US2408912A - Fitting - Google Patents

Description

Oct, 8, 1946. w, CQBU'ITNER FITTING Filed. Sept. 19, 1941 4 Shegts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Zfiim 11! 220" W Arman/Ev 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. [172% W. C. BUZTNER FITTING Filed Sept. 19, 1941 u m DD 1 a A b i M Q m m 5 g. 3 a w 3 v3.3 6 Z 3 M .w l "a A? 5 .d

W. C. BUTTNER FITTING Filed Sept. 19, 1941 4 Sneets-Sheet 3 mm mm d f v @ch 8, 1946. w. c. BUTTNER' FITTING Filed Sept. 19, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 8, 1946 FITTING William 0. Buttner, Winnetka, Ill., assignor to The Bastian Blessing 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 19, 1941, Serial No. 411,484

Claims.

The present invention relates to fittings for handling liquefied petroleum gas stored and transported in pressure vessels, such as tanks or cylinders designed for that purpose.

The present invention is a continuation-inpart of application, Serial No. 345,654, filed by William C. Buttner, July 15, 1940, for Valves for gas cylinders and the like, reference to which is hereby made.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved form of fitting or valve assembly which constitutes a unitary structure that will contain a gas check valve, positive manual control means for opening it, a pressure relief valve, means for connecting the cylinder to a regulator or the like, a closure for said means, and means for positively locking the manual control means against opening during the time that the cylinder or tank is in transit or in storage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fitting, as outlined, which is capable of use with a container having a threaded opening of less than one and one-half inches.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fitting, as outlined in the two preceding objects, that provides a pressure relief area of .015 square inch or more for a container used in the liquefied petroleum gas industry, a fuse metal port area of .0276 square inch or more with the ability to prevent the filling of a twenty pound cylinder of propane by conventional filling equipment in as little time as forty-five seconds.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fitting of the class described which is simple in construction, easy and inexpensive to manufacture, install and service and saves a great deal of time during filling operations.

These being among the objects of the present invention, other and further objects will become apparent from the drawings herein, the description relating thereto and the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings,

Fig. l is a side view of a device illustrating one form of the invention as installed upon the container;

Fig. 2 is a plan detail View of the device shown in Fig. 1, formed upon an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken upon the line 4--4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a section taken upon the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken upon the line l! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 illustrates an improved manner by which a fitting, such as those shown in Fig. '7 or Fig. 3 may be mounted upon the container in a new and improved manner including a guard for the fitting, and

Fig. 9 is an illustration of a pair of tanks as they are disposed with respect to each other to place the fittings conveniently for receiving a service line.

Throughout the specification and drawings, like parts are indicated by like characters and referring to the several figures in the drawings the metallic ga cylinder generally employed for storing and transporting liquefied petroleum gas is indicated by the numeral I. The bottom of the tank may be fashioned in any suitable manner with an opening la in the top which may be closed in one of two days shown in Figs. 1 and 8 of the drawings, respectively.

Referring to Fig. 1, the opening Ia is'permanently closed by a spud 2 which may include a flange 3 adapted to be welded as at 3a, or otherwise secured to the cylinder body. An integral boss 4 upon the spud 2 is provided with a threaded opening 4a which constitutes the sole opening into the tank. At its upper end, the opening 4a is enlarged as at 41) to provide a shoulder 40 which receives a sealing gasket 4d.

A substantially cylindrical collar 5 in Figure 1, is formed integrally with the spud 2 and extends to a height necessary for the protection of a fitting 6 to be threaded into the threaded opening 4a which is disposed in threaded connection with the spud at I. In this way, the fitting 6 and all its associated parts are well within the collar 5 so that while they project outside of the body of the tank or cylinder, they are nevertheless entirely protected by the collar.

