US2516728A

US2516728A - Fuel can with self-erecting flexible spout

Info

Publication number: US2516728A
Application number: US763297A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alva T Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-07-24
Filing date: 1947-07-24
Publication date: 1950-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1967-07-25

Description

July 25, 1950 A. 1'. SMITH FUEL CAN WITH SELF-ERECTING FLEXIBLE SPOUT Filed July 24,

Patented July 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,516,728 :FUEL -"VJTH 'SELF-ERECTING FLEXIBLE SPOUT Alva T. Smith, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application Jilly .24, 1947, Serial No. 763,297

4 Claims. ((1222-1108) invention relates to fuel cans, more parhaving the inherent tendency to assume an upright position .when free so as to preclude accidental escape of fluid, the can being provided with a drainage trough adaptedto minimize accumulations of fuel residues on the exterior of the can and to accommodate the pouring Spout when not in use and joined in sealing engagement with an air vent.

Fuel cans for servicing small gasoline engines and particularly gasoline engines of the 2 cycle variety as heretofore furnished have been open to certain serious drawbacks. The usual container employed for servicing outboard motors, for example, is handled only with difliculty in a moving boat and spillage of fuel frequently results. Also, where the fuel contains oilmixed with it as isnecessary in the case of 2 cycle engines small amounts of spillage result in the formation of an oil coating on the exterior of the can rendering the same likely to soil the users clothes and disagreeable to handle.

One object of this invention is to provide a fuel container having a flexible pouring spout which facilitates the transfer of fuel into a small engine tank which fiexiblepouring spout will not cause accidental drainage of the container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel can having a flexible pouring-spout which may be housed in a position where the same is protected from damage when the container is not in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel can in which all'pointsof possible small spillage are disposed within areas which will drain in' a manner preventing formation of. a coating of fuel residues on the exposed side surfaces of the can.

Another object of this inventionis to provide a'fuel can which maybe readily and completely sealed but which when'placed in use in pouring condition automatically opens a vent to facilitate pouring. I v I The above and other objects. and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description which follows which is set forth in conjunction with the drawing which forms apart hereof and in which there is set forth by way of illustration and not of limitation one form in which the fuel container of this invention may be embodied.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of one form of fuel can constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is an end view in elevation of the can shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the fuel can shown .in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a reduced side view in elevation illustrating the manner in which pouring may be accomplished,

Fig. 5 is a reduced side view in elevation of the fuel can shown in Fig. 1 showing the flexible pouring spout in a position which precludes accidental drainage of fuel, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view in side elevation and in section of the vent sealing and pouring spout closing means of the fuel can shown in Fig. 1 viewed through the plane 6-6 indicated in Fig. 3.

The form of the fuel can of this invention shown in the drawing is made up of a vessel designated generally by the numeral I having a fiat bottom 2, vertical side walls 3, curved vertical end walls 4 and a curved top wall 5. The container I is preferably made in the elongated, flattened form shown so as to hold a reasonable quantity of fuel and at the same time be conveniently housed beneath the thwarts of a small, open boat. To further facilitate housing within a space of restricted height the container I is provided with a pair of hinged handles 6 attached as shown to the top 5. The handles 6, as appears more clearly in Fig. 2, may be hingedly swung from the position there shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines, thus limiting the effective height of the container I when not in use to the actual height of the top wall 5.

Commencing near the bottom of one of the end walls 4 is an inward deflection indentation or trough l which extends vertically until it merges with the top wall 5 at which point it joins with a horizontal indentation or trough 8 which excarried to the bottomof the trough 7 so as to preclude the formation of a coating of fuel residues on the exterior side surfaces of the container I.

Securely fastened to the container l in vertical position and in manner to communicate freely with the interior of the container l is the lower end I2 of a flexible pouring spout l3. The flexible pouring spout I3 is preferably made of hydrocarbon'resisting synthetic rubber composition and is of a length approximating the combined lengths of the troughs l and 8. The flexible pouring spout I3 thus may be housed within the troughs I and 8 without projecting therefrom. when not in use and thus is protected against accidental damage. vided at its free end with a spigot or pouring end The pouring spout, I3 is pr0- in the form of a securely attached metallic sleeve l 4 as appears more clearly in Fig. 6.

Sleeve I 4 is adapted to slidingly engage the" furnished with a retaining washer I! pinned in place asshown in'Fig. '6 and on the opposite side of the gasket l5 with an enolwise slidable washer l8; Pivotally mounted upon the air vent tube It is a pair of closing cams 4'9 adaptedto beargwhen in closed position, upon the washer l8 as shown in Fig. 6 thus causing the gasket I5fto expand and sealingly engage the sleeve M. The cams 19 are rigidly joined to an actuating handle in the form of a hairpin shaped bail 20 which-mayberaised to release the cams l9 thus freeing the sleeve l4.

