US3176728A - Automatic valve for use within a funnel - Google Patents

Description

April 1965 P. H. BAUMANN 3,176,728

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR USE WITHIN A FUNNEL Filed Dec. 3, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

fly 2 April 6, 1965 P. H. BAUMANN 3,176,728

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR USE WITHIN A FUNNEL Filed Dec. 5, 1962 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 6, 1965 I I P. H. BAUMANN 3,176,723

AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR USE WITHIN A FUNNEL Filed Dec. 3; 1962 s Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,176,728 Patented Apr. 6, 1965 3,176,728 AUTOMATIC VALVE FGR USE WITl-HN A FUNNEL Poul H. Baumann, 2102 Tolman Road, Applewood Acres, Port Credit, Ontario, Canada Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 242,011

, 3 Claims. (Cl. 141-193) This invention relates to improvements in container filling equipment and more particularly to automatic valves for funnels, hose ends and the like utilized in filling bottles, outboard motor fuel tanks and the like.

It is conventional practice to utilize a funnel for filling fuel tanks on outboard motors, powered lawnmowers and the like, the funnel being located in the filling hole of such a tank whereafter fuel is poured into the funnel until the fuel tank is full. This necessitates great care on the part of the operator filling the fuel tank, in order to permit him to cease filling operation before the fuel tank fills entirely and overflows, creating a fire hazard. Often the operator will not become aware of the fuel tank being full until the fuel overflows from the filling hole or, if the funnel is a tight fit in the hole, until the fuel mounts up in the funnel, remaining there until the funnel is removed at which time the fuel empties itself from the funnel overthe fuel tankand engine, creating a fire hazard.

A similar procedure is often utilized infilling bottles, containers or the like from barrels located thereover, such bottle or containers often being filled by means of funnels located therein or by means of a hose attached to the barrel outlet, the free end of the hose beinglocated in the, filling opening of the bottle or container. Such filling procedure requires that an attendant is present to observe when the bottle or container has become almost filled up, so that he may close the valve on the barrel and transfer the hose or funnel to another bottle or container as required. This procedure having the disadvantage that filling of such bottle or containers may not be left to itself but requires constant attention to prevent overflow and spilling of fluids being filledtherein.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic funnel and hosevalve for filling bottles, containers or the like, in the following called automatic valve, for location in filling the opening of, such container, that automatically will interrupt the flow of liquid thereinto upon such container being filled to a level substantially close to its full capacity. i

It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic valve of extremely simple construction thatmay be inserted into a bottle or container to a predetermined depth to automatically control the level to which such bottle or container may be filled with fluid without requiring supervision of any kind to prevent overfilling or spilling of fluid. I

. It is .still a furtherobject of. this invention to provide an automatic valve of the above art, incorporating automaticmanual control means for biasing the automatic valve, after completion of filling operation, while located in the container, to a closed position, to permit extraction of the funnel or hose with the closed automatic valve from a filled bottle or container for transfer to an empty fluid contents of funnel or hose.

It isfurther object of this invention to provide an autobottle or container or the like without spillage of the matic valve incorporating manually controlled valve Opening means to manually open said valve upon location of the funnel orhose in anempty bottle or container,

to permit entry of contents of the funnelor hose thereinto. p

These and other objects and featuresof this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a funnel embodying the present invention, located in a fuel tank, showing a method of utilizing such funnel.

FIG. 2 is a mid-vertical, sectional view of the funnel shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the funnel shown in FIG. 2, taken on line 3-3. 1 a

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the funnel shown in FIG. 2 taken on line 44.

FIG. 5 is a mid-vertical, sectional view of the funnel illustrated in FIG. 2 showing the automatic. valve in a closed position in a full container, showing the adjustable fluid level control collar, and manual valve opening means.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bottle being filled with fluid from a barrel utilizing a hose embodying one alternative form of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, mid-vertical sectional view of an alternate method of utilizing the present invention showing the valve in closed position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, mid-vertical sectional elevation of the automatic valve illustrated in FIG. 7, showing the valve in open position.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the automatic valve shown in FIG. 8 taken on the line 8-8 in vertical planes rotated degrees from that of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of the valve shown in FIG. 9 taken on the line 10-1tl.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional method of filling the fuel tank of an outboard motor, power mower or the like is illustrated utilizing a funnel 11 incorporating the present invention, funnel 11 being located in filling hole 12 of fuel tank 13 in conventional manner, fuel 14 being poured into funnel 11 from fuel can 15 by operator 16 1 Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, funnel 11, containing an automatic valve embodying this invention, consists of a hinge 25 located in the upper surface of body 21, at the,

lower end of acute angle surface 23. A curved connecting link 26 has one end 27 rigidly attached substantially centrally of valve closure surface 28, on valve cap 24 valve closure surface 28 being supplied with a thin resilient gasket 29 of material such as rubber or the like.

