US2571200A - Interlocking mechanism for gasoline dispensing pumps - Google Patents

Description

0a. 16,. 1951 G. E.-cH:

INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR GASOLINE DISPENSING PUMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 6, 1950 fieoljq eli 67221 011101;

G. E. CHEVALLIER 2,571,200

act. 16, 1951 INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR GASOLINE DISPENSING PUMPS 5 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed June 6, i950 G torneg Oct. 16, 1951 CHEVALLIER 2,571,200

INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR GASOLINE DISPENSING PUMPS Filed June 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Geofgeli Chei a l l ye l",

J1 BB W ttorneg i atenteci Oct. 16, 1951- INTERLOCKING MECHANISM FOR GASO- LINE DISPENSING PUMPS George E. Chevallier, Salisbury, Md., assignor to Martin & Schwartz, Inc., Salisbury, Md.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to interlocking mechanism for gasoline dispensin pumps, and it has for its object the provision of an improved and simplified mechanism by means of which the pump register must be reset to its zero position, after each dispensing operation, and before a subsequent operation can be instituted.

In the well known meter pump utilized for the retail dispensing of gasoline to motorists, a motor driven pump delivers the gasoline to a volumetric flow meter and thence to a flexible hose provided with a valve nozzle at its free end, which nozzle is inserted in the customers tank and manipulated by the attendant to fulfill the purchasers requirements. The meter also serves as a hydraulic motor for a register, the operation of which reflects the quantity of gasoline passing through the meter. In manydispensing pumps, the register, through appropriate gearing, also actuates counter wheels which compute the sales price of the gasoline, the movement of the quantity and cost indicators being relatively adjustable to reflect total cost over a wide range of unit prices.

After each dispensing operation, and before undertaking a sale to another customer, the attendant is supposed to reset the quantity and cost indicators to a zero position. To enforce such resetting, interlocking mechanisms are incorporated in the pump assembly, and these may take the form of means for locking the motor switch from movement from an off to an on position, until the register has been reset to zero. The present invention relates to interlocking mechanism of this general nature.

The nature of the improvements, and the advantages to be gained by the adoption thereof, will be apparent from a description of a typical embodiment, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dispensing apparatus to which the present invention is applicable;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the improved interlocking mechanism, as viewed from the left of Fig. 1, with parts of the switch operating linkage connected thereto;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on the irregular line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are perspectives of certain components of the mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the back of the enclosing casing for the improved interlock; and

Application June 6, 1950, Serial No. 166,380

atively connected to a reset enforcement mecha- Figs. 9 through 12 are enlarged fragmentary sections, as viewed from the right in Fig. 4, with the components of the mechanism shown in positions successively assumed in a cycle of operation.

For a more detailed statement of the nature of a typical dispensing pump provided with an interlocking mechanism, reference may be made to Fig. 1. Gasoline from an underground storage tank (not shown) is inducted into a pump 2| through a suction line 22, the pump being driven by an electric motor 23 through a belt 24. The pump effluent is discharged into a separator 25, in which entrained air is eliminated, and the gasoline then flows through a conduit 26 into a volumetric meter 2?, that herein shown being of a multi-piston-in-cylinder type.

The liquid emerging from the meter 21 flows through a combined check and relief valve 28, thence through a conduit 29 into a sight glass 3|, wherein the purchaser may observe the flow of gasoline, and thence through a pipe 32 and fitting 33 into a flexible hose 34 having a manually operable valved nozzle 35. When the nozzle is closed and the motor 23 is running, gasoline recirculates around the pump 2| through a by-pass system built into the pump casing, as is well understood. The nozzle 35 is herein shown as being removably supported on a bracket 36 mounted on the casing 31, and, in the supported position, the guard of the nozzle depresses the outer end of a pivotally mounted lever 38, thus elevating the inner end, and thereby lifting a link 39 connected thereto and extending to a switch 4| controlling the supply of current to the motor 23. After the attendant removes the nozzle 35 from the bracket 38, he may manually lift the outer end of the lever 38 to move the link 39 downward, and thereby throw the switch 4| to its closed or on position. Gasoline may then flow through the system in the manner just described.

The meter 21 is provided with a drive spindle 43 which operates a gear train 44 for driving the mechanism of a computing register 45, mounted,

in the casing 31 on suitable brackets 46. As gasoline is dispensed, the volume and total cost thereof is registered by counter wheels which are visible to the attendant and purchaser. In order to resetthe wheels to a zero position before instituting another delivery, the attendant, after opening the switch 4|, rotates a reset crank 41 coupled to a shaft 48 extending into the register. The shaft 48 is internally connected to a shaft 4-9 extending through the opposite side of the register casing, and the shaft 49 is in turn oper- 3 nism or interlock, generally designated by the reference numeral 5 I.

