US3414015A

US3414015A - Emergency gasoline-supply holding device

Info

Publication number: US3414015A
Authority: US
Inventors: Howard S Howard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-02-02
Filing date: 1966-02-02
Publication date: 1968-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-03

Description

Dec. 3, 1968 H. s. HOWARD EMERGENCY GASOLlNE-SUPPLY HOLDING DEVICE Filed Feb.

mitm

United States Patent O "lee 3,414,015 EMERGENCY GASOLINE-SUPPLY HOLDING DEVICE Howard S. Howard, 17 Clover Place, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10805 Filed Feb. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 524,438 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-572) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An emergency gasoline-supply holding device for an auto or the like which is essentially a hollow tube and is mounted in the ll spout or inlet of the -main gasoline tank of the auto and, in this position, does not interfere with the filling of the tank-the gasoline passing through the tube-while effectively trapping, as an emergency gas supply for subsequent use, the quantity of gasoline which rises to a level above the lower end of the tube.

The present invention relates generally to a device useful for cars and similar vehicles, and more particularly to a device for making available an emergency supply of gasoline when the main gasoline supply is depleted.

Despite the fact that most cars have gasoline gauges, it is not uncommon for the operator thereof to occasionally run out of gasoline far from a -refueling station. Providing a emergency supply of gasoline in a separate container is an obvious solution, but not an adequate solution because of the danger of storing such a container.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a completely safe means for storing an emergecy supply of gasoline. Specifically, it is `an object in providing such safe gasoline storage means to also eleminate any hadling of the gasoline when emptying the same into the vehicle gasoline storage tank preparatory to using this gasoline to drive the vehicle to a station for refueling.

An emergency gasoline-supply holding device demonstrating features of the present invention comprises a flexible, tubular member which, in practice, is mounted in the inlet conduit of the vehicle gasoline storage tank. The holding device has a valve in the bottom end thereof which is effective, when closed, to hold a quart or other reasonable emergency quantity of gasoline as determined by the volume of the device in storage upon the filling of the vehicle tank, inlet conduit and holding device with gasoline. When the gasoline supply of the tank and inlet conduit is subsequently depleted, the emergency supply of gasoline being stored within the holding device is then available to be released therefrom and flows into the tank to permit the vehicle to be driven to a local station for replenishing `of the main supply of gasoline.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded elevational view of the product of the present invention and a typical inlet conduit of a vehicle gasoline storage tank;

FIG. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of the product illustrating structural features of the valve means in the bottom end thereof;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, in section, of the product in its mounted position within the inlet conduit, and further illustrates the manner of filling of the vehicle gasoline storage tank through said product;

FIG. 4 is `a plan view, in section taken on line 4-4 of 3,414,015 Patented Dec. 3, 1968 FIG. 3, illustrating further structural features of the product and also the condition thereof when filled with gasoline;

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational View, in section, of the product immediately after the filling of the vehicle gasoline storage tank with gasoline;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevational view similar to FIG. 5 but of the bottom portion of the product, and also illustrating the condition thereof at a subsequent point in time when the gasoline supply of the vehicle has been depleted; and

FIG. 7 is a partial elevational view, in section, similar to FIG. 3 Vbut on a slightly enlarged scale and illustrating the functioning of the product to release an emergency supply of gasoline for passage through the inlet conduit into the vehicle gasoline storage tank.

Reference is now made to the drawings wherein there is shown a liquid holding device, generally designated 10, which according to the present invention is used to hold an emergency supply of gasoline for use when the main supply of gasoline for a vehicle has -been `inadvertently completely depleted. In these circumstances, the stored quantity of gasoline within the device 10 will enable the driver of the vehicle to travel a further distance Where, under most circumstances, he will encounter a gasoline station and be able to replenish the main supply of gasoline. Further, since the functioning of the device 10 is releasing this emergency supply of gasoline into vehicle gasoline storage tank requires manipulation of the device 10 by the driver of the vehicle, the driver of course is put on notice that he is operating only with the comparatively small emergency quantity of gasoline and therefore will immediately proceed to the nearest gasoline station. This emergency quantity is dependent only on the size and thus the volume capacity of the device 10.

The device 10 may be employed in. all popular makes of cars, trucks and other such vehicles and only an exemplary gasoline storage tank inlet conduit structure of these vehicles is shown in the drawing since this is all that is necessary to an understanding of the functioning and construction of the device 10. As is generally understood, a typical vehicle gasoline storage tank (not shown) has an inlet conduit 12 appropriately connected at one end to it and this conduit has an opposite, upper inlet opening 14 in an accessible position relative to the vehicle body 16 for flowing gasoline, by gravity, into the vehicle gasoline storage tank. The liquid holding device 10 of the present invention is mounted Within the inlet opening 14, being placed by hand into the inlet conduit until assuming the position illustrated in FIG. 3. The device 10 has a valve means, generally designated 18, at the bottom end thereof which includes as one essential element a movable valve 20 which when manipulated in movement is made to assume a position blocking the flow of fluid into the tank, and in another significant position thereof assumes a position releasing stored fluid for flow into the tank. Connected to the valve 20 is a pull cord 22 which, at its other end, is appropriately connected to -a cap 24 of the device. In this manner, the cap-end of the pull cord 22 is maintained accessible and enables manipulation of the valve 20.