The flexible pouring spout l3 includes as an integral part thereof oras a separate member, a spring or other suitable resilient means 2| rigidly'secured at its lower end to the container l and adapted to compel thepouring spout 3 to assume an upright positionas indicated in Fig. 5 when the spout is released from all deflecting force other than its own weight. The fuel can. of this'invention when in use may be manipulated as indicated in Fig. 4 in which case the handles 6 are grasped as shown, with the container l in substantially horizontal position. The sleeve 14 of the flexible pouring spout I3 is then inserted into the filling opening 22 of a fuel tank 23which is to be filled. The container'i then need only be raised in horizontal position as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 in order to cause fuel to flow into the tank 23. If the container i is nearly empty the same, of course, maybe tipped from horizontal position and in thi man-' 'ner' substantially the entire contents of the container I may be discharged. {In filling a small tank such as tank 23 it is usually difficult to transfer fuel at a conveniently rapid rate and at the same time to stop the flow without causing overflow of the tank 23. In the case of the can of this invention flow maybe regulated with great nicety by a simple choice of the degree of elevation of the container l. Thus fuel may be transferred at a rapid rate until the tank 23 approaches the full condition and then the rate of flow may be reduced as desired and stopped almost instantaneously by simply lowering the can so that avoidance of spillage is easily accomplished. When a filling operation is being performed in a small boat it is very convenient to be able to immediately dispose of the fuel can and attend to the closing of, the tank which has been filled When this is done with the fuel can of this invention the pour- 4 ing spout l3 of its own accord assumes a position such as is indicated in Fig. 5 thus preventing unintended escape of liquid from the can since the spout is of a length greater than the height of the container. In order to close the can tightly all that is necessary is to slide the sleeve l4 around the expandable gasket l5 while the bail 2B is raised and then depress the bail 20 to the position shown-in the drawings, whereupon the can becomes completely sealed.

.1 claim:

1. In a ready pouring can the combination comprising a container having sides, top and bottom, a rigid permanently open outlet passage emerg- ,ing from said container at a point near the bottom of the same, and a flexible resilient tubular pouring spout deflectable to facilitate pouring but having sufficient resilient stiffness to assume a normal configuration when freed of forces other than its own weight, said pouring spout having a length substantially greater than the height of said container and having a free open pouring end and a connection end, the connection end of said spout being immovably secured to said outlet passage in permanently open fluid communicating relationship between said spout and'the interior of said container. with said spout when in normal configuration extending upwardly to normally maintain the pouring end thereof at a level above the top of said container, whereby said container when idle is precluded from discharging its con tents.

2. A ready pouring can in accordance with claim 1 of enhanced stability against tipping when idle wherein the minimum horizontal dimension ofthe bottom of the container exceeds the maximum vertical dimension of the container.

'3. A ready pouring can in accordance with claim 1 wherein an air vent is provided in the top of said container, and a groove is provided extendingiipwardlyin one of the container sides from a point near the bottom adjacent the outlet passageto the top 'of the container and thence across the top of the container to said air vent, means associated with said air vent adapted to sealingly engage the pouring end of said spout when said spout is housed in said groove, said groove being adapted to drain spillage from'said air vent to the bottom of said container without distribution of the same upon the side walls of said container.

4. In a ready pouring can the combination comprising a container having sides, top and bottom, a rigid permanently open outlet passage emerging-fromsaid container at a point near the bottom of the same, and aflexible resilient tubular pouring spoutdefiectable to facilitate pouring, spring means engaging said spout adapted to im,-. part thereto suflicient resilient stiffness to cause the same to assume a normal configuration when freed. of forces other than the weight of said spout,said pouring spout having a length substantially greater than the height of said container and having a free open pouring; end and a connection end, the connection I end. of said spout being immovably secured tosaid outlet passage in permanently j'open fluid communicating relationship between said spout and the interior of said container with'said spout when in normal configuration extending upwardly to. normally when idle is: precluded. from discharging its contents.

W 631 following page) are .r-

5 REFERENCES CITED 32 5 4 The following references are of record in the 33:9 file of this patent: 1,336,853 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,363,656

Number Name Date 48,664 Doty July 11, 1865 367,529 Kendall Aug. 2, 1887 6 Name Date Garland June 23, 1891 Riebel Nov. 5, 1918 Mruk Apr. 13, 1920 Jonassen Dec. 28, 1920 Bushard Nov. 10, 1931 Thomson Dec. 29, 1931