Link 26 passes unhindered through passage 22, lower end 30 of link 26 curving back to a position below solid portion of body 21.

A buoyant float 31, freely moveable in vertical direction within tube 159 is located below body 21, float 31 being of considerably smaller diameter than internal diameter of tube 19, float 31 containing a plurality of knobs 32 along the upper and lower edge thereof, float 31 with knobs 32 being freely slidable in a vertical direction within tube 19. A hinge lug 33 extends upward of upper end 34 of float 31 towards side 35 of tube 19 that is closest topassageway 20 and 22, a link means 36 having one end pivotally attached throughjhole. 37 in end 30 of link means 36, the other end of link means 36 being pivotally attached through hole 33 of lug. 33. Hole 37 is located in such position in end 30 that a straight line r 3 connecting hole 38 with pivot 25, always lies between passageway 22 and hole 37.

It will beseen that the weight of float 31, which is freely moveable in vertical direction in tube 19, will through force of gravity, pull end 30 of link 36 towards sides 35 of tube 19 thereby biasing valve cap 24 away from valve seat surface 23, and opening passageway 22 to permit fluid to be passed from truncated portion 17 through passage 22 and tube 19, past knobs 32 and float 31 to lower opening 39 of funnel 11.

Upon buoyant float 31 being biased upward by, for instance, the surface of fluid rising into tube 19, pressure a will be exerted in a longitudinal direction upwards through link means 36 to hole 37, thereby biasing end 30 of link 26 away from side 35 of tube 19, since hole 37 lies outside a line connecting holes 38 and pivot 25, thereby forcing valve cap 24 toward valve seat surface 23 and thereby closing off passageway 22 against further influx of fluid poured into funnel 11.

Fluid will therefore fill up in truncated portion 17 of funnel 11, weight of this fluid bearing down on valve cap 24 and maintaining this in closed position on valve seat surface 23 even after funnel 11 is removed from the fluid surface that initially biased float 31 upward, the weight of float 31 being suiflciently small to permit'the weight of fluid in the truncated portion 17 to maintain valve cap 24 in a closed position until fluid is poured out of truncated portion 17 through spout 40, whereby weight of float 31 again will force valve cap 24 to an open position, the curvature of link 26 being such as to provide unhindered movement of link 26 in passageway 22 during opening or closing of valve cap 26.

At least one perforation 41 is located in tube 19 directly'below body 21 to permit air to enter above float 31immediately upon funnel 11 being removed from the container into which fluid is being poured, to permit rapid emptying of fluid. from lower portion 42 of tube 19, located directly belOW valve body 21, thereby permitting fluid in portion 42 to be deposited in the container, instead of being spilled gradually as funnel 11 is removed from the container.

Referring particularly to FIG. 4, funnel 11 is shown located in a bottle 42, the depth of insertion of tube 19 into bottle 42 being controlled by an axially adjustable, frictionally held, collar 43 which may consist of a ring of material such as, for instance, rubber, frictionally located over tube 19, location of collar 43 determining the height to which bottle 42 may be filled, tube 19 being inserted into neck 44 of bottle 42 until collar 43 abuts on top of edge 45 of neck 44, the filling level of bottle 42 with fluid 46 being determined by the level at which float 31 is located in neck .44, float 31 floating on suurface 47 of fluid 48 deposited in bottle 42. a I

Upon fluid surface 47 reaching a position where float 3 1 biases valvecap24 against valve seat surface 23, passage 22 becomes closed against further ingress of fluid 46 and the filling operation in bottle 42 will cease. Fluid level 49 in funnel 11 will build up therein and warn operator that bottle 42 now is full. Weight of fluid 46 in funnel 11, resting on valve cap 24 will now maintain valve cap. 24 in closed position While the operator removes V funnel 11 from bottle 42 and inserts funnel 11 into an- 7 hole 52 in collar 43, wire 50 ending in a tab portion 53 being adapted to be manually depressed downward upon the valve being required to be opened, thereby forcing float 31 downwards and biasing valve cap 24 to open position, permitting fluid 46 to progress through passage 22 into the empty bottle until this in turn has been filled and actuates float 31 to close as above described.

