US3601286A - Fluid inventory control system - Google Patents

Abstract

A fluid inventory control system is manufactured in modular sections and interconnected by single, multiwire cables having plugs attached to either end for the purpose of cooperating with plug receptacles incorporated with each section of the fluid inventory control system.

Description

United States Patent Wilbert G. Kautz West Unity, Ohio 822,425

May 7, 1969 Aug. 24, 1971 The Aro Corporation Bryan, Ohio [72] Inventor [21 1 Appl. No. 22] Filed [45] Patented [73] Assignee [54] FLUID INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Fig.

52 'U.S.C| 222/27, 222/37, 222/75, 222/76 511 lnLCl B67d5/08 so FieldoiSeareh 222/14, 36-37, 27, 75, 76; 194/DIG.18 ux 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1935 Riley ..l94/D1G.18 UX Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel Attorney-Molinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff ABSTRACT: A fluid inventory control system is manufac' tured in modular sections and interconnected by single, multiwire cables having plugs attached to either end for the purpose of cooperating with plug receptacles incorporated with each section of the fluid inventory control system.

PATENTED M1824 IQYI SHEET 1 [1F 3 h J E FLUID INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved fluid inventory control system.

In the past it has been the practice to provide custom made fluid inventory control systems for automobile repair shops, garages and the like. For example, a number of reels for dispensing a certain weight of oil are stationed throughout a service area of a garage. A control panel from which a garage manager can monitor an amount of oil passing or dispensed from a storage drum to a particular reel is stationed at a central location in the garage. The interconnecting control wiring between the control station, the dispensing station and the storage area is provided by a contractor or electrician and, of course, varies in accordance with the number of reel and station locations in the garage.

In the past such arrangements have resulted in a high labor cost necessitated by the planning and connecting of the control wires between the stations by an electrician or electrical contractor. The labor and time involved is often wasted sincesuch installations are complex and errors can easily be made. A single error in the wiring of such an installation will most likely cause the entire system to be inoperative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The fluid inventory control system of the invention is comprised of a separate control station, a separate dispensing station and a separate fluid supply statiomthe stations each being interconnected by means of prefabricated, multiwire cables which cooperate by means of plugs with plug receptacles at the various stations to provide a fully integrated fluid inventory control system.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an economically constructed, improved fluid inventory control system.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fluid inventory control system which can be easily assembled and installed in a garage or service station without the necessity of a professional electrician or contractor.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be set forth in greater detail in the description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawings comprised of the following Figures:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the improved fluid inventory control system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a wiring diagram of a first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a wiring diagram of a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown a portion of a typical fluid inventory control system of the invention. The system is comprised of three stations, a control station 10, a dispensing station 12, and a supply or storage station 14. Control station includes a selector switch 18 which may be rotated to indicate the dispensing reel, for example, reel 16, of the dispensing station 12 which is to receive a programmed order offluid such as oil. A group oflights 20 indicates which reel at station 12 has been selected. For purposes ofillustration, only one reel 16 is shown at station 12. In practice numerous reels are positioned about the garage all together comprising the dispensing station 12.

The amount of material to be dispensed at the reel 16 is set on the product countdown or setting counter 22. A second counter 24 is provided to count up the amount of fluid dispensed on each dispensing operation. A third counter 26 gives the total amount of fluid dispensed through the fluid inventory control system.

FIG. 1 also shows a plug receptacle 28 provided for control station 10. A factory assembled cable 30 with a keyed jack 32 connects with the plugged receptacle 28. The cable 30 is comprised of a plurality of wires, each wire connected to an appropriate terminal of the jack 32. The opposite end of the cable 30 terminates at a second keyed jack 34. Jack 34 mates with a plug receptacle 36 of a terminal board or junction box 37 at supply station 14. Supply station 14 includes a fluid storage receptacle, in this case a drum or barrel 38 of the fluid e.g. oil, which is to be dispensed.

An air motor pump 40 is provided for the drum 38 driven by air provided through a line 42 from an air compressor (not shown). A control solenoid 46 is provided in the air line 42 which leads to the pump 40. The solenoid 46 is connected through the terminal board 37 by cable 33 to the control station 10. The fluid is pumped from the drum 38 into a material line or conduit 44 leading to the dispensing station 12. A meter 50 provides a signal through cable 35 indicative of the amount of fluid passing through line 44. The signal of meter 50 also passes to the control station 10 via terminal board 37.

A cable 52 having jacks 54 and 56 at its opposite ends interconnects receptacles, e.g., a receptacle 49 of terminal board 37 with a receptacle 51 of reel 16 in the bank of reels comprising the dispensing station 12. Upon the appropriate electrical signal through cable 52, a solenoid 60 opens an appropriate valve 59 from the fluid line 44 to the reel 16. Additional cables as at 53 also connect the terminal board 37 with each separate reel of the station 12.

The cables 30 and 52 come in uniform lengths and are fabricated at the factory along with the other components of the system thereby eliminating the necessity for having an electrician or electrical contractor connect individual wires between the various stations comprising the system. The system also may be inspected for correct operation before leaving the factory. 7

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram for the system illustrated in FIG. 1. The various components of this system of FIG. 1 are correspondingly numbered in FIG. 2. A llO-volt AC powerline 61 is provided to supply power through a transformer 62 to the control station 10. A switch 63 operated by a key opens or closes the circuit to make the system operable. The system operates on 24 volts DC which is picked off from a rectifier 65 attached to the secondary coil 67 of the transformer 62.

