US3286741A

US3286741A - Fuel valve

Info

Publication number: US3286741A
Application number: US289994A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allen B Gellman
Original assignee: Elgin American International Inc
Current assignee: Elgin American International Inc
Priority date: 1963-06-24
Filing date: 1963-06-24
Publication date: 1966-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-22

Description

Nov. 22, 1966 A. B. GELLMAN FUEL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24, 1963 76 wa Z761 azzemfi GK/mm Nov. 22, 1966 A. B. GELLMAN FUEL VALVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1963 a I. 6 y 00 10 w a Z (LI 9M? AW 122 A W7 United States Patent 3,286,741 FUEL VALVE Allen B. Gellman, Glencoe, IlL, assignor to Elgin American International, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,994 13 Claims. (Cl. 14118) This invention relates to valves and more particularly to valves of the class adapted for use in the charging of a reservoir with liquefied gas under pressure from a fuel container.

The invention is adapted for use in gas cigarette lighters, gas candles, stoves, and other burner devices utilizing liquefied gas fuel.

The gas most frequently used in this type of device is liquefied butane which has a very high cofiicient of expansion, as of the order of 2 percent of its volume for an increase of 10 C.

During the filling of a fuel reservoir with liquefied butane under pressure from a disposable fuel container, the temperature of the gas released from the disposable container decreases substantially below the surrounding temperature by reason of the expansion and evaporation of same. The reservoir is vented during filling to facilitate the inflow of fuel. When filling is completed, the reservoir and its contents return to the surrounding temperature.

In the type of lighter valve assembly which utilizes the gas pressure in the fuel reservoir to seal its gas inlet passageway, there is a problem of leakage in a twilight zone, that is, when the ambient temperature drops to about 40 F. as on a cold day. At this temperature the gas in the reservoir is contracted and there is not enough pressure to seal the reservoir against leakage. The valve assembly herein disclosed obviates this leakage problem.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved fuel charging valve.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a simplified construction for a fuel charging valve.

Another object of this invention resides in providing a fuel charging valve having an effective seal against the leakage of fuel from the reservoir.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fuel charging valve for filling a reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a disposable container which utilizes the temperature changes occurring during the filling of the reservoir for its operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved valve assembly for charging a reservoir and liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a disposable fuel container which vents the reservoir to atmosphere while charging the reservoir with fuel.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a lighter, .partly in section and with parts broken away illustrating one form of the vent valve structure;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of one form of the fuel charging valve;

FIGURE 2a is a sectional View taken along line 2a2a of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of another form of fuel charging valve;

FIGURE 3a is a sectional view taken along line 3a--3a of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form of the fuel charging valve structure of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of still another form of the new valve assembly;

Patented Nov. 22, 1966 FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of a further modification of the fuel charging valve structure of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of yet another form of the fuel charging valve structure of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation of another form of the reservoir venting valve structure of the valve assembly embodying the invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail several embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The valve assembly shown generally at 10 is shown in a butane gas lighter having a mechanical operating assembly (not shown) including a manually operable igniting means for igniting fuel at a fuel burner structure (not shown). The lighter is filled with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container 12 inserted into the lighter as shown in FIGURE 1. The valve assembly 10 is mounted on a casing 14 of fuel reservoir 16 with a portion of the valve assembly 10 extending through an opening 18 in the casing 14 and into the reservoir 16 for charging same with fuel.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 8 showing a preferred embodiment of a fuel charging valve structure of valve assembly 10, there is provided a filler tube 20, one end of which is adapted to receive a fuel container 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 and a second end extending into the fuel reservoir. Filler tube 20 has opposed, substantially fiat wall portions 22 and 24 and a fuel passageway 26 opening through flat wall portion 24 into the fuel reservoir. A rubber sealing tube 28 encircles the lower port-ion of filling tube 20 for closing fuel passageway 26. This tube may be composed of any suitable resilient material. A birnetal member shown (generally at 30 is secured to the bottom of filler tube 20 by suitable means such as screw 32. The bimetal member has a pair of flexible arms 34 and 36 for moving the sealing tube into and out of passageway closing position. Arm 34 extends between the rubber sealing tube 28 and the flat wall portion 22 of filler tube 20 and arm 36 extends over the outside of rubber sealing tube 28. The arms 34 and 3-6 of bimetal member 30 are normally in an expanded position so that arm 34 pulls the rubber sealing tube 28 into fluid-tight engagement with filler tube 20 to close fuel, passageway 26. The arms 3-4 and 36 are adapted to move inwardly toward the filler tube 20 to a contracted position in response to the lowering of the temperature in the reservoir as fuel under pressure is released from a fuel container 12 inserted over filler tube 20 and the venting of .the reservoir through lgas escape port 38 in filler tube 20. The dimensions of arms 34 and 36 are such that the compression against the rubber sealing tube 20 will be less than the pressure of the input gas in fuel passageway 26 and thus, durinlg filling, the input gas forces its ways through fuel passageway 26 into the fuel reservoir, but immediately after the gas input is stopped, the bimetal arm 36 will compress the rubber sealing tube 28 against the filler tube 20 to stopleakage until the temperature rises. When the temperature rises to normal, the arms 34 and 36 move to their expanded position and arm 34 pulls the rubber sealing tube 28 tight against filler tube 20. This pull plus the increasing gas pressure within the fuel reservoir causes a fluid-tight seal and the higher the temperature, the tighter the seal becomes.