Referring to FIG. 6 another utilization of the present invention is illustrated in conjunction with the filling hose from a drum, for instance, an oil barrel, fuel barrel or the like, barrel 54 containing fluid, and being shown located in conventional manner above a bottle 55 to be filled, conventional valve 56 having a hose 57 attached to the outlet thereof, end of hose 57 being connected at 58 to hose valve 59 embodying the present invention, lower portion 60 of hose valve 59 having the same content consisting of valve body, valve cap, link, link means and float as tube 19 of funnel shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, and manual valve opening means 50 extending upwards through collar 43, ending in tab 53 as shown in FIG. 4

to start filling operation in an empty bottle.

It will be seen that the filling operator is not required to watch filling up of the bottles 55 in order to close valve 59 upon such filling being completed. Flow of fluid automatically stops upon a predetermined level, set by location of axially adjustable collar 43, being reached. Operator, upon finding that filling of bottle 55 has been completed, is required only to remove valve 59 from the filled bottle and transfer hose valve 59 to another empty bottle or container without loss of fluid during such transfer, flow of fluid 61 into empty bottle being commenced by operator pressing tab 53 downwards to open valve cap 24 and start fluid flowing into the empty bottle.

Referring to FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10, an alternate method of utilizing the present invention, is shown comprising a substantially tubular housing 62 containing a valvebody 63 constituting a transverse partition, dividing housing 62 into an upper chamber 64 and a lower chamber 65. A passageway 66 through valve body 63 connects upper chamber 64 with lower chamber 65, a valve, such as a poppet valve 67, being located freely longitudinally movable in passageway 66, head 68 of poppet valve 67 being adapted to close off passageway 66 against ingress of fluid from upper chamber 64, upon head 68 being biased towards upper surface 69 of valve body 63.

Body portion of valve 67 is of a finned construction as shown in FIG. 10, consisting of a plurality of radial fins 70, providing fluid flow passageways 71 therebetween, transverse perforations 72'providing extra communication between passageways 71. Valve 67 extends downwards into a, lug 73, supplied with transverse pin means 74 engaging in elongated slot 75 located in one end 76 of a lever 77, pivoted centrally by pin means 78 attached to lug 79 located in lower surface 80 of valve body 63.

Opposite end 81 of lever 77 is, through link means 82, lnngeably connected to lug 83 located substantially toward one side of upper end84 of a bouyant fioat 85 having fluid pasageways 86, located therearound connecting the portion of lower chamber 65, located above float 85 gsith the portion of lower chamber 65 located below float A straight line connecting hingeable attachment point 87 of lower end of link 82 with pivot location '78 of lever 77, is at all times situated between passageway 66 and hingeable attachment point 88 of link 82 to end 81 of lever77; V i

It will therefore be seen that any movement of float 85 towards valve body ,63 willalways bias valve 67 to a closed position, whereas movement of float 85 away from valve body 63 will always bias valve 67 to open position.

Pin 74 may be extended to a length greater than the diameter of passageway 66, thereby providing stop means for valve 67, limiting opening movementof valve 67 to a position where pin 74 abuts lower surface of valve body 63, perforation 89 being locatedbelow valve body 63 in chamber 65 to permit admission of atmospheric air to chamber 65 for evacuation of fluid therein, upon valve 67 becoming closed.

Holes 89 may also be utilized for assembly of float and lever 77 with valve67 by locating holes89 in suitable 1' positions to facilitate insertion of pins 78 and 74 during such assembly.

It will readily be seen that the present invention provides considerable security against fire hazards in, for instance, filling fuel in a fuel tank of an outboard motor and the like, through facilitation of filling such fuel tanks to an invisible predetermined internal level without spilling of fuel over the top of such fuel tanks and on to the engine, spark plugs or the like.

The present invention further provides saving in time previously wasted in mopping up and cleaning 01f fuel or other fluids, occasioned by utilization of conventional funnels or filling hoses, at the same time providing saving of cost of such spilled fuel. In the case of filling bottles from a barrel, a considerable saving in labour is accomplished by not requiring the operator to watch the filling operation to prevent overfilling and thereby overflow of fluid.

