US3334821A - Anti-spill filling hose nozzle - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 8, 1967 H. F. GARRISON ANTI-SPILL FILLING HOSE NOZZLE Filed June 24, 1965 FIGI INVENTOR HARRY E GARRISON ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,334,821 ANTI-SPILL FILLING HOSE NOZZLE Harry F. Garrison, 7470 Gerald, Warren, Mich. 48092 Filed June 24, 1965, Ser. No. 466,765 Claims. (Cl. 239589) This invention relates to nozzles and, in particular, to hose nozzles.

Hitherto, filling hose nozzles for transferring liquids from tank trucks or tank cars into tanks have been subject to the disadvantage of spilling liquid around the tank filling spout as a result of overflow of the liquid when the tank has become filled with liquid. Various automatic shutoff devices have been devised but none has been entirely satisfactory as regards spill prevention and such nozzles have still had to be watched by the operator. The present invention provides an anti-spill filling hose nozzle for transferring liquids from tank vehicles to tanks, which takes advantage of the presence of the bubbles on the top surface of the liquid in the tank to give ample warning of the complete filling of the tank so that liquid delivery can be halted before overflow occurs.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide an anti-spill filling hose nozzle for liquid tanks wherein the nozzle has a window through which the bubbles on the rising top surface of the liquid in the tank can be seen in ample time to stop the flow of liquid through the nozzle into the tank and thus prevent overflow and consequent spilling of the liquid and eliminating the fire hazard arising from such spilled liquid.

Another object is to provide an anti-spill filling hose nozzle of the foregoing character which additionally possesses an enlargement around the forward end of the nozzle so as to cover and protect the mouth of the filling spout of the tank.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical section through an underground tank equipped with a filling spout, showing the anti-spill filling hose nozzle in the position occupied during the filling of the tank from a tank vehicle, with the nozzle partly broken away to show the viewing window;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the nozzle of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 therein, with the filling hose omitted;

FIGURE 3 is a central vertical section through the nozzle of FIGURES 1 and 2, taken along the line 3--3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the nozzle shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary central vertical section through a modification of the nozzle shown in FIGURES l to 4 inclusive; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of a further modification of the nozzles shown in FIGURES 1 and 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURE 1 shows diagrammatically a typical liquid storage tank installation, generally designated 10, such as is used in gasoline filling stations and the like, while being filled with liquid being transferred thereto from a tank vehicle (not shown) through a filling hose 12 equipped with the anti-spill filling hose nozzle 14, according to one form of the invention. The tank installation is shown diagrammatically and its details are beyond the scope of the present invention. The installation 10 includes an underground tank 16 having a vertical filling pipe 18 welded or otherwise secured thereto as at 20 above an opening 21 in the tank 16. The tank 16 and filling pipe 18 are covered with a layer 22 of a suitable material, such as concrete above earth.

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Secured as by welding at 24 to the upper end of the filling pipe 18 level with the ground or concrete surface 25 is an access fixture 26, the upper end portion of which is provided with an opening 28, preferably threaded to receive a correspondingly-threaded removable access plate or plug 29. The upper end 31 of the filling pipe 18 is provided with a mouth 30 of a bore 32 through which the nozzle 14 is inserted. The tank 16 is ordinarily provided with a vent pipe (not shown) which is omitted for simplicity of showing.

The filling hose 12 is connected to the tank vehicle (not shown) in any suitable conventional way and at its forward end is provided with a conventional coupling 34 by which the nozzle 14 is connected to the hose 12. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the nozzle 14 may be connected to the coupling 34 by a threaded hose coupling connection 36 having a collar 38 and a threaded portion 40, the latter being threaded into the hose coupling 34. The collar 38 is secured to a reduced diameter end portion 42 of the upper arm or hose connection portion 44 of the nozzle 14. The connection at the reduced diameter portion 42 may be made by welding or brazing if the nozzle 14 is of metal or by bonding if of synthetic rubber or synthetic plastic. A C-shaped handle 45 has its opposite ends also welded, brazed or bonded to the opposite sides of the upper arm portion 42.

Extending downwardly from and preferably integral with the forward end of the nozzle 14 is a downwardlytapered lower arm or spout portion 46, the tapered constructure of which wedges itself into and plugs the adjacent end of the filling pipe 18 to prevent overflow. Located near the forward end of the arm 44 of the nozzle 14 adjacent its junction 47 with the lower arm or spout portion 46 and substantially in line with the passageway through said spout portion 46 is a window 48 consisting of an opening 50 above which is a counterbore or enlarged diameter portion 52 containing a window pane 54 of transparent material, such as glass, transparent plastic, transparent crystal (such as quartz) or other material which is not attacked by the liquid being dispensed by the nozzle 14 through its mouth 56.

The modified anti-spill filling hose nozzle, generally designated 60, shown in FIGURE 5, is substantially identical in construction to the nozzle 14 shown in FIG- URES 1 to 4 inclusive and similar parts are consequently designated with the same reference numerals. The modified nozzle 60, however, in addition to possessing all of the structural features of the nozzle 14, is provided with an annular flange or collar 62, preferably of conical configuration, and may be either integral with the material of the nozzle spout portion 46, as shown, or separate therefrom. The flange or collar 62 is preferably located intermediate its mouth 56 and its junction 48 with the coupling portion 44.