The interlock 5| is connected to the switch control link 39 in such manner that, after the switch M has been thrown to its off position by depression of the outer end of the lever 38, the switch cannot again be closed unless the reset crank 41 has been operated to clear the quantity and cost computing wheels of the register. It may here be noted that, while the details of the computer form no part of the present invention, advantage is taken of the operation of the reset shaft 48 in connection with the operation of the interlock 5|, as will hereinafter be described. The register 45 herein illustrated is so constructed that the reset crank 41 must be rotated more than 360, specifically 405, in order to clear the counter wheels, and recondition the computer for a subsequent registration. After rotating the crank 41 through this are, the shafts 48 and are automatically rotated 45 in a reverse direction, thus making the net rotative movement one complete revolution. The purposes in 50 constructing the register 45, and the means employed for such purposes, are sufficiently described in patents to others, such, for example, as those to Edward A. Slye, assignor to Veeder-Root Incorporated, Nos. 2,203,109 of June 4, 1940, and 2,213,597 of September 3, 1940. It is further to be noted that the present invention may be utilized as an interlock with registers not incorporating the overtravel and automatic retrograde movement of the reset shaft.

The construction of the interlock 5| and its organization with the other parts of the dispenser is illustrated in Figs. 2 through 8. The interlock comprises a rectilinear casing 54 formed with forwardly'extending top and bottom walls 55 and 56 connected to a back Wall 51 and side walls 58 and'59. The bottom wall 56 may be formed by striking up the stock from a sheet metal blank of greater length than the enclosed portion of the casing, thus providing depending legs 6| which are turned inwardly at their lower ends to provide supporting feet '62. The latter are drilled to receive screws 63, by means of which the casing may be mounted appropriately to the register shaft 49, as, for'example, on the deck of the variator portion of the'register 45. In service, the open front of the casing is covered by a'cap 64 which fits snugly over the adjacent portions of the walls, and which is retained in place by screws 65, between whichmay extend a wire 66 whose ends are embedded in a seal 61.

The top and bottom walls 55 and 55 are formed with aligned slots 68 for the reception of a slide bar 69, shown in perspective in Fig. 5. The bar 69 is formed with an angle section H which rides against the inner wall of the cover 54, and thus is guided for vertical reciprocatory motion. The bar 69 is also formed with a trigger stud 12 at about mid length, and, in the specific form of the invention herein illustrated, with a relatively long lug 13 above the stud 12, the inner end of which may ride in a groove" formed in the back wall 51, as shown in Fig. 8. The lower end of the bar 69 is formed with an eye 15 for connection to the switch operating linkage. V H

In the course of its motion, the slide bar 69 is adapted to engage and actuate a latch'element 16, shown in perspective in Fig. 6. This element is formed with coplanar trigger and stop lugs or fingers 11 and 18 respectively, the latter being of less length radially from a pivot aperture 19, by means of which the latch is mounted on the back wall 51 of the casing through the medium of a pivot pin M. The stock from which the latch is formed is turned at right angles to the plane of the lugs 11 and 18 and is there formed to provide a body web 82, an outwardly directed reset guide lug 83, and a spring follower lug 84. The web merges into an apertured back bearing which rides over the surface of the wall 51 and also receives the pivot pin 8 I. As shown in Fig. 2, a curved leaf spring 81 is secured to the top wall 55 by pins 88, and it is bent to contact the web 32 and lugs 83 and 84 when the latch is in the position therein shown.

When the specific form of the invention including the slide bar lug 13 is utilized, the casing may also be provided with a hook 9|, shown in Fig. 7, which is 'pivotally mounted on the back wall 51 by means of a pin 92. The hook is formed with a back cam surface 93 and a front release cam surface 94, and its mass is so located with respect to the supporting pin 92 that the hook is biased to swing to the left as shown in Fig. 2. Such movement brings its bight 95 underneath the lug 13, to prevent downward movement of the bar 69, as long as the hook is in such gravitybiased position. Under other conditions, as will be presently explained, the hook is held to the right of the bar 69, as seen in Fig. 2, so that movement of the bar is possible.