In order for the fittings and tanks to be used miscellaneously, the opening 4a is either 1%" or 1%", and one of the significant features of the invention is the great number of necessary parts required for the proper functioning of the device disclosed herein being so constructed and arranged as to fit into and be used with an opening of such a small size.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the fitting 6 comprises a valve body 6a which is chambered as at 8 to communicate with a passage 9 having a raised valve seat I9 at the upper end thereof and extending into the chamber 8.

A valve disk II is held on a valve stem [2, received through the opening 9 by a disk retainer l3 and a disk guide 14 which is screw threaded on theupper end. The disk is adapted t be held seated on the valve seat I by a safety relief spring l which is received at the upper end in a recess |5a upon the bottom of the body 5a with the other end of the spring l5 resting against a nut l8 threaded on the lower end of the stem l2 to adjust the tension upon the spring I 5 which is preserved by soft solder I9 when the pressure relief characteristics are established.

A guide stop I6 is threaded into the chamber 8 to limit the outward movement of the disk guide l4 when the valv opens, and a restriction 9a at the bottom of the passage 9 serves to guide the valve stem [2 at the lower end thereof so that between the guide 16 and the restriction 9a the stem [2 is held against tilting, The passage 9 in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4 for purposes of illustration has a diameter of .281" and is in communication with the interior of the tank through a passage I1 to provide the free flow of gas when desired, without any interference by the relief spring [5 or the valve stem [2.

The guide stop IS in order to vent the escaping gas upwardly is provided with a series of escape apertures 20 with a weep'hole 20a at the side to prevent the collection of liquid in the opening 8.

Further pressure relief is provided in the embodiment illustrated in event it is subjected to high heat by an aperture 2| approximately T g" in diameter being closed by a fusable metal plug 22.

A check valve chamber 23 is machined in the valve body 6a to communicate with the int rior of the cylinder through an upwardly extending internally-threaded collar 24, for the chamber 23. the check valve, such as a dill valve, to force the packing member of the check valve into tightly seated relationship to the tapered walls of the passage 21 that extend to the chamber 23 to the interior of the cylinder. The check valve includes a valve member and a valve seat, not shown, controlled by a stem 28 which is subjected to spring tension urging the valve to its closed position.

The outer end of the chamber 23 is closed by a diaphragm 29 partially supported by a diaphragm protector 30 and a diaphragm protector spring 3| which is disposed around and held in place by the collar 24. 4 a

For the purpose of actuating the valve stem 28 to open the valve at will, a stem guide 32'is provided with a radially extending flange 32a supporting in guided relationship a stem or element-33 that rests upon the upper face of the diaphragm 29. Th margins of the diaphragm 29 and the flange 32a are held in sealed relationship by a diaphragm lock nut threaded in the outer portion of the chamber 23 to force the shoulder 32a outwardly to carry the marginal edges of the diaphragm'29 in sealed engagement with a shoulder 35. At its upper end the stem guide 32 is curved to receive a valve lever 38 on a lever pin 31- for pivotal movement, whereby an eccentric member 38 is brought into engagement with the stem 33 to reciprocate same in a manner displacing the diaphragm 29 and diaphragm protector 30 to open and close the valve controlled by the valve stem 28.

Within the position shown in the full lines in The internal thread receives the nut 25 of.

Figures 2 and 4, the diaphragm protector spring 3| holds the diaphragm in its raised position to leave the stem 28 of the check valve free to close. When the lever 39 is in the dotted line position it moves the eccentric 38 to force the stem 33 inwardly to press the diaphragm protector 30, whereby the end of the valve stem 28 is positively engaged and the check valve is forced open.