The functioning of the device 10 can best be appreciated by a comparison of FIGS. 3, 6 and 7. FIG. 3 illustrates the manner in which a vehicle gasoline storage tank is initially lled with gasoline, such gasoline G being supplied from a nozzle 26 connected to an appropriate pump or the like and inserted into the device 10 which is then in its mounted position Within the inlet conduit 12. As clearly shown in FIG. 3, at this time the cap 24 is removed from the inlet opening of the device 10 and thus causes the valve 20 to assume a position permitting the ilow of gasoline through the valve means 18 and into the vehicle storage tank. Ultimately, the gasoline being supplied to the vehicle will fill the storage tank and also the inlet conduit 12 and rise to a level above the valve 20, which results in the device being filled with an emergency supply of gasoline. Following this filling operation, the cap 24 is placed in its position in the upper end of the device 10 which in turn results in the valve 20 assuming a seated position in the valve means 18 and thereby blocking the flow of the emergency quantity of gasoline from the device 10. This is best shown in FIG. 6.

Use of the vehicle at this time will result in a depletion of the main gasoline supply and thus a receding of the level of the gasoline Within the gasoline storage tank and also within the inlet conduit 12 until the condition depicted in FIG. 6. When the entire main gasoline supply is depleted, it is contemplated that use will be made of the holding device 10 to supply the emergency quantity of gasoline to enable the car to be driven to a gas station. To obtain the use of this emergency supply, the cap 24 is removed from the upper opening of the holding device 10 which removes the valve 20 from its position closing the bottom end of the holding device 10. The removal of the valve from the valve seat results in an obvious manner in the release of the emergency supply of gasoline being stored within the holding device 10 into the inlet conduit 14 for passage into the gasoline storage tank of the vehicle. This affords the driver of the vehicle an opportunity to move the vehicle to a gasoline station to replenish the main supply of gasoline.

In a preferred embodiment for the holding device 10 as illustrated herein, the device has a tubular, open-ended body 28 fabricated of a pliable plastic so that during insertion thereof into the inlet conduit 14, the body 28 readily assumes the shape of the inlet conduit. That is, the tubular body 28 will bend, as at 30 (see FIG. 3), to accommodate itself to a bend in the inlet conduit 12. At the upper end 32 of the body 28 there is a threaded section 34 which cooperates with the threaded section 36 of the cap 24. Circumferentially spaced hooks 38 are appropriately attached about the upper body end 32 and engage the lip of the inlet opening 14 of the inlet conduit 12 to prevent movement of the holding device 10 too far into the inlet conduit 12.

The valve means 18 is provided in the bottom or outlet end 40 of the holding device 10. The valve means 18 in addition to the valve 20 having the attached pull cord 22, includes a cylindrical member 42 threadably adjustable, as at 44, in a threaded counter bore in the bottom or outlet opening 40. A closed end 46 of the member 42 has a plurality of openings 48 therein, including a central opening for the pull cord 22, through which it is possible -for liquid to flow through the outlet opening of the valve means 18. Threadably adjusted in the open end of the cylindrical member 42 is a second cylindrical member 50 having a valve opening 52 in an end Wall 53 thereof. The valve opening 52 is appropriately chamfered to provide the valve seat 54 which facilitates the centering of the valve 20 over the valve opening 52 when it is desired to close the outlet end 40 of the holding device 10 of fluid ow into the gasoline storage tank.

Completing the construction of a preferred embodirnent of the holding device 10 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves 56 in the outer surface of the tubular body 28 which provides proper venting of fumes from the gasoline storage tank.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims Ibe construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. An emergency gasoline-supply holding device for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a vehicle gasoline storage tank, an inlet conduit connected to said storage tank for flowing gasoline by gravity into said storage tank, and a huid-holding device having an operative position mounted in the upper end of said inlet conduit, said device having a hollow tubular body defining an `auxiliary storage chamber through which gasoline is passed into said storage tank, valve means in the lower end of said tubular body for selectively closing-off said auxiliary storage chamber when said vehicle storage tank and said inlet conduit thereof are llled with a volume of gasoline resulting in the level thereof rising above said valve means, and valve-opening means connected at one end to said valve means and at its opposite end accessible at the upper end of said fluid-holding device and adapted, when manipulated at said accessible end, to open said valve means to release a quantity of gasoline being stored within said auxiliary storage chamber for gravity ow into said storage tank to replenish the supply of gasoline therein.

2. An emergency gasoline-supply holding device `as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular body is fabricated of a pliable plastic so as to conform in shape to the shape of said inlet conduit duirng the positioning of said tubular body within said inlet conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,804 3/1907 Martin 15S-46.5 2,971,576 2/1961 Anker 15S- 46.5 3,129,747 4/1964 Warner 158-465 3,270,797 9/1966 McLeod et al. 15S-46.5

FREDERICK KETTERER, Primary Examiner