Two methods of incorporating the present invention in fuel filling means have been illustrated but I anticipate a wish to cover variations from the above while still remaining within the scope and principle of my invention without prejudicing the novelty thereof.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An automatic valve for use within a funnel, whereby fluid poured through said funnel will be automatically stopped flowing upon a predetermined level being reached, and comprising: a tubular housing: a valve body within said housing substantially midway between the ends thereof to define an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said valve body also defining a passageway therethrough; a poppet valve including a head portion slidably positioned in said passageway; a plurality of radial fins projecting from said poppet valve to be in slidable contact with the sides of said passageway, said fins thus providing a plurality of fluid flow passageways thereabout; a lever pivotally supported below said valve body and having one end in operable engagement with said poppet valve; a float slidably positioned within said lower chamber; a plurality of knobs projecting from said float in slidable contact with the sides of said lower chamber said knobs thus providing a plurality of fluid passageways thereabout; and link means operably connecting said float to the other end of said lever, whereby upon said float being buoyed up by said liquid, said poppet valve will be moved to a closed position, thereby to stop the fiow of said liquid through said valve.

2. An automatic valve for use within a funnel, whereby fluid poured through said funnel will be automatically stopped flowing upon a predetermined level being reached, and comprising: a tubular housing; a valve body within said housing substantially midway between the ends thereof to define an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said valve body also defining a passageway therethrough; a poppet valve including a head portion slidably positioned in said passageway; a plurality of radial fins projecting from said poppet valve to be in slidable contact with the sides of said passageway, said fins thus providing a plurality of fluid flow passageways thereabout; a lever pivotally supported below said valve body and having one end in operable engagement with said poppet valve; a float slidably positioned within said lower chamber; a plurality of knobs projecting from said float in slidable contact with the sides of said lower chamber, said knobs thus providing a plurality of fluid passageways thereabout; link means operably connecting said float to the other end of said lever, whereby upon said float being buoyed up by said liquid, said poppet valve will be moved to a closed position, thereby to stop the flow of said liquid through said valve; and a portion of said housing defining at least one perforation therethrough immediately below said valve body to prevent entrapment of said fluid within said lower chamber upon said funnel being withdrawn from said poured fluid.

3. An automatic valve for use within a funnel, whereby fluid poured through said funnel will be automatically stopped flowing upon a predetermined level being reached, and comprising: a tubular housing, a valve body within said housing substantially midway between the ends thereof to define an upper chamber and a lower chamber, said valve body also defining a passageway therethrough; a poppet valve including a head portion slidably positioned in said passageway; a plurality of radial fins projecting from said popet valve to be in slidable contact with the sides of said passageway, said fins thus providing a plurality of fluid flow passageways thereabout; portions of said fins defining transverse perforations therethrough, thereby to improve flow of said fluid through said passageway; a lever pivotally supported below said valve body and having one end in operable engagement with said poppet valve; a float slidably positioned within said lower chamber; a plurality of knobs projecting from said float in slidable contact with the sides of said lower chamber, said knobs thus providing a plurality of fluid passageways thereabout; link means operably connecting said float to the other end of said lever, whereby upon said float being buoyed up by said liquid, said poppet valve will be moved to a closed position, thereby to stop the flow of said liquid through said valve; and a portion of said housing defining at least one perforation therethrough immediately below said valve body to prevent entrapment of said fluid within said lower chamber upon said funnel being withdrawn from said poured fluid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,052,111 2/13 Weld 14l--199 1,055,534 3/13 Hogue 141-200 1,062,167 5/13 Kott Q 141-200 X 1,275,565 8/18 Junek 141200 1,312,531 8/19 Garbisch 141199 1,689,066 10/28 Baxter 141-205 X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN AUTOMATIC VALVE FOR USE WITHIN A FUNNEL, WHEREBY FLUID POURED THROUGH SAID FUNNEL WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY STOPPED FLOWING UPON A PREDETERMINED LEVEL BEING REACHED, AND COMPRISING: A TUBULAR HOUSING: A VALVE BODY WITHIN SAID HOUSING SUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEEN THE ENDS THEREOF TO DEFINE AN UPPER CHAMBER AND A LOWER CHAMBER, SAID VALVE BODY ALSO DEFINING A PASSAGEWAY THERETHROUGH; A POPPET VALVE INCLUDING A HEAD PORTION SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN SAID PASSAGEWAY; A PLURALITY OF RADIAL FINS PROJECTING FROM SAID POPPET VALVE TO BE IN SLIDABLE CONTACT WITH THE SIDES OF SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAID FINS THUS PROVIDING A PLURALITY OF FLUID FLOW PASSAGEWAYS THEREABOUT; A LEVER PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BELOW SAID VALVE BODY AND HAVING ONE END IN OPERABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID POPPET VALVE; A FLOAT SLIDABLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID LOWER CHAMBER; A

Images