US3160333A

US3160333A - Retriever mechanism for liquid delivery hoses

Info

Publication number: US3160333A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roy R Budrow
Original assignee: Gilbert and Barker Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: Gilbarco Inc
Priority date: 1962-06-07
Filing date: 1962-06-07
Publication date: 1964-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1964 u ow 3,160,333

RETRIEVER MECHANISM FOR LIQUID DELIVERY HOSES Filed June 7, 1962 INV EN TOR.

R- Elun uw W +7744! Qdann75 3,160,333 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 3,160,333 RETREVER MECHANISM FOR LIQ DELIVERY HGSES Roy R. Budrow, Springfield, Masa, assignor to Gilbert &

Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield,

Muse, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 7, 1962, Ser. No. 2%,792 3 Claims. (Cl. 22253tl) The present invention relates to improvements in retriever mechanisms for delivery hoses of liquid dispensing units of the type commonly found at service stations.

It is, at present, an accepted practice to provide a clamp on the delivery hoses of dispensing units for gasoline or the like. A cable is connected to this clamp and means are provided for yieldingly retracting the cable within the housing from an elevated point so that an inverted loop in the hose is automatically formed when the delivery nozzle is placed on the usual hanger therefor. The hose is then compactly draped at the dispensing unit so there is no danger of its being driven over and ruptured by a car or truck.

While this approach is effective, there is still a need for longer delivery hoses than can be provided in this manner. This need has further been emphasized by the growing demand for dispensing units which have a low silhouette.

Accordingly, the primary object of the invention is to enable the effective use of longer flexible delivery hoses on such dispensing units.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for attaining the above ends which may be incorporated in retriever mechanisms of existing design with a minimum of modification so that the invention may be readily and economically employed in original equipment or in dispensing units already in use.

The present invention is characterized by the provision of means for automatically forming a double inverted loop in the delivery hose of a dispensing unit when the nozzle attached to the hose is placed on the hanger. Preferably, these means comprise a pair of clamps secured to the hose and spaced apart along the length thereof. A yieldingly retractable cable of the type referred to above is secured to one of the clamps and slidably passes through the other clamp to form the double loop in the hose when the nozzle is placed on the hanger.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent upon reading the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawing and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation diagrammatically showing a dispensing unit in which the present invention is incorporated;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of this device showing various positions of the delivery hose; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of two hose clamps employed herein.

The liquid dispensing unit seen in the drawings comprises a housing It and is provided with the usual and necessary mechanism for the retail delivery of gasoline through a flexible delivery hose 12. The inner end of the hose 12 is connected to a liquid delivery line 14 (FIG. 1) within the housing In. A nozzle 16 is attached to the outer or free end of the hose 12. The usual arrangement is that the dispensing unit is mounted on an island in a service station permitting gasoline or the like to be delivered to cars on either side of the island.

FIG. 2 illustrates the disposition of the delivery hose 12 when it is not in use. It will be noted that the hose 1-2 is neatly draped on the dispensing unit it? so that it will not be run over. At this time, the nozzle 16 is inserted into a boot and supported by a hanger 18 (see FIG. 3) with the hose stored in two inverted loops.

For delivery of gasoline to a nearby car, the nozzle 16 may be removed from the hanger and the hose drawn the necessary distance, as shown in FIG. 3. For a car somewhat further away, the nozzle may readily be drawn to the position of FIG. 4, and then for a vehicle at an extreme distance, the delivery hose may be stretched from the dispensing unit through its full length, as indicated in FIG. 5. This situation would particularly be advantageous where the filler pipe is on the opposite side of the car from the dispensing unit.

The means for forming the double inverted storage loop (FIG. 2) preferably comprise a flexible cable 20 (FIGS. 4, 5), a means 22 (FIG. .1) for yieldingly retracting the cable 20 within the housing 10, and a pair of

hose clamps

24 and 26. The yieldable retracting means 22 may take the form of a spring device, as shown in US. Patent No. 2,564,623, or movable weights as in US. Patent No. 2,694,601, or any other suitable means. The pair of

clamps

24 and 26 are secured to the hose 12 at spaced points along the length thereof. The cable 20 is secured to one of these clamps and slidably received by the other. Preferably, the cable 20 is secured to the outer clamp 26, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and slidably passes through an aperture in the inner clamp 24.

