US3540496A - Fluid dispensing nozzle - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Malcolm C. Myers Cincinnati, Ohio March 11, 1968 Nov. 17, 1970 Dover Corporation Cincinnati, Ohio a corporation of Delaware FLUID DISPENSING NOZZLE 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

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Field of Search References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1935 Etzel Henry Sutcliffe et al..

Noland Carder et al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1960 Canada Primary ExaminerLaverne D. Geiger Assistant Examiner-Edward J. Earls Att0rneyl(inney and Schenk 141/215X 14I/225X 74/526X 141/206 ABSTRACT: A fluid dispensing nozzle of the type for dispensing gasoline, wherein the actuating lever for the nozzle valve is provided with a slidable, stepped cam which cam engages the valve stem for the nozzle valve. The lever is further provided with means to effect movement of the cam to thus adjust the amount the cam will displace the stem, thereby controlling valve opening.

"I'll" Patented Nov. 17, 1970 I 3,540,496

FIG-l HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,540,496 I INVENTOR 9O 94 MALCOLM c. MYERS HIS ATTORNEYS FLUID DISPENSING NOZZLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many presently used fluid dispensing nozzles of the type used to dispense gasoline, or the like, usually have provisions for latching the actuating lever of each nozzle in an open position to allow flow through the nozzle while leaving such nozzle unattended. However, the latches provided on presently used nozzles are difficult to actuate, often require that on operator use both hands to achieve such latching. and in many instances protrude outwardly of the peripheral outline of the nozzle so as to be susceptible to be readily engaged inadvertently and unlatched or caught on an operators'clothing to thereby create unnecessary problems during the dispensing of fluid through such present nozzles.

SUMMARY This invention provides an improved fluid dispensing nozzle having latch means which is easy to latch in position using only one hand and provide a positive latching which holds the fluid nozzle positively open until such time as automatic shutoff means comprising the fluid nozzle is actuated. The improved latch means of this invention comprises a slidable cam which is supported for sliding movement by an actuating lever comprising such nozzle and trigger means for moving the slidable cam in position prior to the application of the force against the actuating lever used to open the nozzle.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of the embodiment thereof presented in the accompanying drawings proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings show a present exemplary embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. I is a view of an exemplary fluid dispensing nozzle with parts in section and parts broken away and particularly illustrating such nozzle being actuated open using one hand and the improved latch means of this invention comprising such nozzle being actuated utilizing the index finger of the one hand;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view essentially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts in section particularly illustrating slidable cam means and trigger means comprising the improved latch means of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a view with parts in section and parts broken away particularly illustrating the actuating lever of the nozzle of FIG. 1 in its lower position prior to actuation thereof, and illustrating the positions of step means comprising the slidable cam means relative to a stem comprising the valve means of the nozzle of FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 is a view with parts in section and parts broken away similar to FIG. 4 of the drawings and illustrating the actuating lever latched open by placing its free end portion on a supporting ledge and illustrating the slidable cam means moved in position so that an intermediate step means thereof provides a medium flow condition through the fluid dispensing nozzle.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, an improved fluid dispensing nozzle such as a gasoline dispensing nozzle is illustrated. Dispensing nozzle 20 is comprised ofa main housing means or body 21 having normally closed valve means indicated The pivoted lever 27 used to open valve means 22 will be described in more detail subsequently in this specification; however, lever 27 is provided with a suitable lever guard 28 which extends beneath main housing 21. The lever guard 28 may be a separate unit suitably fastened in position or may be formed as an integral part of housing 21. The lever guard is so constructed and arranged that lever 27 is confined within the peripheral outline of guard 28.

A passage 30 is provided in housing 21 and such housing has means such as threads or the like at the entrance to passage 30 for connection of nozzle 20 to a flexible hose, or the like, which in turn is connected to a source of gasoline through a gasoline metering pump. A fluid discharge conduit 32 is also suitably connected to the discharge end ot'nozzle 20 and'upon actuating lever 27, with nozzle 20 inserted in a gasoline tank,

for example, stem 26 and hence poppet 23 is raised upwardly. allowing gasoline to flow through passage 30 and out of nozzle 20 through its discharge conduit 32.

Gasoline dispensing nozzle 20 includes automatic shutoff means enabling leaving nozzle 20 unattended. The automatic shutoff means shuts off the flow of gasoline through nozzle 20 once an associated gasoline tank has been filled so that the discharge end portion of conduit 32 is submerged by gasoline.

