the cap.

HENRY P. VVILKING.