Before describing the sequential operation of the mechanism, it may here simply be premised that, when the motor switch H is turned on, the bar 69 moves downwardly to trip the latch 16, and when the switch is opened, the bar 69 moves upwardly and cannot be pulled down again until the register 45 has been reset to zero. The rotation of the reset crank 41 is, as has been noted, accompanied by rotation of the shaft 49. This shaft is provided at its outer end with a stud 96, Figs. 3 and 4, formed with a crank arm 91 entering the interlock casing 54 through an aperture in the back wall 51, and with a crank pin 98 by means of which the locking action of the mechanism may be nullified. As shown in Fig. 2, the crank pin 98, under certain conditions, engages the cam face 94 of the hook 9|, and thereby prevents the latter from swinging into its gravitybiased position.

Referring primarily to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that the inner end of the support lever 38 has pivoted therein a swivel pin IOI, formed with a transverse aperture to-receive an actuating rod I02. The lower end of the rod I02 is encircled by a coiled spring I03, which is held under some compression by secured washers I04 and I05. The upper end of the rod I02 is provided with a coupling nut I06 from which extends a rod I01 formed with a bearing aperture I08 at its end. The switch control link 39, which is angularly bent or offset to provide necessary clearance around the front of the register 45, extends upward through a guide bracket I09, which may be bolted to the register or any satisfactory part of the casing 31 Above the bracket I09, the link 39 is bent substantially at right angles to provide a connecting section I II which passes through the bearing I08, and extends through the eye 15 of the slide bar 69. In this manner, the interlock 5I is connected to the nozzle lever 38 and the switch 4|.

Assuming that the interlocking mechanism 5| has been released by proper resetting of the register 45, it will be seen that the lever 38 can be manipulated to depress its inner end, and such movement causes a downward movement of the rod I02, connecting section III, and slide bar' 69, as well as downward movement er the lower portionof the link 39 to close the switch 4|. This motion may be reversed to open the switch 4| and restore the elements of the linkage to their initial positions. Should the interlock 5| be conditioned to'restrain downward movement of the slide bar 69, then the link 39 cannot be moved. However, due to the coil spring I03, the lever 38 can be moved, the swivel pin Illl in such case simply compressing the spring I93 against the lower washer I84. It is also to be noted that, by reason of this spring loaded connection, it is possible to elevate the slide bar 69 slightly above its normal upper position, as the section I is free to rotate in the bearing H18 and the swivel |IJ| is free to rotate in the lever 38, thereby making adjustment for slight changes in eccentricity. In this instance, the spring I93 is also compressed by the force acting upwardly through the washer NM.

The action of the interlocking mechanism will now be readily understood from a consideration of the motion diagram of Figs. 9to 12. Inasmuch as the register 45, as currently manufactured, provides for clockwise rotation of the crank 41 to effect resetting, and as these views are taken from the back of the casing 54, clockwise rotation of the crank arm 91 will be assumed. Fig. 9 illustrates the relation of the parts after the register has been properly reset, and with the outer end of the lever 38 depressed. The slide bar 69 is then in an elevated position, with the trigger stud l2 resting lightly on the trigger 11 of the latch 16. The lower end of the spring 8'! presses against the web 82 of the latch, thus retaining the latch in the position shown. The cam face 94 of the hook 9| bears against the crank pin 98 and is accordingly held free from the slide 69.

When the attendant institutes a dispensing operation, by raising the outer end of the lever 38, the slide bar 69 is pulled downwardly, through the linkage previously described, and. concurrently the switch 4| is moved to closed position, to effect operation of the pump 2|. The movement of the slide bar 69 causes the trigger stud E2 to rotate the latch 78 in a clockwise direction, by reason of the engagement of the stud with the trigger 11. The follower lug 84 deflects the spring 81 to the left until the dead center position is reached, whereupon the spring bears against the opposite face of the lug 84, as shown in Fig. 10. At this time, the tip of the trigger 11 rests against the bottom wall 56. This is the running position.

After the'dispensing operation has been completed, the attendant customarily replaces the nozzle 35 on its support, to open the switch 4| and also shift the slide bar back to the position of Fig. 9. During this reverse motion, the trig ger lug '52 engages the curved edge. of the relatively short stop lug 18 of the latch 16, rotating it slightly in a counterclockwise direction, but not enough to restore the latch to its initial position. As the stud 12 clears the lug T8, the spring 81 presses the latch again to the Fig. 10 or Fig. 11 position. It will be seen that, if an effort is now made to pull down the slide bar 69, the trigger stud 12 will engage the flat edge of the stop lug l8, forcing the tip of the trigger ll tightly against the bottom wall 56, and thereby preventing movement of the slide 69 and switch link 39. The pump motor 23 accordingly cannot be started, although, as previously noted, the lever 38 may be forcibly rocked against the resistance of the coiled spring I03." I