The compartment 23 below the diaphragm 29 is in communication with the outside of the container through an interiorly threaded outlet passage 39 by means of two inclined intersecting passages 40 and 4| drilled into the body 6a through the outlet 39 and compartment 23, respectively,

The passage 39 receives a plug 42 that is adapted to seat on the intermarginal edges of a ring gasket 43 to close the passage 39 and prevent escape of gas from the chamber 23. A chain 44 is anchored at one end around the neck of the plug in swivelled relationship and to the valve body 60. at the other end on a chain screw 45 (Fig. 2). When the sealed plug 42 is threaded into place, the chain is so disposed and arranged to extend over the lever 35 to prevent it being moved to the position which opens the valve which actuates the valve stem 28, the chain being only long enough to provide for easy manipulation of the plug 42 while serving in the capacity illustrated. Moreover, the chain and the screw 45 are so constructed and disposed with relationship to the use of the plug 42 that the plug 42 cannot be threaded into place without the chain 44 being disposed in a position which necessarily passes over the lever 36 as shown in Fig.2.

Thus, it is impossible for the plug 42 to be threaded into place with the valve 28 held in open position by the lever-.35 without the operator knowing or being required to close the valve by lever 38 to prevent the escape of gas. Once the valve 28 is permitted to close, the valve 36 of necessity, because of flatness upon the face of the eccentric, must of necessity be so located that when th plug 42 i threaded into place the chain 44 naturally and conveniently extends over the valve 36 to prevent tampering therewith. Moreover, the plug 42 has to be removed before the lever 36 is moved to valve opening position, and when removed the plug 42 has been removed under such circumstances that a connection will have been made either to the filling rack in the bulk service station or to the usual regulator 41, shown in Fig. 9.

Referring now to Fig. '7, a further and preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed wherein in addition to the intersecting passages 49 and. 4 l, providing increase of liquid to the container during filling operations, a dill valve 59 is provided in a threaded passageway similar to the passage 5| which by-passes the passages 40 and 4| to open directly into the container as at 52.

Liquefied gas is forced into containers during filling operations under pressure, and this pressure is sufiicient to open the dill valve 50.

With this particular construction, the container can be filled in approximately one-half the time required with the embodiment heretofore described, if the valve 28 is opened by the lever 36.- In event, however, that the lever 38 is not moved to open the valve '28 as where the speed of filling is not the primary consideration in bulk plants, the tank can befilled exclusively through the opening 59, thereby allocating to the valve 28 the sole function of an eduction valve.

In Fig. 6, a construction is shown which can be used with either of the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7 in which the safety valve employed is a dill type valve rather than a safety valve H, or in lieu of substitution of valves, the safety valve shown in Fig. 6 could be used to supplement the safety valve H by locating it adjacent to the passage 2| in the stock of the valve body shown to be sufficient for this purpose in Figs. 4 and 2.

The safety valve 53 shown in Fig. 6 is disposed in the vertical passage 54 threaded at opposite ends thereof, as at 55 and 55, the tapering seat 57 of the valve being disposed inwardly of the threading 55 where the valve packing 58 and the valve itself are held in place by a valve nut 59. In this particular embodiment the stem fill of the valve moves outwardly to open and is disposed inside of the tank where it cannot be tampered with. Opposing the outward movement of the stem 59 is a compression spring 6! inserted through the threading 55 where it is held under an adjusted tension by an adjusting nut 62, the spring 6! augmenting the normal tendency of the valve 53 to close. Thus, a safety valve construction is provided which can be disposed within narrow dimensions in the stock of the valve body to augment other Valves of different or like construction.

A new and improved means for protecting the fitting is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 8, whereby the threading la may be of a lesser diameter due to the compactness of the safety valve illustrated, and the valve body 611 can be undercut as at 83 to hold a removable guard til in place on top of a modified form of a spud 65 welded to the container as at 56. The guard walls may be as high as desired and constructed to be used with certain types of fitting which might not otherwise be protected if the fitting were used with the spud shown in Fig. 3. In this way, the construction of the tank is greatly simplified and the guard 64 can more readily be fashioned and so formed as to conform with the requirements of any particular fitting with which it is used. The guard otherwise may be of any form desired, that shown in Fig. 8 being receptive, although not required because of an intended looseness in the mounting of the guard 64 in case the guards are provided with drain holes, indicated at El, to prevent the collection of liquid around the fitting.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

While the invention has other applications, in the particular form here shown it is suitable for use in connection with tanks containing liquefied hydrocarbons. In one adaptation it is particularly useful for what are known as selfservice systems in which a relatively small container is used of a size small enough to be handied by the customer himself without the use of a service man. It may, of course, be used in larger tanks, or containers.