Using the described arrangement, after the hose 12 has been extended to its full length (FIG. 5), the clamp 26 will be drawn toward the housing 10 as the nozzle '16 is being returned toward the hanger 18. As the cable retracts the hose, the clamp 26 is brought toward clamp 24 as shown by FIG. 4, the hose commencing to form its looped condition at this intermediate stage. Then, both clamps are drawn together and against the housing 10 (FIG. 3) adjacent the point from which the cable extends. When the nozzle is placed on hanger 18 as in FIG. 2, the clamps thus form a double inverted storage loop at the side of housing 10. The center portions of the inner and the outer inverted loops are suspended by clamp 24 and by clamp 26 respectively.

The dispensing unit illustrated in the drawings represents a commercial design having a height of only 44 inches.

By disposing the outlet of the cable 20 from the housing it) at a point closely adjacent the upper end thereof, it is possible to obtain an effective hose length of 2.6 feet,

and yet maintain the low silhouette of the dispensing unit which is considered to be quite attractive.

Employing the yieldably retracting cable 2-1) which is an existing feature in many dispensing units already in service or in current production, enables the present invention to be incorporated in existing dispensing unit designs simply by increasing the elfective length of the cable 20, if that be necessary, and adding a single clamp to the delivery hose. Thus, there is little need for modification of existing equipment in order to take advantage of the benefits of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Hose retrieving mechanism in combination with a liquid dispensing device of the type employed in service stations, said dispensing device comprising a housing, a flexible hose for the delivery of liquid, the inner end of said hose being connected to a liquid delivery line within said housing, a dispensing nozzle attached to the free end of said hose, and a hanger for receiving and detachably supporting said nozzle when not in use, said retrieving mechanism comprising a cable extending from the housing at an elevated point, means for yieldingly retracting said cable within said housing, a pair of clamps secured to said hose in spaced relation from the inner end thereof and from each other along the length thereof, said cable being-secured to one of said clamps and slidably received by the other of said clamps, whereby the two clamps will be drawn together and toward the housing for storage of the hose in two inverted loops when the nozzle is placed on said'hanger. 1 I

2. Hose retrieving mechanism in combination with" a liquid dispensing device of the type employed in service stations, said dispensing device comprising a housing, a flexible hose for the delivery of liquid, the inner end of said hose being connected to a liquid delivery line within said housing, a dispensing nozzle attached to the free end of said hose and a hangerfor receiving and detachably supporting said nozzle when not in use, said retrieving mechanism comprising a cable extending from the housing at an elevated point closely adjacent the upper end thereof, means for 'yieldably retracting said cable within said housing, a pair'of clamps secured to said hose in spaced relation from the inner end thereof and from each other along the length thereof, said cable being secured to the clamp nearer to said nozzle end and slidably received by the other clamp nearer to the inner end of said hose whereby the twoclamps Will be drawn together and t0 ward the housing for storage ofthe hose in two inverted loops when the nozzle is placed on said hanger.

3. Hose retrieving mechanism as in claim 2 wherein the two clamps are spaced apart along the length of the hose a distance somewhat greater than the height of said dispensing unit and sufiicient to form a loop in said delivery hose which extends approximately to the lower end of said dispensing unit when the nozzle is placed on the Wolfe Mar. 6, 1951 Grise Apr. 17, '1956

Claims

1. HOSE RETRIEVING MECHANISM IN COMBINATION WITH A LIQUID DISPENSING DEVICE OF THE TYPE EMPLOYED IN SERVICE STATIONS, SAID DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A FLEXIBLE HOSE FOR THE DELIVERY OF LIQUID, THE INNER END OF SAID HOSE BEING CONNECTED TO A LIQUID DELIVERY LINE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A DISPENSING NOZZLE ATTACHED TO THE FREE END OF SAID HOSE, AND A HANGER FOR RECEIVING AND DETACHABLY SUPPORTING SAID NOZZLE WHEN NOT IN USE, SAID RETRIEVING MECHANISM COMPRISING A CABLE EXTENDING FROM THE HOUSING AT AN ELEVATED POINT, MEANS FOR YIELDINGLY RETRACTING SAID CABLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF CLAMPS SECURED TO SAID HOSE IN SPACED RELATION FROM THE INNER END THEREOF AND FROM EACH OTHER ALONG THE LENGTH THEREOF, SAID CABLE BEING SECURED TO ONE OF SAID CLAMPS AND SLIDABLY RECEIVED BY THE OTHER OF SAID CLAMPS, WHEREBY THE TWO CLAMPS WILL BE DRAWN TOGETHER AND TOWARD THE HOUSING FOR STORAGE OF THE HOSE IN TWO INVERTED LOOPS WHEN THE NOZZLE IS PLACED ON SAID HANGER.