When the attendant operates the reset handle 4! to clear the computer, the crank arm 91 and crank pin 98 rotate clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 11, which illustrates the position of the crank shortly after the resetting operation is instituted. Movement of the crank permits the hook 9| to swing by gravity underneath the long lug l3 of the slide bar 69, and the hook thereby supports the slide against downward movement. As rotation of the crank arm 91 continues, the crank pin 98 engages the under side of the reset guide lug 83 and web 82 of the latch l8, thereby rotating the latch element in a counterclockwise direction, past its dead center position, and restoring it to the positions shown in Figs. 9 and 12.

After some 332 of rotation of the reset shaft, the crank pin 98 abuts the back cam surface 93 of the hook 9|, and thus rotates the hook 9| counterclockwise until the engagement is broken. This motion lifts the slide bar 69 slightly, but does not disengage the hook 9| from the lug 13. After the reset crank has been rotated through its entire arc of 405, and is manually released, the automatic retrograde movement of 45 causes the pin 98 to engage the release cam surface 94, thereby swinging the hook 9| in a clockwise direction, and to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 12, which of course corresponds to the position shown in Fig. 9. The mechanism is then conditioned for another cycle of operation.

The hook 9| provides an additional looking or safety element, as will now be readily apparent. It is to be noted that the mechanism is entirely operative without the inclusion of the hook 9|, and the invention in its broader aspects contemplates mechanisms in which this element is omitted. It is moreover to be noted that the relatively long lug 13 has useful functions other than providing for engagement with the hook 9|. This will be apparent from Fig. 10, in which it will be seen that when the slide bar 89 is in its lower position, corresponding to motor operation, the lug 13 constitutes a stop for the crank pin 93, thereby forestalling operation of the register reset crank 47 until the switch 4| has been turned off and the slide bar 69 has been raised to the Fig. 11 position.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a simplified and improved interlocking mechanism, which may be economically fabricated, and which is positive in its action. It will also be apparent that the mechanism is coordinated in its operation with the other components of the dispensing system. While the invention has been described with particular reference to a single embodiment, it is intended to encompass within its scope all those modifications and variations which are covered by the following claims.

I claim:

1. Interlocking mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus including a flow register having a reset shaft, comprising a casing, a slide bar reciprocably mounted in the casing, an oscillative latch pivotally mounted in the casing and formed with trigger and stop fingers, a spring in the casing having a portion bearing against the latch and adapted to retain the same in alternative positions, a trigger stud on the slide bar and adapted when said bar is moved in one direction to engage the trigger finger of the latch and shift the same to one of'its alternative positions and to bring the stop finger into the path of the trigger stud, said stop finger being of less length than the trigger fin er whereby reverse movement of the slide bar enables the tri er stud to cam over the stop fin er without restore ing the latch to the other of its alternative positions, a stop on the casing for said trig er nnger when the same is in said one alternative Desi: tion whereby said stop finger prohibits repetitive movement of the slide bar in said one direction, and a crank operative by rotation of the reset shaft for restoring the latch to the other of its alternative positions.

2. Interlocking mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein the slide bar is formed with a second stud which, when said slide bar is moved in said one direction, provides a stop for said crank to forestall operation of the reset shaft until the slide bar is restored to its initial position.

3. Interlocking mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus including a fiow register having a reset shaft, comprising a casing, a slide bar reciprocably mounted in the casing, an oscillative latch pivotally mounted in the casing and formed with trigger and stop fingers, a leaf spring in the casing having a portion bearing against the latch and adapted to retain the same in alternative positions, a trigger stud formed on the slide bar, said stud being adapted, when the slide bar is moved from an initial position in one direction, to engage the trigger finger and snap the latch to one of its alternative positions, said stop finger being so positioned with respect to the trigger finger that it projects into the path of movement of the trigger stud when said latch is in said one alternative position, said stop finger being formed with a cam surface engageable by the trigger stud upon reverse movement of the slide bar whereby the trigger stud and slide bar may be restored to initial position without shifting the latch to the other of its alternative positions and whereby said stop finger prohibits repetitive movement of the slide bar in said one direction, and a crank pin .extending into the casing and operatively connected to the reset shaft, said crank pin upon rotation of the reset shaft engaging said latch and restoring the same to the other of its alternative positions.