With the parts assembled as shown, if the tank has not been previously filled, the plug 42 is removed and a suitable connection is made between a source of gas or liquid and the chamber 39. When that connection has been completed and opened the gas preferably in liquid form and under pressure flows through the passages 40 and 4-! and opens the valve 25 against its inner spring which is not shown and flows into the container, filling it to the desired point. The supply of gas is then cut off, the connection removed from the chamber 39, .the valve 25 closes and the plug 42 is put in place. While the plug 52 may be fastened in any way, it is preferable to fasten it by means of the chains shown. Thus it cannot be lost when it is removed and the chains serve the additional purpose mentioned below.

When the full container has been taken to the point of use, it is connected with a system leading to the place where the fuel is to be burned or the contents of the container otherwise used, and this connection is made through the chamber 39 after the removal of the plug 42. Since pressure from within the container normally closes the valve 25, it is necessary to open it before the contents can be discharged. Manual means to do this include the lever 36, and the cam or eccentric 38, the follower 33 and the protector 38. Ordinarily when the container is not in use and the plug 42 is in place as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the chain extends across the handle of the lever 36 and holds it down in the closed position. When a connection to a system where the fuel is to :be used has been made, the plug %2 has been removed and the chain 64 is no longer over the handle 36. Therefore, the handle can be moved, for example, from the full line position of Figures 2 and 4 to the dotted line positions of those figures. When that happens, the diaphragm and the protector is are forced downwardly, the spring 3] is depressed, the valve stem 28 is depressed and the valve 26 is opened. Fluid then may flow from within the container through the chamber 23 and passages 49 and 4| through the chamber 39 and thence outwardly to a conduit not here shown, to a point of use. Ihe mechanism thus far described provides means for filling a container and means for discharging its contents, the means being manually controlled.

It is important to provide pressure relief or safety valve means in an assembly of the type indicated and also to provide means responsive to excessive heat for pressure relief. While these might be inserted in separate members, it is convenient to have them formed and positioned within the same member that carries the inlet and outlet valve assemblies which have just been described. As shown particularly in Figure 4, a bore 2! is provided with material having a low melting point. When sufficient temperatures are encountered, this material melts and the contents of the container are discharged. Similarly the pressure relief or safety valve or valves as described are provided for the occurrence of sufficient pressure within the container. The valve I l, M is raised against the resistance of the spring i5 and fluid passes outwardly through the bore i1, passage 9 and perforations 20 and 20a. Perforation 20a has an additional purpose. devices of this sort ordinarily work in an upright position and are frequently not covered, liquid might collect about the pressure relief valve. Should that occur, it will pass out through the perforation 20a.

Since devices of this general type are subject to rough usage, it is important to provide protection for them. It is particularly important to provide protection against lateral blows which might be struck against the valve assembly or valve parts. For this the collar 2 is provided. It completely surrounds the valve assembly and extends out- Since wardly beyond them so that they are protected against blows from the side.

While the valve plug and assembly may be used in many associations, they are. as above mentioned, of particular importance in connection with containers which contain liquefied hydrocarbons under relatively high pressures. One use of these containers is shown in Figure in which two containers I are shown supported in any suitable manner and connected to a system in which a connector 45 leads to one of the containers. The connector may be fastened to a pressure reducer or pressure regulator 41 which is carried upon any suitable support and from which the gas is piped to a point of use. The invention is not limited to the particular association shown nor to the particular relationship of connector and regulator. The regulator might be at the outer end of the connector or might be elsewhere in the system or might be omitted. The connector is joined ordinarily to one container. When the latter is empty or almost empty the connector is disconnected from it and joined to the other container and a fresh full container is substituted for the emptied one.

