US2948307A - Tank filling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

TNK FILLING APPARATUS Aug. 9, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 5, 1950 TANK FILLING APPARATUS Original Filed May 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 9, 1960 Original Filed May 5, 1950 H. E. RITTENHOUSE ETAL TANK FILLING APPARATUS 4 sheets-sheet :s

HOWARD E. EtTTENHousE INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY 4 Aug. 9, 1960 H. E. RrrTENHousE ETAL 2,948,307

TANK FILLING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed May 5, 1950 ass i l an@l any 263 i255 263 245 g l i' a- Q 243 243 au am 47 65 an a1 2.71 Howmzo E. RWTENHousE Susawoon Hlm/NTOR.

ATTORNEY ing-.the parts in the tank iilling condition-i United States Patent 2,948,307 TANK FnLlNG APPARATUS Howard E. Rittenhouse, Fort Wayne, and Sherwood Hinds, Columbia City, Ind.,- a'ssgut'lrsv of one-half to .'Iokheim Corporation, a corporation of Indiana, a'nd onehalf to Bowser, Inc., Fort Wayne, Ind., a' corporation of Indiana f original application Mey s, 1950, ser.,No.160,26, Y now Patent No. 2,816,567, dated Dec. 17, 1957. .Die vided and this application Feb. 28, 1957, Ser; No. 643,911

14 Claims. (Cl. 141-348) This invention relatesV to a tank lilling apparatus. More specifically, itrelates to a quick connection and tank lling mechanism which enables a hose to be quickly attached to the 'lower portion of a tank for lilling it. The apparatus will then automatically stop the lling operation when a predetermined maximum level is attained in the tank so -that the hose may be quickly detached from the tank.

The invention is particularly adap'ted for lling tank truck compartments. The' present method of filling such tanksl requires that the truck be spotted adjacent the loading rack and most racks are designed so that only two trucks at a time can be loaded. Y

Further the loading process is slow because the operator must climb onto the tank, open the compartments, stick them, position the discharge spouts, return to the loading rack and set theV predeterminel' mechanisms on plete, he again climbs onto the tank, removes the spot-lts, closes the compartments, climbs tothe ground-and into the truck so that he may drive it away. Thisy is -a time consumingprocess and also results in man-y injuries to the operators from falls, etc. A

Itis an object of the invention to eliminate the hazards to the operator by making it possible to fill the tank compartments Without the operator leaving the ground.

Another object is to .decrease the time lost in lling the compartments by eliminating the climbing, the opening, closing. and sticking -of the compartments. I

Another object of the invention is to provide facilities in a single area which will make it unnecessary to spot the trucks in a particular position and which will yaclthe same time. I

t is a further object to provide an apparatus which can also beused to empty the compartments. A

A further obj-ect of the invention is to provide means which will prevent over-filling the compartments.k

the meters 'and start the llow. When dispensing is comcordingly make it possible to fuel many more trucks at w50 These and other objects will becomey apparent from astudy of the specification andl the drawings which are attached hereto `and are made a part hereof and in which: l

Figure 1` is a schematic apparatus in the normal or inoperative position.

yFigure 2 is a view siiiiilar to that of Figure 1 show- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures'vland 2 'but with theparts inthe slow ilow conditionA just, prior to terminating theV iilling opera-tion. I n

Figure 4l` isa-Y side Velevation of `the quick coupling connection with the hose connected. p

,Figure 5 is aV sectional- View of the nozzle latching and l valve openingv mechanism taken substantially on thek sectional view showing the Figure 6` is a sectional view taken substantially on :lie line 6 6 of Figure 4 shofvi/il'lgl the nozfzle soc-lieti.

Loading and nlodg controls Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral 1 represents a tank which has a bot-tom connection` 3 serving both as the inlet and outlet and which is eomieeied widithe conduit 5 leading die body 7.