When the ambient temperature drops into the twilight zone, about 40 F., as on a cold day, and the temperature of the gas in the reservoir 16 is lowered thus reducing the [gas pressure in the reservoir so the leakage is imminent the temperature responsive bimetal arms 34 and 36 move to their respective contracted positions and perature rises to normal, :assuming room temperature to be normal, the tempenature responsive bimetal arms 34 and 36 move to their respective expanded positions and arm 34 again pulls the rubber sealing tube 28 tightly against the tfiller tube 20.

The fuel charging valve structure shown in FIGURE 2 has a filler tube 40 extending into the fuel reservoir and having a fuel passageway 42 for passing fuel from a disposable fuel container into the fuel reservoir. The filler tube 40 has two opposed substantially

flat wall portions

44 and 46 as seen in FIGURE 2a, the fuel passageway 42 opening into the fuel reservoir through the wall portion 44. A resilient sealing tube 48 encircles the filler tube 48 and overlies the fuel passageway 42. A U-shaped bimetal member 50 is secured to the bottom of filler tube 40 by suitable means such as screw 52 and has a pair of

flexible arms

54 and 56 overlying the resilient sealing member 48 adjacent the

flat wall portions

44 and 46. The

flexible arm

54 and 56 are normally in an expanded position away from the resilient sealing member 48, When the

arms

54 and 56 are in this expanded position, the resilient sealing member 48 is held in fuel passageway closing position by the pressure of the fuel in the fuel reservoir. When the ambient temperature drops to about 40 F., as on a cold day, and the temperature of the gas in the reservoir is lowered and the pressure is reduced so that leakage is imminent, the temperature responsive Ibimet'al

arms

54 and 56 contract to compress the resilient sealing member 48 against the filler tube 40 to prevent leakage of fuel through the passageway 42. The compressive force exerted by the arm 56 against the resilient sealing member 48 is of such a nature that when it is desired to fill the reservoir with fuel, the pressure of the fuel released from the fuel container moves the are 56 and the resilient sealing member 48 out of contracted position.

This form of [fuel changing valve may be constructed so that the

flexible arms

54 and 56 of the bimetal member 50 are normally in a contracted position compressing the resilient sealing member 48 into fuel passageway closing position. When the ambient temperature drops into the twilight zone, thus reducing the pressure in the reservoir so that leakage through passageway 42 is imminent, the temperature responsive

bimetal arms

54 and 56 exert a still greater compressive force against resilient sealing member 48 to prevent any leakage from occurring. Here again the compressive force exerted by the arm 56 against the resilient sealing member 48 is of such a nature that it is moved out of its contracted posi ion by the pressure of the fuel released from pressurized fuel container 12 into passageway 42 to facilitate filling of the reservoir 16.