The further modified anti-spill filling hose nozzle, generally designated 70, shown in FIGURE 6, is substantially identical with the modified nozzle 60 shown in FIG- URE 5 except that the flange or collar 62 is additionally encircled by a metal clamping ring 72 which strengthens and stiffens the flange 62.

In the operation of any of the three nozzles 14, 60 or 70, let it be assumed that the hose 12 has been connected thereto in the usual way and has been coupled to a tank vehicle containing a liquid, such as gasoline, diesel oil or fuel oil, to be transferred to the tank 16 of the underground installation 10. To do so, the operator first removes the access plate 29 by means of a suitable wrench or spanner and then inserts the spout portion 46 into the mouth 30 of the filling pipe 18. He then opens the valve (not shown) which permits liquid to flow from the tank vehicle through the hose 12 and nozzle 14 out of the mouth 56 thereof through the filling pipe 18 into the tank 16. As the filling of the tank 16 proceeds, the liquid level therein rises, and the splashing of the liquid into the tank causes bubbles to be formed on the surface of the liquid. When the liquid level reaches the top of the tank 16 at the hole 21, it rises in the filling pipe 18, preceded by the bubbles on its surface.

. Meanwhile, the operator has been looking through the transparent window 54 down through the spout portion 46 of the nozzle 14 toward the mouth 56 thereof. As soon as he observes the bubbles on the surface of the liquid rising in the filling pipe 18, he eloses the valve and thereby shuts off the flow of liquid through the hose 12 and nozzle 14 into the filling pipe 18. In this manner, he prevents overflow and consequent spilling of the liquid on the ground or concrete surface 25 around the access opening 28. As a result, the fire hazard from spilled liquid is eliminated.

The operation of the modified nozzles 60 and 70 of FIGURES S and 6 respectively is the same as that described above, and differs only by the fact that the collar or flange 62 rests upon the upper end 31 of the filling pipe 18, The metal ring 72 of the nozzle 70 additionally strengthens the collar or flange 62 and adds to its rigidity.

What I claim is: 1. An anti-spill filling hose nozzle for filling liquid tanks from a tank vehicle, said nozzle comprising ahollow nozzle body having a hose connection portion and a spout portion connected to said hose connection portion at a junction therebetween and having a liquid outlet mouth remote from said junction,

said spout portion being disposed at an angle to said hose connection portion adjacent said junction and extending downwardly from said junction, a hose coupling connection secured to said hose connection portion, said nozzle body having a liquid passageway extending therethrough from said coupling connection to said mouth,

4 and a transparent window disposed in one of said portions above said mouth and substantially in line with and in sight of that part of said passageway within said spout portion.

2. An anti-spill filling hose nozzle, according to claim 1, wherein said window is disposed in said hose connection portion adjacent said junction of said hose connection portion with said spout portion and substantially perpendicular to said spout portion.

3. An anti-spill filling hose nozzle, according to claim 2, wherein said window is disposed on the upper side of said hose connection portion above said-spout portion.

4. An anti-spill filling hose nozzle, according to claim 1, wherein said window includes an opening disposed in the upper side of said hose connection portion above said spout portion and a transparent window pane disposed in said opening.

5. An anti-spill filling hose nozzle, according to claim 1, wherein the upper part of said spout portion of said nozzle body adjacent said junction is of larger diameter than the tank inlet and is tapered downward toward the mouth of said spout portion, whereby to plug the tank inlet and prevent overflow therefrom during filling of the tank by said nozzle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,618,486 2/1927 Sklovsky 239-74 2,231,907 2/1941 Harris 1419 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 742,668 12/1955 Great Britain.

V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner.

M. HENSQN WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner:

Claims (1)

1. AN ANTI-SPILL FILLING HOSE NOZZLE FOR FILLING LIQUID TANKS FROM A TANK VEHICLE, SAID NOZZLE COMPRISING A HOLLOW NOZZLE BODY HAVING A HOSE CONNECTING PORTION AND A SPOUT PORTION CONNECTED TO SAID HORSE CONNECTION PORTION AT A JUNCTION THEREBETWEEN AND HAVING A LIQUID OUTLET MOUTH REMOTE FROM SAID JUNCTION, SAID SPOUT PORTION BEING DISPOSED AT AN ANGLE TO SAID HOSE CONNECTION PORTION ADJACENT SAID JUNCTION AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID JUNCTION, A HOSE COUPLING CONNECTION SECURED TO SAID HOSE CONNECTING PORTION, SAID NOZZLE BODY HAVING A LIQUID PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THERETHROUGH FROM SAID COUPLING CONNECTING TO SAID MOUTH, AND A TRANSPARENT WINDOW DISPOSED IN ONE OF SAID PORTIONS ABOVE SAID MOUTH AND SUBSTANTIALLY IN LINE WITH AND IN SIGHT OF THAT PART OF SAID PASSAGEWAY WITHIN SAID SPOUT PORTION.

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