This body has aconnection 9 Wh-ich is joined to the quick coupler body 11 vformingV therewith a conduit `13;

In the body 7, the primary valve chamber 15 'come municates with the secondary valve chamber 17. The secondary valve 21 controlsV theilow Yof fluid under pressure to the passage 19vr which voinl''nnnicate'sVr through the secondary venturi or vacuum producing means ZSnd the primary venturi or voeder-ri producing means 21 with the outlet chamber. This chamber, in turn, crmun-iones by way of the passage 24 with the eoiiddit's Valve 2l is connected by stent 29 te a piston s1 iiiev: able' inj e cylinder 33. A spring 35 acts on the pistn toliold the valve on its seat. The lower side of die pistoni is' connected through arstr-icted port 36 to chan-i nel '75' and through e pon ss .te veliamber 19', which is elosed by a cheek valve 40.- rne lower side of the cylinderY is connected by a conduit 37 with the4 valve chamber 39, in which ya valve stem 41 recipoctes: The stern is urged` downwardly by a spring 46 4acting" a flange 48. The lc'vver'V end of the stein rides upon a ball valve' 43 which controls a p'o'rt 45 lz'vhicl'l"v opens into the chamber 17. A spring 47 urgesthe valve toward the' Seat:

The'upperend of the valve stem is connected' nya suitable lost motion connection Which permits the lever to be depressed without .movi-ng the stem 41rd lever 49Y which is pivotally mounted at 5'1' onA the body T. Ai pin plate S3 is xed to the body and is provided opening 5'5. A. pii'SA is slidably mountedhin the lever and a spring 59 urges* the; pin toward the plate.v lever has a' fingerv 4ZY which engages a pin '44 oil-'the stem of the' valve 117 which projects through tlij Ay secondaryrdiaphragm chamber' 61 is provided with aitdiapll'ragm 63 to which is" attached a stern'65 lvhich projects through 'the/body 7. f A` spring `67 uges the stem outwardly. The diaphrag'gmY 63 carries af valve 64 which is adapted to' close the passages 7S'.

'I'he'chamber 61 is connected by conduit 69( to the throat of the secondary venturi 25. The chamber' i's also'connected by a conduit 71 which passes through .thetop of the tankV and terminates in a probe hav'i'r'ga relatively' small oriiice 73. The chamber is also' connected by a channel to' the chamber 33: of the; ondary valve piston'.A rThe primary'valve 77 is mounted on a stein 779 slidable` in bossv '81 and opens into the chamber 15 to olivtro'lthe port 83. A spring 815 urges VtheV valvetowrd the seat. Y

A'cylinder 87 is disposed below the valvevv anda piston 89 is slidable therein. The stem 91 of .the piston is connected by means of lost motion mechanisni to the` stem 79` of the primary valve. Thisl connection cnnpri'ses` the tub'e 91 lixed to the piston which permits Athe vvalvestem to move downwardly relative to the piston. A- hook 93 Aengages a projection 95 so that when the piston moves down it will also move the stem to open .the valve. Aspring 97 urges the piston upwalidlye The upper side of the piston 4is connected'with the Achannel 119- soI that liquid under pressure is applied to torce the pistonl down'.- 'Ihe upper side of' the piston is connectedV through a restricted port 99 'to' the'lower side 4"of the piston Which'is also connected by a eonduit'1`011 to the primary diaphragm chamber 103.

A diaphragm '105 is disposed acrossV the chamber and i supports `a stern 107 which projects through the body 7. A sp'ring 109 urges the stem outwardly. The diaphragm 105 carries a valve 106 which is adapted to close olf the conduits 101 and 111.

The chamber 103 is connected by a conduit 111 with the throat of the primary venturi 27. Another conduit 113 connects this chamber with the top of the tank, where it terminates in a probe having a restricted orice 115.

The orice 115 is disposed at a lower level ythan orilce 73 so that it will be rst reached by the liquid rising in the tank.

A second or restriction valve 117 is slidably mounted ina boss 119 and is urged toward the port 83 by a spring 121.