FIGURE 3 shows a fuel changing valve structure which operates in the same manner as the valve shown in FIGURE 2. 'In the valve of FIGURE 3, the bimetal member 50' is held against the end of filler tube 40 by a protective valve casing 58 which is threaded onto flange '60 of filler tube 40'. The casing 58 has a hole 62 therein for plassingfuel from the interior of the protective valve casing 58 into the fuel reservoir.

The valve shown in FIGURE 4 utilizes both gas pressure in the reservoir and temperature responsive means for sealing a fuel passageway 64 in filler tube 66. The filler tube 66 forms a valve seat 68 at its lower end. A tubular valve casing 70 is threaded on filler tube 66. A flapper valve 72 is disposed in the tubular valve casing 70 for movement into and out of sealing engagement with valve seat 68. The pressure of the gas in the fuel reservoir normally maintains the flapper valve 72 in fluidtight engagement with the valve seat 68. When the ambient temperature drops into the twilight zone, thus reducing the gas pressure in the reservoir so that leakage through passageway 64 is imminent, piston 74 is moved upward into engagement with flapper valve 72 by the bimetal coil 76 to assist in holding flapper valve 72 against valve seat 68 to prevent leakage of fuel into fluid passageway 64. The forces holding flapper valve 72 in engagement with valve seat 68 are of such a nature that flapper valve 72 is moved out of sealing engagement with valve seat 68 by the pressure of the fuel released from fuel container 12 into fuel passageway 64 to facilitate filling of the reservoir with fuel. In the form shown, the filler tube 66 has a flange portion 78 having a gas escape port 80 therethrough for venting the fuel reservoir to atmosphere during the filling of the reservoir with fuel.

The fuel charging valve shown in FIGURE 5 has a filler tube 82 of magnetic material having a longitudinal fuel passageway 84 therethrough and forming a valve seat 86 at its lower end. A hollow valve casing 88 is sealed on the lower end of filler tube 82 by a sealing ring 90. Within the hollow casing 88 there is disposed a resilient sealing member '92 adapted to seat against valve seat 86 and having a permanent magnet 94 secured thereto so that the resilient sealing member 92 is normally attracted toward the filler tube 82 and therefore in engagement with the seat 86. The end of hollow casing 88 is closed by a plug 96 which is threaded into the casing and which has a fluid flow port 98 therethrough for admitting fuel from the interior of the hollow casing 88 into the fuel reservoir. The casing 88 also has

ports

100 and 102 for admitting fuel to the fuel reservoir. The filler tube 82 has a flange portion 104 with a gas escape port 106 therethrough similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 for use with the vent valve structure shown in FIGURE 1 to vent the fuel reservoir to atmosphere simultaneously with the charging of the reservoir with fuel as is hereinafter more particularly pointed out.

The magnetic attraction of permanent magnet 94 for the filler tube 82 is of such a nature that the resilient sealing member 92 is moved out of engagement with valve seat 86 by the pressure of fuel released from a fuel container into the fuel passageway 84 to facilitate filling of the fuel reservoir.

In the valve assembly shown in FIGURE 6 affording simultaneous charging of a fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and escape of gas from the reservoir, a valve casing shown generally at 108 has a top wall 110 overlying the reservoir casing 14 and closing the opening 18 therein. The casing 108 has a depending cylindrical wall 112 extending into the fuel reservoir and defining a recess 114. The casing 108 has a gas escape port 116 in its top wall 110 communicating with recess 114 and a side vent 118 in cylindrical wall 112 communicating the fuel reservoir with recess 114. A resilient sealing member 120 is carried in recess 114 for closing the gas escape port 116. A filler tube 122 of magnetic material protrudes through the top wall 110 of valve casing 108 into recess 114. The filler tube 122 has a longitudinal fuel passageway 124 therethrough communicating with recess 114 and providing a valve seat surface 126. A flapper valve 128 is disposed in recess 114 of the casing 108 for movement into and out of sealing engagement with valve seat surface 126. A permanent magnet 130 having magnetic attraction for the filler tube 122 is disposed in recess 114 below flapper valve 128 for moving the resilient sealing member 120 into port closing position and flapper valve 128 into sealing engagement against valve seat surface 126 to close fuel passageway 124. The valve assembly is provided with a temperature responsive bimetal coil 132 which expands against magnet 130 in response to a lowering of the temperature in the fuel reservoir. The force exerted by the bimetal coil 132 assists in preventing leakage through the gas escape port 116 and fuel passageway 124 when the magnetic attraction of magnet 130 for filler tube 122 and the pressure in the fuel reservoir are not sulficient to prevent leakage. The end thrust of the bimetal coil 132 is received by a threaded plug 134 turned into the casing 108. The plug 134 has a fuel port 136 therethrough for allowing fuel to pass from recess 114 into the fuel reservoir. The forces exerted by the bimetal coil 132 and magnet 130 are of such a nature that the flapper valve 128 and resilient sealing member 120 will be moved out of their respective closed positions by the pressure of fuel being inserted into fuel passageway 124 from a fuel container inserted over the upper end of filler tube 122 to facilitate filling of the fuel reservoir.