What is claimed is:

1. A fitting for use in a liquefied petroleum gas dispensing system comprising a body, a socket therein adapted for removable connection with any suitable gas conduit, a chamber in the body, a connection between the chamber and the socket, a check valve in the chamber adapted normally to prevent flow of gas through the valve into the chamber while permitting flow of gas in the opposite direction, a flexible diaphragm and means including a member removably interlocking with the valve body for holding the diaphragm in position to make a gas-tight closure for the chamber, guide means projecting from the interlocking member, a floating element in the guide means, a manually operated lever pivoted on the guide means, an eccentric associated with the lever adapted to engage the floating element and, in one position of the lever, to

flex the diaphragm to cause it to open the valve 1 to permit flow of gas into the chamber.

2. In combination, a housing, a chamber therein, a passage leading from the chamber, a check valve opening with the flow of liquid entering the chamber from the passage and normally obstructing flow in the opposite direction, a flexible diaphragm associated with the valve and closing the chamber, a member interlocking with the housing adapted to exert sealing pressure upon the diaphragm to make a gas-tight joint with the housing, a relatively stiff diaphragm engaging member within the chamber and a spring adapted to yieldingly force the diaphragm engaging member against the underside of the diaphragm, a guide member projecting from the interlocking element, a floating element guided thereby and engaging the upper side of the diaphragm, a lever pivoted on the guide member including a hand portion and an eccentric adapted to engage the end of the floating element whereby in one position of the lever the floating element will be displaced to compress the spring and positively open the valve.

3. A valved plug for a container comprising a body having a passageway therethroughtapped at one end, a check valve in the passageway obstructing eduction of gas from the container, means for opening the valve at will including an elongated element movable from one to the other of twoalternative positions, a plug receivable in the tapped end for closing the passageway, and flexible means interconnecting the body and plug and engaging said elongated element to prevent movement of said element from said one of said alternative positions when said plug is disposed in the tapped end of the passageway.

4. A valved plug for a container comprising a body having a bifurcated passage therethrough opening upon the top of the plug at two spaced openings, one of which 'is a discharge opening and the other of which is enlarged, a valve in said passage for controlling the flow of gas therethrough, a diaphragm in said enlarged opening, a. guide member resting against the diaphragm, a lock member securing the diaphragm and guide member in assembled relation with the body, a manual control element pivotally mounted on the guide element, and an intermediate member operated by the control element for flexing the diaphragm to control the operation of the valve.

5. A fitting for use in a liquefied petroleum gas dispensing system comprising an integral body threaded at one end to be received in a container, a vertically opening socket in the body opening upon the face of the body opposite to the thread ed end and adapted to receive a removable gas conduit connection, a chamber in the body opening upon said face opposite to the threaded end at a point spaced from the socket, a connection between the chamber and the socket, a self-closing check valve having a dimension less than that of the chamber opening disposed in the chamber and accessible for removal through said chamber opening, said check valve closing with the flow of gas through the valve into the chamber from the threaded side of the body, and manually operated means mounted to seal said chamber and protect the check valve against tampering, said manually operated means being located in part outside of the integral body for unseating the valve to permit flow of gas through the valve into the chamber.

6. In combination, an integral valve body, a vertically opening socket therein to receive in sealed relationship a removable gas conduit connection, a gas tight chamber in the body, said socket and chamber being disposed in the body in side by side relationship, said body having an angular passageway interconnecting the chamber and socket, a normally closed check valve in the chamber closing in the direction of flow of gas through the valve into the chamber from one side of the body, while permittin flow of gas in the opposite direction from the other side of the body, manually operated means including a, flexible wall member mounted in and sealing said chamber from the outside, a portion of said manually operated mean being located in part outside of the valve body for manipulation to unseat the valve and permit outward dispensing flow of gas through the valve during dispensing operations and to release the valve to automatically check outflow of gas during filling operations, said body having a filler passageway bypassing the chamber to said other side of the body, and check valve means in the last mentioned passageway accessible through said socket to close the filler passageway and confine the flow of ga durin dispensing operations to the control of the first valve.