4. Interlocking mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus including a fiow register having a reset shaft, comprising a casing, a slide bar reciprocably mounted in the casing, said slide bar being formed with a trigger stud and a second lug spaced therefrom, a latch pivotally mounted in the casing and formed with trigger and stop fin.- gers, a spring positioned in the casing and bearing against the latch to retain the same in alternative positions, a crank pin in the casing and connected to the reset shaft for rotation simultaneously therewith, said crank pin having a normal position corresponding to the reset condition of the register in which it is adjacent to but slightly spaced from the path of movement of the trigger stud and second lug, a hook member pivotally mounted in the casing and swingable .from a disengaged position to a position interfering with the free movement in one direction of the slide bar, said hook member in its disengaged position engaging the crank pin, said trigger stud upon movement of the slide bar in one direction from an initial position engaging the trigger finger to snap the latch to one of its alternative positions, said stop finger thereby being projected into the path of movement of the trigger stud, a cam face on the stop finger to enablethe slide .bar to be restored to its initial ;position without restorin the latch to. the oth r or i s a t rnat ve positions an o forestall repet t ve ovem nt oi the slide bar w th re pect to its mov m n n said one direction from said initial position, said sec-.- ond lug being disp sed in said initial position above a portion of the hook member, said crank pin being rotatable initially to free the hook member whereby it may swing under the second lug to forestall movement in said one direction of the slide bar and sequentially to engage the latch and restore the same to said other alternative position, said crank pin upon completion of the movement of the reset shaft engaging the hook member to release it from its position be? neath the second lug.

5. Interlocking mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus including a flow register having a reset shaft manually rotatable through more than one complete revolution and automatically reversibly rotatable through the excess of more than one complete revolution, comprising a casing, a slide bar reciprocably mounted in the casing from and to an initial position, a latch pivotally mounted in the casing and formed with trigger and stop fingers, a trigger stud formed on the slide bar and adapted when the slide bar is moved in one direction to trip the trigger finger and thereby shift the latch to one of two alternative extreme positions and concurrently bring the stop finger into the path of movement of the trigger stud, a cam face on the stop finger engageable by the trigger stud upon reverse movement of the slide bar whereby the slide bar may be restored to initial position without restoration of the latch to the other of its alternative positions and whereby the sto finger forestalls repetitive movement of the slide bar in said one direction, a second lug on the slide bar spaced from the trigger stud and from the latch, a crank pin in the casing connected to the-register for rotation concurrently with the manual and automatic rotations of the reset shaft, the crank pin having a normal position in which it is slightly spaced fromthe path of movement of the second lug, a hook member swingably mounted in the casing from a disengagedposition to a position interferingw-iththe movement of the second lug in said one direction, said hook member in its disengaged position abutting the crank pin, said hook member uponinitial rotative movement of the crank pin being biased for movement to its interfering position, said crank pin upon further rotative movement engaging the latch to restore it to the other of its alternative positions, said hook member being formed with a cam surface whereby the crank pin may pass thereunder to complete its manual rotative movement of more than one revolution, said hook member being formed with a second cam surface engageable by the crank pin upon the automatic rotation thereof to restore the hook member to its disengaged position.

6. Reset mechanism for liquid dispensing apparatus including a flow register having a manually rotatable reset shaft comprising a casing, a slide bar reciprocably mounted in the casing, a first latch pivotally mounted in the casing, said latch being formed with trigger and stop fingers, said slide bar being formed with a trigger stud and a second lug spaced therefrom, a spring in the casing for resiliently holding the latch in one or the other of alternative positions and wherein in one position the stop finger is disposed in the path of movement of the trigger stud and in the other position the trigger finger is positioned in said p th. a c k p n i th iee ie en e ni e ed to the reset shaft for rotation thereby, said slide bar being movable in one direction from an initial position to engage the trigger finger and thereby snap the latch to said one position, said slide bar being movable in the opposite direction to bring the trigger stud above the stop finger and thereby forestall repetitive movement of the slide bar in said one direction, said crank pin having a normal position in which it is adjacent to but spaced from the path of movement of said second lug, said second lug upon movement of the slide bar from its initial position in said one direction being disposed adjacent said crank pin to provide a stop therefor, a second latch memher in the casing having a disengaged position 15 and adapted therein to abut the crank pin in its normal position, said second latch member being biased for movement into the path of the second lug' when said crank pin is rotated from its normal position, said first latch having a portion disposed in the rotative path of the crank pin whereby said crank pin may restore the latch to said other position thereof, said second latch member being formed with cam means engageable by the crank pin upon completion of the movement of the reset shaft to restore said second latch member to its disengaged position.

GEORGE E. CHEVALLIER.

No references cited.

Images