As described before, the first step in the operation is to set the station 10 for that reel which is to dispense the fluid. Assume then that the station 10 is set to dispense fluid through reel l6. In that case a double wafer switch 69 is set in position L. The amount of material to be dispensed is then set on the counter 22 and a start button 27 which includes a switch light is depressed to initiate opening of the appropriate valves and starting of the pump 40 by opening the air solenoid 46.

Simultaneously, the appropriate signal through cable 52 causes valve 59 to be opened. Thus when the dispensing hose from reel 16 is unwound and the hand trigger on the hose depressed, oil or fluid passes from the hose in a measured amount. The valve 59, valve 46 and air motor 40 all cease operation simultaneously when the correct amount of fluid has been dispensed from the hose of reel 16. The next order of fluid may then be processed. A bypass key switch 29 is also provided to short out the controls and permit uncontrolled dispensing of material from the reels of the system.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an alternative circuit for a fluid inventory control system. In this alternative arrangement, an additional selector switch 64 is provided. The selector switch 64 has a first or A position, a second or B position and a third or C position, each position being indicative of a separate fluid product which may be dispensed through one of three separate product reels at a three reel station, for example reel station 16. Thus, if the three reel station 16 corresponds to reel outlet station selector position F in FIG. 3 and the selector switch 64 is set in the product A position and the amount of fluid to be dispensed from that particular reel is set on the countdown counter 22, the solenoid for the reel 16A is actuated. This allows a metered amount of fluid to pass through the dispensing reel 16A in accordance with the setting on the counter 22. The amount of fluid-type A which is dispensed is totaled on totalizer 26A.

The counter 22 is activated by the feedback signal from the meter 50A for the product A pump 40A. Thus, as can be seen from the description, the dispensing of three products can be monitored through a single control console. Once again, and very importantly, the interconnections between the control console and the dispensing and supply stations are provided through a single multiwire cable having jacks adapted to engage receptacles as schematically illustrated at 76.

The advantages of this construction are that the device may be pretested before installation to insure that there are no incorrect connections in the installation. This guarantees that the installation will be operative immediately upon installation. In addition, it is considerably easier to install such a system and much more economical since an electrician is not required. Finally, the modular cable sections as at 30, 52, 54 and 76 are provided in fixed lengths. Additional lengths may be joined to provide a modular fluid inventory control system for any size of garage with any desired span of separation between the stations comprising the system.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid inventory control system of the type having a. a fluid-dispensing station with means for discharging amounts of fluid from said station, each said means for discharging including an electrically controlled valve operable to open a fluid discharge path through said means for discharging,

b. a fluid station including fluid conduit means for connecting means of fluid supply to said means for discharging fluid from said fluid-dispensing station, said fluid supply station also including means for pumping fluid through said fluid conduit means, electrical control means for said means for pumping and electrical metering means for measuring the amount of fluid flowing through said conduit means, and

c. a quantitative control and fluid meter station including electric counters and controls for counting and indicating measured volumes of fluid, and direct current power supply means for said control system, the improvement comprising,

i. a plug receptacle at said fluid meter station, said receptacle having at least three contacts, said plug receptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components and controls included as part of said meter station, said receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed P g ii. a second plug receptacle at said supply station, said second plug receptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components and to third plug receptacles included as a part of said supply station, said second receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, and including the same number of contacts as said plug receptacle at said fluid meter station,

iii. at least one modular cable segment, said segment having at least the same number of wires as the number of contacts at said supply station receptacle, said cable segment including a keyed plug attached at each end, said plugs connectable with said supply station second plug receptacle and said fluid meter station plug receptacle to provide a complete control circuit between said control station and said supply station, and

iv. a plug receptacle for said electrically controlled valves of said dispensing station and at least another one modular cable segment having keyed plugs at each end, said another one cable segment connecting said plug receptacle of said dispensing station with said third lug receptacle of said supply station. 2. T e improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1 including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segments between said fluid meter station receptacle and said supply station receptacle.

3. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1 including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segments between said dispensing station receptacle and said supply station receptacle.

Claims (3)

1. In a fluid inventory control system of the type having a. a fluid-dispensing station with means for discharging amounts of fluid from said station, each said means for discharging including an electrically controlled valve operable to open a fluid discharge path through said means for discharging, b. a fluid station including fluid conduit means for connecting means of fluid supply to said means for discharging fluid from said fluid-dispensing station, said fluid supply station also including means for pumping fluid through said fluid conduit means, electrical control means for said means for pumping and electrical metering means for measuring the amount of fluid flowing through said conduit means, and c. a quantitative control and fluid meter station including electric counters and controls for counting and indicating measured volumes of fluid, and direct current power supply means for said control system, the improvement comprising, i. a plug receptacle at said fluid meter station, said receptacle having at least three contacts, said plug receptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components and controls included as part of said meter station, said receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, ii. a second plug receptacle at said supply station, said second plug receptacle being electrically connected to the electrical components and to third plug receptacles included as a part of said supply station, said second receptacle being keyed to receive a keyed plug, and including the same number of contacts as said plug receptacle at said fluid meter station, iii. at least one modular cable segment, said segment having at least the same number of wires as the number of contacts at said supply station receptacle, said cable segment including a keyed plug attached at each end, said plugs connectable with said supply station second plug receptacle and said fluid meter station plug receptacle to provide a complete control circuit between said control station and said supply station, and iv. a plug receptacle for said electrically controlled valves of said dispensing station and at least another one modular cable segment having keyed plugs at each end, said another one cable segment connecting said plug receptacle of said dispensing station with said third plug receptacle of said supply station.

2. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1 including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segments between said fluid meter station receptacle and said supply station receptacle.

3. The improved fluid inventory control system of claim 1 including a plurality of uniform length and connected cable segments between said dispensing station receptacle and said supply station receptacle.

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