7. A fittin for use in handling liquefied petroleum gas comprising a unitary body, a socket therein upon the side of the body which is exposed in use, said socket being adapted to receive in sealed relationship a removable gas conduit connection, a chamber in the body spaced lat erally from the socket and opening upon said exposed side of the body, said body having an angular passageway therein interconnecting the chamber and the socket, a normally closed valve in the chamber disposed between the chamber and the inner side of the body preventing flow of gas through the valve into the chamber from said inner side, said valve opening with the flow of gas from the chamber to said inner side of the body, a flexible diaphragm received in the chamber, and means for holding the diaphragm in position to make a gas tight closure for the chamber including manually operated means pivotally mounted in the holding means for flexing the diaphragm and extending to a point outside of the body for manipulation, and a connection between the diaphragm and the valve whereby the diaphragm, when fixed, will unseat the valve to permit flow of gas through the valve into the chamber, said socket being the sole inlet for the flow of said gas to said inner side of the body.

8. A fittin for use in a liquefied petroleum gas dispensing system comprising a body, said body having a socket therein adapted to receive in sealed relationship a removable gas conduit connection for conducting gas to and through said body, a chamber in the body spaced laterally from the socket and opening upon the same side as the socket, said body having an angular passageway interconnecting the chamber and socket, a normally closed valve in the chamber opening in the direction of flow of said conducted gas through the valve and chamber and closing with the flow of gas in the opposite direction, said valve having a stem extending upwardly in the chamber, a flexible diaphragm, means for holding the diaphragm in position to make a gas tight closure for the chamber including a handle extending to a point outside the body for flexing the diaphragm and a wear resistant cap between the diaphragm and the valve above the stem whereby the diaphragm, when flexed, will move the cap against the stem and unseat the valve to permit flow of gas through the valve into the chamber.

9. For use with a container, the combination of unitary means for filling the container and for dispensing material from the container through a single opening, said unitary means including a tap, a passage through said tap, said passage terminating at said opening on the outer side of said tap and having a seat adapted to receive alternatively a filling and a discharging connection member, said passage terminating at and opening inside of the container and in a chamber leadin to the outer side of the tap, said openings having axes parallel and spaced from each other, a self closing check valve assembled in place through said chamber to be positioned in said passage adjacent its opening into the container and opening automatically under the influence of material forced into the container, said valve preventin discharge of fluid from the container through said passage, and removable manual means closing said chamber positioned partly outside of said tap for contacting said valve and adapted to be manipulated to open said valve, said valve being accessible from the outer side of the top when said manual means is removed.

10. A fitting for use in a liquefied petroleum gas dispensing system comprising an integral body threaded at one end to be received in a container, a socket in the body opening upon the face of the body opposite to the threaded end and adapted to receive interchangeable filler and gas dispensing conduit connections in sealed relationship, a chamber in the body opening upon said face opposite to the threaded end at a point spaced from the socket, said body having a passageway interconnectin the chamber and socket, a valve in the chamber closing in the direction of flow of gas from the threaded end of the body through the chamber, manually operated means for controlling the valve including a member sealing the chamber from the outside and confirming communication between said socket and chamber to said passageway, said body having a filler passageway by-passing the chamber to said other side of the body, and a self-closing check valve means in the last-mentioned passageway accessible through said socket and opening automatically under the flow of gas from the socket to the threaded end of the body and closing to confine the flow of gas from the threaded end to the socket to the control of the first valve which is controlled manually.

WILLIAM C. BUTT NER.

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