Operation The operation of this portion of the device is as follows:

Assuming that iluid under pressure has been applied to 4the channel 13 and chambers 15 and 17, the operator by raising the lever 49 for a short time will lift valve 43 from port 45 so that liquid under pressure from chamber 17 will flow through the port into conduit 37 to the under side of pistou 31. This piston is raised `against the pressure in chamber 17 and spring 35 so that liquid will flow into passage 19 and through the venturi jets 25 and 27, chamber 23, conduit 5 and into tank 1. The lever 49 may be released and valve 43 closed as soon as the valve 21 is open.

The jet 27 relieves the line 101 and the lower side of the piston 89 so that the liquid pressure in passage 19 applied to the upper side of the piston will depress the piston against the force of spring 97 and open the primary valve 77 against the pressure in chamber 15. This liquid under pressure then lifts valve 117 and liquid will flow directly to conduit 5 and the tank 1.

The pressure below the piston 31 is relieved through orifice 36 and duct 75 by the jet 25 by way of diaphragm chamber 61.

Asjthe liquid fills the tank, liquid continues to flow .through the jets which tend to create a vacuum in the diaphragrn chambers 103 and 61, but are unsuccessful because gas is supplied to these chambers from the top` of the tank through the probes 115 and 71, respectively.

However, when the liquid in the tank rises to the level that it covers the probe 115, the vacuum created by the primary jet is not satisfied from the tank and the diaphragm 105 is drawn to the left `and the conduits 101, 111 are closed. The pressure on the opposite sides of the piston 89 becomes balanced through the oritice 99 so that the spring 85 and the iiow of liquid will close the primary valve 77. Valve 117 will also be closed by its spring 121. Flow of liquid to the tank continues, however, at a greatly .reduced rate, through valve 21 and the jets until the second-ary probe 71 is covered with liquid.

The Vacuum created by the secondary jet then becomes .eiective to seat the valve 64 so that conduit 75 is closed oit and the pressure above and below the piston 31 is equalized through valve 40 from channel 19. This permits` spring 35 to close the valve 21. This stops all flow to the tank.

It will also be seen that the ow can be stopped manually by depressing the shaft 65, should an emergency require. This closes yvalve 21, as described, and since the jets are stopped and pressure in conduit 19 is balanced across piston 89, by the port 99, the primary valve will close.

The liquid may be drained from the tank by withdrawing the pin S7 in lever 49, rotating the lever to the dotted line position of Figure 2 and releasing the pin so that spring 59 will seat it in the hole 55. The lever lifts pin 44 and valve `117 so that the liquid pressure will be ap- 4 spring 85 and moves relative to the piston due to the lost motion connection 93-95 described above.

When the required delivery has been made, pin 57 may be withdrawn and the handle tilted to the solid line position so that spring 121 may close the valve 117 to stop the flow. When the flow through the port is stopped, the spring 85 will return valve 77 "to its seat.

` Coupling and valves Y Since the tank is to be filled from the bottom, it is necessary to provide against loss of tluid should the valves just described fail to seat. Further, since the loading is accomplished from va hose which contains fluid under pressure, it is necessary to insure that a fluid tight connection is made between the house and the body before either the valve at the tip of the hose or that yat the inlet to the body is opened.

Referring /particularly to Figures 3 to 6, it will be Seen that lthe hose 201 is tted with a tip, indicated generally by numeral 203, provided with an outlet port 205 which is closed by a valve 207, the stern of which is slidable iu boss 209. The spring 211 urges the valve to close the opening. The port is surrounded externally by an axial flange 213 which seats on a gasket 215 supported on the body 217.

The exterior of the tip has a sleeve 219 slidably mounted thereon and provided with radial langes 221 and 223 extending respectively inwardly and outwardly. A spring 225 acts on flange 221 to draw it to the left (Figure 3).

Referring particularly to Figures l and 6, the body 217 is formed with a recess 227 having a port 229 communieating with channel 13. This port is closed by an outwardly opening valve 231 which has its stem 233 xed in a bracket 235 which is slidably mounted on a rod 237. A spring 239, which normally surrounds the rod, bears on the bracket and holds the valve closed.

A cam shaft 241 is mounted in suitable bearings 243 in body 217 (see Figure 5), passes through an elongated slot 245 in bracket 235 and carries a cam 247 which acts on a roll 249 on the bracket `to actuate the latter to open the valve 231.