FIGURE 7 shows a valve assembly having a valve casing shown generally at 138. The casing 138 has a transversely extending top wall portion 140 overlying the reservoir casing 14 and closing the opening 18- therein. The casing 138 also has a depending cylindrical wall portion 142 extending into the fuel reservoir and defining a recess 144. The top wall portion 140 of casing 138 has a gas escape port 146 therethrough communicating with recess 144 and the cylindrical wall 142 of casing 138 has a side vent 14'8 therethrough communicating the fuel reservoir with recess 144. A filler tube 150 protrudes through the top wall portion 140 of casing 138 into recess 144, the tube having a fuel passageway 152 therethrough. A resilient sealing ring 154 is carried in recess 144 for closing gas escape port 146. A cylindrical sleeve 156 is carried in recess 144 and a piston 158 is mounted in cylindrical sleeve 156 for reciprocating movement, the piston 158 being adapted to cut off communication between the fuel passageway 152 and recess 144 and to cause resilient sealing member 154 to close gas escape port 146. The valve assembly has temperature responsive means for reciprocating piston 158 comprising a fluid 160 in the cylindrical sleeve 156 which changes its volume at a lower temperature than the liquefied gas fuel which is inserted into the fuel reservoir. In the case where butane gas is being inserted into the fuel reservoir, either alcohol or propane, for example, is a suitable fluid for this purpose. The recess 144 is closed by a plug 162 threaded into the cylindrical side wall 142 of casing 138, the plug having a fuel port 164 therethrough communicating recess 144 with the fuel reservoir to facilitate passage of fuel into the reservoir. The over-all system including the temperature responsive fluid 160 is such that when the reservoir is to be filled, the fluid 160 will rapidly contract due to the extremely low temperature of the fluid fuel from the supply to thereby permit the pressure of the fluid fuel to move piston 158 downwardly while allowing the pressure of fluid fuel remaining in the reservoir to act upwardly on the underside of the sleeve 156 to move the latter upwardly thereby permitting additional fluid fuel to enter the reservoir through the port 164. When the refilling operation has been completed, it will be appreciated that the fluid 160 will not immediately expand to cause the piston 158 to move into a sealing relationship with the sealing member 154. However, they pressure of the fuel in the reservoir will act on the underside of the sleeve 156 to cause the latter to move the piston 158 into such a sealing relationship. After a short period of time, the temperature of the fluid 160 will attain the temperature of the environment, expanding as the temperature increases until the structure is arranged in the manner shown in FIG. 7. As mentioned above, the fluid 160 is selected such that a significant volume change will only occur at a lower temperature than a similar volume change of the gas fuel in the reservoir. Accordingly,

when fluid is subjected to a low environmental temperature, it will still exert a significant sealing force against the piston 158 although the pressure of the fluid fuel in the reservoir against the underside of the sleeve 156 may have decreased significantly.

FIGURE 1 shows one form of a vent valve structure of the valve assembly 10 associated with a fuel container 12. This form of vent valve comprises a filler tube 166 having a fuel passageway 168 therethrough and a transverse flange portion 170 closing the opening 18 in the casing 14- of reservoir 16. The flange portion 170 of the filler tube 166 has a gas escape port 172 venting reservoir 16 to atmosphere as shown in FIGURE 1.