The automatic high-level shutoff means used in nozzle 20 is of a known type and is designated within nozzle 20 generally by the numeral 33. Shutoff means 33 comprises a telescoping cylindrical plunger 34 mounted within housing 21 for axial movement within confined limits. Plunger 34 has radial openings in oneend portion thereof, shown in the upper end portion in this example, and a plurality of balls 35 carried within such radial openings for radial movement toward and away from the elongated axis of plunger 34. The balls 35 operate to hold the plunger 34 in a raised position upon being urged radially outwardly by a cooperating stem 36 extending through a blind bore 37 in the central portion of plunger 34 as will be presently described.

Stem 36 is suitably centrally fastened to a diaphragm 38 which is carried within housing 21 to define a pressure chamber shown at 40. Stem 36 has a tapered portion illustrated at 41 which serves as cam surface means adapted to engage balls 35. A balance spring 42 is provided on the top side of diaphragm 38 for controlling the extent of movement'of such diaphragm and hence the movement of tapered portion 41 and balls 35.

Nozzle 20 also has a separate passage means designated generally by the numeral 43 and extending from a location adjacent the terminal discharge end of discharge conduit 32 so that it is in flow communication with pressure chamber 40. Passage means 43 is comprised of a plurality of suitably interconnected integral passages each extending through an as sociated portion of nozzle 20. The lower end portion of passage means 43 is defined by a section of separate tubing 44 supported within discharge conduit 32 and tubing 44 has an open end portion or open end 45 extending through conduit 32 adjacent its discharge end as shown at 46 so that open end 45 is submerged once an associated tank is nearly filled.

During a normal filling operation, with a tank not yet full, the pressure within chamber 40 is such that tapered portion 41 urges balls 35 outwardly so that they engage an O-ring or seat ring 50 supported on a shoulder 51 provided in housing 21,

thus holding plunger 34 in its raised position. This is the solid line position shown in FIG. I.

As the tank or container is filled during such normal filling operation, liquid submergcs the terminal end portion of arcuate discharge conduit 32 also submerging open end 45 of tubing 44 to cause a reduction in pressure in the entire passage means 43. Because passage means 43 is in flow communication with chamber 40, the reduced pressure is also present in chamber 40 which allows diaphragm 38 to move upwardly to the dotted line position of FIG. 1 causing balls 35 .to roll toward each other to the dotted line position shown and thereby releasing or unlocking plunger 34 from its raised position as held by balls 35 being seated against seat ring 50.

As plunger 34 is released it telescopes downwardly or drops to a lower. dotted line position shown at 53 in FIG. 1 and thereby drops a pivot pin 54 carried at its lower terminal end.

Pivot pin 54 supports one end oflever 27 for pivoting movement thereabout. With pivot pin 54 dropped to position 53, the upper portion of lever 27 strikes housing 21 at 56 upon being actuated making it physically impossible for lever 27 to contact the terminal end of rod 26 and allow flow through poppet assembly 23. It will be appreciated that one once the mechanical assembly associated with plunger 34 drops to position 53 spring 24 immediately urges poppet assembly 23 closed.

The automatic shutoff means described in connection with nozzle operates in an efficient manner irrespective of whether the nozzle 20 is manually held within an associated tank while holding lever 27 open or whether nozzle 20 is left unattended and utilizing the improved latch means of this invention, which is designated generally by the reference numeral 60 and which will be described in detail hereinafter.

The lever guard 28 is a substantially L-shaped lever guard which has one leg portion designated by the reference numeral 61 which in the illustration of FIG. 1 is shown arranged substantially horizontally and another leg portion designated by the reference numeral 62 which extends upwardly from the rear end of the horizontal leg portion 61 toward the main housing 21 of the nozzle 20. The lever guard 28 has a supporting ledge means shown as a supporting ledge 63 which comprises the improved latch means of this invention and ledge 63 is adapted to support the free end portion 65 of the lever 27 thereon so as to enable latching the lever 27 open and thereby leave the nozzle 20 unattended within an associated tank or fluid container so that once the fluid level within the container reaches a point wherein the open end 45 of conduit 44 is submerged by fluid the automatic shutoff means comprising the nozzle 20 is automatically actuated in a manner as previously described in detail.