A tip locator 251 is slidably mounted on the guide 253 of the body 217 and comprises a U-shaped, channel 255 v/lhich is open at the top for receiving the flange 223 of t e tip.

The locator is guided upon a rod 257 supported by the body 217 and is urged outwardly relative to the body by a spring 259.

A pair of parallel arms 261 project past the body 217, one on each side thereof and each arm is provided with a slot 263, through which an end of the cam shaft 241 projects. A cam 265 is Xed to each end of the cam shaft and operates on a follower roll 267 carried by the corresponding arm 261 to move the locator relative to the guide 253 and body 217.

`A crank 269 is mounted on one end of the shaft to `actuate: it.

A latch pawl 271 is pivotally mounted on the locator 251 at 273, has a notch 275 at the end which faces guide 253 and is urged to position the notch over the guide by a spring 277. A cam nose 279 on the pawl projects through a slot 281 in the locator in the path of the nozzle tip so that when the tip is properly positioned in the locator, the latch pawl will be depressed against the action of its spring to free the latch from the guide.

Operation With the parts in the Figure 1 position, the nozzle tip is positioned with its ilange 223 over the channel 225 and moved to the lowermost position therein and pawl 271 is depressed to unlatched position. The crank 269 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction to rotate Ithe cams 247, 265.

Cams 265 rst actuate rolls 267 land the locator to the plied to the valve 77 which opens against the action of '(5 right (Figures l to 4) and draw the ange 213 into sealbuvaoasso'i ing relation with the gasket 215, any excess travel of the positioner after the flange isl seated is absorbed by the spring 225.

Near the end of the stroke of the crank, which is approximately 330 degrees, the cam 247 actuates roll 249 to open valve 231 and this valve in turn forces valve 207 in the tip to its open position. The liow of liquid` from hose 201 to channel 13 may start as soon as the valves are open.

After the filling operation has been completed, the crank 269 is rotated in a clockwise direction (Figure l) and the Valves 231, 207 are first closed and thereafter the locator is moved outwardly to the Figure 1 position, whereupon the tip may be lifted from the channel.

It is impossible to open the valve 231 accidentally because the latch pawl Y2.71 engages the guide 253 when the nozzle tip is not in the locator, to prevent Arotation of the crank.

M ultple compartment tanks tubing so that they will be flexible.

It is also possible to provide a series of valve bodies 7, all having their inlets 15 connected with the channel 13 from the quick connector and each having its outlet and probes connected with a particular tank compartment so that each compartment individually or all could be filled at once, each valve shutting off the flow to its compartment when the latter is full.

Overhead filling If desired, the valve mechanism comprising body 7 may be fixedly installed on the usual loading rack instead of upon the truck.

In such case the quick coupler mechanism is eliminated and a connection is made directly to the supply pipe. The conduit S is connected to the usual discharge spout.

The tank compartments are fitted with probes and a connection must be made from the probes to the diaphragm chambers. This system would operate in the same manner as described above.

lt is obvious that various changes may be made in the form, structure and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, applicants do not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes of illustra- `2. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having a valve, a conduit provided with a receptacle having a valve, a locator slidably mounted on said receptacle, radially engageable means on said locator and tip for aligning said tip axially with the receptacle, means including a lever operable in an initial movement for slidably moving said locator in a direction to force said tip into sealing engagement With the receptacle' and means operable by the lever in its final movement for thereafter opening said valves.

3. In a quick connect coupling, rst and second' cofiduits, rst armd` second connector members mounted the adjacent ends of the respective conduits, each cori'- nector member defining an axial flow passage and including an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said walls each defining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end Wall surrounding the port thereof, inter'- tion; but instead they desire protection falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

This application is a division of Serial No. 160,266, filed May 5, 1950, now Patent No. 2,816,567, patented December 17, 1957.