The filler tube 166 has an upper stem portion 174 adapted to be inserted into the fuel container 12, the stem having an opening 176 therein for admitting liquefied gas fuel under pressure from the fuel container 12 into the fuel passageway 168.

A plunger 178 is mounted for reciprocating movement between an upper position and a depressed position on the stem portion 174 of filler tube 166. The bottom surface 180 of the plunger 17-8 lies in a plane which is at an acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the plunger 178. This inclined surface 180 engages a washer 182 which, in turn, engages a resilient sealing ring 184 adapted to open and close the gas escape port 172.

The plunger 178 has a recess 186 therein which receives a helical spring 188 for normally urging the plunger 178 toward its upper position and the resilient sealing ring 184 into its port closing position.

When the fuel container 12 is inserted over the stem portion 174 of the filler tube 166, it forces the plunger 178 into its depressed position as shown in FIGURE 1. When the plunger 178 is in its depressed position, the inclined surface 180 compresses one side of the resilient sealing ring 184 while allowing the other side of the resilient ring covering the gas escape port 172 to be lifted out of its port closing position, thus venting the reservoir 16 to atmosphere.

FIGURE 9 shows a modified form of a reservoir vent valve structure having a filler tube 190 which has a top end adapted to receive a fuel container 12 as shown in FIGURE 1 and a body portion extending into the fuel reservoir. The filler tube 190 has a fuel passageway 192 therethrough opening into the fuel reservoir.

A plunger 194 is mounted on the filler tube 190 for reclprocating movement between a normal position, as seen in FIGURE 9, and a depressed position. The plunger 194 has a recess 196 therein having a helical plunger spring 198 which urges plunger 194 toward its normal position. The end thrust of the spring 198 is taken by a plug 200 inserted through hole 18 in the reservoir casing 14.

A vent valve slide 202, movable between a normal position and a depressed position, encircles the filler tube 190 and is received within plug 200. The vent valve slide has an end flange 204 having inclined upper surface 206.

A vent valve casing 208 has a recess 210 therein and a gas escape port 212 therethrough for venting the fuel reservoir to atmosphere. A vent valve spring 214 in recess 210 urges vent valve slide 202 toward its normal pos tion. When the vent valve slide 202 is in normal position, the inclined upper surface 206 of the end flange 204 compresses an O-ring 216 against vent valve casing 208 and plug 200 to close the gas escape port 212. During the filling of the fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from the fuel container inserted over the end of filler tube 190, the vent valve slide 202 is moved 1n=to its depressed position thus releasing the compressive force on O-ring 216 and unblocking the gas escape port 212 and venting the fuel reservoir to atmosphere. The vent valve slide 202 is moved into its depressed position by plunger 194 which is moved into its depressed position against vent valve slide 202 by the fuel container inserted over the end of filler tube 190.

This vent valve structure may have a' resilient sealing ring 218 for closing the fuel passageway 192 as shown in FIGURE 9.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting the reservoir to atmosphere, comprising: a filler tube having one end adapted to receive said fuel container and a second end extending into said fuel reservoir, said filler tube having opposed substantially flat wall portions, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethrough opening through one of aid flat wall portions into said reservoir; a rubber sealing tube encircling said filler tube for closing said fuel passageway; a bimetal member secured to said filler tube and having a pair of flexible arms for moving said sealing tube into its closed position, one of said arms extending between said rubber sealing tube and the flat wall portion of the filler tube opposite said fuel port, the second arm of said bimetal member extending over the outside of said rubber sealing tube, said arms of the bimetal member normally being in an expanded position so that said first arm pulls the rubber sealing tube into fluidtight engagement with said filler tube to close said fuel passageway, said arms being adapted to urge inwardly toward the filler tube to a contracted position in response to a lowering of the temperature in said reservoir as said fuel under pressure is released from said fuel container into the filler tube and said reservoir is vented to atmosphere, the construction of said second arm being such that when urging toward its contracted position its compres sive force against the rubber sealing member is less than the pressure of the fuel in the fuel passageway of the filler tube so that the fuel passes through the passageway into the fuel reservoir.

2. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting the reservoir to atmosphere comprising: a filler tube having one end adapted to receive said fuel container and a second end extending into said fuel reservoir, said filler tube having opposed substantially flat wall portions, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethrough opening through one of said flat wall portions into said reservoir; means for venting said reservoir to atmosphere; a rubber sealing tube encircling said filler tube for closing said fuel passageway, a bimetal member secured to said filler tube and having a pair of flexible arms overlying said rubber sealing tube, said arms normally being in a contracted position compressing said rubber sealing tube against said filler tube to close said fuel passageway, said arms being adapted to be moved away from said filler tube into an expanded position in response to the pressure of the fuel released from said fuel container into said fuel passageway and a lowering of the temperature of the bimetal member as the fuel released from said fuel container expands in the fuel passageway of the filler tube and the reservoir is vented to atmosphere.

3. A valve assembly for simultaneously charging a reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and venting said reservoir to atmosphere, comprising: a filler tube having one end adapted to receive said fuel container and a second end extending into said fuel reservoir, said filler tube having a pair of opposed substantially flat wall portions, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethrough and opening through one of said flat wall portions into said fuel reservoir; a rubber sealing tube encircling said filler tube for closing said fuel passageway; a U-shaped bimetal member secured to said filler tube and having a pair of flexible arms overlying said rubber sealing tube, said arms normally being in an expanded position away from said rubber sealing tube, said rubber sealing tube normally being compressed against the filler tube by the pressure of the fuel in said fuel reservoir to close the fuel passageway, said flexible arms adapted to be moved inwardly toward said filler tube into a contracted position compressing said rubber sealing tube against said filler tube in response to a lowering of the temperature in said reservoir to prevent leakage through said fuel passageway, the flexibility of said arms being of such a nature that they are moved away from the filler tube by the pressure of the fuel released from said fuel container into said fuel passageway to facilitate filling of the fuel reservoir.

4. A valve assembly affording simultaneous charging of a fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and escape of gas from the reservoir, comprising: a valve casing having a top wall and a cylindrical side Wall extending into said reservoir and having a recess therein, said casing having a gas escape port in its top wall communicating with said recess and a side vent in said side wall communicating said reservoir with said recess; a resilient sealing member carried in the recess of said casing for closing said gas escape port; a filler tube of magnetic material protruding through the top wall of said valve casing into said recess; said tube having a fuel passageway therethrough and providing a valve seat; a flapper valve carried in the recess of said casing for movement into and out of sealing engagement with said valve seat; means having magnetic attraction for said filler tube for moving said resilient sealing member into port closing position and said flapper valve into sealing engagement against said seat to close said fuel passageway; and temperature responsive mean for holding said magnetic means against said flapper valve to prevent leakage of fuel from said reservoir, said magnetic means and said temperature responsive means being of such a nature that said resilient sealing member is moved out of port closing position and the flapper valve is moved out of sealing engagement against said valve seat by the pressure of the fuel released from said fuel container into said fuel passageway to facilitate filling of the fuel reservoir.

5. A valve assembly affording simultaneous charging of a fuel reservoir with liquefied gas fuel under pressure from a fuel container and escape of gas from the reservoir, comprising: a valve casing having a top wall, a cylindrical side wall extending into said reservoir and a recess therein, said casing having a gas escape port in its top wall communicating with said recess and a vent in said side wall communicating said reservoir with said recess, said casing having a filler tube through said top wall and extending into said recess, said filler tube having a fuel passageway therethrough communicating with said recess; a resilient sealing ring carried in the recess of said casing for closing the gas escape port; a cylindrical sleeve in the recess of said casing; a piston mounted in said cylindrical sleeve for reciprocating movement, said piston being adapted to cut off the communication between said fuel passageway and said recess and to cause the resilient sealing member to close said gas escape port; and temperature responsive means for reciprocating said piston, said casing having an outlet port communicating said recess with said fuel reservoir.

6. The valve assembly as described in claim 5 wherein the temperature responsive means for reciprocating the piston comprises a fluid in said cylindrical sleeve which changes its volume at a lower temperature than the liquefied gas fuel.