As seen particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the vertical leg portion 62 of lever guard 28 is comprised of two substantially parallel spaced apart portions designated by the numeral 62A and 628 respectively. The supporting ledge 63 is suitably fixed to the leg portion 62B so that a space designated by the numeral 70 is provided between the outer tip of the ledge 63 and the oppositely arranged leg 62A so as to enable the end portion 65 of lever 27 to be moved upwardly along the space 70 essentially in an unobstructed manner and enable the end portion 65 to be supported on supporting ledge 63 and thereby latch the lever 27 in position so that it may be left unattended.

In addition to the supporting ledge 63 described above, the latch means comprises a slidable cam 71 which is supported for sliding movement on the lever 27. The cam 71 has step means provided as an integral part thereof and adapted to engage the outer end 72 of valve stem 26 comprising the valve means 22. The latch means 60 includes trigger means 73 which will be described in more detail subsequently and such trigger means comprises a member having one end pivotally connected about a pivot pin 74 carried by the lever 27 and its opposite end fastened to the slidable cam 71 in a detachable manner. in this example of the invention the opposite or lower end of the trigger means or trigger 73 has an opening provided therein and a threaded screw 75 is threaded into a cooperating threaded opening 76 provided in the rear end portion of the slidable cam 71 so as to fasten the lower end portion of the trigger 73 to the slidable cam 71 in a readily detachable manner.

The slidable cam 71 has a plurality ofintegral step means or integral steps shown as three integral step means designated respectively by the numerals 80, 81, and 82. Each of the step means 80-82 is adapted to engage the terminal end 72 of the valve stem 26 so as to displace such valve stem a different amount and provide a corresponding displacement of the valve means 22 and thus a corresponding different flow through the valve means 22 upon actuating the lever 27.

As will be apparent from the drawings, the actuating lever 27 has an integral substantially L-shuped forward portion which is designated generally by the numeral and which is comprised of a pair of leg portions 86 and 87. The leg portion 86 is fastened at the lower end of plunger 34 for pivoting movement about the pivot pin 54 and the leg portion 87 is arranged so that it extends approximately perpendicular to leg portion 86 and extends upwardly therefrom with the nozzle '20 in the fluid dispensing position illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The substantially L-shaped forward portion 85 of the actuating lever 27 has an opening 90 extending therethrough adjacent the intersection of leg portions 86 and 87 which enables the slidable cam 71 to move therethrough and be slidably supported on the one leg 86 of the L-shaped forward portion 85 of the actuating lever 27. The actuating lever 27 has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and is fastened in position so that the parallel arm portions of such U-shaped cross-sectional configuration extend along the opposite sides of the slidable cam 71 and upwardly away from the bight indicated by the reference numeral 92 thereof. The parallel arms 91 guide the slidable cam 71 and the inside surface of the bight 92 supports the lower surface of slidable cam 71, see FIG. 3. The slidable cam 71 also has stop means shown as a ledge 94 provided adjacent its rear end portion and the stop means or ledge 94 limits the movement of the slidable cam 71 toward the plunger 34 upon actuating the trigger 73.

As previously mentioned the trigger 73 is supported for pivoting movement about the pivot pin 74 comprising the no tuating lever 27 and the central portion 95 of the trigger means or trigger 73 may be made of a flat strip of material which provides a comparatively large bearing surface which may be comfortably engaged by an index finger. To mechanically latch the actuating lever 27 in position it is a simple matter to grasp the rear or free end portion of the actuating lever 27 with one hand, pull such lever toward housing 21, and support end portion 65 on ledge 63. The trigger means, or trigger 73 is actuated forward prior to actually pulling upwardly on the actuating lever 27, and such trigger may be simply and easily moved using the index finger of such one hand. The trigger 73 may be pushed forward any desired amount so as to preselect the desired step means 80, 81, or 82 whereby upon actuating the lever 27 and placing its free end 65 on supporting ledge 63 a rate of fluid flow as determined by the preselected step means is provided through the fluid nozzle 20. For example, it will be seen that step means 80 provides a low flow condition upon being urged against end 72 of plunger 26, step means 81 provides a medium flow condition, and step means 82 provides a high flow condition.