What we claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having an outwardly closing valve, a conduit having a receptacle provided with an outwardly opening valve, a locator mounted on said receptacle, means on said locator for engaging the tip and for aligning it with the receptacle, means mounted on said receptacle and including a lever which is operable through the initial portion of its stroke for relatively moving said tip and receptacle to establish a seal therebetween and means operable by the lever through the final portion of its stroke for opening said receptacle valve, said receptacle valve comprising means for engaging the valve in said tip to open same.

engageable means on' each member adapted when' erigage'd, to align and holdk said members with said ports in axial alignment and means for moving one member toward the other to compress said sealing means' between said walls to sealinglyconnect said ports.

4. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein said inter'- engageable means are disposed so as to be engaged vand disengaged by movement of said members transversely of the; axis of said flow passages.

5. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein one'of said members is movable and the other is fixed, said interengag'eable means' beingdisposed so as to b`e engaged and disengaged upon movement of said movable member transversely of the axes of said flow passages in substantially vertical directions, the interengageable means on the fixed member being disposed so as to support the Weight of the movable member.

6. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein said interengaging means includes means projecting transversely of and outwardly from substantially opposite sides of one member, inwardly open groove defining means on the other member for receiving said projecting means, said grooves being open at one end to admit said projecting means upon transverse movement of one member relative to the other in one direction, and stop means for limiting the magnitude of said-movement to align said ports in the direction of said movement, said projecting means and grooves being disposed to align said ports in directions transversely of said direction of movement.

7. The structure defined by claim 6 wherein said projecting means is in the form of a peripheral flange one portion of which also constitutes one part of the stop means.

8. The structure defined by claim 6 wherein said projecting means and one portion of said stop means are in the form of a peripheral flange and wherein said groove means is adapted to receive substantially all of said ange and forms the other portion of said stop means.

d 9. In a quick connect coupling first and second conduits, first and second connector members mounted on the adjacent ends of therespective conduits, each connector member defining an axial fiow passage and including an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said Walls each defining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end wall surrounding the port thereof, interengageable means on each member adapted when engaged, to align and hold said members with said ports in axial alignment, said -interengageable means including means projecting transversely of and outwardly from substantially vopposite sides of one member, inwardly open groove defining means on the other member for receiving said pro'- jecting means, said grooves being open at one end to admit said projecting means upon transverse movement of one member relative to the other in one direction and stop means for limiting magnitude of saidlmovement to align said ports in the direction of said movement, said projecting means and grooves being disposed to align said ports in directions transversely of said direction of movement, and means for moving said groove dening means toward said other member so as to compress said sealing means between said walls to sealingly connect said ports.

l 10. The structure defined by claim 9 which includes a valve movably mounted in each member to close the port thereof and means operable after the compression of said sealing means for opening both of said valves.

11. The structure defined by claim 9 which includes a valve movably mounted in each member to close the port thereof and common means connected with said moving means for opening said valves ya'ter said gasket is compressed.

12. In a quick connect coupling rst and second conduits, rst and second connector members mounted on the adjacent ends of the respective conduits, each connector member defining an axial flow passage and including an end wall disposed transversely thereof, said walls each defining a port, yieldable sealing means mounted on one end wall surrounding the port thereof, interengageable means on each member adapted when engaged, to holdsaid members with said ports in alignment and means for moving one member toward the other to compress said sealing means between said walls to sealingly connect said ports, a valve movably mounted in each member for closing the port thereof and means connecting Ysaid moving means to open said valves after said sealing means is compressed.

13. The structure defined by claim 12 wherein said moving and connecting means are constructedand arranged yto close said valves and release said sealing member in sequence upon reverse operation.

14. In a quick connect mechanism, a conduit tip having a valve, a conduit provided with a receptacle having a valve, aglocator .mounted for axial movement on said receptacle, interengageable means on said tip and locator for aligning the `tipi with the receptacle and for connecting the locator to move the tip, means including a lever operable in-an initial movement for moving said locator toward said receptacle to establish a seal between the tip and the receptacle, and means operable by the lever, in its final movement, for opening said valves, means for preventing said movement of said locator, and means responsive to the positioning of said tip on theV locator in alignment with said receptacle for releasing said preventing means.

References Cited in the iie of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS -vsuwiwi...

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