7. The valve assembly as specified in claim 6 wherein said fluid is propane and said fuel is butane.

8. The valve assembly as specified in claim 6 wherein said fluid is alcohol and said fuel is butane.

9. In a filler valve assembly for the fuel reservoir of a liquefied gas fuel device that is subjected to use in an environment that is subject to temperature variants and having means defining a fuel passageway opening through a valve seat into said reservoir together with a valve member movable toward and away from said valve seat, said assembly including fluid pressure responsive means for urging said valve member toward said valve seat with a force proportional to the pressure of fuel in said reservoir, the improvement comprising: thermal responsive means in said reservoir for urging said valve member toward said seat with a force inversely proportional to the temperature of said reservoir, whereby when the pressure of fuel in said reservoir decreases in response to a decrease in environmental temperature, the force urging said valve member toward said valve seat applied by said thermal responsive means will increase to insure maintenance of said valve member in a sealing relation with said valve seat.

10. The filler valve assembly of claim 9 wherein said fuel passageway opens through a valve seat in an end member of a tubular casing extending within the reservoir, said valve member is a flapper disc in said casing and said thermal responsive means is an elongated bimetal spiral which, upon a reduction in temperature, urges said flapper disc against said valve seat.

11. The filler valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said tubular casing is open ended, said bi-metal spiral is seated against a surface in said reservoir outside said casing and operates on said valve member through a piston slidable in said casing.

12. The filler valve assembly of claim 10 wherein said tubular casing has a closed end and said elongate spiral bi-metal element acts between said closed end and said flapper disc.

13. A filler valve assembly for the fuel valve of a liquefied gas fuel device having means defining a fuel passageway formed in an elongated tubular member and an opening through a valve seat in the side wall of a fuel reservoir, and a valve member movable toward and away from said valve seat, said valve member comprising a resilient band surrounding said tubular member and being urged by said valve seat by the pressure of fuel in said reservoir and away from said seat by the pressure of fuel from a supply connected with said passageway, and the improvement comprising: a thermal responsive element in said reservoir and operable on reduction of the temperature of said reservoir to supplement the pressure of fuel in said reservoir and hold said valve member against said seat, said thermal responsive element comprising a fixed elongated bi-metal strip having one end positioned to urge said band toward said valve seat upon a reduction in temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 360,139 5/1887 Browne 137-59 1,815,394 7/1931 Boosey. 1,870,253 8/1932 Johnson 236-101 1,877,510 9/1932 Hughes 137-468 X 2,088,788 8/1937 Hage 137-525 X 2,214,844 9/ 1940 Van Keuren et al 137-62 2,658,522 11/1953 Coberly 137-468 2,667,895 2/1954 Pool et a1. 137-528 2,707,074 4/1955 Tussey 137-525 X 2,949,931 8/1960 Ruppright 137-528 3,032,058 5/1962 Weese 137-468 3,074,443 1/ 1963 Iketani 141-293 3,195,590 7/1965 Iketani 141-293 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

E. EARLS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

9. IN A FILLER VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE FUEL RESERVOIR OF A LIQUEFIED GAS FUEL DEVICE THAT IS SUBJECTED TO USE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SUBJECTED TO TEMPERATURE VARIANTS AND HAVING MEANS DEFINING A FUEL PASSAGEWAY OPENING THROUGH A VALVE SEAT INTO SAID RESERVOIR TOGETHER WITH A VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING FLUID PRESSURE RESPONSIVE MEANS FOR URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID VALVE SEAT WITH A FORCE PROPORTIONAL TO THE PRESSURE OF FUEL IN SAID RESERVOIR, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: THERMAL RESPONSIVE MEANS IN SAID RESERVOIR FOR URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID SEAT WITH A FORCE INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID RESERVOIR DECREASES IN RESPONSE TO A DECREASE FUEL IN SAID RESERVOIR DECREASES IN RESPONSE TO A DECREASE IN ENVIRONMENT TEMPERATURE, THE FORCE URGING SAID VALVE MEMBER TOWARD SAID VALVE SEAT APPLIED BY SAID THERMAL RESPONSIVE MEANS WILL INCREASE TO INSURE MAINTENANCE OF SAID VALVE MEMBER IN A SEALING RELATION WITH SAID VALVE SEAT.