Once the automatic shutoff means provided in nozzle 20 is actuated it will be appreciated that the plunger 34 moves to the lower position 53 as previously described. As plunger 34 moves to the lower position the tendency of the trigger means 73 is to return to its rearmost position which is essentially the position illustrated in FlG. 1 of the drawings, whereby after removing the free end portion 65 from the ledge 63 it is necessary to reposition the trigger means 73 and preselect another step means by moving the slidable cam 71 to another desired position to enable dispensing fluid into another container in a subsequent dispensing operation. This feature assures that the trigger 73 must be positively moved forward each time to provide a high flow through nozzle 20 and serves as a safety feature.

In this exemplary embodiment of the invention the trigger 73 is pivotally supported about its pivot pin 74 and is acted upon only by the force of gravity once the plunger 34 moves to its lowermost position 53. However, it will be appreciated that the trigger 73 may be formed so that its central portion 95 is made of a resilient springlike material which normally tends to resiliently urge the slidable cam 71 to a rearmost position once the plunger 34 drops to its lowermost position 53 in the manner described previously.

Thus it is seen that an improved fluid dispensing nozzle is provided by this invention which has improved latch means which enables a slidable earn having a plurality of step means to be actuated by trigger means to provide various flow conditions through the nozzle and the nozzle and latch means may be actuated utilizing only one hand.

Iclaim:

l. A fluid dispensing nozzle for dispensing a fluid into a fluid container comprising, a housing, valve means supported within said housing and adapted to be opened to allow fluid flow through said nozzle, said valve means including a valve stem extending out of said housing and urging means normally urging said valve means closed and an outer end of said valve stem away from said housing, a fluid discharge conduit fastened in flow communication with said valve means and adapted to have its terminal end portion submerged in fluid upon filling said container, automatic shutoff means for automatically shutting off flow through said valve means as said end portion of said conduit is submerged in said fluid, said automatic shutoff means including a telescoping plunger which moves to an extended position upon actuation of said automatic shutoff means, a lever for opening said valve means upon engaging said lever against said valve stem and moving said outer end toward said housing by or overriding said urging means, said lever having one end pivoted on said plunger, a lever guard on said housing for supporting the unpivoted end of said lever, and latch means for latching said lever open upon overriding said urging means to allow fluid flow through said valve means prior to actuation of said automatic shutoff means, said latch means being arranged within the outline of said lever guard and being adapted to be actuated using only one hand and comprising, a supporting ledge carried by said housing for supporting the free end portion of said lever, a slidable cam supported for sliding movement on said lever and having step means adapted to engage said outer end of said valve stem, and trigger means for moving said step means in position to thereby adjust the amount said cam displaces said stem and valve means upon placing said free end portion of said lever on said supporting ledge and thus adjust the amount of fluid flow through said valve means.

2. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 1 in which said slidable cam has a plurality of integral step means provided therein and each of said step means is adapted to engage and displace said valve stem at different amount to provide a corresponding flow through said valve means upon actuating said lever.

3. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 2 in which said ledge means is provided at the rear end portion of said nozzle and as an integral portion of a substantially L-shaped lever guard comprising said nozzle.

4. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 2 in which said trigger means comprises a member having one end pivotally connected to said lever and its opposite end fastened to said slidable cam.

5. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 2 in which said lever has a substantially L-shaped forward portion provided with one of its legs fastened in position to define said one end pivoted. on said plunger and the other of its legs being arranged approximately perpendicular to said one leg and extending upwardly therefrom with said nozzle in a fluid dispensing position, and said L-shaped forward portion has an opening adjacent the intersection of its legs which enables a said slidable cam to move therethrough and be slidably supported on said one leg.

6. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 5 in which said lever has a substantially U-shaped cross-sectional configuration and is fastened in position on said nozzle so that the parallel arm portions thereof extend along opposite sides of said slidable cam and guide said slidable cam and the inside surface ofthe bight thereof supports said slidable cam.

7. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 6 in which said slidable cam has stop means limiting movement thereof toward said plunger upon actuating said trigger means.

8. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 7 in which said slidable cam is a single piece unit having said stop means formed therein asan integral downwardly extending shoulder.

9. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 2 in which said plurality of step means are provided in the forward portion ofsaid slidable cam and a given step means is selected and moved in position merely by pushing said trigger means toward said plunger prior to actuation of said lever.

10. A fluid dispensing nozzle as set forth in claim 9 in which said trigger means comprises a member having one end pivotally connected to said lever and its opposite end fastened in a readily detachable manner to the rear end portion of said slidable cam.

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